Judith’s review of The Last Boyfriend (Inn BoonsBoro #2) by Nora Roberts.
Owen is the organizer of the Montgomery clan, running the family’s construction business with an iron fist – and an even less flexible spreadsheet. And though his brothers bust on his compulsive list-making, the Inn BoonsBoro is about to open right on schedule. The only thing Owen didn’t plan for was Avery McTavish… Avery’s popular pizza place is right across the street from the inn, giving her a first-hand look at its amazing renovation – and a newfound appreciation for Owen. Since he was her first boyfriend when they were kids, Owen has never been far from Avery’s thoughts. But the attraction she’s feeling for him now is far from innocent. As Avery and Owen cautiously take their relationship to another level, the opening of the inn gives the whole town of Boonsboro a reason to celebrate. But Owen’s hard work has only begun. Getting Avery to let down her guard is going to take longer than he expected – and so will getting her to realize that her first boyfriend is going to be her last.
No matter how many authors come and go, when it comes to romance fiction, Nora Roberts still revs the readers’ engines. Her characters are unfailing in their connection to reality, the personalities and situations are always brilliantly crafted and never failing in their call to our imaginations. Most of us can relate with a happening or two out of our own lives that connect us with just about every one of her stories.
This trilogy is based on the brothers Montgomery, a family who have made their mark in the construction business as they have carried on the dream of their now deceased dad and the on-going energy and enthusiasm of their mom. This second book features brother Owen Montgomery, the kind of man who is organized to a fault and the kind of man any construction company needs to keep them on schedule. Owen is good at what he does, even to the point of organizing his own life in exactly the same fashion. The people who form the ensemble in which the Montgomery family functions are unique and each plays an important role in the life of one or more of the brothers. Avery McTavish is a beautiful young woman who has known the family since her earliest days, and Owen was her very first boyfriend, a boy of six she declared she would one day marry and he even gave her a plastic valentine ring out of a gumball machine. Now Owen and Avery are best friends, work together as business colleagues. They also both communicate in their own individual way with the resident ghost in the Inn Boonsboro, and it is through the machinations of that ghost they all call Lizzy or Elizabeth that Owen and Avery now begin to notice each other in a completely adult way.
There are some wonderful heroes in Ms Roberts’ books, but few are as sensible, patient, caring, and sensitive as Owen Montgomery. What a really great guy!! His appreciation of Avery and her business acumen, her wonderful culinary creations, and her openness to just being herself and accepting others as they are sets her apart, and Owen begins to realize that he wants her in his life romantically as well as in his bed. Their affair is fun and romantic and full of the kind of love that most people long to experience. That is not to say that their affair is without it’s difficulties because it has some serious problems. Yet Owen again displays the maturity that characterizes most of his life. He has insecurities like everyone and they get him in trouble just a bit. But both he and Avery are the kind of people who give each other forgiveness for being human.
This is just a wonderful book, full of family, kindness and gentle caring, authentic loving that can withstand some very hefty challenges, and built around the experiences of two people who are not afraid to be very open about their attraction to one another as well as their willingness to be open about their sexual involvement. The interaction among friends and members of the Montgomery family have moments of hilarity that kept me laughing for an extended amount of time. I was deeply touched at the support and sharing the friends and family extended to their older brother and his bride–a widow with three children and a person who was herself a business owner in their town. The Inn Boonsboro sounds like a wonderful place–just the kind of inn filled with history and literary ambiance I would love to experience.
So, when all is said and done, this is a marvelous book and one I think romance fans will not want to miss. It’s a really terrific story and I am looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.
I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5
The series:
You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.
This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
All those words that you used to describe Owen fit him perfectly. I really wanted to like this book more than I did but the lack of conflict didn’t work for me.
It was good but it could have been so much better.
Thanks for the review, Judith. =)
Thanks for the recommend. I have Next Always on my tbr.
I just picked this up from the library. I was underwhelmed by The Next Always. Liked the characters but the story was too convenient for me.
I liked Owen and Avery, but something was missing from this book and series. It’s always good reading a NR book, but I don’t think it’s one of her best novels.
I was disappointed in this book. At the end, I was more invested in visiting Inn BoonsBoro than in caring about the characters. Also, it seems like too many of Nora’s characters are starting to sound like Eve and Roarke. They can’t all speak with the same voice!