This book was just ok for me. I had a hard time connecting to Cam and Calvin. While I understood Calvin's attitude, it just was a little off putting for me. This book is very well written and I had no issues in that aspect. It was just a connection issue with me.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

I fell in love with these characters from the moment I met each one. Each character adds so much to the book. They were fun and sweet. Although the plot was not new, the author added her own flavor and made it seem fresh. Grumpy Calvin was really very sweet. He didn't communicate very well in the beginning but once you got to know him you knew what he was feeling. He and Cam did not start out on a good foot. They went from total dislike to love. It was not an instant love either. They progressed over a few months. They both had been in love before and it did not end well. I liked that they had pasts that made them cautious. More realistic that way. Cam was great. She went through a lot and it made her stronger. The banter between the two at times made you laugh out loud. Fun story with some real life drama. the supporting characters will make for great stories. This is my first book by this author but I will say it will not be my last.

5 Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
Okay, I know this is my 3rd review of the year and again, I am all excited about a book. I am just as shocked as you! P. Dangelico was a new-to-me author so I only had the blurb to give me an idea of what the book would be like...Well people, as you can tell from my title and rating, I loved it.

Now there are a lot of reasons to like this book; the writing, the slow burn between the characters and the way the story revealed itself. What I especially appreciated was how we got to know each character and saw all of it happening before our eyes...

Cam DeSantis' life is a mess...She has experienced things she never ever thought she would. She thought she was living the dream: married to a man who loved her, enjoyed a very comfortable lifestyle brought about from her husband's company and drive... and doing what she loved, teaching third graders. She lived in Connecticut because he wanted them to, had their circle of friends and life happened without anything out of the ordinary or so she thought...

In retrospect, we all see things we should have noticed...But for Cam...Every missed opportunity to question and receive answers has been taken away by a freak car crash. Her husband was driving on a slick, wet road and swerved so as not to hit an animal...This caused him to lose control and slam into the Hudson River.

Now losing your husband in a terrible accident is devastating...but unfortunately...there was more heartache in store for Cam... You see, her husband was an achiever...and when his company was not doing so well and things took a turn for the worse...he just couldn't accept it... Instead, he thought he would save it...by using other people's money...In plain English... he ran a Ponzi scheme... using new money from investors to pay of old investors...

What does that have to do with a well loved third grade teacher...Everything... because she had no idea and had to fight the Government, the Tabloids and School District to prove it. Cam's parents gave up their retirement funds to assist her and the ordeal was a huge learning experience she would have liked to have done without.

However...
These last three years wrestling with FBI, IRS and Social Media have taught Cam a thing or two...

Fuck them...

Yes, she is done with people accusing her of being in on her husband's business...
She is done with men in their suits thinking they can push her around...
She is done with all the looks, people calling her out and ugly words...

She is just done.

What she isn't done with is the need for a job. It seems from all of the publicity, she is having an extremely difficult time finding a position as a teacher....or anything else. She is lucky, though.. her best friend and the one who has always understood her, hooked her up with a part time position at the restaurant where she is the bartender. So while she works at the bar, she also has applied at different employment agencies.

Cam finally gets a call to interview for a teaching position...with some unusual conditions. She is to go the house...meet with the client, sign a non disclosure agreement and then interview. She asks the agency if they know who she really is... because it all will come out via the background check when they run one...She hears silence and then the comment of "better sell yourself so that they will want to keep you..."

With not much choice, Cam goes to the house which turns out to be a huge mansion, meets with a very attractive attorney, signs the NDA and then is taken to meet with the young 8 year old who will be her responsibility for the next 3 months. She is to live on the premises and be responsible for his schooling and activities while his mom is in rehab.

Before Cam goes to up the stairs and sees the boy, she happens to see a huge man standing in a hallway... they both are looking directly at each other and she feels the power of his gaze...He is built like a mountain; so solid and large...a man who turns heads...and turns out to be the starting quarterback for NY Titans. It is his nephew she would be teaching. Cam continues on her way to the boy shaking off that first glance from the uncle.

