Blog Tour: Her Homecoming Wish by Jo McNally

I’m back again with another post in the Harlequin Carina Press February 2020 blog tour to promote some of their upcoming titles. You can check out the full list of upcoming titles in the graphic above. I’m here today with Her Homecoming Wish which is a part of the Harlequin Special Edition books.

 

Book description HER HOMECOMING WISH:

She’s ready to shed her good-girl ways…
“You’re all about following the rules now?
“Pity.”
Mackenzie Wallace hopes there’s still some bad boy lurking beneath single father Danny Adams’s upright exterior. Being the proverbial good girl left her brokenhearted and alone in the past. Now she’s back in town and wants excitement with her high school crush—not love. Dan knows their connection runs deep, despite Mackenzie’s protests. But will their new personas work together—especially when Dan’s secret is exposed?

REVIEW

This book had many elements that I enjoyed. It is no secret that I love small town romances and this one has a very fleshed out town with a huge array of characters. Since this was my first time reading a book of McNally’s I didn’t appreciate all the time spent on the side characters that I’m sure someone who loves this series would. I did love the connection Mack and Dan had and their chemistry was very evident.

I also enjoyed the conflict of Dan not knowing how to balance his need to protect the people of his city as a police officer and his need to just be able to be himself. Dan and Mack also have the element of knowing each other from when they were growing up and that plays into how they interact as adults. I will say that I am confused by the synopsis because I don’t know what secret Dan had that threatened their relationship. In fact the whole synopsis should be reworked because I don’t think it really reflects what this book is about. This book is ultimately about two people who used to know each other as kids coming back together 20 years later and having to relearn who they are.

I do want to mention that this book does get repetitive which was frustrating for me and at times it came off as judgmental. I don’t appreciate when labels are put on people because no one is that singular. Also liking beer and showing off your body are not the qualities I would give a bad girl. If you don’t mind those qualities in your books then I do think you would enjoy this book more than I did. If you want to try a sample of this book and see if it is something you would want to read then keep scrolling for an excerpt.

About the author Jo McNally:

Jo McNally lives in upstate New York with 100 pounds of dog and 200 pounds of husband – her slice of the bed is very small. When she’s not writing or reading romance novels (or clinging to the edge of the bed…), she can often be found on the back porch sipping wine with friends, listening to an eclectic playlist. If the weather is perfect, she might join her husband on the golf course, where she always feels far more competitive than her actual skill-level would suggest.

EXCERPT:

Dan returned, thankfully ending the conversation. He handed her a glass, but it wasn’t beer.

“I thought you might want some water to hydrate yourself from all your…uh…activity.”

“In other words, you agree I’ve had enough beer tonight? You’re right—this is not a typical Friday night for me.” Remembering she was here to start a more fun-loving life, she lifted her chin. “At least it wasn’t before tonight.”

Owen leaned forward to make himself heard over the music. “Hey, Dan, you bike, right? A bunch of us are going to do the loop around the lake Sunday. Wanna join us?”

Mack’s eyes went wide. “Dan, you still have your motorcycle? I used to love the way that thing rumbled…”

Kiara’s eyebrows rose, and Mack realized she sounded gushy. But she hadn’t thought of Dan pulling up behind the liquor store on that dark red Harley of his in a long time. He’d been every teenage girl’s bad-boy dream—handsome, reckless and restless. She used to run to the back window when she heard him coming, just to watch him pull that helmet off and run his fingers through his hair, wearing those tight jeans.

Was it hot in here, or was it her memories that were heating her up right now? She gulped down the cold water, nearly emptying the glass in one pull. Dan was saying something. Oh, damn. Dan was talking and she wasn’t even listening…

“…think Owen’s referring to bicycles, not motorcycles.” He nodded toward Owen. “I’ve got Chloe this weekend, so I’ll have to pass.” His mouth slanted into a half grin as he turned back to Mack. “But yes, I still have the old Harley. It’s been in mothballs for a few years, but I can’t seem to part with that last vestige of my misspent youth.”

That bad boy might still be in there…

“You know, I’ve never been on a motorcycle. You should give me a ride sometime…”

Dan coughed and the others laughed. That wasn’t the kind of ride she’d meant, of course. Or was it? Rather than apologize, she just met his gaze and shrugged.

There was a spark of something in his eyes. Interest? He closed them and shook his head, as if chasing away whatever thoughts she’d put there.

~Cassie