Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
Adams proves that guys with tattoos named Will make the best heroes!
“Practice Makes Perfect” alternates between Annie Walker and Will Griffin’s points-of-view. At first glance, Annie is a kind and sweet woman who lives a happy and quiet life in the close knit town of Rome, Kentucky where she opened the flower shop her mother had always dreamed. Deep down, however, Adams reveals that Annie’s life isn’t as perfect as it seems. She feels as though something is missing and with the help of her future sister-in-law’s bodyguard and dating tutor Will Griffin, she learns that it is not a perfect someone, but actually her sense of self.
Through her actions and mannerisms, the reader discovers that ever since the death of her parents, Annie has been willing to prioritize the needs of her siblings over herself. As a result, she feels pressure to maintain the goody two-shoes, angelic persona thrust upon her, adding depth to her character.
Luckily, Will gives Annie the space to be her unapologetic self on their practice dates. What starts out as an arrangement to help Annie alleviate her social anxiety while she is looking for her dream guy quickly turns into something real and mutually beneficial.
Like Annie, Will put his needs in the backseat to provide his brother with stability growing up in a household that was anything but stable. He initially swears off love and shies away from establishing connections, romantic or otherwise, with people, but Annie manages to break through his walls. She is the first to fully know him like he is the first to fully know her.
I loved watching Will and Annie come that realization and slowly give into their feelings. Their development from strangers to friends to lovers is beautifully written and enjoyable to read!
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