Review: Rumor Has It – Jill Shalvis

He’ll help unleash the new woman in her…

Special Ops soldier Griffin Reid doesn’t exactly have happy memories of growing up in Sunshine, Idaho. He’s only come back to recover from a war injury, and while he refuses to admit he’s in a weakened state, he finds comfort in the last person he’d expect.

Kate Evans teaches fourth grade science in Sunshine, the place she’s always called home. Dreaming of graduate school and a happily-ever-after, she’s desperate to break out of the monotony of Sunshine. Luckily, a certain sexy man has just come back into her life.

To Griffin, Kate as always been his little sister’s friend, but now he’s finding her to be so much more. As both attempt to forge their paths, they must decide if their passionate connection can turn into something lasting…

Series: Animal Magnetism #4
Release Date: November 4, 2013
Publisher: Berkley
Source: NetGalley
Reviewer: Lucy
Rating:

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Reviewer’s Thoughts

4.5 Cocktails

Rumor Has It, by Jill Shalvis tells the tale of Spec ops warrior Griffin Reid and his sister’s friend, fourth grade teacher Kate Evans. Griffin comes back to his hometown of Sunshine, Idaho to regroup following his last tour of duty to try and figure out what he wants to do next. While he is unsurprised that his relationship with his father remains strained, he is surprised at the level of attraction he feels for his sister’s friend Kate. Griffin has known Kate for most of his life, but her relationship with his sister has always made her off limits. The attraction is there, but so is the healthy threat from his sister telling him she will kill him if she touches her friend. Kate is desperate to break away from the chains she feels in Sunshine, but doesn’t know quite how to do so. She does however, set her sights on Griffin, and no amount of finagling on his part will get him out of her crosshairs. As there attraction explodes into a flaming hot affair, the two are left wondering whether they should just part ways when they hit a few snags on their road to happiness.

Coming home both emotionally and physically scared from his time in the service, Griffin works hard to try to prove himself worthy of both his father as well as the girl he has always seen as a little sister. Katie is a woman on a mission to help everyone but herself. A natural nurturer and self-proclaimed science geek, Katie is her family’s go to person following her mom’s death at the expense of her own dreams. Katie has to try to learn to live for herself, something Griffin is more than happy to help her with, while she tries to show him he is worthy of having a great life. Katie was a really likable person, although sometimes you just wanted to shake her for putting everyone above herself. And despite his previous career successes, Griffin is still that little boy who is desperately seeking his father’s approval. All you will want to do is to see them both achieve their dreams, as they seem to have put everyone but themselves at the top of their lists. This book will make you laugh, cry, and have you rooting on the couple until the very last chapter.