This RITA® Reader Challenge 2015 review was written by Jo. This story was nominated for the RITA® in the Romance Novella category.

Here is Jo's review:

“Her Best Laid Plans” is a fun (and sexy) novella set in Ireland where broken-hearted Jamie meets hot bartender Connor and the sexy times ensue! Did I mention this was sexy? It is!

Jamie has had her life on hold for four years, moving to California to support her boyfriend by waitressing while he finishes medical school. She believed that once he had finished his studies, he would then support her as she began her architecture degree. The ingrate broke it off with her instead.

Nursing a broken heart, she returned to Boston where she enrolled in her course and agrees to a trip to Ireland with her best friend before the semester begins. A career opportunity means her bestie cancels, so Jamie finds herself alone in a pub with a bunch of men old enough to be her father until… Hello! Here’s Connor and his snooker table of good times.

Cara McKenna’s writing nearly always works for me and this is no different, despite being less edgy than most of the other contemporaries I’ve read from her.

One of my favourite aspects of this novella was the lack of angst between Jamie and Connor in the beginning of their relationship. Their chemistry is amazing from their first meeting in the pub and they don’t cheat themselves by holding back; instead, they decide to take the opportunity to just enjoy what they have found. They’re open about their feelings and where they stand, leaving no doubt at the beginning that this is to be a (memorable) holiday fling.

“We can skip the drawn out courting,” he said “since we don’t need to worry about the future. Like we can skip right to the honeymoon while you’re here and just stay there. Never have to face the reality of going home and negotiating all the dull, grown-up shite that goes along with actual marriage. We can live the romance of a lifetime for 10 days.”

She squeezed his fingers. “Deal.”

You have to love those kinds of deals, right? Before too long though, the intensity of their connection is too much to ignore and when Connor eventually tables the ‘what if you stay in Ireland’ discussion before she is due to go home, Jamie pulls back. Her resistance to putting her plans aside for what her man wants is strong and her first reaction to his suggestion borders on harsh. Connor tries to remain affable and charming but their vulnerabilities have been exposed and they are scrambling to bring things back to where they were.

“If I didn’t just bugger all this up, I hope I’ll see you later…?”

She nodded too breezily, panicking on the inside. “Yeah of course. You didn’t mess anything up, either – you’re perfect.” She stroked his hair, some of the ice melting, but not enough to quell her fears. You’re perfect. As perfect as a man got in this world, perfect in every way except the sacrifices that loving him would demand.

Their goodbye is honest and refreshingly mature. How can they explore what they have when it could put all their plans and commitments at risk? For Jamie, it’s a risk that she is in no way able to take again. Connor has had his own life on hold due to a misspent youth and he knows he owes it to himself to stay his course.

Fortunately, this is a romance, so we all know it doesn’t end at the airport!

All in all, I loved this. A fast, fun, and hot read with likable characters and an ending that made me all smiley. It also doesn’t hurt that it was a great opportunity to cast Jamie Dornan as the hero in my imagination… What more can you ask for?  An A grade from me.