Review: Once and Again – Lauren Dane

Once and Again by Lauren Dane
Series:  Petal, Georgia #1
Release Date:  August 30, 2011
Publisher:   Samhain Publishing
Page Count:
Source:  iBooks, via my wallet

Seven years ago, Lily Travis was only too glad to see her hometown of Petal, Georgia in her rearview mirror. Thanks to her father running off with a twenty-year-old, though, here she is, trying to pick up the pieces. First order of business: meet with her brother’s teacher in a quest to pull his grades out of a downward spiral.

Nathan Murphy is pretty much resigned to his bachelor status—until he looks up from his desk to see an all-grown-up Lily walking into his classroom. Of all the women who turned out to be totally wrong for him, she’s the only one who felt right. At least until his foolish, immature mistake drove her away.

Lily has to admit that time has been more than kind to gorgeous, sexy Nathan. Except there’s no room on her full plate for another complication. Especially with a man who broke her heart once before.

With a little help from his friends, Nathan has a plan to rekindle the flame. It isn’t long before they’re burning up the sheets. Winning her heart? That’s another matter. 

Lily Travis receives a phone call from her brother that has her packing up her life in Macon, Ga and heading back home to Petal.  Sure she left Petal seven years ago after having her heart broken, but her family comes first in her life.

When she gets home, her first priority is to try and get her fifteen year old brother, Chris, back on the right track at school.  She meets with the principal and all his teachers.  Unfortunately, his history teacher proves to be a bit of a problem for Lily, since he was the one that broke her heart.

The minute Lily walks into Nathan Murphy’s classroom, he was transported back to college and to the sexiest woman he ever had.  Sure he screwed things up with her, but she ran away instead of dealing with him.  He holds onto the righteous indignation for the few minutes of their first meeting.  After that, he’s determined to get Lily back.

Nathan is laid back and easy going with most things in life, but as his sister said, when he wants something he goes after it with everything he has.  He wants Lily.  Want he doesn’t plan on is having to fight for her attention between her brother’s school issues, her mother’s addiction issues and her need to re-establish her work life in Petal.  But Nathan is persistent and he’s determined to woo Lily.  He wants her to know he’s not the boy he was when they were together before.  That as her man, he truly appreciates everything that she is.

Lily loved Nathan with all her being when they were in college and it hurt her when she found him kissing her skanky cousin at a party.  But she was devastated when Nathan never sought her out to explain what it was she saw.  Now that she’s back in Petal, she’s sure her best course of action is to steer clear of Nathan.  Problem is, he’s her best friend’s brother and it seems everyone in the Murphy family (and their extended family the Chase’s) seem convinced that she and Nathan need to be together.  But can he be the man she needs him to be.

I loved getting back to Petal.  The Murphy clan was right back at it rallying around Nathan to ensure he got what he wanted.  Lily was another one of those strong Petal women (i.e., Polly, Maggie, Liv, Tate and Cassie…even though she’s not originally from Petal) that I so enjoy.  She faces everything head on and is determined to make a go of whatever she does.  Don’t we all wish we could be like that!

If you loved the Chase Brother series, you will enjoy this spinoff series.  It’s fun, witty and sexy.