KISS ME HELLO

When a lone-wolf criminal defense attorney who moonlights as a farrier meets a single foster mother and her troubled but compelling charge, he surprises himself by engaging in their struggles—even when she resists his help.

For years, MacKenzie Knightley has kept to himself, avoiding human entanglements as much as possible, so when he meets Sidonie Lindstrom and her foster son, Luis, he's surprised to feel an immediate connection. But Sid and Luis are wary of their new rural life, especially when Sid’s money becomes unexpectedly tied up in red tape, endangering Luis’ foster status. Sid is a city girl grieving the death of her brother, trying to nurture a teen with his own issues and navigate unexpected financial stresses, so Mac’s help and attention are welcome yet disconcerting. Sid is wary of lawyers, and Mac takes his sweet time in letting her know he is one. Meanwhile, as Mac becomes more entwined with Sid and Luis, he finds his other relationships strengthening, including those with his community and his family. And the more Sid tangles with local social services, especially a narrow-minded case worker, the more Mac strengthens his emotional arsenal, surprising all of them in the process. Burrowes has moved elegantly into contemporary romance with her Sweetest Kisses series and continues her penchant for mining intense situations beyond the love story. Her exploration of the mind-numbing bureaucracy of the foster care system lends an interesting and thought-provoking layer to the story while setting up the backbone of the emotional network Sid and Mac must create to save themselves.

Sweet, sexy, eloquent and poignant, with a social-justice dimension.