REVIEW: “Anything for You” by Kristan Higgins
Before you get down on bended knee…
…you should be pretty darn sure the answer will be yes. For ten years, Connor O’Rourke has been waiting for Jessica Dunn to take their on-again, off-again relationship public, and he thinks the time has come. His restaurant is thriving, she’s got her dream job at Blue Heron Vineyard—it’s the perfect time to get married.
When he pops the question, however, her answer is a fond but firm no. If it ain’t broke, why fix it? Jess has her hands full with her younger brother, who’s now living with her full-time, and a great career after years of waitressing. What she and Connor have is perfect: friends with an excellent benefits package. Besides, with her difficult past (and reputation), she’s positive married life isn’t for her.
But this time, Connor says it’s all or nothing. If she doesn’t want to marry him, he’ll find someone who does. Easier said than done, given that he’s never loved anyone but her. And maybe Jessica isn’t quite as sure as she thinks…
Rating: 4.89 out of 5 Capes
Heroes,
Ohmigod, I love Kristan Higgins so much. She’s a favorite of mine, and when I saw this book in the grocery store yesterday I snapped it up and finished the whole thing in about five hours. I’m a fast reader, but she’s also just that good. “Anything For You” is funny, heart-warming, and satisfying, with memorable characters, a charming setting, and a well-balanced love story that hits all the right notes.
This is the fifth book in the Blue Heron collection, and both of the main characters are already familiar to fans of the series. Connor O’Rourke is a sexy chef who owns a restaurant with his twin sister and has big plans to expand his business. He’s got a complicated but loving relationship with his family, and he’s ready to settle down with his on-again, off-again love, Jessica Dunn. I enjoyed Connor, but Jessica was a surprising delight. She’s been a bit of a villain in other books in the series, and I really enjoyed seeing a different side of her. By the end of the book, I felt I understood her and admired her because of it. Higgins pulls off a neat trick with her character, and I’m impressed by the way her outward coldness to other characters was transformed into strength and determination.
I’ve been into Kristan Higgins ever since I read “Just One of the Guys,” and I can honestly say she just gets better and better. That said, she definitely has a formula working here. All of her books are set in beautiful, quirky, small towns. At least one of the two main characters always has a big, complicated family that is frequently played for laughs. Most of the time, the two main characters have a background before the book begins. There’s not a lot of high-drama in these books; instead, they are largely about the way small incidents shape personalities and how love can reframe those memories. There’s always a dog. The sameness of her books somehow feels realistic instead of routine, homey instead of lazy.
The Blue Heron series, set in upstate New York wine country, centers around the Holland family, and features a large cast of recurring characters. I enjoyed them all, but I think “Anything For You” is my favorite, along with “The Best Man.” In my opinion, Higgins is one of the best writers in romance today, and I will always pick up one of her books.
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