This is a good story by Hollins and my first. It’s also book three in the McKenna Series. However, when checking out this one, I did not know that. I haven’t read the first two. From my understanding, it's not the same characters. So you don’t necessarily have to read those to enjoy this one, which is my case. It has some of my favorite tropes, Single Parent, Opposites Attract, and Rom Com. I need to go read this rest, but this one was really good!

I loved the characters and the storyline development of this book. It was absolutely one of my favorites so far and I can't wait to delve in to the next one that this author writes. The storyline was simple, enjoyable, and entertaining.

Ultimately,I was unable to really get into this, even after stopping and coming back to it.

Where I Need to Be by Jamie Hollins
Book #3: McKenna Series
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 5/5 stars
My Review:

James Foley has had enough of women! His ex-wife is a drug addict who has only ever brought pain and chaos to his life. What’s more, every time she shows up, she upsets their young son and James has had enough. His life and heart just don’t have the time or energy for the pain and disruptions so it’s simply best to fly solo.

Megan McKenna may no longer have the high-rise apartment, top of the line everything, and social standing, but she has her freedom. For nearly a decade, Megan had every material thing a girl could want, but she didn’t have a true partner. What she did have was a cold, unfeeling, a$$hole of a husband who was far more concerned with appearances than an actual loving and committed marriage. Yeah, Megan absolutely came out on top in the end and though she has far less than she used to, she wouldn’t trade it for the world!

A part of Megan’s new life is a super crappy car that needs an incredible number of repairs to keep it moderately safe and drivable. As she pulls into the repair shop, Megan’s only intention is getting her car fixed. Fresh off her ugly divorce, she has no interest in a relationship, but the hot repair man might be worth considering for a little no-strings dalliance. Trouble is, Megan has never been a no-strings kind of girl. But, James . . . . . Oh, is that man ever lickably fine!

For James, Megan is a wake-up call to all he has been missing as a part of his self-imposed isolation. She’s smart, funny, sexy as hell, and, thanks to her super crappy car has ample reason to keep returning to his world. James definitely wants to have sex with Megan, but every time he thinks about something beyond the physical, he damn-near breaks out into hives. To say James is skittish doesn’t even come close and rather than explain his hesitance toward becoming truly involved to Megan, he often simply behaves badly or inexplicably which only causes more confusion for everyone.

In the times they are together, Megan adores James and his attention. Under the skittish exterior is a good man who wants a long-term committed relationship. Breaking through his crusty exterior takes some serious effort, but the payoff is so worth the work. Once Megan understands James better and the situation he and his son have survived, she’s better able to understand his behavior and work with it. All she has to do now is drum up the courage to tell her family about James and the life they are building together. If she can overcome her own fears and reveal her monumental secret, there may just be a future for the princess and the mechanic 😊

The Bottom Line: I LOVED this book!! It’s the print version of Billy Joel’s Uptown Girl!! What’s not to love?? Megan is an easy character to root for and the more of her story that comes out, the more likeable she really is. James is a bit harder to like (because of his somewhat rude behavior) but his backstory and experiences certainly help explain his surliness. It’s clear from the beginning how perfect Megan and James are for one another and quite funny how each refuses to see the perfection of their union until there is nothing left to do, but accept the obvious. While I generally enjoyed the whole story, the epilogue was my absolute favorite part of the book. I love a good epilogue and this one had a little bit of everything including updates on all three couples from the McKenna series. If the series is over, and I think it is, the epilogue in this book is a pretty perfect ending!

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Jamie Hollins, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

Where I Need To Be is the story of James Foley, a man who lost his wife to heroin addiction and is now raising their son while running his auto garage. He swears off women, but when Megan McKenna walks into his life, he can't resist her. What starts as a casual romance soon blossoms into an emotional affair.

Where I Need To Be is a sweet romance for readers who enjoy contemporary reads.

A fantastic romance that has heart, and is sexy and sweet, charming and full of hope and unstoppable, beautiful love. I kind of ADORE this cover. It had me sighing and was kind of dreamy. The characters are very well developed and the plot thickens wonderfully. It is a very stunning romance and I can't wait to read more books from Jamie Hollins!

I absolutely adored this book!!  It's a charming and romantic second chance romance filled with engaging characters.  Everyone should experience James and Megan falling in love in Where I Need To Be.

Megan is starting her life over - everything from her relationship status to her job are new to her.   It's brought it's own unique challenges and achievements but overall, she feels empowered by it all.

Her new job (and car issues) brings her into James' world and it's there that they both really want to stay.  But they have tons of baggage and trust issues to overcome if they want to truly be happy together.  Theirs is an emotional journey but I really enjoyed every moment of it.

