Her hair was the same smooth buttermilk blond, pinned haphazardly at the top of her head in a style that could have been named “afterthought.” Lean and athletic, she walked with purpose and a touch of impatience. It had been her attitude that had convinced him he was looking at Fliss and not Harriet. He couldn’t even pretend that perhaps she didn’t know he was here. He’d run into her brother, Daniel, on his second night in Manhattan. It had been an uncomfortable encounter, and it had been obvious from the tension heating the air that the animosity Daniel Knight felt toward him hadn’t diminished over time. Daniel would have told Fliss that Seth was in Manhattan. The Knight siblings were so close they might as well have been sutured together. He suspected that part of the reason for that was their stormy family life. Growing up they’d formed a bond. Seth didn’t blame Daniel for being protective of Fliss. Someone had to be, and it hadn’t been her father. Not officially. It’s more that the plan isn’t working out. It’s awkward.” It was okay to admit that much, wasn’t it? Finding something awkward wasn’t as bad as finding it terrifying. “And I don’t think an encounter in the street could be any more uncomfortable than a face-to-face in the clinic.” Heroine’s abusive father had pride of place in the story. The reader hears over and over again how the heroine shut down her emotions to protect her twin and that’s why she is so messed up. It got very old very fast. Daniel fell in love with Molly. There’s only one Molly. And they’re basically together because their dogs are best friends.” She caught her twin’s eye and shrugged. “All right, they seem happy, but they’re the exception, and it’s probably because Molly is a relationship expert. That gives her an unfair advantage over the rest of us.”

Ignoring Seth’s voice, she kept running. He wouldn’t follow her. He’d return to the group and join them in a game of beach volleyball, or maybe they’d surf or swim. Things she’d planned to do today, before her father had arrived unexpectedly for the weekend and ruined it all. She put her yogurt down and decided she needed to work harder at it. She didn’t want Harriet to know that she was terrified. It would make her anxious. “I was going to, I really was. I had the building in sight and I’d memorized what I was going to say—” He was also her brother’s friend. If he knew she was upset, he’d tell her brother and Daniel would once again step between her and their father. His protective instincts had put him in the firing line on more occasions than Fliss wanted to count. She didn’t mind him doing it for her twin because when Harriet was stressed her stammer got so bad she couldn’t always speak for herself, but Fliss didn’t want him to do it for her. She could fight her own battles, and right now she felt like fighting to the death. She dragged her gaze from the swell of his biceps and stared at the cream velvet pouch in his palm. “You bought me a gift?” And you make the animals so happy, and their owners so happy, that our word-of-mouth recommendations are through the roof. It’s our business, Harry. We’re a team. We’ve done well, but now I intend to do better.”

I don’t want to spend the night in someone else’s apartment. I like my own bed. We’d have to recruit, and that would be expensive. Could we even afford it?”

With her father, there was no cause for the anger. It was as if he rose in the morning and bathed in it. Love can be scary. We put our heart in the hands of another and that requires trust. But the alternative is that we go through life without love and that's not a great option either." The prose is light and fluid. The characters are adorably warm and funny, including the saucy grandmother and all the four-legged furry friends. And the plot is a rollercoaster ride full of life, love, heartbreak, loss, friendship, family, trust, chemistry, and of course some delicious heat. Then trust me, your dreams aren’t wild.” Fliss took a mouthful of coffee and felt the caffeine bounce through her system.The summer months were their oasis of time away from him. Time spent with her siblings, her mother and her grandmother while her father stayed in the city and took his anger to work every day. It’s the bottom line that should interest you, and the bottom line is looking good.” Fliss poured coffee into two mugs, her head buzzing. With each new success, the buzz seemed to grow. “Better than our wildest dreams.” She eyed her sister. “Not that you’re the wild-dream type.” That’s probably the best way to look at it. Don’t overthink it.” Harriet lowered the puppy to the floor and stood up. “It’s been ten years, Fliss. I know it was a traumatic time.” I’m not wasting anything. I’m exactly where I want to be.” His gaze was focused exclusively on her. And then he gave her that wide, easy smile that made her feel as if she was the only woman on the planet. She didn’t know which got to her most—the way his mouth curved, or the way those sleepy dark eyes crinkled slightly at the corners.

