Release Date: Available Now
“Taking Liberties” is a brother’s-best-friend, single dad, workplace, age-gap romance by Rosie Darden. It may seem like a lot of tropes, but they all work together nicely. Avery has moved back home to the small-town where her big brother still lives. The life she’d created in the big city has fizzled out in more ways than one, and suddenly opportunities await where she never expected them to. Those opportunities include a job at a construction company – and to her surprise, both her brother and his best friend, Mason, work for the same business. She’d always had a crush on Mason, although she grew up and moved past it. In the intervening years, he’s become widowed and is raising his daughter as a single parent. Sparks soon fly between Avery and Mason, although both are well-aware that her brother would never approve. As things develop, the number of secrets that must be kept from everyone around them becomes challenging and stressful. At some point, something has to give… Living a lie is no way to live. I enjoyed this story, and many things about the characters. Their interest in one another progressed quickly, but I thought the explanations for that were reasonable. There were some strong secondary characters, including Mason’s little girl, Avery’s niece, and a special dog. I thought the end goal brought everything together nicely.