The Language of Love (and Flowers!)

The Playboy’s Plain Jane

By: Cara Colter   

The Setting: The 90s (judging by the fashion sense), Hillsboro, Ontario, Canada

The Happy Couple:

Katie Pritchard: divorced, overall-wearing (think Andie McPhee circa Dawson’s Creek) florist

Dylan McKinnon: former Blue Jay, current playboy 

The Set-Up: Katie’s got a crush…and on the most unsuitable person. Dylan is the best looking guy in Hillsboro with the worst reputation. Every time he comes into her flower shop she can’t help but swoon, even as he buys flowers for his newest conquest(s).

The Issue: Dylan grew up believing in true love, but the dream died the day his dad put his mom in a nursing home. Love was supposed to conquer all, but it couldn’t conquer Alzheimer’s. Dylan decided then and there he wasn’t looking for commitment, only casual flings. Katie is just trying to put her life together after miscarrying a baby and getting a divorce. She thinks Dylan’s cute, but she sees the steady stream of girls on his arm.

Happily Ever After: When Dylan asks Katie out, she vehemently opposes. She knows his playboy ways and doesn’t want to be another notch in his belt. It takes several woo-ing attempts and a few grand gestures before she agrees to a date. But it’s when the pair babysits Dylan’s baby nephew that Katie really begins to see Dylan’s sensitive side. Could it be truly be love? 

Scandalous Scale: Tame

The Verdict: If you want to learn a lot about flowers and what they mean, than this book is certainly for you. If every time you kiss someone you feel like they’ve “unlocked the wild call that had been tamed” and you feel like “an eagle, soaring, proud, hungry, fierce” than you will probably like this book. If not, I’d pass; it’s a bit of a snooze.

Italian Stallion to the Rescue

Hired: The Italian’s Bride

By: Donna Alward   

The Setting: Modern times, Banff, Alberta, Canada

The Happy Couple:

Mariella (Mari) Ross: beautiful manager of the Fiori Cascade hotel with a dark and tragic past

Luca Fiori: an Italian Stallion, owner of the Fiori hotel chain 

The Set-Up: When Luca flies to town to renovate and rebrand his newest hotel, he meets resistance at every turn from Mari, the hotel manager. She can’t stand his take-charge attitude; he finds her beautiful but strangely fragile. 

The hours are long as renovations get under way and the attraction between the two deepens with every meeting, every lingering glance.

The Issue: Still smarting from his last relationship that ended in ruin, Luca swears love is just not for him. He’s in Banff for business, and nothing more. Mari is trying to rebuild her life after a past of violent abuse at the hands of her stepfather. She hasn’t let anyone get close to her for years, but something about Luca sets her heart aflutter.

Happily Ever After: When her past comes back to haunt her, Mari turns to Luca—and his strong, muscled shoulder—to cry on. When it comes time for Luca to fly back to Florence, Mari realizes she’s fallen in love with her protector. He’d sworn to never love again, but Luca can’t resist Mari, she’s simply bellissima.

Scandalous Scale: Getting Warmer

Canadian Cowboy

Her Lone Cowboy

By: Donna Alward  

The Setting: Modern times, Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada

The Happy Couple:

Lily Germaine – beautiful brunette, hell-bent on helping people

Noah Lamarie – wounded army Captain, turned cowboy

The Set-Up: Noah’s brother Andrew and Lily’s best friend Jen are getting married, and guess who they’ve asked to be best man and maid of honour?

Thrown together in wedding planning, Lily volunteers to help Noah as he re-adjusts to life on the farm with only one arm.

The Issue: After a tragic accident in Afghanistan, Captain Noah Lamarie has returned home without an arm and with a wounded sense of pride. How could anyone ever love him now? Lily, still stinging from being left at the alter years ago, is not sure she can ever love again. 

As the pair helps Andrew and Jen with wedding plans, it’s best if they just stay friends…right?

Happily Ever After: After a series of lingering glances, intimate dancing lessons and a teasingly erotic tuxedo measurement scene, Noah and Lily definitely cross into ‘more than just friends’ territory. Lily falls hard for Noah’s strength and his ability to beat the odds, and Noah can’t help but love a woman who sees past his stump and into his soul.

Scandalous Scale: Tame

BONUS: Casting the Cowboy

Definitely sexy Jake Gyllenhall (circa the Brokeback Mountain years) as Noah.

They could totally figure out how to make Jake armless, look how well Hollywood’s doing with Dr. Arizona Robbins on Grey’s Anatomy.

    Who do you think would make the sexiest cowboy?