How does a man woo himself back into the good graces of the woman he dumped so unceremoniously just the night before? Not easily, in the case of Gabby and Reed. All he wanted was to protect the seemingly innocent Gabby from the dangers of his current mission by distancing the lovely accountant from himself and the hazards of being associated with a man working undercover in a covert department that is an offshoot of Homeland Security.
But he screwed up - not only in Gabby's eyes, but in his superior's as well. Apparently his mission was less about investigating her and more about protecting the innocuous little accountant. Now he has just one day to find a way back into Gabby's life and stay close by her side. But Gabby isn't making it easy for him, despite the undeniable attraction between them - an attraction that burns even hotter now that he's had a chance to see the fierce little spitfire hiding beneath that oh-so-controlled exterior she usually shows the world... If he fails? Gabby may lose more than her man, she may lose her life.
I was first introduced to HelenKay Dimon's work with her title Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy, a book which showcased this author's talent for writing romantic suspenses with a hefty does of fun. She captures those same elements in her newest book, Right Here, Right Now with two captivating characters that never fail to entertain, even when (maybe especially when) they are at each other's throats.
Because that is where this novel begins, with the hero and heroine at each other's throats. OK, maybe Gabby is at Reed's throat and he's just trying to understand and fend her off, but the man deserves everything Gabby dishes out and more. Then again, as the story progresses and we learn exactly why Reed acts the way he does, it is easier to understand his purely altruistic motives behind everything he does in regards to his heroine. Not only that, but each new revelation had this reviewer falling for him a little more.
Reed is immensely likable, there is no denying that. From chapter one, where he is adorably clueless in the face of Gabby's justified ire, it is apparent that there are depths to this man that go far beyond the façade his mission requires he wear. As he finally unleashes the passion he has been harboring for Gabby from the day they began dating, Reed becomes more and more irresistible, to both Gabby and the reader.
Gabby herself is a heroine I find myself cheering for with each page. From the moment Reed attempts his misguided break-up with her, she cuts him no slack, something she takes even further when he inexplicably begins attempting to reconcile with her the very next day. Of course, being in love with him, she is by no means immune to his pleas for forgiveness and his attempts at seduction, but she definitely makes the man work hard for it, preserving both her self-respect and the respect of the readers, as well as delivering some great comedic moments.
In the end, we enjoy a perfect happy ending for this pair, courtesy of the talented HelenKay Dimon. She wraps up their story with some unexpected events that proved simultaneously surprising and richly satisfying.
Romance readers who enjoy sassy, capable heroines and dominant, good-hearted heroes will find Right Here, Right Now is more than a must-buy, it is a book guaranteed a permanent place on the bookshelf.
