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Sheila Parker

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Sheila is Currently Reading

Sheila Parker is currently reading

Next of Kin: A Memoir

by Gabrielle Hamilton

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Jan 25, 2026 09:56AM

Sheila Parker is currently reading

Secretly Yours (Celebrity Love in New Orleans #4)

by Katie Talbot (Goodreads Author)

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Jan 25, 2026 09:55AM

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It Seemed Like a Good Idea (Darling Springs, #1)

by Lauren Blakely (Goodreads Author)

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Reading for the 2nd time

read in January 2026

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Sheila Parker said: " This is a 3.25 rating. This sweet small town romance follows the bodyguard trope along with forced proximity. Banks is contracted to protect the twin sister of a movie star while a movie is being filmed in the small town where the twins grew up. At f This is a 3.25 rating. This sweet small town romance follows the bodyguard trope along with forced proximity. Banks is contracted to protect the twin sister of a movie star while a movie is being filmed in the small town where the twins grew up. At first, Ripley, the owner of a quaint Lavender Farm and twin to the movie star, doesn’t want a bodyguard, especially when she finds out he is the man who ghosted her in San Francisco.

Blakely does a wonderful job creating the antagonistic banter between Ripley and Banks. The verbal foreplay is delightful and hilarious. Readers are drawn to Ripley as she has many of the eldest daughter personality traits. Her sassiness and bossiness create an endearing character. On the other hand, Banks is stoic at times, but roles with the punches in the presence of Ripley. However, he is too stuck in the past to draw the audience to him.

The the story is told through alternating narratives, so the reader has an understanding of both Riley and Banks’s perspectives. Both have had tragedy in their life, but Blakely focuses more on Bank’s issues than she does Ripley’s. To be honest, I would have rather Blakely focuses on Ripley and how she moved on after her tragedy. It seems like the author glasses over Ripley‘s trauma, even though hers is more devastating than Banks’s trauma.

In the book, Banks focuses on maintaining control, especially over Ripley. However, it would’ve been more relatable if he would have focused on having control of the situation, especially in light of his business. While he followed Ripley around, it never seemed like he was overly concerned with being her bodyguard or focusing on the environment around them.

I did enjoy the setting of this novel. Blakely created the charming and delightful town of Darling Springs. The lavender farm creates a romantic feel to the story, and the townspeople that inhabit the city create a homey feel to the story. I love that it is small enough to ride the beach cruisers around town, and that allows the protagonist to interact authentically with the town and its people.

Blakely’s book has a fair amount of spice in it, so if you do not like a spicy romance, this book is not for you. Thank you to Cosmo Reads and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Blakely’s book. ...more "

Jan 25, 2026 09:11AM · see review

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