Just for Nice

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars of sweet and sexy goodness

This is a really good book, with a lot of content for a short story. I was really invested in the budding romance between two men in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, as well as the issues that Sam had with his niece. I loved how all the loose ends got woven back together, and that Nick and Sam got to explore their feelings for each other. A very satisfying read.

P.S. When I read that this is the author's first published work, I was very impressed, and hope that I will get the opportunity to read more of her work in the near future. My compliments, Ms. Shepherd.

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Just for Nice (States of Love) by H.M. Shepherd to read and review.

**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.**

Just for Nice is part of Dreamspinner Press’ States of Love. This short story takes place in rural Pennsylvania. If you’ve read my reviews regarding novellas, I always say how hard I think they must be to write. The author has to fit a believable love story in just a few short pages, in this case, only 55 pages. And, I think it has to be especially hard when done with two strangers.

This novella introduces us to Nick, who, after his fiancée ended things, decided to leave his job, the city and to open a bed and breakfast in the country. He meets his neighbor Sam, and they offer an exchange of services. Nick watches Sam’s teenage niece and Sam will help with remodeling the bed and breakfast. And from there a relationship somehow develops and I missed it.

I was taken by surprise when the men ended up in bed, and that they ended up in a relationship because we only had brief glimpses of them together. I didn’t have any connection with either character and didn’t feel the connection between them. I think this story has great potential but I think it needed a little more of Nick and Sam together and working towards a relationship.

Rating: 3.5 stars

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ THREE & 3/4 - STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
Light haired male in a tank top stands in the foreground. Dark-haired male in a dress shirt and dark pants is seen midway back and a barn and Amish style buggy are in the far-back. It supports the Pennsylvania Dutch theme for the story. Strong title and author fonts.

> > Looking Deeper < <

* * * AUTHOR DEBUT * * *
POV ~> Third-person

Nick buys an old, weathered farmhouse to turn into a B&B in the rural Penn-Dutch countryside. His neighbor, Sam, is worried this new "big city" guy is doing to demolish it and try to citify things. Sam has temporary guardianship of his teen niece but cannot leave her unattended over summer break while he's at work. Sam and Nick make a mutually beneficial bargain.
It's always hard for me to form a bond with characters and feel the bond they are developing for one another when stories are this short and it takes a rare author to make that happen.
I did not really get a good sense of who these characters were on a deeper level. I liked them and think I would have liked them even more had I had the chance to get to know them better. Everything felt "on the surface" to me. As the summer progressed, I did not feel the romantic bonds developing. They skirted around until they ended up in bed, like BAM!, after Nick received an unexpected package. It was a little unexpected and admittedly, neither man was prepared. Sam broke all the preconceived notions we tend to have, as well. Although he was the bigger guy, I had a hard time keeping in mind that he was only mid-20s and a *virgin*.
I wish there were more to the story, it just felt so one-and-done. They're moving along through the summer in preparation to open the B&B. Then it opened, but there was no expansion of what it entailed or the guests that were there. No further mention of Ellie after the "big event". Even Maggie was forgotten.
With a pre-Christmas declaration of love, it was over. End of story. I'd love another 100 or so pages added to this. Some meat and potatoes to go with all too much gravy.
.
Rating: [PG-13+ / R-] ~ Score: 3.75 ~ Stars: 4

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⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