Release Blitz + Review: "Before the Sunset" by Laura Pavlov

I'm delighted to take part in the release blitz celebrating "Before the Sunset" by Laura Pavlov, book #4 of the Cottonwood Cove series. Characters from the previous books (as well as the earlier Honey Mountain series) make cameo appearances in this one, but it reads as a standalone.

As the breakout star of a hit streaming show, actor Finn Reynolds should be on top of the world. The problem is that his costar has been telling lies in the press about him breaking her heart, even though they never actually dated. Meanwhile, Finn's lifelong best friend, interior designer Reese Murphy, is about to move back to their hometown of Cottonwood Cove after working in London for a year. She'd hoped to be planning a wedding, but instead, she's crushed to learn that her former fiance has moved on with someone else. When Finn flies to London to bring her back home, false rumors that he's in town to visit his new girlfriend go viral. His agent is thrilled, believing that it's exactly the boost his reputation needs to counteract the damage done by his costar, but Finn fully intends to set the record straight - until Reese's ex suddenly sends her a text. His jealousy makes her realize that faking a relationship could be a win for both her and Finn. They'll just have to remember that it's only pretend...

 

Finn and Reese's chemistry was truly phenomenal, though I completely understood why they (especially Reese) hesitated to risk their friendship by acting on their attraction. They both made mistakes along the way but came together when it mattered, and I loved where they ended up. I also loved the Reynolds family group texts, which were often laugh-out-loud hilarious, as well as Finn's adorable niece Gracie. I can't wait to get to know her better in her dad's forthcoming book!

I highly recommend "Before the Sunset" for all steamy contemporary romance fans and look forward to the next book in the series.

*Review copy provided by the author via Valentine PR. All opinions expressed are my own.

 

CW: Cancer

 

About "Before the Sunset"

He’s an actor in need of an image makeover. She’s determined to show her ex-fiancé that she’s moved on. A fake relationship between two best friends is the perfect solution. Or is it?

Reese Murphy has been my best friend since before we took our first steps.
She’s the yin to my yang.
The peanut butter to my jelly.
It’s all platonic, of course, as we made a pact years ago that we’d never cross the line.
But then she took a job abroad and moved away for a year.
To say I’ve been lost without her would be a massive understatement.
She’s finally coming home, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
And then she presents me with a proposition...
Pretend to be her boyfriend.
I am an actor, after all, so it should be a piece of cake.
It’s all part of her grand plan to show her ex-fiancé that she’s moved on.
My agent wants me to clean up my image, so it would be a win-win for both of us.
But then she moves into my house and prances around in those tiny pajama shorts.
There's also the night she catches me alone in the bathroom in a compromising position.
And she isn’t in any hurry to leave.
We get lost in the moment and now I can’t think of anything else.
We are way past a gray area at this point.
We’ve entered a smoking-hot-I-think-I-might-be-in-love-with-my-best-friend area.
The problem is, she still thinks we’re fake dating.
And I stopped faking it a long time ago.