Speakeasy Taproom Book 7: Starlight by Christine DePetrillo

Speakeasy Taproom Book 7

He doesn’t trust women. She only trusts dogs. Why can’t they keep their paws off each other?

Darren Reade builds stone walls in Vermont--and around his heart. Women don’t stick around, so it’s better to put up No Trespassing signs and focus on raising his adopted son. Darren is willing to do whatever it takes to help the boy cope with his mother’s death. But doing it alone is a challenge.

Grace Hollings indulges her love of old-school jazz by singing nights at the Speakeasy Taproom, and spends her days training service dogs, connecting small humans with smart pooches. Of course she’d planned to be married already, but a failed engagement has taught her that dogs make better company than men.

One evening, Grace and Darren don’t exchange names, but they do engage in a single night neither of them will forget. Is once all there is? Or can they train their hearts to trust what they’ve built under the starlight?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56270630-starlight

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

I loved this story! Such great characters and a wonderful plot. Grace spends her nights singing old-school jazz at Speakeasy and during the day she trains service dogs. She loves both of her jobs. Her singing is a tribute to her grandmother who was a famous jazz singer and working with dogs to help children in need is so fulfilling and something she is very great at. Her luck in love not so great. Her failed engagement made her realize that she may not get the family she always wanted but at least dogs are better company. But then she meets Darren and things change. They have one night together and think that is it, but neither can get the other out of their head. And fate brings them together when she hires Darren's company to do work on their property. Darren has been even more unlucky in love. A tragedy broke up his first marriage and then just when he thought he found love again with another woman and her adorable son, she allows an addiction to take her life. Darren adopts her son and their bond is just as strong as if Kolton was his own. His number priority is to Kolton. And when his son may be in need of a service dog to help with his anxiety, he never imagined that the woman who sang so beautifully would be the same who can help his family now. Darren and Grace are wonderful together and with Kolton they are a perfect family. But things are moving so fast and both fear that things are too good to be true. Then there is another matter that threatens it all. Absolutely adored this story. The characters were really wonderful all around and the story had me turning page after page, unable to put it down. Definitely a favorite for me of the series! Can't wait for more.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.