Best Worst Mistake: A Brightwater Novel

Lia Riley

Oct 2015 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this eBook

Sometimes the worst mistakes turn out to be the best…

Smoke jumper Wilder Kane once reveled in the rush from putting out dangerous wildfires. But after a tragic accident, he’s cut himself off from the world, refusing to leave his isolated cabin. When a headstrong beauty bursts in, Wilder finds himself craving the fire she ignites in him, but letting anyone near his darkness would be a mistake.

After her Hollywood life went up in smoke, Quinn Higsby decided to leave Tinseltown behind and return to Brightwater to care for her ailing father. She spends her days in a small bookstore, until her peaceful existence is up-ended by a fascinating but damaged man. Quinn is determined not to be scared off by Wilder, not once she’s experienced the heat of his passions.

But when an arsonist targets the community and Wilder is accused, he must confront the ghosts of his past. Will his desire for Quinn burn him up or will he be able to tame the wildness inside and rekindle a hope for their future?

An Avon Romance

Ratings and reviews

A perfect little small-town romance with a firefighter and someone who works at a bookstore. That should be all you need to know to want to pick up this book. This is the second book I've read in the Brightwater series. When a smoke jumper gets injured during a wildfire, he retreats home with his family where he is determined to become a hermit. He places anonymous book orders to the local bookshoppe, where Quinn fills them, intrigued by the person placing these eclectic orders. Her father, who has early onset Alzheimer's, wanders from his care home and into Wilder's front yard, Wilder and Quinn meet, and become snowed in during a blizzard. Their attraction just melts off the page and into your heart. I loved seeing the big, gruff Wilder give in to his attraction. Quinn has some hangups, but she's rather self sufficient. I liked the characters. And of course Grandma Kane is still as peachy as always (if you've read the other stories, you'll understand the correct tone). She just wants what is best for her grandsons. Her cantankerous ways are kind of endearing once you realize that she's just being a protector. For lovers of small-town contemporary romance, this is a great series. I definitely look forward to many more by this author. I received a copy of this book via edelweiss from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wilder is a complicated character. He;s shut himself off like a wounded animal. Quinn is the answer to a prayer. She has her own pain to work through but in Wilder she sees a man who not only needs a friend but love as well. Quinn represents what Wilder never thought to regain his dreams. This is a story of healing. The story is rich with emotion.

I loved it so much! Wilder was amazing and probably my favorite Kane.

About the author

Lia Riley is a contemporary romance author. She loves wandering redwood forests, beach fog, procrastinating, and a perfect pour over coffee. She is 25% sarcastic, 54% optimistic, and 122% bad at math (good thing she writes happy endings for a living). She and her family live mostly in Northern California. You can also find her co-hosting the weekly Afternoona Delight Podcast, exploring the wonderful (and trope-filled) world of Korean Dramas through a writer’s lens.