Text Appeal (Port Stewart) by Kylie Scott-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 22, 2024

Romance author Riley Cooper always dreamed of living by the water. But within a day of landing in the charming seaside town of Port Stewart to work on her latest book, she’s getting calls and texts for some dude on her new number. Weird ones. Sad ones. Sexy ones. Ones that make her want to meet him. For curiosity’s sake…if nothing else.

After years of being on-again, off-again with his high school sweetheart, all Connor wants is to move on with his life. If only everyone in Port Stewart would let him. What he needs is to be seen with someone else. So when fate puts him in the path of the new girl in town who got his old number, faking it together seems like the perfect solution.

Spending time with the gorgeous former prom king might be great research for Riley’s romance writing…if only she can keep her feelings in check. But the more she gets to know him, the harder she’s falling. Can their serendipitous meeting turn into something real and true?

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REVIEW:TEXT APPEAL is the first instalment in Kylie Scott’s contemporary, adult PORT STEWART erotic, romance series. This is romance author Riley Cooper, and mechanic Connor’s story line.

Told from first person perspective (Riley) TEXT APPEAL follows romance author Riley Cooper as she struggles to write her latest book but a new phone number finds Riley on the receiving end of a number of texts for someone called Connor, texts that pique her interest in the intended recipient. Within days, the small town gossip mill of Port Stewart begins tracking down Riley Cooper, a potential suitor for our story line hero, a woman who is seen a competition for the heart of Connor. Connor’s ex girlfriend Ava is coming home, and Connor wants nothing to do with the woman who broke his heart. Along with his family, the town of Port Stewart prepares a welcome home party in the hopes of pushing the former couple together but Connor has moved on, and makes Riley an offer for the foreseeable future: a fake relationship to keep his family at bay, and Ava towards another path on her own. What ensues is the building but fake relationship between Riley and Connor, and the potential fall-out when their time together comes to a close.

The world building focuses on Connor’s extended family and their refusal to accept that Connor and Ava are no more. From his mother’s desperate attempts to push the couple back together, to his grandmother’s fierce protectiveness over our story line heroine, the meddling people of Port Stewart can’t leave well enough alone.

The relationship between Riley and Connor is a fake relationship predicated upon secrets and lies. Connor’s long suffering, on / off relationship with Ava ended several months earlier but throughout the story everyone including Connor refuse to let go of the past. As Connor struggles to stand his ground against his family and the residents of Port Stewart, Riley finds herself the unintended target of the pushy but well meaning people in Connor’s life. As Connor and Riley’s relationship begins to grow, Riley struggles to keep her heart from getting involved. The $ex scenes are passionate and seductive.

There is a large ensemble cast of interesting and quirky secondary and supporting characters: including Connor’s mother Denise, grandmother Martha, brother Stuart, and ex girlfriend Ava.

TEXT APPEAL is a story of secrets and lies, family and friendships, relationships and love. The premise is captivating and entertaining; the romance is awkward yet enticing; the characters are desperate and dynamic but Connor’s behavior and lack of excitement regarding our story line heroine is questionable-I didn’t feel any palpable sexual attraction-the relationships definitely appeared one-sided.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Kylie is a long time fan of erotic love stories and B-grade horror films. She demands a happy ending and if blood and carnage occur along the way then all the better. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and one delightful husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet

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