REVIEW ~It Had To Be You by Jill Shalvis~

Title: It Had to Be You
Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Lucky Harbor #7
Release Date: May 28, 2013

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Ali Winters is not having a good day. Her boyfriend left her, everyone in town thinks she’s a thief, and now she’s about to be kicked out of her home. Her only shot at keeping a roof over her head and clearing her name is to beg for help from a police detective who’s as sexy as he is stern….

After a high-profile case goes wrong, Luke Hanover returns to his hometown for some peace and quiet. Instead he finds a bombshell brunette in a heap of trouble. As he helps Ali put her world back together, the pieces of Luke’s own life finally seem to fall into place. Is this the start of a sizzling fling? Or are Luke and Ali on the brink of something big in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

First off, this is my first time reviewing Jill Shalvis on my blog but, I have read almost all of her books. I am a HUGE fan of hers, and her books are completely amazing. If you've read the Lucky Harbor series you know that it is filled with quirky characters, unimaginable chemistry, and snarky dialogue to boot. It Had to Be You is no different, and fits right in with series.  Lucky Harbor is definitely in the top 5 of my favorite contemporary series. It is so thrilling that after 7 books in this series Ms. Shalvis still delivers a refreshing storyline, spunky heroines, and lovable/hot heroes. I find that too often in a series like this the author gets redundant but, that is so not the case here. I love the small town of Lucky Harbor, and if it truly existed I would move there. No joke. With hot guys like Luke, Sawyer, and my favorite, Matt hanging around town I would never want for eye candy. And with hilariously fabulous friends like Maddie, Chloe, Grace and Ali there would never be a dull moment.

"I know I might look like a ball of fluff, but I'm not. Not even close. And the fact that I get up each morning and put a damn smile on my face is the same as.. Batman putting on his cape... I'm not done. It's... protection. It's my shield. It's me waving my middle finger to the world, because I choose to be happy. The bottom line, Luke, is that I know what matters and what doesn't."

~Ali

I think Ali is on my favorite heroines in the series. She has to put up with so much, when all she ever does is give. Then she has everyone in town doubting her innocence. Hero to the rescue? I mean Ali could have handled it all herself, but Luke Hanover offers her the unwavering support she has never had in life. So, when the cards play out and they find it is easier to protect one another while living in the same household, how are they supposed to stop the attraction that has been growing since the first day they met? Well.... they don't :) I love reading a couples first meet, where they're trying to fight the chemistry and I just scoff at them. But it wasn't just a straight shot to a HEA after that. Nope, these two have painful pasts, asshole ex-boyfriends, and crazy seniors to deal with and a mystery to solve. Ali and Luke's banter was downright hilarious, and their back-and-forth attraction kept me turning pages. And despite his vehemence to the contrary, Luke was just the guy for Ali to be able to trust and depend on.

"She came, flying over the edge with his name on her lips. He tried to hold on, tried to hold back, but it was too late. He was lost. Lost, and yet somehow found. It was as simple and terrifying as that."

I really enjoy the development that Jill Shalvis gives her characters. Add that to their relate-able personalities and you have an amazing, heartfelt book every. single. time. Luke and Ali make a great addition to the unique and eclectic town of Lucky Harbor and definitely found a spot on my "to be read again" shelf. If you are new to Lucky Harbor you're going to love it and each book is a standalone. And if you're returning, well, Ms. Shalvis keeps raising the bar with each book in this series so expect something equally, if not more phenomenal than her last book. Also, there are little tidbits in It Had to Be You that allude to Jill's new book Always on My Mind and I cannot wait to read it!! It's just sitting on my bedside table begging to be read! I strongly urge you to go pick up the Lucky Harbor series, it is truly one of the greats!

Happy Reading!
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