REVIEW: Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna (ADULT)

HER BEST LAID PLANS

By: Cara McKenna

Publication Date: April 15, 2014

Experience Ireland—the dramatic beauty, the warm hospitality…and the smoking-hot local guys!

Imagine nursing a pint in a cozy, authentic country pub, far from Cork City’s busy pulse. Getting here took you a plane, bus, taxi, and…erm, bicycle. But just as you’re resigning yourself to drinking beside gray-haired farmers, you see him—a man with the looks and charm to soothe any heartbroken girl.

He’s your bartender. Your really, really gorgeous bartender.

For American Jamie Webb—recently dumped and housesitting for two weeks—Connor Kelleher is like a six-course feast after a 23-year starvation diet. But it’s gotta be casual. She’s just begun re-routing her life after an extended, man-related detour. Still, a sexy romp (or twenty!) with Sexy McBartender?

But what about when Jamie’s best-laid plans for no future plans with any man begin to change?

ABOUT CARA

Cara McKenna writes smart erotica—sexy stories with depth. A little dark, a little funny, always emotional. She also writes red-hot romance under the name Meg Maguire. Her wonderful publishers are Ellora’s Cave, Harlequin Blaze, Loose-Id, Penguin / Intermix, Samhain, and Signet Eclipse. She loves writing sexy, character-driven stories about strong-willed men and women who keep each other on their toes, and bring one another to their knees.

Cara (writing as Meg) was a 2010 Golden Heart finalist, a 2011 and 2013 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award nominee, and a 2012 Golden Leaf finalist.

Jaime’s Thoughts
Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked up Her Best Laid Plans on a whim the other day. I’m a hit or miss fan of Cara McKenna’s stuff, some of it I absolutely love (AFTER HOURS) while some of it just isn’t right for me. This novella… was perfect for me. It was exactly what I was looking for that day. The perfect story, the perfect length… the perfect boy… lol Okay so maybe not perfect, but he was definitely swoony and sexy.

Jamie Webb is in Ireland all by herself … recently dumped by her ex. Nursing a broken heart isn’t the ideal way to spend her time in Ireland. So her first day there finds her in a local bar a short distance from the house she’s staying at. She certainly wasn’t expecting Connor Kelleher to walk through the door and tempt her or her plans.

Jamie is finally on track to do all the things she put on hold for her ex and she’s not going to give those plans up for anyone. A fling is exactly what she needs and Connor is game.

As always, McKenna delivers on all fronts… Incredibly sexy scenes mixed with emotional depth and characters that I could absolutely relate to and situations that were fun. It was a bit of a departure for her writing as Cara McKenna, but something I would definitely expect of her writing as Meg Maguire.

My only complaint would be a bit more on Connor’s history…I realize this wasn’t necessarily his story, but I think I would have liked to see the characters delve a bit deeper in their whirlwind romance.

If you’re looking for a quick read that will make you fall for a rugged, sexy Irishman definitely pick up Her Best Laid Plans.

Erin’s Thoughts

Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this story by Cara McKenna. As with any short story, there are things I wanted to know more about. Like why did Noel break up with Jamie and what was Conner’s misspent youth like. Also…just more Conner and Jamie. Despite those items, I though McKenna did a wonderful job of developing these characters in the time she had.

Jamie is in Ireland looking for something to distract her from her break up and enjoy something of her summer before she goes back to school. When she ventures out to the local pub where she is staying in the country, she crosses path with a charming (and handsome) bartender named Conner.

They move very quickly and by the end of the night, they have both made it clear they are attracted to each other. Since Jamie is only in Ireland for 10 days, they both know it isn’t going to be anything permanent but decide to take advantage of what time they do have together.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the review copy.

As the story moves forward, they both realize that in the short time they have had together, they have both developed strong feelings for each other and in the spur of the moment, Conner mentions Jamie could consider moving to Ireland for school. Unfortunately this brings back her feelings of giving everything up for Noel and she doesn’t want to get in that same situation again. Because of that, she decides she can’t do it and ends up going back home.

As these two characters come to understand what they are and aren’t willing to do for the love they feel for each other. It was a quick read that pulled me in and gave me a lighter story from Cara McKenna than I am used to from her…and I liked it.

I definitely would recommend this to anyone looking for something quick and fun to read. Also…who wouldn’t want to hot Irishman?