Calvin Shaw is closed off...He wasn't always that way...He had his career, was married to a woman he thought loved him as much as he loved her...He learned his life lessons the hard way, too...
Wife wasn't that in love ...Cheated with another, got pregnant with the partner and now the two cheaters are happily ever afters...

All of this made Calvin pull deep inside to get through... he does his training, eats his clean diet, stays home mostly and does not deal with women...Doesn't play the football groupie game...His focus right now is to get into shape for the upcoming season and having his nephew here is an added pressure... He has been sent too manyapplicants, liked none of them and this latest one...He doesn't want her there at all.

Cam had a very careful meeting with the boy, Sam. He was building with Legos and mostly all Cam did was sit on the floor with him and helped...Both worked together and a couple of words were said...Cam understood the trauma Sam must have been dealing with and felt she would be able to help him work through them while she was there.

With a positive outlook, Cam is on her way to the kitchen when she overhears Calvin and his way of telling the attorney he didn't want her there.

That was all they wrote... In Cam's mind...she was out of there... Remember, she was done with anyone treating her badly...She goes into the kitchen informing them she thought Sam was a lovely boy but she would not be taking the position and left.

That is the start of the a very strong and engaging story. We have a woman holding on by the skin of her teeth... where she is trying to start afresh. She has the burden of knowing the sacrifice her parents made for her in order to clear her name. Her only means of employment is at the bar with her friend...and she has her inner strength of holding on to who she wants to be.

Calvin Shaw now has another problem...Sam has taken to this woman who doesn't want the job. He knows he is the reason...He has to figure out a way to make it happen. Whenever he has put his mind to something... it has happened and this will be no different.

These two will grow on you fast... the interactions, the slow build up is well done. Sam will capture your heart one little smile at a time and Abby, Cam's friend is a hoot...

But the chemistry of Cam and Calvin is so right you can taste it...He is this fortress of emotions all locked down...Cam is front and center with hers... and when they become sort of friends... this book goes into overdrive...sparks start to leap of the page and you cannot wait for what you hope will happen... and when things move towards love...Major Swoon.

P. Dangelico created a man who had a hard existence, made it out and became a huge sports star. He thought he had love and a life...Wasn't so and had to deal with it. She also created a woman who thought she had her life and it was all a lie...Putting these two damaged people together was genius...and made this read more than snappy fun times...made it a truly romantic read.
Thank you for starting my year out on such a wonderful high.

~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
Well, this is a predicament...
It is not every day a Loyal, Trusting Wife and Beloved Teacher...
Has Her World Ripped Apart...

Nope, having to deal with the ramifications of your deceased husband's Ponzi Scheme can totally cause one to pause...
It also makes one broke....

The challenge is how to handle the offer to help a deserving 8 year old boy who just happens to be staying with the most insufferable man...

Forget he is the Quarterback of the NY Titans, built like a human wall of muscles and has the most piercing gray eyes...

Yeah... You work on that...and let's see how it ends up....

Wrecking Ball-January 19th 2017

A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

Slow burns only work for me if the author can keep me engaged and boy did she! I loved the build up of this story. Calvin is a really sexy grump with some issues that have stemmed from his life experiences. Cam has had some pretty shitty things happen as a result of believing in the wrong person. Yet, these two are perfectly matched. I love Cam so much. Despite her circumstances, she doesn't take crap from anyone. She's a strong lead with a very distinct voice, great characterization, and a big heart. Calvin is hella surly, sometimes mean, but there's just enough there to keep you on the hook. He turns out to be pretty darn awesome once you peel back the layers. There's this vulnerability in him that shines through every once in a while that humanizes him. The pacing and their progression felt organic. Their love scenes were very sexy and worth the wait. The plot was interesting and allowed for development to occur between the characters. I would've like to know more about what happened to Amanda and Sam, though. The side characters and their setup quite intriguing. The writing was on point. I can wait to dig into the next one. Safety: No others for either of them. No rape or abuse.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.