Home at Last Chance by Hope Ramsey Series: Last Chance #2
Published by Forever on September 1, 2011
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 400
Format: eBook
Source: Library
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Dear Reader,
You won't believe what's happened. My son Tulane has come back home! You remember Tulane? He'd set out to find fame and fortune in the big, wide world outside of Last Chance, and I'm mighty proud. But that's not the half of it-Tulane isn't only back, he's brought a young lady with him.
Now Sarah-she does PR for Tulane's stock-car team-she's from Boston, but she's just about the sweetest girl you could meet. I think she's meant to keep Tulane out of trouble after that story in the papers, but he doesn't want to talk about it. Anyhow, the Ladies Auxiliary can't wait to start matchmaking and introduce Sarah to our Reverend Ellis. But mark my words, Sarah is tired of being a good girl. And no one is better at breaking the rules and raising Cain than my son . . .
Listen to me going on and keeping customeres waiting. I best get back to work, but you come round again. The Cut 'n' Curl's got hot rollers, free coffee, and the best gossip in town.
See you real soon,
Ruby Rhodes
Of course it was going to get fast and frenzied with a NASCAR driver from the small town South and a PR gal from buttoned up Boston clashing on a marketing tour. I anticipated the fireworks that were gonna fly and I got them in a laid-back small town romance opposites attract style.
Home at Last Chance is book two of the Last Chance series of Contemporary Romance standalones.
The early books feature the four Rhodes siblings finding their way to love and this time it’s the youngest brother, Tulane’s turn. Tulane is a hot-tempered impulsive type, but a talented stock car driver so getting him, his car, and his crew wrapped in baby pink and sponsored by a diaper business sets him off well and good.
And, boy howdy, does Sarah gets this better than Tulane Rhodes can even know. She set out to get some revenge against the petty tyrant in her marketing firm office who stole her ideas and that silly fake marketing idea took off with Tulane the one feeling the sting. But, in the seat next to her is sexy bad boy, Tulane Rhodes who has some demons to fight before he realizes smart, sweet Sarah who has her own acceptance issues might be his long-shot win.
As with other books in this series, I really appreciate how Hope Ramsay can take a light and sexy small town romance full of quirky characters to also make it a romance with layers and depth. Tulane and Sarah spend a good part of this book acting out and being immature so that they are on the verge more than one of blowing up their careers and much more in their lives. They both aren’t comfortable in their own skin and need to figure it all out which causes them to screw up personally and together. I liked that we got to see them fall, but end up helping each other through their individual crises.
Part of the story is on the marketing tour and at the track, but I was glad a great deal of it was back in Last Chance where the Rhodes family crazy with a few seeing angels, daddy’s Golfing for God mini golf course still riling things, sibling pranks and having each other’s backs, matchmaking Miriam’s obscure and zany predictions, and the rest of the church crew of gossiping ladies along with mama Ruby at the heart really made the book sparkle. There are side plots as a result of so well-developed secondary characters and some resolve while others carry over to other books.
But, Tulane and Sarah are not overshadowed by it all and they are the central figures of the book. The only disappointment was I wish there had been an actual NASCAR race scene after Tulane got things straightened out that would have made Uncle Pete and the rest of Tulane’s family and friends proud. Still, the prep to the big race was cool.
All in all, another good one and I’m glad I came back for these earlier books in the Last Chance series. Small town Romance lovers should definitely give them a go.
About Hope Ramsey
Hope Ramsay is a USA Today bestselling author of heartwarming contemporary romances, set below the Mason-Dixon Line. She’s inspired by her husband of forty years, a good ol’ Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her Southern heroes. She has two grown children, a demanding lap cat named Simba who was born in Uganda, and a precious Cockapoo puppy named Daisy. She lives in Virginia where, when she’s not writing, she’s knitting or playing her forty-year-old Martin guitar.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing.Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators.Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance.Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
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I don’t think I’ve read a NASCAR romance before. It is too bad there wasn’t a race scene in it.
I read one several years ago, but I still wish Tulane would have gotten his race scene. 🙂
Oh it looks nice and sweet. It’s always nice to have books like that!
Yes, this was a great one for light romantic entertainment, Melliane. 🙂
Sounds like a fun small town romance similar to a Carolyn Brown. I’ll have to try this author out sometime.
Yeah, that’s a good comparison. I had a good time with this series.
Bummer you didn’t get at least a snipbit of the race!
Yeah, I got all the lead up to it and the racing trials so I was surprised it didn’t finish with the big race.
This sounds great! There is just something that is hard to resist when it comes to small-town romances.
Very true, Carole! I know I can’t resist, anyway. 🙂
It sounds like the author handled their characters quite well here! Both the dude and lady sound so different yet fit so wonderfully haha Great review, Sophia! 🙂
Oh man, the sparks flew with this pair of opposites, Lashaan. 🙂