Review: Tea for Two by Shelley Munro

Lies and secrets have a way of returning to bite a girl in the butt…

Hayley Williams thought she was past the screwing-up stage of her life. These days, she wears her good girl persona well—except when she moonlights as a gypsy tea leaf reader in order to earn money to buy her own home. There’s something about Sam Norville, though, that prods her inner imp back to life. A chance meeting, a margarita…okay, two…a stolen kiss, and suddenly she’s back in hot water.

Sam, a successful businessman, doesn’t believe in love at first sight. Not anymore. For him, involvement with any woman means risking a run-in with the tabloid press. But his mysterious gypsy lover keeps him coming back, keeps him prodding her for more…like the truth. Of course it’s not love. No, sir. Sam only does lust.

Hayley knows she shouldn’t want Sam, especially since she lied to him. The right thing to do? Shove that naughty imp off her shoulder and come clean. But the pesky imp just won’t budge…

This was a really cute contemporary romance. Sometimes I’m just in the mood for something light and quick, and this really fit the bill.

Hayley is a buttoned down good girl who has an impulsive streak a mile wide she tries to hide behind sensible shoes and tight hair styles. When she was a teenager she went a little wild and she’s been paying for it ever since. So rather than letting her flighty nature take over, she only lets that side of her personality show when she’s moonlighting as a tea leaf reader.

But she decides to have one night of freedom when her girlfriend and roommate invites her to a company party. There she meets Sam and after one thing leads to another…he thinks she’s Helen, a svelte businesswoman. Only Helen is the name she uses when she’s being a gypsy. When she runs into Sam again later dressed up as the gypsy, he doesn’t recognize her. In a panic, she introduces herself as Harriet.

Sam’s family is cursed. Every single person in his family, from his great-granddad to his sister, have fallen in love at first site. But Sam knows the curse is destined to break with him. He tried love once and it didn’t work out so well for him. Me might not be able to stop thinking about Helen, but he convinces himself it’s just lust. And when he becomes attracted to the gypsy Harriet he’s both disgusted with himself for being attracted to two women inside of a week and relieved that he was right and it wasn’t love at first site with Helen. How could it be when he also wants Harriet?

I really liked both Sam and Hayley. It was hilarious watching Hayley try to keep up the pretense that she was first Helen, then Harriet. The chemistry between them really leapt off the pages. I thought the charade went on a little long, but I understood why Hayley was so reluctant to pursue a relationship, so it didn’t take much away from my enjoyment. I love that she was finally able to stand up to her overbearing (though well-meaning) family – especially her manipulative sister.

I recommend it if you’re in the mood for a fun, light read.

4.0 out of 5

This book is available in e-book format only from Samhain Publishing. You can buy it here.

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