Run to You by Rachel Lacey

ONE LITTLE LIE. A WHOLE LOTTA TROUBLE.

 

Moments after meeting the most gorgeous guy ever, Gabby Winters promptly gets stung by a zillion yellowjackets and falls-not gracefully-into a stream. Yup, Ethan Hunter is trouble with a capital "hot," and Gabby definitely needs to keep her distance. Except in the small town of Haven, there's nowhere to hide from Ethan's sexy, infectious grin . . . and all the residents are conspiring against her.

 

At the center of the town's matchmaking is Ethan's grandmother, who's convinced their relationship is a done deal. Rather than break her heart, Gabby and Ethan find themselves cornered into pretending to be falling in love. The problem: there's serious sizzling attraction between them. And if this charade continues, they won't fool just the entire town - they might fool themselves too . . .

 

Series: Risking It All #1 | Publisher: Forever| Genre: Contemporary Romance  | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4Cups

Challenges Read For: Pick Your Own Genre: Contemporary

I could not put Run to You down. It had me laughing, holding my breathing, and reaching for the tissues. Plus, it’s the fake relationship trope and I do love those.

 

Here’s what’s going on: Ethan’s grandma has one dying wish: to see Ethan fall in love. Enter Gabby Winters, the new girl in town, whom Ethan rescued from a yellow jacket attack. When Ethan’s grandma is convinced their relationship is real, neither Ethan nor Gabby is willing to correct her so they agree to play along.

 

Okay, so, Ethan and Gabby were so much fun. She’s a video game developer that came to Haven trying to figure out how to stand on her own two feet. Ethan’s a former Olympian who, along with his two best friends, is now opening Off-the-Grid Adventures—a place to zip-line, rock climb, and get in touch with your inner daredevil. Ethan’s a daredevil always looking for his next adrenaline rush. Gabby, not so much, she would rather stay in her comfort zone. It made for an interesting combination. I really liked both of them but I found myself questioning Gabby’s actions towards the end of the book. Honestly, I kinda wanted to shake her up a bit.

 

I enjoyed watching their fake relationship turn into something more, although they both had things they had to work through before getting there. Gabby, thanks to a previous relationship, has had her confidence knocked down. A bad childhood has left Ethan believing he could never trust himself around women so he’s determined not to get serious with any of the women he’s dated.

 

While Gabby and Ethan had amazing chemistry on the page and between the sheets, I really enjoyed the way they helped each other to heal. The way they both opened up to each other.

 

Even though this is a romance, the heart of the story is actually about Ethan and his grandma and I have to say it’s an emotional ride. She’s the only one that’s been there for him and he’s struggling with the fact that she’s dying. Wanting to make her last days the best he can, he helps her fulfill her bucket list through a sting of trips.

 

Overall, Run to You has been my favorite book of 2016. There were heavy moments mixed in with light, fun ones. And I cannot wait to read more from this series.

What’s been your favorite book of 2016?