Review: The Hero's Sweetheart by Cheryl Wyatt

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

His Perfect Match

Military commander Jack Sullenberger is used to saving the day. But when his father has a stroke in his beloved small-town diner, it's waitress and EMT student Olivia Abbott coming to the rescue. Jack rushes home to tend to his father and take over the business—running right into Olivia's very strong opinions. The steely military man and the waitress can't agree on what's best for the restaurant. When Jack sees something that shakes his growing trust in Olivia, their undeniable connection is put to the test. But if Jack's open to the truth, they'll have a chance at finding a future together.

My Review

I enjoyed this story with the close-knit diner crew stepping up when the beloved owner has a stroke and is hospitalized for weeks. Sully's son Jack is from a much different world being overseas with the military, but he takes over for his dad and discovers that things need to change in order to keep the diner open. Olivia is like a daughter to Sully, and the diner changes along with Sully's health scare, her dyslexia and learning comprehension disability while studying for her EMT courses, take their toll on her mental and physical health. Her interactions with Jack begin in a volatile manner, and the shift to attraction, friendship and romance was clumsy. It was more told in the character's heads than shown, and I didn't feel any chemistry between them. Jack was pretty hot and cold, and some things he did seemed out of character as we got to know him better. Olivia is described as being covered in tattoos and piercings, yet we are never told why she has this persona or how it is significant to her. It left me a bit confused and like I wasn't getting to know the layers of her character. Overall I liked the premise but would have appreciated more character development and emotional connection.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.