Review Tour: Timid: Devney Perry
Willa Doon has always been shy. Her quiet demeanor was something she’s always embraced. That is, until Jackson Page moves to town. The one man she desperately wants to take notice struggles to remember her name.
Year after year, Willa stands by, watching as the bartender slash playboy drowns his demons in beer and sex. Then one night, he shows up at her door, suddenly aware that the girl he’s seen around Lark Cove is now a beautiful woman.
Except what he doesn’t remember is that this visit isn’t his first. They spent a night together once before. A night he’s forgotten, thanks to a bottle of tequila.
A night that crushed a timid girl’s heart, and set a broken man on the path to heal them both.
We got a hint of Willa and Jackson in Tattered. Willa is the shy, inexperienced Camp Director and Jackson is the charming, playboy who runs the bar. Willa has crushed on Jackson since she was a teen, but he never really noticed her.One night Willa thought things might be changing, but was disappointed the next day. But little things are coming together and making him take a second look at Willa. But he finds out pursuing her won't be that easy. She has kept her heart in suspended animation for years just waiting for him to see her, but now she is finally decided she needs to let him go. But once Jackson sets his mind to something, he is stubborn. The idea of romance and relationships might be new to both of them, but he is determined to wear her down.
But they are people who have had different life experiences and Jackson does not think he is the forever kind of guy. And Willa is the house, kids, and picket fence type of girl. His past has haunted him and shaped his self-perception, and now his life is about to take on a big change. Things have never been easy for Jackson Page so he is always expecting the worse. And sometimes he is right.
Will she stand there beside him or will he lose her like most everyone else he has ever cared about?
I really liked both Willa and Jackson. Even when Jackson was a bit clueless, I knew he had a big heart and was protective due to how he treated his self made family Hazel, Thea, and Charlie. The poor guy just never saw what was right in front of him for a long time, and was so scared of something real and that could cause pain. And even though Willa could be quiet and unassuming, she also had an inner strength about her. She was strong-willed and stubborn when it came to taking care of people she cared about. And she was trying to become more empowered.
This is a sweet, sexy, love story with just enough angst, drama, and even a bit of suspense. It is about learning to recognize and be willing to fight for love. This takes place in the same time period as Tattered so some of the events cross over, but the author does a good job explaining the pertinent details so it can be read as a stand alone. I love the inhabitants of Lark Cove and this small town setting. I cannot wait for the next stories.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Willa has always been quiet and shy. She was ok with that until she realized her long time crush on Jackson was so hidden he didn’t even remember her name. That fact became compounded when he shows up on her doorstep determined to get to know her, but doesn’t remember that this isn’t the first time he has been on her doorstep. Jackson doesn’t let people in. He may be a favored bartender in town, but he doesn’t let people close to the real him outside a very select few he bonded with as a teenager.
I loved watching these two discover each other. Jackson’s history of keeping himself closed off didn’t deter Willa from trying to figure him out. But what she didn’t count on was his determination to get to know her without giving anything of himself away in the process. He didn’t count on the quiet woman holding her own against something he doesn’t remember doing.
I started this book thinking the title referred only to Willa. However, as more of Jackson’s character is developed I realized that he had his own timid streak as well. He is battling his own preconceived notions about what his life would be like and what he was capable of giving someone else. That he had never noticed Willa for as long as he lived there until he saw her through Thea’s drawings points to how far inside his own head he lived.
They both had fears to conquer and past hurts to overcome. I loved watching them both confront their fears, facing things they didn’t realize needed changing. I was surprised when Willa stood her ground and made Jackson work for her attention. It would have been easy for her to welcome his interest without questioning his motives or memory. Jackson had long thought that he was only good for one night stands and quick pleasure. He hadn’t considered that someone as good as Willa would notice him, let alone give him the time of day.
Once again, Devney Perry has crafted a page turner full of great characters and a cozy small town setting. Parts of Willa and Jackson’s story were played out as background noise in Tattered, but seeing those same scenes from this side of things made comments and observations from Tattered more clear from Jackson and Willa’s povs. I loved returning to Lark’s Cove, seeing Thea and Logan, and meeting a whole other section of town with Willa’s family and friends in the mix. I can’t wait to return to this series again with Tragic, but will have to wait patiently in the meantime.
I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
He put both hands on the back of my chair, then leaned in close. “Hi, Willa.”
“Uh . . . hi.” I shivered at the heat from his chest on my bare shoulders.
Why was he standing so close? My parents were right there. Our table was one of four tall, square ones in the center of the room and there was plenty of space between tables.
Plenty. P-L-E-N-T-Y.
But was Jackson using any of that plentiful space?
No sirree. He stayed pressed against the back of my chair, like there were only three inches of usable space behind him, not three feet.
My skin prickled he was so close. I tried to nudge my chair forward again but it barely moved. Sweat beaded on my temples and I pulled in a shaking breath.
Jackson’s woodsy, rich scent was everywhere. It overpowered the stale beer, pizza and peanuts, and I inhaled a deep breath, unable to resist.
Sexy Hot Forest. That’s what they’d call his cologne.
Tattered (Lark Cove #1)
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Thea Landry has always known her place in modern-day society. It’s somewhere just above the trash can her mother dumped her in as a newborn but below the class where much comes easy. With her tattered shoes and bargain-bin clothes, her life has never been full of glamour.
So when a rich and charismatic man takes interest, she doesn’t fool herself into thinking their encounter is anything more than a one-night stand. Months later, she’s kicking herself for not getting his phone number. Or his last name. She’s given up hope of seeing him ever again.
Until one day, years later, Logan Kendrick waltzes into her life once more and turns everything she’s built upside down. This time around, she won’t make the same mistake. She’s going to fight to keep him in her life—not for herself.
But for their daughter.
Upcoming:
Tragic (Lark Cove #3)
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Expected November 27, 2018
Kaine Reynolds wants nothing more than solitude. After an unthinkable tragedy destroys his family, he’s cut off all ties to his former life so he can battle his grief the only way he knows how.
Alone.
So when Piper Campbell knocks on his door, rambling on about being his new neighbor, he slams the door in her face.
But Kaine’s gruff demeanor doesn’t scare her. She’s set on living in Montana and starting over after a terrible divorce. And she wouldn’t mind having a fling to chase away the pain of her husband’s betrayal. Her handsome, albeit rude, neighbor is the perfect candidate.
Yet what neither of them suspect is that their no-strings affair will result in the surprise of Piper’s lifetime—and Kaine’s worst fear.
Tinsel (Lark Cove #3.5)
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Sofia Kendrick has always cherished her tiara. As the youngest daughter of a wealthy New York family, she’s lived the life of an American princess. But after two scandalous divorces and a breakup smear her name across the society rags, the shine from her crown has dulled. People call her superficial, even gaudy.
She’s nothing more than tinsel.
Desperate for escape and starving for peace, Sofia heads to Montana for a holiday weekend with her brother. But she doesn’t get the relaxing vacation she planned. Instead, she’s put to work in a bar alongside Dakota Magee—a man who does not want her help. A man who is set on teaching her a few lessons about real life and hard work. But Sofia has a couple of life lessons of her own to teach. Like how to fall in love.
Devney Perry
Devney is the USA Today bestselling author of the Jamison Valley series. She lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own stories. Devney loves hearing from readers! Connect with her on social media.
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