Never thought I’d agree to a marriage of convenience to my hot, firefighter ex boyfriend.
Especially after he casually informs me we’ve been married for ten years.
Ten years ago, Wilder and I were so in love that we got married in Vegas for one night only before leaving for college on different sides of the world. He was supposed to mail the annulment papers.
Problem is, he didn’t.
Worse? He didn’t tell me.
Not even when I came back to town to marry another man.
But now he needs my help, and I can’t say no. All I have to do is have to pretend in front of the whole town like we’re married. Hold hands. Kiss. Not throw myself at him when he looks at me like I’m the only woman in the world.
My body might remember him, but the rest of me isn’t ready. Because I’m just learning how to find myself, and if I get wrapped up in Wilder’s world, I’ll lose more than my heart—I’ll lose everything.
Again.
| Title: | Hot Shot |
| Author: | Staci Hart |
| Series: | Roseville Ramblers (Book 2) |
| Pages: | 451 |
| Category / Genre(s): | Contemporary |
| Trope(s): | Second Chance Romance Small Town Romance |
| Point of View: | First Person, Past Tense, Dual Viewpoint (H & h) |
| Location: | Roseville, Tennessee, US |
| HEA: | ✔️ |
| Release Date: | 25 April 2025 |
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Oh so satisfying – another winner
Hot Shot is the second book in the Roseville Ramblers series – and one I’ve been waiting so very patiently for after it was teased in the first book, Wild Card (which was an epic book, by the way). Cassie from this book is the best friend of the heroine from Wild Card, Jessa. Oh, and it was Cassie’s wedding that almost featured in the first book. This book stands completely alone but if you read this book before Wild Card, you will find out things that happen in the end of that book.
Having adored Wild Card, I had such high hopes for this follow up featuring Cassie and her high school boyfriend, Wilder. And, thankfully, it met each and every one of my expectations. And then some. I kind of knew what to expect of the story from the blurb – so I was in for quite a surprise that the book didn’t take the path I expected it to. It’s never a bad thing to keep me on my toes!
Wilder was, in a way, the simpler character of our couple. He knew what he wanted – if maybe not how to go about getting it. And what he wanted was Cass. Always. Forever. Gah – he was a big, burly, squidgy delight. He wasn’t perfect by any means, but he was so easy to root for, especially since he tried so hard. And I have to agree with Cass – folding clothes, braiding hair, being all capable and shit. Hooo boy! Sexy stuff.
“Wilder and Cass were high school sweethearts and – quite obviously in my opinion – soul mates.”
While this is a romance – and we’re all in with seeing Wilder and Cass get their happily ever after – this book was also about how Cass became her own woman and, for want of a better phrase – got her groove back. She was a little bit broken, a little bit lost but also a whole lot determined and feisty with it. I loved her. I wanted her to get her man and get the life that had always been waiting for her. I also loved how real she was. Asking Wilder to stop flirting with her then getting mad when he did exactly what she asked. And also appreciating the hypocrisy of that. I felt like she was just one of the girls.
Wilder and Cass were high school sweethearts and – quite obviously in my opinion – soul mates. But they had some hurdles to overcome first, which produced this delightful shiver of angst that ran through the book. And with that was this slow burn dance between our couple before, more than half way through the book, the damn finally breaks. And damn. They broke it good and often. Most deliciously. Woof!
There was a lot going on in this book alongside the romance between Wilder and Cass. It kept me interested, kept me reading and kept the story going right to the end. All felt part of the wider story and didn’t overtake the main reason we’re here – Cass and Wilder themselves. I personally don’t mind a third-act breakup but in the absence of one in this story, the secondary plots kept things interesting even when our couple have found their way back to each other.
All in all, this was an excellent addition to the already amazing Roseville Ramblers series. And the tease for the third book at the end of this one – good grief! The sweet and nerdy librarian with the older grumpy baseball coach? Gimme. But as for this book – you will want to get your hands on it as soon as you possibly can. It’s sexy, emotional and oh so satisfying. Definitely 5 stars.
* I received this book in exchange for my honest review. *
Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life: a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can’t forget that. She’s also been a mom to three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She’s been a wife, even though she’s certainly not the cleanest, nor is she the best cook. She’s also super, duper fun at a party–especially if she’s been drinking whiskey–and her favorite word starts with f and ends with k.
From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north in Denver, where snow is magic and the mountains have become home. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, gaming, or designing graphics.
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Roseville Ramblers Series
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