Review: Barefoot in the Sun by Roxanne St. Claire

Barefoot in the Sun 

By Roxanne St. Claire 

Book #3 in the Barefoot Bay series 

When running is all you've ever known . . . Caught between fight and flight, Zoe Tamarin has always picked flight. Since she was rescued from a nightmare childhood by her great-aunt Pasha, they've been on the move, never staying in one place long enough to risk exposing their precarious past. But now that they've reached the sun-baked shores of Barefoot Bay, Zoe may have to stay and fight-for her aunt's life . . . and for a love she ran from years before.

Sometimes the bravest act of all is to stand still. Oliver Bradbury came to Florida to start over, as both a doctor and a father to his eight-year-old son. He never expected life to hand him a second chance with the woman he lost years ago-but one look at Zoe Tamarin and he knows he'll do whatever it takes to prove that this time, he can be the man she needs. But when demands of family and friendship threaten to shatter their rekindled passion, Oliver must heal Zoe's lifelong wounds with more than hot kisses . . . but will that be enough to keep her from flying off with his heart?

I've looked forward to going back to Barefoot Bay for months and this book didn't let me down. Zoe's story promised to be interesting as we knew she was hiding from something or someone. The last story ended with her running from Dr. Oliver Bradbury when he recognized her at the resort grand opening while performing the emergency delivery of Lacey's baby.

Zoe's story and past may have been tragic but Oliver certainly was a big payoff. He is smoldering sexy and head over heels in love with this woman who is conditioned to run when people get too close. Time after time he affirms his love (in some really great ways) and commitment to her but Zoe has no frame of reference for loving someone without having them be taken away in some manner. While her behavior is understandable, it got old after awhile (my reason for deducting a 1/2 halo). As if Oliver wasn't a complete enough package, his precocious 8-year old son Evan, brought the best out of him and everyone else around him.

I also continue to be drawn to the close-knit circle of women friends that make this series cohesive. Their relationships with each other aren't always perfect but they're devoted to each other. We don't see enough of these type of relationships between women and they're a great model.

Here I am again, primed and ready for the next book in this refreshing series but will have to wait a few months. You don't have to read these books in order necessarily as you can get up to date pretty easily. But, I wouldn't miss a paragraph about any of the women in this circle and would serve them up in order. It's a sexy, fun romance involving women with some tough issues paired with men you'll just keep dreaming about.

 

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