Where I Need To Be was such an awesome surprise for me.  I've never read any of Jamie's romances but the blurb for this one caught my eye so I decided to jump in even without having read the first two books in the series.  The end result was a big smile on my face and a desire to purchase her previous books.

If that isn't a recommendation for this story, I'm not sure what is.

I always get teary when a phenomenal series ends. That is what the McKenna series are. I loved Megan's story. We saw glimpses of her with Sean's story and I knew by the end of book two something major was changing in her life. Where I Need To Be is about finding your self again Becoming independent. Learning how much life is worth it being happy. I loved every meaning that Jamie Hollins puts behind her stories.

James and Megan's relationship was a little rocky at first. James finds out you can never judge a person by what they wear, who they are in company of, or who they use to be married to. I love the support system outside Megan's family that she finds. James is your hot blooded (and don't forget sexy) blue collar man. I love how he can get his hands dirty and is all so manly. He oozes pure male perfection. He is an amazing day to a cute little 2nd grader. Okay I guess I let my thoughts runaway there. Seriously, if you have not started the McKenna series what are you waiting for. If you cannot start from the beginning, you can also read this book as a standalone.

Where I Need To Be seeps into your heart and stays wrapped around it. It brings sexy to a fun and exciting level. This book is a must read since I could not put it down! I am sad to see this is the end, but am glad I can always revisit!

Where I Need to Be is a good way to pass the time if you have a couple hours to spend. Megan lost everything - her sleazy, cheating husband, her home, her cars, everything. But what she gains is so much more important when she drops her car off to the only car shop in town she knows. James is living from day to day trying to be the best dad and son he can be. When Megan rolls in he remembers her and thinks her circumstances are still the same, that she's a rich ice princess. When Megan ends up being his son's teacher, though, Megan and James figure a hot little fling just might be something they can indulge in. But they never expected there to be consequences to their fling.

James and Megan are wonderfully realistic. They handle themselves like the rest of us handle ourselves. And I love that they're not in their 20s, they're a little older and more experienced. Much better than callow, immature 20+ ers.

If you like your romances with realistic characters and hot chemistry, Where I Need to Be should be on your TBR list.

When I read the blurb for Where I Need To Be, I knew it was a book I needed to read, but Jamie Hollins is a new author to me, and I was nervous about reading a book that was the third in a series, and I hadn't read any of the others. But this book is book is brilliant! And truly a stand alone, so I had no issues at all.

Where I Need To Be is the story of James Foley and Megan McKenna; both of them had been through painful divorces, in Megan's case, it's to a man who mentally (my opinion) abused her for so long, that she was scared to be a disappointment to anyone. James experienced the loss (in a way) of his wife Holly, to Post Partium depression and then to drugs and alcohol, and even though she was alive, she was lost to his son Cade and himself.

Where I Need To Be is the story of them finding themselves, despite the havoc and pain their ex's have caused. Its a refreshing spin on second time love, and a very heart warming romance, that is well written and thought out.

I give Where I Need To Be 5 stars.

James Foley owns a garage and is also a father of a young son who keeps him busy. His ex is dealing with a heroin addiction which adds to the story. His day changes one day when a beautiful women comes in with a car that needs to be totally redone but he only does what she can afford at the time. Megan McKenna has lost most of everything in an ugly divorce and the day she is in the shop her ex happens to show up and lo and behold the mechanic sends him away. She latter finds out that he owns the garage and that his son is in her class. Now being attracted to each other is there any way to actually act on the attraction. Her roommate says yes since she needs to have a fling since she is divorced. The problem is that she is actually in like with James, and the more time she spends with him and then his family she realizes she is in trouble. James feels the same way and after talking to his father he decides to tell her. The problem is that she still has not told her family that she is divorced or that she is dating as he says a “mechanic” because it is not up to her standards. Now what she thought she had has now left and she must come up with a way to fix it. She wants to be with James and be a family with him. A very good book with good characters. I liked her roommate a tattoo artist. The epilogue is very good. Over all a good book.

Where I Need To Be (McKenna Series Book 3) by Hollins, Jamie
This is Megan McKenna and James Foley’s story.

James Foley bought out his dad’s auto shop when he was around nineteen. He is raising his son with the help of his father. James tried to get his wife help with her drug addiction but would never follow through with the treatments. He ended up divorcing her. Now, James only has time for his son and his shop. Then he keeps crossing paths with school teacher, Megan McKenna and things begin to change. Megan has just gone through a nasty divorce with her cheating husband. James and Megan connect due to understanding of the emotional pain of divorce plus they are extremely attracted to one another. Neither one want a relationship but will friends with benefits be enough for them?

