Take the Risk by Gemma Smith

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

  Conner “CJ” Montgomery

I have one goal in life – finally prove my father wrong by becoming the youngest partner in my law firm. I’ve got time for exactly three things: work, work, and more work. I can’t lose, until my boss gives me one final challenge: make the first mentorship program at our Baltimore office a success and the promotion is mine. Returning home brings up too many memories. Too many distractions. Especially when I run into Colette Dubois, the only woman who ever tempted me to make my life about more than work. On the verge of the biggest success of my life, what will it cost me to take one more risk? 

  Colette Dubois

I already gave up my dream of performing on Broadway to take care of my ailing mom. When they threaten to turn the lights off in my dying community theater, too, I won’t let anything stop me from saving it. It’s the only thing to bring a little light into the darkest period of my life. I can’t afford to be vulnerable, but that’s exactly what I am the moment CJ Montgomery walks back into my life after ten years of living on the West Coast. We shared a kiss all those years ago. I thought we would have the summer after high school together, but he fled in the middle of the night. Unfortunately my heart doesn’t know when to quit. Not when we spend time together. Not when we share an unexpected kiss. Not when he repeatedly tells me he won’t be here long. Taking a risk isn’t easy for me, but this one could change everything.  

Grab Your Copy Here:

Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Apple | Amazon

Connect with Gemma Smith:

Gemma Smith never imagined one day she would write a book.

After several years of being an avid romance novel reader, a story popped into her head one day. She decided to run with it, and here she is today adding author to her never ending list of titles.

Gemma resides in Maryland with her very supportive husband, two adorable children and one crazy husky-mix puppy. When she isn’t behind a laptop screen, she prefers to be on a beach with a good book on her Kindle and a drink in her hand.

Website | Newsletter |Facebook | Instagram | TikTok |

Goodreads | BookBub | "The Lounge" Reader Group

Hosted By:

 This is a debut book by a brand new author and it starts off a bit slow but it picks up around 20% and I fell in love with this story and the town and the characters. I would love to read more about the Montgomery Brothers especially Nathan and Margot.

This story centers around Colette/Lettie and CJ. Both grew up in a small town in Baltimore and were good friends. They were family friends and Colette's cousin Margot dated CJ's older brother Nathan. They also both crushed on each other but they only shared one kiss on the night of their high school graduation.

CJ grew up with a terrible father and a wonderful mother and two older brother. His father never showed up at his graduation. He was so hurt that he left town the night of his graduation and headed to California where he swore never to return. That is until his boss forces him to come home and work on a program for new lawyers in the Baltimore office.

When he gets to town he finds Colette, who is just out of a relationship with her ex and the two take up their friendship. But the ex causes some drama and CJ has some daddy issues and he still can't wait to finish his assignment and go home.

This was a wonderful story and I think its because I adored Colette and I loved how CJ is with her. They have some really fun dates and I adored her relationship with her friends and cousin and CJ's family. 

There is a bit of a mystery and suspense relating to Lettie's ex and what he was up to. I felt that this angle of the story was not explored enough and I was left with many questions. 

This was a great romance and I was happy to watch CJ and Colette falling for each other and get their second chance at love and more with each other. The author did a great job exploring CJ and Colette's family issues but I would have liked more info about what the ex was up to.