Wine Country King

A cocky, charming real estate attorney.
A brilliant, gorgeous sommelier.
Neither has time for romance.
One mind-blowing kiss changes everything.
Jack Cassidy heads the team opening the next in an exclusive line of boutique hotels, this one in wine country. Working with his best friend’s sister should make it easier, tapping into her expertise about the area and its wines. The pair have been friends for years, so sharing an apartment shouldn’t pose any issues… except for the simmering heat building between them.
Campbell Taylor’s one of only a handful of women to battle the all-boys club and go for the title of master sommelier. She didn’t rise to her position by being a pushover, but living and working with her brother’s best friend – the man she’s secretly crushed on for years – might prove to be her greatest challenge. How can she get him to see her as more than Cameron’s little sister? And will their undeniable attraction derail her dreams?

Wine Country King is the second installment in Claire Marti’s California Suits series. I liked the first book in the series and was looking forward to reading Campbell Taylor and Jack Cassidy’s book, especially since it’s a Forced Proximity and Brother’s Best Friend Romance. 

I enjoyed the storyline of Campbell and Jack being forced to live together and how they tried everything not to give in to their sexual tension. It was evitable to happen, especially when they had feelings. It does get steamy between the two when they do eventually give in, so have yourself a glass of water with lots of ice to cool off or maybe a cold shower. =)

I loved learning about Campbell and how she was working towards the Master Sommelier title (Wine Specialist). As someone who loves drinking wine, I need someone like Campbell to let me know the best wines to try. I also loved Jack was very supportive of Campbell and her career. He knew how important it was to her and pushed her to achieve it, making sure she studied and didn’t disturb her. He won major points with me when it came to how supportive he was of Campbell, amongst other things.

This was an enjoyable book but it did take me a bit to get through it. I think it had to do with the conflict that the characters had that could have easily been addressed if only they communicated with each other. They were worried about being with one another and the family finding out when really I didn’t see it as a big deal. They were grown adults, and it was obvious they liked one another.

Overall, this was a good installment of the series, and I give it 3.5 stars. I look forward to reading the rest of the series, especially since Claire Marti teases what’s to come next. 

Story Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.5

Steam/Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️

Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the California Suits series, but each book can be read as a standalone.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. I recommend this book to readers who love reading Contemporary Romance, which has a Friends to Lovers/Brother’s Best Friend storyline. 

Genre/SubGenre(s): Romance | Contemporary Romance

Trope(s)/Element(s): Workplace Romance | Brother’s Best Friend | Friends to Lovers | Roommates to Lovers | Forced Proximity

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About Claire Marti

Claire Marti is an award winning and USA Today Bestselling author of swoonworthy Contemporary Romance novels set in Southern California, including the Pacific Vista Ranch series and the California Suits series. She lives in San Diego with her husband, silly dog, and two clever cats.

Claire started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to pick up pencil and paper. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in English Literature, Claire was sidetracked by other careers, including practicing law, selling software for legal publishers, and managing a non-profit animal rescue for a Hollywood actress.

When Claire's not writing, she's teaching yoga. You can find her sixty+ online classes on the international website www.yogadownload.com. A breast cancer survivor, Claire is a sought-after speaker on the power of yoga and meditation. She's been published in numerous magazines with articles on wellness and is the author of a memoir, Come Ride with Me Along the Big C, on her experience beating breast cancer.

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FranJessca

Owner/Reviewer at A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog

I guess I should type a bio here. I'm FranJessca, or Fran for short. I'm the owner/reviewer behind A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog. I've been reading and reviewing books on my blog since leaving the Navy in 2011, and I will keep doing it as long as possible. My favorite genres will always be Romance & Fantasy, and I read every subgenre underneath those two genres. (Sorry, not a fan of nonfiction, so don't try to convince me to read it.)
My obsession with reading started over 30+ years ago when I went to my first Scholastic Book Fair and found R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Later, I came across Anne Rice's novels at my public library when I was fourteen when my obsession with vampires started. I was the girl who preferred to be a vampire over a princess any day. My husband says I would leave him a heartbeat for a vampire that looked like Spike or Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. (It's true, though, and he's accepted it.)

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