Wow!! This was an amazing read! I could not put it down. The story was entertaining, emotional, heartwarming, and the chemistry between Megan and James was off the charts. The author did a great job of where the reader could feel the emotions of James and Megan. This is a must read!

FYI, contains mature content. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I fell in love with this story. It was sweet, emotional and sexy. Great read!

Book three in the McKenna Series and it’s another hit!

James and Megan story was amazing from the start; I couldn’t put the book down.

Not only we get a glimpse of how life is going for the other McKenna brothers and their significant others, we also finally get to know about Megan’s life.

Her story has a bitter beginning; her ex-husband did a number on her, not only he betrayed her trust he also blamed her for everything; and that sort of thing leaves a mark.

She is starting over, and we can see she is strong and almost ready to move on, but her fears to disappoint her family are holding her back and hiding her secret could ruin her second chance for happiness.

Theirs was not love at first sight for sure, they were from different worlds and let first impressions and misconceptions cloud their opinions of each other. It’s not until later on, when they really give each other a chance to see their personalities, that they realise they might be perfect for each other.

And I’m not even talking about the crazy sexual chemistry they’ve got going on.

James is scared, he has been burned before and he has stopped taking chances a long time ago. The thing is, by doing just that he has stayed stuck in this unhappy place where he is only surviving day after day but not really living.

They both get a second chance at love which shows us that sometimes the most amazing things happen when you least expect.

James wants nothing more than to raise his son and run his auto repair shop. He isn't interested in love after his ex-wife had unrecognized postpartum depression that led to a heroin addiction. He tried to help her but after many failed attempts he took their son and left when he came to the realization that she would always pick the drug.
 
Megan thought she had it all. She was living a life of luxury until she found her husband of 7 years cheating on her. She leaves him and ends up with no job, no home, and no car. Falling back on her teaching degree, she ends up with a roommate and a car that is basically a piece of junk.
 
Megan ends up at James auto shop and he instantly thinks she was like every other privileged customer since she is a former customer of his. She proves him wrong though and the two of them are able to learn from their past mistakes to have a good relationship.
 
This is the first book by Jamie Hollins that I have read and I really enjoyed it. Both Megan and James had experienced the pain of a marriage ending and instead of it making them bitter, they used the experience to learn how a relationship is supposed to work. They both were a little hesitant of course but I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom.

I loved the hard bodied, sexy hot single dad mechanic, James and the slightly scarred, ex-pampered princess Megan. She lost it all. She had to start over. She only had one option. She just wasn't expecting to find that option leading to James. Together the to had a chemistry that was good and bad. Raw and smooth. To get the perfect mix they both had to be honest and open with themselves. Cade was the glue that helped them along the way.

I loved the depth of the read. The intensity. The chemistry. The conflict. There was much there including the secondary character and the previous main characters from the previous books in the series. This one with James and Megan felt more raw, real, solid. There was more emotions.

When I read the blurb for Where I Need To Be by Jamie Hollins I was so intrigued. A single dad who wants nothing to do with relationships and the woman that comes into his life and turns it inside out, sign me up!

James Foley lost his wife to drugs. His only purpose in his life now is to raise his son and run his business. He has no time for anything or anyone else. I really liked James. He really was a good guy that was hit with hard circumstances and was doing the best he could.

Megan McKenna just went through an ugly divorce where she lost everything. Starting over, she decides to have some fun with the hot mechanic who worked on her car and is the father of one of her students. She vows to keep this completely casual and with no strings. Though Megan found herself completely starting over and her life drastically changed, she was strong and determined. But at other times she was a bit weak and timid, especially when dealing with her family.

But life is never easy and casual somehow turns into more for James and Megan. I loved that both Megan and James were older, a bit wiser and had gone through difficult times. It made them stronger, even as they had fun together. They had lot of chemistry and even hotter sexy times together. I loved how they got to know each other.

I found Where I Want To Be to be a light and fun read. Not too heavy and just enough fun, humor and angst to keep me interested. James was such a great guy and I loved seeing him with his son. Megan grew throughout the story and it was fun watching their relationship grow. I am definitely intrigued enough to read the rest of the series and other work by this new-to-me author.

I have chosen to DNF this title, as I was not able to connect with the heroine. We still ran the promo for the book on the blog, the link is below.

Thanks,
Laura

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary – ☆☆☆☆
Megan McKenna thought she had the perfect life, that is, until she walks in on her husband with another woman. Now that the divorce is over, she is putting her life back together, has a job teaching second grade starting the coming school year, and she just got accepted as a roommate. And hopefully the guy at Foley's Garage can fix the car she bought since it has a lot of problems.

