Review: Flirting with the Beast by Jane Porter

Flirting With the Beast (Modern Love #2) by Jane Porter

Publication Date: November 29th 2022 by Berkley

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Andi is still finding her way after losing her husband five years ago, has dated a little without much success. After preparing a fancy dinner her stepson didn’t show for, Andi decides last minute to drive up to her cabin in Lake Arrowhead. She ends up running into her gruff neighbor, Wolf, a man her late husband loathed to the point of suing. Long story. To be honest, Andi’s late husband sounded like a selfish, prissy peacock on so many levels. I was outraged for Andi over a few things. To me, she was better off without him, even if she was a bit lonely.

There’s a spark of attraction between her and Wolf. He definitely likes to ruffle her feathers and there’s some push and pull before they end up spending a passion filled couple of nights. Wolf makes it clear he doesn’t do relationships and so they part ways when Andi goes home and she’s more than a little brokenhearted.

Circumstances bring them back together and Wolf ends up relying on Andi, growing close to the point he’s over his aversion to relationships. I enjoyed the inevitability, the magnetism between them. It felt real, relatable, and hot!

Wolf was abrasive at times, but he had a big heart under that. Wolf was the kind of guy that took care of things without being asked and had a protective streak a mile long. I didn’t like the last-minute conflict where Wolf was a complete jerk. I thought it was over the top, but I got that it came from a place of fear, and he did do quite a bit groveling.

Loved having a mature romance featured and (this couple is late 50s & 60) at a point where most are more settled in their own skin and are honest about what works and doesn’t work. No games. I had minor quibbles with the last-minute Wolf meltdown, which he did atone for, but other than that I loved the story! 

4 Stars

Book Description:

A woman expecting to spend the holidays alone finds warmth in the iciest man she knows in this steamy and charming later-in-life romance by New York Times bestselling author Jane Porter.

It's been five years since Andi McDermott lost her husband, and she's finally starting to feel like herself again, ready to live fully--she's even started dating again. But when her holiday plans with her stepson and his fiancé fall through, she refuses to spend another Christmas alone while everyone is celebrating with their families. Impulsively, she decides to go up to her cabin in Lake Arrowhead, a place she used to love to visit but hadn't gone to in years, not since the feud started between her husband and their nearest neighbor.

Andi starts to rethink her decision when being alone at the cabin proves to be more challenging than she expected--a heavy snowstorm hits the area, and Andi finds herself trapped there with no one to help except for her neighbor, Wolf Enders. A military vet who lives full-time on Lake Arrowhead, Wolf is as grumpy and intimidating as Andi remembers. But he's also unexpectedly kind and uncomfortably sexy--his presence reminds Andi that she may be older, but her body still works perfectly fine, thank you very much. But can this good girl tame this sexy beast of a man, and will this snowy fling turn into a love of a lifetime?