Release Day Review: Just For Nice by H.M. Shepherd

Title: Just for Nice
Author: H. M. Shepherd
Release Date: February 9, 2018
Category: Contemporary, States of Love
Pages: 55

Dreamspinner Press

Nick Caratelli flees the city in an attempt to escape a broken relationship and a career he never wanted. He plans to set up a bed-and-breakfast in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country—despite the fact he has no experience in renovating the old building. Luckily his handsome neighbor Sam approaches him with a curious proposal: he’ll help with the restoration in exchange for Nick babysitting his niece.

As they work to have the bed-and-breakfast open for business by summer’s end, their lives become interwoven without them even trying. Before he knows it, Nick is recovering from his loss and taking his place in the unconventional family that seems determined to form. But for Nick and Sam to be together in all the ways they desire, they’ll have to realize all the arguments against romance exist only in their heads….

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.**

Just for Nice is part of Dreamspinner Press’ States of Love. This short story takes place in rural Pennsylvania. If you’ve read my reviews regarding novellas, I always say how hard I think they must be to write. The author has to fit a believable love story in just a few short pages, in this case, only 55 pages. And, I think it has to be especially hard when done with two strangers.

This novella introduces us to Nick, who, after his fiancée ended things, decided to leave his job, the city and to open a bed and breakfast in the country. He meets his neighbor Sam, and they offer an exchange of services. Nick watches Sam’s teenage niece and Sam will help with remodeling the bed and breakfast. And from there a relationship somehow develops and I missed it.

I was taken by surprise when the men ended up in bed, and that they ended up in a relationship because we only had brief glimpses of them together. I didn’t have any connection with either character and didn’t feel the connection between them. I think this story has great potential but I think it needed a little more of Nick and Sam together and working towards a relationship.

Rating: 3.5 stars