Welcome to the small island town of Cloud Bay, where it’s never the wrong time to find a love that’s oh-so-right. . .

Caleb White knows what he wants out of life—and being a star tennis player is not it. After speaking to the press about his plans to retire, Caleb decides that a trip to quaint, beautiful Cloud Bay for its legendary music festival is exactly what he needs. There will be time to figure out what to do with his life without a racket in his hand soon enough. Until then, Caleb is content to be stuck on an island with CloudFest’s gorgeous director Faith Harper. . .

The daughter of a famous rock star, Faith knows all about fame, fortune, and hot flings that aren’t meant to last longer than a few good songs. Gorgeous, built Caleb is a temptation she can’t resist, but she’s not prepared for the way he makes her feel. . .and the dreams that they both share. What begins as a carefree distraction deepens into something real. But is Caleb ready to put his celebrity behind him and give life in the slow lane with Faith a chance?

Need You Now is the first book in the Cloud Bay series and is also the debut novel for Emma Douglas but it won’t be my last experience with her as an author. In fact, from the moment that the two love interests first interacted, I knew that I was in for the long haul. Not a word was spoken between them as one was standing on the sidewalk and the other was looking out the window of a car but, it was enough for me to know that things were just beginning to get interesting.

On the surface, Faith and Caleb come from two different worlds. She’s the daughter of a deceased famous rock star who lives on a small town California island and helps organize a local music festival originally made famous by her father and his band. He’s a recently retired star tennis player who primarily lives in Malibu, and who is looking for a little bit of an escape from reality. Each of has had their touch of the spotlight but it is not what either of them wanted in their life. Both of them also had their personal demons and insecurities which they were trying to battle as they found some solace and peace in each other’s arms.

In Need You Now, Faith and Caleb had this spark right from the beginning which I loved. Like I said, their initial interaction isn’t even face to face, and it got me hook – line – and sinker.  I just had to know what was going to happen with the two of them when they actually finally met! Their chemistry was off the charts in the best way possible, and it wasn’t even because of the incredible sex that they were having together. It was the way that the teased each other, made each other smile and laugh, and the way that they made each other simply forget about their own personal demons, and the fact that there was a real world waiting outside for them.

Of the two main characters, I must say that I am partial to Faith and the confidence which she carries herself with. She wasn’t afraid to tell Caleb what it was she wanted but yet, there was also this part of her that was very insecure and real. She repeated tells him that she is not the type of girl who does a “long-term relationship”, and it was obvious that she had been burnt many times before. Being left with the responsibility of carrying on her father’s legacy of the local musical festival had caused some wear on her even if she didn’t want to admit it. There is also a tension between her and her siblings which felt realistic and is something that I hope is further addressed in the other books in the Cloud Bay series. I liked how Caleb didn’t push her but at the same time didn’t censor himself when she tried to push him away. He was so sweet to her and respected her but didn’t become a total push-over when she began putting her walls up to protect herself from him. As Faith said, “that man is worth a squee or two.”

As a fan of small towns and small town romances, I’m very much looking forward to seeing more from the small town of Cloud Bay, including the music festival. I loved the concept of the music festival and how it brought local and famous talent together, and how it continued to live on even though the originator was no longer there.  I’m also looking forward to seeing how Faith and Caleb’s relationship progresses beyond Need You Now. We’ve really only just begun to scratch the surface with them, and I can’t wait to see what else Emma Douglas comes up with for them as we continue to interact with all of Cloud Bay’s little quirks and sounds!

About the author:
Emma Douglas would love to live in a world where professional napping was a thing. But until then, she thinks writing books is a pretty awesome alternative. When not writing about imaginary people, she can be found reading, doing something crafty, binge-watching TV, playing her latest song crush on repeat, or singing badly in her car. She lives in Melbourne, Australia in a tiny house stuffed full of books, too many craft supplies and two cats who take up more space than you would expect. Find out more about Emma at www.emmadouglasbooks.com. Twitter: @Em_Douglas1

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