Review: Waiting On You by Kristan Higgins

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Blue Heron #3
Publication Date: 25th March 2014
Pages: 464
Book Source: Harlequin & NetGalley

Synopsis: Is your first love worth a second chance…? 

Colleen O'Rourke is in love with love…just not when it comes to herself. Most nights, she can be found behind the bar at the Manningsport, New York, tavern she owns with her twin brother, doling out romantic advice to the lovelorn, mixing martinis and staying more or less happily single. See, ten years ago, Lucas Campbell broke her heart…an experience Colleen doesn't want to have again, thanks. Since then, she's been happy with a fling here and there, some elite-level flirting and playing matchmaker to her friends. 

But a family emergency has brought Lucas back to town, handsome as ever and still the only man who's ever been able to crack her defenses. Seems like maybe they've got some unfinished business waiting for them—but to find out, Colleen has to let her guard down, or risk losing a second chance with the only man she's ever loved.

Karen's Thoughts: 

A year ago I was fortunate enough to attend the Australian Romance Readers Convention in Brisbane. The biggest draw card for me (aside from hanging out with one of my favourite people, our very own Teddyree) was that Kristan Higgins was one of the keynote speakers. I adore Kristan’s books and was excited that she was gracing our shores. She is just as funny and kind in the flesh.

Once again Kristan has created a community of quirky, loyal and dysfunctional characters in her latest release Waiting on You.

I love a second chance love story and that’s exactly the theme of this contemporary romance. Colleen and Lucas were high school sweethearts and for a reason that I am not entirely convinced of, their relationship dissolves.  

Lucas is living in Boston and Colleen is part owner with her twin brother Connor, in the local bar in their hometown of Manningsport. Colleen’s heart was broken when their relationship ended and Lucas married someone else. Fast forward ten years and the divorced Lucas is back in Manningsport for a short time whilst his Uncle battles terminal cancer. 

Lucas and Colleen spend some time dancing around each other and communication still seems to be a problem in their interactions. When Lucas shows up in the bar for a drink and a meal Colleen subtly lets him know she’s still harboring some anger.

His eyes began to tear.  Sweat broke out on his forehead.  He raised an eyebrow, then, she had to give it to him, chewed and swallowed.  With great effort.  He took his doctored up beer and drank it down.  Rested the cold glass against his forehead.

“All right, mate?” Tom asked.

“I’m fine,” he wheezed, as the fire sauce had paralyzed his vocal cords a li’l tiny bit.

“How’s that burger, hon?” Colleen said.

“Perfect.” He wiped his face with a napkin, and Colleen leaned her elbows on the bar and just enjoyed the sight of him, sweating, red-faced, maybe a little closer to death than he had been a few minutes ago.

“I made it special just for you.” She smiled sweetly.

“I guessed that.”

For the first time ever Kristan created a man that I wasn’t sure I was going to fall in love with.  I still don’t know whether I truly liked Lucas. He had everything on paper that should make him a ‘book boyfriend’ but I really thought he was a bit immature, even when we had skipped forward ten years and he really should have learnt some lessons. He skipped town and avoided the situation when he should have just manned up and talked out their issues. I guess if he’d done that though the book may not have been very long.

There are definitely some untold stories in the town of Manningsport and I was thrilled to see Jack will be getting his story in September. I am hoping that Kristan has plans for a story for Colleen’s twin brother, Connor.

Guest review by Karen

#1 THE BEST MAN ~ 4.5 stars

#2 THE PERFECT MATCH ~ 5 stars

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