This was my first time reading a contemporary romance novella by Jerrica Knight-Catania, and I found her writing style heartfelt and engaging as she explored the theme of love. The story follows Melanie Smith, an aspiring actress chasing her Broadway dreams while waiting tables at a diner between auditions. Her best friend Lisa decides she needs a break from the city, and together with their friend Shauna, they set sail on a six-day Bermuda cruise.
Melanie, however, worries her job may be at risk if Cliff, her boss, discovers she doesn’t actually have a sick uncle—something Lisa concocted to secure her time off. On the first day aboard, the trio meets Devon Matthews, a restless millionaire who has taken a job as a masseuse on the ship. Intrigued by Melanie’s unhappiness, he offers the women free massage vouchers, secretly hoping to see her again.
Devon is nervous during Melanie’s massage session, but it becomes his chance to be close to her. When he finally asks her out, she accepts, and their date is full of laughter, drinking pints of Guinness, dinner, a walk on the deck, dancing, and a tender kiss. But their budding romance is abruptly cut short when Devon is caught fraternizing with a passenger, a violation of ship policy, and is fired on the spot. Sent back to New York with no way to contact Melanie, he’s left heartbroken—especially after she later learns he is, in fact, a millionaire.
Jerrica Knight-Catania delivers a clean and sweet romance about love arriving when you least expect it. For a novella, it strikes all the right chords—instant attraction, heartbreaking separation, and the promise of love found again. The characters feel authentic, the dialogue rings true, and both Melanie and Devon are changed by their connection. I’ll definitely be reaching for more of her work. Two thumbs up!
Rating: 4 stars
Some of my favorite lines:
Devon
couldn’t stop smiling the next day. His evening with Melanie had been one of
the greatest of his entire adult life. The dinner, the walk on the deck, the
dancing…man, could that girl move. Clearly, she was born to dance.
And the goodnight kiss was just as good as their first kiss. It was like they were made for each other. Their lips fit perfectly together; her body molded to his just right. For the first time in his life, Devon couldn’t imagine kissing another woman. He only wanted to kiss her. Melanie.
Comments
Post a Comment