Book & Audio Review: Someone Like You by Susan Mallery

Someone Like You
Author: Susan Mallery
Narrator: Carla Carpetto
Publication: HQN Books; Reissue edition (March 28, 2017); Harlequin Books (December 27, 2010)
Length: 382 p.; 9 hours and 29 minutes

Description: Jill Strathern left town for the big city and never looked back—until she returned home years later to run a small law practice. It turns out her childhood crush, Mac Kendrick, a burned-out LAPD cop, has also come back to sleepy Los Lobos. Even though Mac rejected her back in high school, Jill can't deny the attraction she still feels for him.

Now Jill and Mac are tangled in enough drama to satisfy the most jaded L.A. denizens—Mafia dons, social workers, angry exes and one very quirky eight-year-old make even the simplest romance complicated. And it all goes to prove that when it comes to affairs of the heart, there's no place like home. An unlikely pair…but a perfect match.

My Thoughts: Corporate lawyer Jill Strathern is back in her hometown after walking in on her husband having sex with his assistant, and then being fired. She is taking over the law practice of a recently deceased lawyer and sending out resumes every day. Her hometown is just a brief pit stop in her mind.

Mac Kendrick, Jill's girlhood crush, is also back in town. After a career as a cop in LA, he's now the sheriff and trying to clean up his life to regain custody of his eight-year-old daughter Emily. Emily is staying with him for the summer but she's scared and not willing to trust the father who, from her point of view, left her and her mother. Mac also has to meet weekly with a social worker who doesn't believe a cop can be a good father. 

As Jill deals with small town cases like wills and fences in the wrong place, Mac is settling in and trying to get to know his daughter again. When one of Jill's former clients comes to town to check on her, Mac's radar lights up. The client screams mafia to him and he doesn't want him bringing his business to Mac's town. Jill has only seen the good side of her former client and Mac's viewpoint is a source of conflict to their new relationship.

Though they seem to have very different goals for their futures, Mac and Jill do fall in love but have lots of obstacles to overcome.

This was an entertaining small-town romance with great characters and an interesting plot. The narration was well done. 

Favorite Quote:

Mr. Dixon had been an avid fisherman. He'd gone all over the world, fishing his heart out and bringing back trophies for his office. The fish he'd caught were often stuffed, or whatever it was that one did with dead fish one did not eat, and mounted onto plaques. These plaques hung in his office. Everywhere.

They stared down at clients, frightened small children and collected dust. They also smelled.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.