The CEO

The Millionaire Malones

by Victoria Purman

CEO Callum Malone has it all: power, Italian suits, a house on one of Sydney’s stunning beaches and a new life without a woman in it. Just the way he likes it, ever since his nasty divorce.

Landscaper Ava Gibson is in no position to turn down a job, even if it is for her despised ex-brother-in-law. But when resentment gives way to underlying attraction, Ava is finally forced to confront her truth… she’s falling for him.

Will Ava be able to keep her growing desire in check? Because the irresistible Cal doesn’t want her to…

I feel so bad for Ava. She not only has feelings for another woman’s man, but it is her own sister so she has to see them together all of the time. She copes the only way she knows how and hides it behind a façade of dislike. I just can’t imagine how she handled it for as long as she did.

When Cal makes Ava a job offer that she can’t pass up, the two spend time together and get to know one another better. And the more Ava sees of Cal, the more her long-held feelings grow. It also allows Cal to see the woman behind the mask she’s worn around him for so many years, showing him a woman that he finds very attractive. But there are so many hurdles for the two, considering their history. Are their feelings enough?

Purman deftly delivers detailed characters with a unique problem. I found it very difficult to put the book down, speeding thru the pages, hurrying to get to that HEA ending. And while I was a little curious how it would feel to be with your sister’s ex (as an only child I would think that Christmas dinner would be a little uncomfortable 🙂 ), I think that it was handled very tastefully here. Ava and Lulu have a chance to finally discuss what happened (on all sides) and for Ava to come to terms with her feelings for Cal. It helped make that HEA even more complete.

**This is the second in this series about three brothers, but (of course) I haven’t read the first. I don’t think that it really impacted anything so you are probably pretty safe starting here.**