Only a Crush by Delancey Stewart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
"Only a Crush" by Delancey Stewart is the second book of the Kasper Ridge series. While each book can technically be read as a standalone, I'd recommend reading the series in order for the best experience. Clues to an overarching mystery involving a treasure map and mysterious inheritance are revealed in each book, building upon what was revealed in previous stories.
As this story begins, the management team of Kasper Ridge Resort is preparing for a soft launch with a group of influencers who will spend a weekend previewing the resort's amenities. One of the influencers is the host of a popular outdoor adventure show on YouTube and has requested to spend one of the nights camping, so widowed single father Mateo Bandini, the crew foreman for Kasper Ridge Construction, is tasked with checking out a group of old cabins in a remote part of the property to see if they can be cleaned up in time for his visit. Mateo's not happy to learn that ex-Navy fighter pilot Annalee "Monroe" Tyson, who now serves as the resort's events coordinator, will be helping him with the project. He avoids Annalee as much as possible because he can't help finding her attractive, and that's the last thing he needs when he should be focused on work and raising his 7-year-old daughter Lily. When a freak snowstorm traps them in one of the cabins together for several days (and nights), Mateo and Annalee unexpectedly grow closer, but can they find a place for their newfound connection in their everyday lives?
I loved the intense chemistry between Mateo and Annalee and thought that their relationship development was perfectly paced. I wasn't sure what to make of Annalee in the last book, but I ended up really liking her as I got to know her in this story. She played the "bombshell" because that's what made her comfortable, but she was actually incredibly smart and could hold her own with anyone, man or woman. She was convinced she'd make a terrible mother because of the way she was raised, but her relationship with Mateo's daughter Lily was incredibly sweet and actually proved the opposite. I think her experiences will make her a great mom/stepmom because she'll make different choices than her own parents did.
Overall, I loved "Only a Crush" and highly recommend it for all contemporary romance fans. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
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