The cover kind of gives it away: Stealing Taffy is a super sweet, Southern romance novel about Tanyalee, known by her family as Taffy (a nickname she isn’t really happy with) and DEA Agent Dante. Written by the American Susan Donovan, this little gem was published recently on August 30th. I got an e-book ARC from NetGalley for review, which was really cool since it’s one of the first ARCs that I got before the actual release of the book. I don’t want to give too much away of the story, so I won’t go too far beyond the blurb:
Ten weeks in a swanky Arizona rehab center has done wonders for Tanyalee Newberry. She’s turning over a new leaf – no more manipulating men, shoplifting, or forgery for her! But when her flight home gets rerouted in bad weather, she ends up sharing a hotel room (and seven hours of mind-numbing sex) with her airplane seatmate, a complicated Northerner who is clearly not who he says he is. Tanyalee sneaks off while he sleeps, leaving a bracelet as a memento of their encounter.
DEA Special Agent Dante Cabrera wakes up alone in a Washington, DC hotel room, bested at his own “love-‘em-and-leave-‘em” game by a sexy Southern belle. A pink and silver charm bracelet engraved with the word “Taffy” is all that’s left of the wildest night he’s had in years. And because his transfer request was denied, it’s back to the hills of Western North Carolina Dante must go. Weeks pass, but Dante can’t forget the taste of sweet Taffy.
When an ongoing investigation leads Dante to a little girl Tanyalee mentors in a community service program, their anonymous hotel hookup gets dragged into the bright light of real life. Is there more to Tanyalee and Dante than a one-night stand? Has Tanyalee unwittingly put herself and the child in danger? Can Dante save them both?
Since it’s a romance novel, of course there is more to them, yes Tanya and the child are in danger, and obviously Dante will save them both. But I mean, it’s part of why I read romance: from the first chapter on, you know how the story will eventually end. They are mostly feel-good books that don’t require to much focus and attention while reading, which is why they are my go-to books in the gym (yes, I read on the crosstrainer, get over it!) and on public transport.
I really don’t want to spoil anything, especially since romance novels are already quite predictable (especially if you read a lot, like me). So I’m just going to keep it short: I loved it! A book about a girl trying to make amends and faling in love while doing so – much against her will. She was so sweet and it was at times hard for me to imagine her doing all those terrible things when she was younger, which made the redemption act all the more believable though.
I’d recommend it to fans of the genre! Especially if you want to read one set in a Southern setting about a sweet lady with a steel backbone and mistakes in her past. Do you agree?
Happy reading,
Loes M.