He likes you.” The woman looked at him with surprise and dawning respect. “Dr. Steve says you’re helping him out. Said you were a big-shot vet who worked in some animal hospital in California.” If she was as worthless as he believed then she should probably run into the ocean, but he’d be pleased to be free of her, and she was damned if she was going to do a single thing that might please him. Maybe instead of expanding the business, you could take more time for yourself. You’ve been working at top speed since we started this business. It’s been five years, and you’ve hardly paused to breathe.” Fliss and Harriet are identical twins who run a successful dog walking business in Manhattan. They share a cute little apartment, and have a fun care free life. That is until Fliss's ex - Seth - of more than 10 years ago appears in Manhattan. Seth is a vet and Fliss knows that she won't be able to avoid him forever. So when their grandmother falls ill, Fliss decides it's the perfect opportunity to escape the city and spend the summer in the Hamptons where they used to holiday every summer as kids, looking after her Gran. Hi, Dr. Carlyle.” Her face turned pink, and she dropped the magazine she’d been reading under the desk. “Is there something I can do for you? Coffee? Bagel? Anything at all? You just need to ask. We’re so grateful to you for stepping in and helping out.” It was clear from the look in her eyes that anything wasn’t an exaggeration, but Seth ignored the unspoken invitation and the hopeful look in her eyes.

Why are the Hamptons so famous?

Obviously the stranger won’t be there. If the owner is in residence they’re not going to need pet sitting.” Since he’d arrived in New York he’d seen Fliss twice. The first time had been in Central Park on his first day in Manhattan. She’d been walking two dogs, an exuberant Dalmatian and a misbehaving German shepherd who had seemed determined to challenge her skills. She’d been too far in the distance for him to engineer a meeting, so he’d simply watched as she’d strode away from him, noticing the changes. I loved all the animals in this story. There were so many cute little dogs running around. I loved all their antics and whatnot. I loved Seth being the veterinarian with all his cute patients. It was just freaking adorable. El libro forma parte de una saga de la que a España solo ha llegado una parte, la que se compone de las historias de tres hermanos con un pasado familiar muy complicado. El primer libro lo protagonizan Daniel y Molly y en este nos encontramos con la hermana de Daniel, Fliss y su ex marido Seth, del que se divorció diez años antes. Su historia comenzó de una forma un poco atropellada y terminó llena de malentendidos y dolor, pero lo que está clarisimo es que jamás han dejado de quererse y que nunca quisieron hacerse daño, simplemente la vida era complicada y ellos demasiado jóvenes para manejar ciertas situaciones. He’d been waiting for her to come to him. Thinking about it, he realized he was treating Fliss much the same way he’d treat an injured, frightened animal. With patience. No sudden moves.

It wasn’t fine. But everything that happened is all in the past. You have a whole new life, and so does he.” Why were you running?” He closed his hands over her arms and drew them gently in front of her. Then he turned her hands over so he could examine them. His fingers were broad and strong, and her hand looked small in his. Delicate.

I've not previously read anything before by this established author, but that wasn't going to stop me. One look at this blurb and it had me requesting on netgalley with no time to waste. This author already has existing books in the 'from Manhattan with love' series but this was to read as a standalone, with the being said now I've had a taster of what this author has to offer I'm definitely interested in reading more. That’s the one.” The thought of it had Fliss rolling her eyes. She didn’t share Harriet’s tolerance when it came to misbehaving dogs. “If ever a dog was misnamed, it’s that one. He may be an angel on the outside, but on the inside he’s all devil.”