James Foley has worked as a mechanic for as long as he can remember. He bought the garage from his dad when he was ready to retire and business is good. When Megan Dempsey shows up with a deadbeat car, he can't believe her rich husband would let her drive anything like that. So he will fix what needs fixing on her car and tell her what can wait and maybe he can learn her story.

As James and Megan get to know each other better and the attraction grows, they try the casual dating but both want more without pushing the other.

Can Megan make James see that she wants him and she is not trying to hide him from her family? Will James be ready for more of a relationship with Megan? Will they tell Cade, James' son, about them dating? Can they make a second time for them both work out?

I have loved this series and I thought The Best Part of Me (book 1) with Ewan and Quinn was my favorite but after reading this one, I think Megan and James is now my top favorite.

So if you are looking for a great series with love, heartbreak, laughter, and family, then this series is for you, so sit back and enjoy!


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is a fantastic conclusion to a great series. In the first two books, Megan was this sister/cousin who moved away, built a perfect life for herself, and did everything right. In this book, Megan is still living away from her family but she finds herself rebuilding her life after a nasty divorce – a divorce she can’t quite bring herself to tell her family about. And no one is more surprised than Megan when the former ice princess finds herself falling for James, a single dad and local mechanic.

This is possibly a more reflective story than the first two. The author has captured the relief, fear, and self-loathing that anyone who has been through a divorce will immediately recognise. Both James and Megan bring baggage to a new relationship, but there is also joy in this story as Megan discovers her inner strength and creates a new and independent life for herself. I loved watching Megan go a little wild as she explored her freedom – Megan on the back of James’ bike, Megan at a rock concert, Megan hosting Thanksgiving for the staff at a tattoo shop – she’s an inspiring female lead and I really loved her.

Both James and Megan are wary of relationships. James’ priority is his son and Megan is focused on building a life for herself. But these two are brilliant together. There are a couple of seriously sexy scenes in this story but it is probably lower heat than the first two. I enjoyed the believable hook-up to happily ever after storyline and I really enjoyed the slow, sweet romance between Megan and James.

Readers need to read Megan’s brother Sean’s story in book two before starting this one. I was only able to understand Megan’s overwhelming fear of disappointing her parents because I’d seen Sean’s interactions with their parents in the first book. Sean’s perception of Megan’s life and Megan’s reality are miles apart and I really enjoyed the way the author explores sibling and parent/child relationships across these two books.

For me, the only thing that let this story down was the sickly sweet series epilogue at the end. These ‘few years later’ scenes are now expected at the end of any m/f romance series but I hated seeing such interesting characters (especially Darcy from the second book) forced into a bland, suburban, and domestic happily ever after.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/F Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

James and Megan are both starting over in a way. James had a rough start to his family. Despite having an amazing child, a son, he is still hurting over the fact that his wife turned to drugs and wasn't able to kick the habit.

Megan is a teacher who has never really struggled for anything. However, now that she finds herself on her own, without money, without a husband, and seeing what truly makes her happy, she is a little gun shy when it comes to relationships.

This was just an okay story for me. I liked that the characters weren't super young. I also liked that the characters had baggage and knew how to have adult conversations.

Overall, this was a sweet story and it was a quick read.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third in the series, and whilst you could read it as a standalone (in my opinion) there are references to the previous couples, particularly towards the end of the book.

In this installment the focus is on Megan McKenna, who we met very briefly before, and who is married to a hot shot in Chicago. However, we very soon learn that is no longer the case, and she has fallen on hard times. She is inevitably struggling with her new normal, in as much as it was unexpected, but she is clearly a well-educated and self-sufficient woman.

James owns his own garage, and has worked on Megan's car before, so he is a little surprised to find her driving a beaten up old car. Until he finds out about the divorce... thanks to her ex-husband coming into the garage at the same time. She is, however, completely out of his league.

Fate has other ideas, and we get to experience a budding relationship, from both sides, as both struggle to deny the attraction, and remain casual. It is at times funny, but mostly rather sad, that two lovely people have been so damaged by spouses in the past that they are so reserved. As in many situations, communication would have saved a lot of heart ache, but that is what romance readers thrive on... and a good dose of hot and steamy passion – which these two are not shy of either!

The epilogue is both satisfying and leads one to think of what comes next too – which is both perfect and infuriating (in a good way!).

A satisfying and chemistry laden romance, with some great side characters such as Abel and Callie, and a brilliantly named guy called Poe!