Judith’s review of One Perfect Night by Rachael Johns
Peppa Grant’s fellow employees may call their new CEO Mr. McSexy, but she’s also heard that he’s aloof and distant. Cameron McCormac certainly seems cold toward Christmas when she meets him at the company’s annual party…but he’s also the sexiest man Peppa has ever seen. And when he offers to forgive the damage she accidentally caused to his expensive car in exchange for accompanying him to his family’s holiday get-together, she agrees.
Cameron needs a date to the family party to get his matchmaking relatives off his back. Their chemistry is instant and undeniable, leading to an incredible one-night stand. But Peppa wants love and family, while Cameron’s only interested in temporary pleasure. When their relationship takes an unexpectedly serious turn, will he run the other way—or will he give love a second chance?
One of the first questions that came to mind when I was reading this story was “What’s this guy got against Christmas?” It seemed obvious from the beginning that Mr. McSexy, the CEO whose reputation was a “playing the field” kind of guy, was a person who caved in to his family’s insistence that he be a part of their family Christmas observances with not a lot of grace. He made little if any attempt to even pretend he was glad to be present. Getting a date was a ploy to get his family off his back so that their efforts to move him beyond what was obviously a traumatic experience in his past wasn’t even a pleasant experience. I didn’t get the impression that this was a man who experienced any joy in his life.
And then there was Peppa–Penelope to most people and Peppa to her closest friends–who was a woman whose fiance had hurt her deeply. Not filled with a great deal of self-esteem, Peppa was shocked when the owner of a car she plowed into turned out to be her boss’s car–the infamous Mr. McSexy himself. Her lack of auto insurance–her company has just gone belly up the day before the accident–put her at the mercy of a man who had plenty of money to fix his own car but saw her difficulty as an opportunity to coerce her into being his “pretend date” at his family’s Christmas bash. I also had to wonder about a woman who continued to date a man whose immediate message was “get involved with me at your own risk–I’m don’t ever hang around for very long.” Sure there was a powerful attraction there for both of them, but I think it was a testimony to the sorry state of things emotionally for both these people who were willing to try to calm their inner demons or fill those ever-present emotional holes with temporary romantic connections that meant little if anything. The really sad part about the story? It meant something to both of them but their past trauma clouded the issues.
This is NOT your usual “happily ever after” and Santa Claus Miracle kind of story. There is genuine pain here, carried around in hearts that are numb and hurting, accompanied by serious efforts to mask the pain with an “I don’t need anyone longterm” exterior. It hurts to watch these two trying to find their way, not only to one another, but through the morass of hurt and disappointment within. The writing was well done and the tension between these two didn’t seem to let up at any place in the story. That can be wearing in some ways, but it is also a testimony to the quality of writing at kept the edge sharp and well-honed throughout. In many ways this is truly a holiday tale but it is also very much a situation that could exist at any point in either one’s life or during any time period. I thought it was very good and enjoyed reading it.
I give it a rating of 4 out of 5
You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.
This book is available from Carina Press. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
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