Suite Encounter
by Sophie Brooks
My review:
“Suite Encounter” is the first book in a new series by Sophie Brooks, and it’s a sweet, steamy, somewhat-angsty delight.
Sadie grew up with very little of material value, but a father who cherished her. A shared interest in an extracurricular activity while she was middle school leads her to a new friend who happens to be part of the extraordinarily wealthy Birmingham family. The friend happens to have three handsome older brothers. Sadie develops a crush on Landon, the middle brother, whose kindness and consideration matches his physical appeal. Something happens that I don’t want to divulge because you should find out for yourself in the way the author reveals it in the book. The result is that a decade goes by before Sadie and the Birmingham siblings see one another again.
When an unexpected event puts Sadie and Landon in the same place at the same time, they both find that old feelings resurface – changed a bit and compounded by age and experience. Landon especially finds that his protective instincts towards Sadie are are magnified by the physical attraction he feels towards her now that she’s an adult. Sadie is still struggling to survive in the world with scant emotional support and very little money. Landon has plenty of money and the support of his siblings and mother, but is feeling the stress of defining himself amidst social pressures and expectations put upon him by others.
There are a few sources of angst in “Suite Encounter” and some serious introspection. A couple of times I thought Sadie was just a little bit too self-righteous, but it was forgivable because her heart was sincere. She and Lincoln are both likable characters and deserving of a heartwarming happy ending. There are enough lighthearted moments in the story to keep it from becoming overly serious. Secondary characters in this book are interesting and vividly depicted, which is great because the epilogues indicate that four of them will be primary characters in future books in the series. I very much enjoyed the world Sophie Brooks created in this story and for the series overall.
I read an ARC of this book and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts and opinions about it.