Review: Flashed (Zoey Castile)

Flashed
Series: Happy Endings, #3
Author: Zoey Castile
Publication Date: August 27, 2019
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis:

When a man makes his living by his looks, he can forget that love–and lust–are more than skin deep. But the right woman can remind him . . .

A former soccer player, stripper, and model, legendary party boy Patrick Halloran finally gets his big break starring in the summer blockbuster. But when an accident leaves him changed forever, he hides away in his secluded Montana ranch. Only his new housekeeper is allowed inside–with one rule: she’s not allowed to see him. But Pat sees her, and she’s the most stunning woman he’s ever laid eyes on. Even her voice is beautiful. Still, Pat can’t allow himself to get close to anyone. Not without a fight at least . . .

Magdalena “Lena” Martel is a long way from Queens, New York. After a rough patch, the aspiring artist is working her way through college–even if it means keeping house for a man whose gruff voice she can only hear through a closed door. Still, Lena senses Pat’s got a good heart, maybe even a lovable one. She’s intrigued–until his anger sends her running into the freezing woods. Now Pat will have to find her–and when he does he may have found the one woman who can thaw his heart–not to mention the rest of him. But can their new bond survive the paparazzi–and their personal
demons? . . .

The last book in the Happy Endings series wasn’t my favorite, so I was a little hesitant to pick up Flashed. I waited for reviews from some trusted readers and since they all seemed to love it, I decided to give it a read. I’m so happy I did!

Flashed takes us to the quiet ruggedness of Montana, to a man who was once famous but now hides from the world. After a horrific accident, Pat’s once beautiful body has been left ravaged. He doesn’t want anyone to see him and feels he doesn’t deserve anyone’s love or friendship. All of that begins to change when Lena becomes his housekeeper and moves into his pool house. Lena brings with her a magic that makes him want to live.

Flashed reminded me a bit of a mashup of Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella. Pat was this gruff, tormented man who was no longer his most handsome self. He needed to forgive himself and move on, but didn’t know how. Underneath it all, he was a sweet guy. Lena was a young woman down on her luck who takes a job as Pat’s housekeeper to help pay for college. He’s not nice to her in the beginning, but they slowly develop a friendship that turns into more. It was just all so sweet. I loved every moment of it. I don’t know what else to say about it. Fans of fairytale retellings will most likely adore this book. I obviously did. It’s my new favorite in this series.