Emily Hamilton doesn’t trust men. She’s much more comfortable playing the romantic lead in front of a packed house onstage than in her own life. So when NFL star and alluring ladies’ man Brandon McKenna acts as her personal white knight, she has no illusions that he’ll stick around. However, a misunderstanding with the press throws them together in a fake engagement that yields unexpected (and breathtaking) benefits.

Every time Brandon calls her “Sugar,” Emily almost believes he’s playing for keeps—not just to score. Can she let down her defenses and get her own happily ever after?

Emily is helping her sister out on Valentine’s Day by delivering some balloons, candy and a teddy bear to a football player at a football stadium in Seattle (she’s actually an opera singer who’s helping out her flower shop owning sister). It’s icy and when she’s startled she falls and hits her head. The man who helps her out and takes her to the hospital is NFL player Brandon McKenna. He has plans for V Day but when he sees that Emily has a concussion and no one to take care of her he cancels his plans and stays with her. He drives her home, stays with her and is just really great about the whole situation. When Emily is finally up on her feet again they find that the news is splashing their engagement all over the place. What? When Emily was in the ER they had jokingly referred to Brandon as her fiance so that he could stay in the room with her – apparently it got out and was thought to be true.

Brandon and Emily, after some heated discussions, decide that being engaged is something that will work for both of them. Brandon is negotiating a renewal contract with the Seattle Sharks and Emily is getting multiple bookings from the media coverage. It’s shallow but they go forward with it for 30 days. After 30 days has passed they find that neither one of them wants to end the engagement and they start dating. The relationship grows from there and next thing you know they’re setting a date…for real.

Unfortunately neither one of their pasts can stay in the past. For Brandon it’s an ex-girlfriend who comes forward and for Emily it’s the emotional trauma her ex-boyfriend inflicted on her. These test the relationship between Brandon and Emily and it may not survive.

This was such a sweet story. I loved so many things about it that I’m not sure I can remember them all. I’ll start with Brandon. Oh what a hottie. Not only sexy physically but his personality makes him that much sexier. Sure he’d made some stupid, wild choices in the past but he really never stopped being that considerate southern gentleman. He was nothing but wonderful to Emily and I loved how he treated her.

Emily had some serious self-confidence issues stemming from her previous relationship. After hearing what James said to her I wanted to beat the man senseless. Of course I also wanted to know why Emily stayed with him for so long. Did she really think he was the best she could do. Her confidence issues and past with James ended up playing a part in the book but mostly at the beginning and the end. I really liked her but I didn’t feel that I knew her as well as I knew Brandon by the end of the book.

My issues with the story had to do with the ending of the book. I found it wholly believable until the end. Yes, what they did to prove to the other that they loved each other was very touching but it could have never happened that way. I want to believe it would have but nope, my brain just wouldn’t let me got there.

In the end I found the story to be incredibly readable and a fast read. I started it in the evening and I couldn’t put it down until I was done. I love a nice, sweet love story every once in a while and this one was that and more.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Julie Brannagh