Release Reviews: A Charmed Little Lie: Sharla Lovelace

by - Tuesday, April 18, 2017


A Charmed Little Lie (Charmed in Texas #1)
Sharla Lovelace
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Release Date April 18, 2017



Charmed, Texas... quaint, quirky, and when it comes to romance, there's no place quite as enchanting.

Lanie Barrett didn't mean to lie. Spinning a story of a joyous marriage to make a dying woman happy is forgivable, isn't it? Lanie thinks so, especially since her beloved Aunt Ruby would have been heartbroken to know the truth of her niece's sadly loveless, short-of-sparkling existence. Trouble is, according to the will, Ruby didn't quite buy Lanie's tale. And to inherit the only house Lanie ever really considered a home, she'll have to bring her "husband" back to Charmed for three whole months--or watch Aunt Ruby's cozy nest go to her weasel cousin, who will sell it to a condo developer.

Nick McKane is out of work, out of luck, and the spitting image of the man Lanie described. He needs money for his daughter's art school tuition, and Lanie needs a convenient spouse. It's a match made... well, not quite in heaven, but for a temporary arrangement, it couldn't be better. Except the longer Lanie and Nick spend as husband and wife, the more the connection between them begins to seem real. Maybe this modern fairy tale really could come true...

graphics from Author's Facebook page
When Lanie Barrett is called back to Charmed, Texas for the reading of her beloved Aunt Ruby's will, she has a bit of a problem. She has to bring her husband and marriage certificate. The problem being they don't really exist. It was just a little lie to make a dying woman happy.
When  the perfect solution appears unexpectedly, it seems like it will be easy. Nick McKane, a very recently unemployed man in need of money agrees to come with her and play her husband, she'll get her inheritance, and they will say goodbye. One day, easy peasy, and everyone wins.

But Aunt Ruby is not going to make it that easy. Now Lanie and Nick have to keep up their farce and navigate life in Charmed for longer than they expected with a crazy group of quirky people. 
And there's some scheming cousins and townspeople trying to make trouble and prove that Lanie is lying for their own personal gain. And some of the situations are pure rom-com craziness.
But the more Lanie and Nick are together, the more real it feels. Nick is sexy, caring, protective, and alpha. Lanie is a bit more awkward, but sassy and sweet. They've got great chemistry that just sizzles. But between the nosy neighbors, shenanigans, and personal issues it is hard to find time to figure out where they really stand. They both have fears, insecurities, and abandonment issues. She is afraid of love and being too attached to a man. He is afraid to trust. They do not always effectively communicate, especially Lanie. And that makes for even more anxiety and confusion.

Is it fake, real, fate, or divine intervention?  And can they manage to do what needs to be done to save Lanie's childhood home and inheritance?

This is a delightful, sweet, romantic, funny small town fake-to-real love story about unexpected gifts, fate, faith, and intuition. It is told in Lanie's point of view. I wish we could have heard Nick's voice because some of his motivations remained a mystery. But at least he did a better job of communicating his feelings than Lanie did. The townies added humor, drama, and sometimes even disgust with their behavior. But there were a few likable ones.  Her friend, Carmen's story intrigued me with her previous lost loves. I also enjoyed  Bash so hopefully he will return as well. Even dearly departed Aunt Ruby felt present in the "words of wisdom" chapter headings and how she communicated her last wishes. It was an engaging and heartwarming  start to a new series and I am looking forward to more in Charmed. Texas.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

 Lanie didn’t mean to spin herself into a corner; she just wanted to make her grandmother happy. But now Lanie will have to arrive in Charmed,TX with her husband in order to keep her inheritance. There’s just one problem: she isn’t really married.

Nick wasn’t having a very good day, and a quick way to earn a couple hundred extra dollars sounded like a good way to make the most of a bad situation.

They are complete strangers who have to act happily married. But what happens when the lines between reality and pretend begin to blur?

Serendipity plays a large part in the beginning of this book, to the point it almost feels like a character itself. The perfect storm of meeting place and time, desperation, and drive sends these two on a trip that turns into more than either bargained for.

I loved every minute of this book. As a sweet, summer read, this was perfectly placed to keep me entertained and light hearted. Lanie’s family proved the perfect antagonists with their self centered motives against her desire to hold on to her grandmother’s memory. The townspeople added both fun and tension, depending on which side of the battle they were on.

This book has a perfect touch of humor mixed with it’s small town, fake marriage situation. Really, it would be hard to have a fake marriage in a small town without some humor, but this is perfectly placed, perfectly managed humor to balance the tricky situation Nick and Lanie have created.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sharla Lovelace is the bestselling, award-winning author of sexy small-town love stories. Being a Texas girl through and through, she’s proud to say she lives in Southeast Texas with her retired husband, a tricked-out golf cart, and two crazy dogs. Among her work is the bestselling novel Don’t Let Go, the exciting Heart Of The Storm series, and the fun and sexy new Charmed in Texas series. 

For more about Sharla's books, visit www.sharlalovelace.com, and keep up with all her new book releases easily by subscribing to her newsletter. She loves keeping up with her readers, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as @sharlalovelace.

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