When You Least Expect It
By Haley Cass
Publication date: Nov 20, 2020
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AmazonTags
F/F Lawyers Yearning Friends to lovers Slow-burn 400º baking scenes (scorching hot) Single mom ChristmasReview
It sounds like the cheapest of plot devices - divorce attorney meets latebian with asshole ex-husband. And wouldn't you know it, the ex-hubby used to work at the same firm!
But oh my gosh, it goes beyond the tropes and the clichés. It's a slow-burn love story where, yeah, you can tell that Caroline (the main character) has a crush on Hannah. She admits it to herself at first, but then they build an honest friendship and (slight spoilers) even a little family, as Caroline met and charmed Abby (Hannah's little girl) when she was stuck at the office on weekends.
It's just so charming and endearing I want to melt every time I read it.
Legitimately the best way to impart how much I thoroughly enjoy the book is to admit that I own on Kindle, in paperback and audiobook - and I've read/listened to all of them more than once. Per year.
It's the best of what romance has to offer, whether in literary or real-world form. Deep, abiding friendship; mutual respect; an all-encompassing love that suffuses both of their lives. I promise you'll find yourself striving to reach the warmth you'll find in this book.
Synopsis
Caroline Parker knows three things to be true. First, she is going to be Boston's most sought after divorce attorney by thirty-five. Second, given how terrible her romantic track record is, falling in love isn't in the cards for her. And third, Christmas only brings her bad luck - being broken up with not once, not twice, but three times during the holidays is proof enough of that.
When she runs into Hannah Dalton on Christmas Eve, she has no reason to believe her luck will change. After all, though Hannah is probably the most gorgeous woman she’s ever seen, she’s also straight. And married to Caroline’s work rival. While being hired by Hannah throws her for a loop, winning a divorce case and sticking it to her ex-colleague should be enough of a thrill. But as the months slip by, bringing her closer to both Hannah and her adorable daughter Abbie, the lines between attorney and client begin to blur.
And she could have never predicted just how much she wants them to.