by Karen Erickson
Series: Lone Pine Lake #2
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
The girl next door never looked so good... For Cameron McKenzie, Chloe Dawson has always just been his younger sister Jane’s best friend—a pesky annoyance who followed him around and acted like he hung the moon. It isn’t until Jane’s wedding to her firefighter beau Chris that Chloe reappears in his life…and she isn’t pesky or annoying anymore. In fact, the beautiful Chloe tempts him beyond reason. But Cam knows he’s damaged goods—not nearly good enough for Lone Pine Lake’s resident good girl. Chloe’s always dreamed of a future with the dark, brooding Cam, and after they share an explosive kiss, she wonders if her dream could be coming true. Cam’s never stuck around his hometown for long, though, so she makes him an offer: one sweet summer romance with no strings attached. This good girl’s ready for an adventure…one that just might end up lasting a lifetime.
Tempting Cameron is the second book in the Lone Pine Lake series and since I had no idea it was a second book I feel confident that you can read this as a standalone. Karen Erickson delivered an old-fashioned romance that was a delight to read.
Cameron McKenzie left town after high school and has not been back since but his baby sister is getting married and how could he miss it? At the wedding, he is shocked to see that Jane’s pesky best friend Chloe Dawson is all grown up and in all the right places. Chloe has had a secret crush on Cam forever and when he kisses her it’s like fireworks on the fourth of July. An old-fashioned summer romance might just lead to something more.
I enjoyed the characters Erickson created. They are flawed, genuine and you cannot help but care for them. Chloe has never left Lone Pine Lake; she is a local teacher and has set down roots with close-knit friends and a cabin near the lake. Cameron took off after high school and has made his career in photography. He has been hurt emotionally and physically and shut people out; giving this teddy bear a bad boy persona. The interaction between them was sweet, hot and feed the romantic inside me. I loved the secondary characters interaction with the couple and how everyone swept into protecting Chloe from big bad Cameron.
I consumed this in a single afternoon and found it entertaining. While predictable the characters felt genuine and the race to get my HEA made it delightful. The heat was relatively low but the chemistry was smoking, making this the perfect read for a large audience. The lake-side town and its residence made me want to pack up my bags and spend the summer.
Looking for a sweet romance, with loveable characters to tug at your heartstrings Tempting Cameron is the perfect rainy day or beach read. I look forward to trying more of Karen Erickson’s books. Jane’s Gift is book one in this small lake-town series.
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
kimbacaffeinate
Agreed Barbara, have a wonderful weekend!
kimbacaffeinate
thanks Ali, this was a nice escape 🙂
kindlemom1
Oh I like the idea of an old fashioned romance! I am glad you were able to read this one without having to read the first and not feeling lost.
Have a nice Saturday!
kimbacaffeinate
It was thanks Jenea hope you have a nice weekend!
kimbacaffeinate
*giggles* I am commenting on your blog at the same time you are commenting on mine..LOL This was a fun, easy, entertaining and sweet romance.
Lauren
Ooh this sounds like the perfect read for an afternoon by the beach. Glad to hear it’s satisfying and that there’s tons of chemistry, as well as being a quick read. I definitely want to get to know Cam better. Amazing review! I’ll have to check this out. 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
this will be a quickly and easy one to get through, enjoy!
Aleksandra
I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂 It sounds as good & as sweet as Jane’s Gift, which I loved, so I’m looking forward to reading this. I got actually approved a galley of this one, so hopefully I’ll read it this month for Clean Sweep 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
I use to loathe them..LOL but I am enjoying them at the moment and this was a sweet, fun read.
fishgirl182
i am sometimes a little wary of contemp romances but this sounds cute. i don’t always mind predictable if the characters and chemistry are good and this one sounds like a really fun beach read.
kimbacaffeinate
agreed Sam, this was a nice little escape read between those heavier books!
kimbacaffeinate
thanks Sophia, this was fun and I hope you get a chance to try it 🙂
Sophia
This one sounds lovely. The characters sound genuine, which is always important, even despite some flaws. And the romance? Swoooon. So glad you liked this one, Kimba! 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
So do I it was a nice escape between my darker, heavier reads
Jennifer Bielman
This does really sound sweet. I love when books can be standalones even when they are a part of a series. Great review.
kimbacaffeinate
You know me I like to mix things up and this was charming and sweet.
Maja (The Nocturnal Library)
Ahh, I rarely read romances, but when I do, I want something exactly like this. Sweet, flawed characters, a charming setting, a plot that makes me smile and a HEA that makes my heart beat a bit faster.
Thanks for briging it to my attention. Great review, my friend.
kimbacaffeinate
Me too, they are perfect escape books!
Turning the Pages
I’ve seen a lot of reviews of this one lately and they all make it sound great! I love Entangled Publishing 🙂 Great review!
Barbara Walker
I enjoyed this one too and definitely agree it can be read as a standalone. 🙂 I really enjoy this imprint for just simple-ish romance. Terrific review, chica.
Sam
I love it when characters are flawed in the best possible way. It sounds like you flew through this one, which is promising to hear. I can deal with a little bit of predictability if I like the rest. 🙂 Lovely review!