review || UNWRAPPED

This was not the first book I've read in the last year that centered around a woman becoming a nanny, and therefore changing the lives of the father and child...

...but this little Christmas novella did the job well.

Unwrapped by Maisey Yates

Publisher: InterMix (11/18/2014)

Series: Silver Creek, book 3.5

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Source: NetGalley

Buy It From Kindle | Nook || Goodreads

My Rating: ★★★★

Kindergarten teacher Sarah Larsen has spent her whole life being the good girl. But now, she’s ready to do something bad. So wearing the shortest, tightest black dress she owns, she marches over to the nearest bar to fulfill her Christmas fantasy: a wild night with a total stranger.

Walker Callahan moved to Silver Creek to start fresh. He doesn’t want to bring his baggage into a relationship, so an evening of fun with the sexiest welcoming committee ever is just what he needs.

They were both in it for one night with no strings attached.. But when Sarah discovers that Walker is the father of her new student, things turn deliciously complicated. Can the cold winter nights thaw two frozen hearts?

- - -

connect with Maisey || facebook | twitter | goodreads

- - -

Sarah... Oooooh, Sarah...

Sarah's done being the town good-girl, and a virgin at that. She grew up in the house of an extremely prudent grandmother who taught her that sex was a sin. But now that she's gone... Sarah wants to make her own opinions.

So she goes out with the sole idea to find a man and bed him -- problem being that in her town, she knows most of the men and none of them would do.

But in walks an unknown man -- perfect for her fling. He's not from there, he's just there for the week... Score.

Unfortunately, Sarah is extremely ill-versed in Men-Picking-Up-101. That, and there are some much better versed ladies standing by the juke box, eyeing him up.

But for some reason or another, Walker is drawn to Sarah and takes her up on her offer.

After all is said and done, Sarah leaves in a hurry -- she knows better than the whole fall-in-love-with-he-who-pops-the-cherry adage.

But as a stranger held her in his arms, the full horror of what she'd done crept over her, along with a terrifying, awful feeling.

A feeling that she wanted to stay in his bed, in his arms, in his life, forever. That parting with him would tear away a piece of her.

No. No. That wasn't what this was. This was her taking control of her life. Forming her own opinions and morals. Giving herself excitement. Shooting for more than okay.

This had nothing to do with him. Nothing to do with emotion.

But she wanted to cry. Not just cry; sob. Her heart felt too big for her chest. And she was shaking.

 She's sure that once she leaves, she will never see him again -- after all, he essentially said just that, did he not, when he stated he wasn't from there?

But when her new student's father is late to pick her up...

Well, Sarah learns that Walker is in all actuality, new to town.

Then, when his Christmas break nanny option falls through, Sarah steps up to the plate and offers her help.

My biggest problems with this books would have to be that Sarah's nerves stick around through the ENTIRE book. Surely at some point she would lose them. Then on top of that, Walker becomes a bit of an ass, but will start being playful toward her with the flip of a switch. I didn't care for those inconsistencies. 

And just like silly heroines in quick novella's, Sarah tells Walker she loves him after a moment of heatful bliss, when he's already made it extremely clear he has no room in his life for a significant other.

"Baby, you think I'm afraid, but the fact is, I just don't want forever with you. Inever told you different, so don't go acting surprised now."

A tear slid down her cheek, and she didn't bother to brush it away. "Dammit, Walker. Now you're making me cry."

"I never wanted to do that. But it's better if I make you cry now than pretend that it could be something else and make you do it later."

My note for that, I promise you, says "He's an ass and she's a child" -- he is an ass. But she is acting extremely small and again, I don't care for that inconsistency. She's extremely confident in the classroom and with who she is, but the moment she's around him, she acts like a silly little girl. She should be over the post-virginal jitters by this point in the story.

But regardless...

I still thought the story was cute. It's just that novellas are typically too quick to the point for me.