Review: New Tricks

Book Review: New Tricks, by Kelly Moran, 5 stars

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Zoe Hornsby has enough on her plate. Her pet grooming business tucked inside her friends’ veterinarian clinic is busy, and all her free time outside of work is dedicated to caring for her mother’s ailing mind. Dating is certainly not on her agenda. For all she cares, the town gossips of Redwood Ridge, Oregon, can set their matchmaking sights on someone else. Because no way would she consider sexy veterinarian Drake O'Grady her perfect guy. Once upon a time, she may have harbored a little crush, but he’d only had eyes for her best friend. And the crazy attraction building between her and Drake now? Down boy, down.
After Drake lost his wife to cancer, he’s finally clawed his way out of grief and beginning to feel more like a part of the human race. But he’s appalled to learn his prying family thinks he's ready to jump in the dating pool. And the woman they thrust at him couldn’t be more inappropriate. As his dead wife’s best friend, Zoe is off limits. Even if they seem to share a common sadness, she is too potent a personality to get romantically tangled with. Yet she’s making his heart beat and blood roar like he never thought it could again.  And he doesn't want to just exist anymore . . .

Genre: contemporary romance

Publication date: September 2017

Mature content: yes

Review: I loved everything about New Tricks, right from page one. The writing is engaging, the dialogs are funny when they have to be and serious otherwise, the characters are well developed and the underlying problems - from widowhood to dealing with a parent showing symptoms or early dementia - are touching and very well portrayed. There is a happy ending, of course, but there are no fairy tales in between. New Tricks is about real life - the good and the bad - about friendship, love and second chances.

I loved the fact that Zoe and Drake have been friends forever, that Zoe, despite her crush, managed to be happy for Drake and his first wife. I loved seeing Drake realize that his feelings for Zoe somehow changed from friendship to something more, and his willingness to be happy and make her happy notwithstanding her mother's disease and the risk that Zoe may have inherited it. I love that he writes her poems and wants to make all her dreams come true.
Recommended! If you love contemporary romance you do not want to miss this book!




New Tricks is book three in the Redwood Ridge series by Kelly Moran, but works very well as a stand-alone book. I should know because I haven't read the previous books. Yet. I plan to remedy that very soon, even if it means reading the series in the wrong order. 

Happy Monday, 

the book worm, book blog



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