It Had To Be You by Jill Shalvis

Why I read it:  I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.  

What it's about: (from Goodreads) Ali Winters is not having a good day. Her boyfriend left her, everyone in town thinks she's a thief, and now she's about to be kicked out of her home. Her only shot at keeping a roof over her head and clearing her name is to beg for help from a police detective who's as sexy as he is stern....

After a high-profile case goes wrong, Luke Hanover returns to his hometown for some peace and quiet. Instead he finds a bombshell brunette in a heap of trouble. As he helps Ali put her world back together, the pieces of Luke's own life finally seem to fall into place. Is this the start of a sizzling fling? Or are Luke and Ali on the brink of something big in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

What worked for me (and what didn't: There is something to be said for a reliably good read. My reading mojo was a little down when I picked this book up but I knew that this would be a fun sexy read.  Jill Shalvis books are always that for me.  Some are more successful than others, but even the "average" ones are good and the comfort I can take in knowing that I'm going to have a good experience when I open a Jill Shalvis book cannot be underestimated.  

This book was a comfort type read for me.  There wasn't anything particularly fresh or new in the almost too perfect heroine who has "I Love Lucy" moments (such as being caught in her underwear by her new landlord) or the commitment phobic but hunky hero but they were fun and sweet together and the story flowed easily.

Future heroes are Luke's friends Jack and Ben - Ben was mentioned but didn't make an appearance in this book.  Jack was a bit of a scene stealer actually and I find myself looking forward to his book quite a bit - plus, I like the friends to lovers trope, which I find a little easier to believe when the time frame of the book is short.

“Leah’s dating some new guy. I ran him,” Jack said, “and he’s got a record.”
           
“You ran him? Since when does a firefighter run people?”
           
“Hey, I have friends in high places, okay? And it was for the common good.”
           
Luke shook his head. “What’s his record?”
           
“He’s got a library debt.”
           
Luke stared at him. “Well, hell, Jack. We should string him up for that.”
           
“Hey, if he can’t keep a library book safe, he sure as hell can’t take care of one little pastry chef.

Luke and Ali fell in love just a little too quickly - the time span of the book was around two weeks - for me to be super comfortable with a HEA - a HFN would have been more believable for me.  Still, the story was entertaining and fun and reliable and I needed that when I opened the book - so it was just what the doctor ordered.

Grade: B-

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