Show Me How (Thatch #3) by Molly McAdams

Title: Show Me How: A Thatch Novel
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Thatch
Format: Paperback; 320 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Impulse (October 4, 2016)
ISBN-10: 0062391437
ISBN-13: 978-0062391438
Author's Website: http://www.mollysmcadams.com/
Notes: I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Both Charlie Easton and Deacon Carver are at a crossroads in their lives, and they've decided instead of staying on their current paths, they want more...

Charlie has not had an easy life. At eighteen she been taken advantage of by a guy who exploited her teenage crush and shyness. He'd used her, dumped her, and left her pregnant as he hadn't even bothered to use protection. It hadn't helped he was one of her brother's friends or that he'd been the first boy she'd ever kissed. Her mother convinced her that keeping the pregnancy a secret and letting everyone believe the child was actually her mother's would make everything better. Now, years later, she's trying to get custody back from a mother who never truly acted motherly. The last thing she needs right now is a romance--especially not one with a man known in town for his sexual conquests.

Over the years Deacon has lived up to his reputation for chasing anything in a skirt. Lately, however, he wants to get past the rep and have something more, something meaningful, something real. While he knows his friend's younger sister should be off limits, when their paths cross, he keeps finding himself gravitating toward her. Will she be the one to show him how to love?

"Things can change in just a couple minutes when you think you're losing everything..."

They say reformed rakes make the best husbands and this story buys into that romance trope whole heartedly. While I liked the story, I had major issues with the main male character of this one at the beginning. I found myself siding with Charlie's friends and family who didn't want him anywhere near the heroine. My main issue with Deacon boiled down to the difference between a sexually promiscuous person and a sex addict. I feared the traits Deacon displayed leaned largely toward the latter which, in a nutshell, isn't good. I'm all about giving a person the benefit of a doubt, but for me, as a reader, this was a hard pill to swallow. Granted, the author found a unique way (via text messages) of letting us see inside Deacon's head--so we knew where he was coming from, but it took quite a while for me to get into this story.

What I loved about this novel, aside from having someone turn their life around, was the interaction between Deacon and Charlie's son, Keith. The scenes were touching and utterly adorable. Charlie and her son were a complete package and Deacon accepted them both which was pretty amazing for a guy who claimed to not like kids. What ultimately won me over was the combination of Deacon not falling back into his old habits when things got a little rocky paired with his desire to set Keith straight about grassy places (aka graves), ladybugs. and super powers. Granted, I'd have liked to have seen the Deacon go through a bit of counseling (a bit of a pet peeve of mine in romance), but he ultimately seemed committed. And let's be honest, therapy probably would not have been the most romantic addition to a love story--so that's my bad.

This one was packed with a lot of emotion teamed with a sweet ending. Overall, I gave it 3 1/2 out of 5 roses. The characters were flawed, vulnerable, and easy to relate to--in other words, true to life. The text messages being sent between these two were fun to read, but I have to admit I was surprised that neither of them were tempted to just call and find out who it was they were communicating with. I know I would have been. I really enjoyed it. On the Lisarenee Romance Scale, this one earned a STEAM--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Notes to keep you in the KNOW:

Check out the lyrics from the song, With My Eyes Closed, which the incredibly talented Chelsea Stepp allowed Molly to use in this story. Can you say inspiration? LOL I love this.

With My Eyes Closed by Chelsea Stepp

Found at: https://soundcloud.com/chelsea-stepp/with-my-eyes-closed

Order of the Thatch series: