Sleepover

Starred review from September 24, 2018
In this touching and seductive contemporary by Bell (following Head Over Heels and Do Over), the friendship between two boys leads to romance for their single parents. Handsome furniture maker Sawyer Paulson moves to the small town of Revere Lake, Wash., and his son immediately bonds with their neighbor’s son. The other boy’s mother is Elle Dunning, a writer with whom Sawyer had a one-night stand after the death of his wife two years earlier. There is tenderness and humor as Elle and Sawyer rekindle their earlier passion while managing the logistics of raising their inseparable eight-year-olds. Sawyer and Elle’s erotic encounters are sizzling and well balanced with complex emotions as Sawyer copes with missing his wife and wanting more intimacy with Elle, while Elle, who is still recovering from her ex-husband’s betrayal, is wary of Sawyer’s continued attachment to the memory of his wife. Bell’s characters are fully actualized, and their interpersonal relationships, such as Sawyer’s interactions with his brother and Elle’s relationships with her supportive best friends, effectively highlight their likable personalities. This is a perfect blend of romantic sexiness and sweet sentimentality. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect.

November 15, 2018

Elle Dunning, aspiring writer and mother of Madden, is recently divorced and gobsmacked by the audacity of her ex-husband to invite her to his wedding eight weeks after their split. She's been trying to process her feelings and get over her ex in myriad ways, one of which included an incredibly hot one-night stand with a broody stranger at a bar. She is shocked to discover that this stranger is not only her new next-door neighbor but the father of her son's new best friend Jonah. Sawyer Paulson hadn't forgotten Elle or the incredible night they'd shared, but he hasn't been able to let any woman in emotionally since the death of his wife two years ago. Still, their proximity ramps up the undeniable attraction between them, complicating their intentions to remain wholesome, platonic neighbors. Bell (Hold on Tight) deftly crafts a lust-to-love tale with unconventional elements; Elle and Sawyer's trysts take place as they navigate single parenthood and incredible sorrow. Readers will be rooting for the pair as they find deliciously naughty ways of reclaiming their desire. VERDICT An enjoyable hybrid of sugar and spice for those seeking erotica with substance. Recommended.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.