NEVER BEEN KISSED – Molly O'Keefe
Bantam
ISBN: 978-0-345-54901-3
July 2014
Contemporary Series Romance

Bishop, Arkansas – Present Day

As the only daughter of a high powered political family, Ashley Montgomery has done what she can to escape their suffocating influence. She went to Africa to help needy children, but while on a vacation she's kidnapped by Somali pirates who demand a hefty ransom. Her brother turns to Brody Baxter, a government bodyguard who once guarded Ashley. Brody could say no, but something draws him to rescue her. He succeeds, but she was beaten badly and is barely conscious. Ashley begs Brody to hide her out after realizing she's about to be used as a political pawn, and he reluctantly agrees. Taking her to his hometown in Arkansas, the two are holed up in a tiny apartment above a bar. For both it brings back memories of the time young Ashley threw herself at Brody and he rejected her. Will the feelings between them come roaring to life once more?

Ashley is the forbidden fruit Brody can't touch. As a government agent he could get in trouble if he acts upon his lust for her. Add in the fact that he considers himself unworthy of her and that getting involved will only lead to his breaking her heart; he tries to keep her at arm's length. Yet that is hard to do when you're sleeping in a small apartment, leery of going out for fear she'll be recognized, because the paparazzi would descend upon them. Brody is in protective mode when it comes to Ashley, but she's determined to be as independent as they come. Their clashes only heighten the sexual attraction.

A return to Bishop brings Brody back into contact with his father and brother, two people with whom he has had difficult relationships. His brother, Sean, runs the bar where the apartment is located. Brody has given Sean financial support in the past, but perhaps it's time to give more of himself than money. As for his father, they don't know how to say “I love you” to each other. Will spending time together change things?

Complicated family relationships and Ashley's recovery from the horrific injuries at the hands of Somali pirates are at the core of NEVER BEEN KISSED. As the family's bodyguard when she was a teen, Ashley was off limits to him, but it didn't stop her from trying to come on to him. He turned her down, and instead of waiting to be fired, he quit. Yet neither can forget about the other, and the attraction soars once more between them. Ashley has resisted her family's attempts to not only protect her, but to make her fit the “mold” of the good daughter. While she's not a wild child, she prefers to spend time far away from them, and going to Africa was her latest move at independence. Once she's better, she'll plan her next “project” even though her mother is trying to guilt her into helping her brother win an important political race. Brody will do whatever it takes to protect Ashley—even from him.

Brody is a “lone wolf” who relies on no one and lets very few people get close to him. Brody was adopted by the Baxter family as a child, but soon afterwards Sean was born and Brody feels as if he isn't really a part of the family anymore. Add in his father's standoffishness, and one can see why they have trouble relating. Ashley tries to get him to open up but he keeps pushing her away. As the days—and nights—linger, their sexual attraction can't be denied. But Brody fears that if he gives into his lust for Ashley that he'll feel obligated to do “the right thing.”  Can he open up to Ashley—or even to his brother?

The sizzle and pop of Brody and Ashley's attraction starts slowly and finally bursts into a final crescendo in NEVER BEEN KISSED. Two people who have learned to not trust others will be unable to live without the other. It's a tale that's sure to bring a smile and a laugh, as well as tug of the heart as Brody and Ashley fall in love. NEVER BEEN KISSED is a read that shouldn't be missed.

Patti Fischer