BOOK REVIEW for "Make Me Stay (Hope, #5)" by Jaci Burton

****(3) out of 5 Stars!

SUMMARY:

Having left his hometown of Hope years ago, only one thing could persuade architect Reid McCormack to come home for a lengthy stay — the challenge of renovating a historic building. But once the job is finished, he’ll be headed back to Boston, no matter how much he’s drawn to beautiful florist Samantha Reasor.  

Samantha watches over her elderly grandmother and pours a piece of herself into every floral creation she designs. Her crush on Reid has been blooming for a while now, but she’s reluctant to act on it. A temporary fling isn’t what she’s looking for, even if Reid is smoking hot and super sexy. She wants a real, permanent, forever kind of love. 

Two people with different goals couldn’t possibly work, and yet as their attraction grows into something deeper, maybe falling in love is the one thing Samantha and Reid can build a future on.

REVIEW:

This Book #5 in the Hope series finally gets around to the last McCormack brother, Reid.  We haven't seen much of him up to this point, because lives in Boston.  But now he's come to town for a few months to help restore an abandoned historic building that his brothers are renovating so that they can lease it out for retail and office space.  

Of course, Reid falls in love with the building, especially a corner office on the top floor.  And also with the local florist, Samantha.  He also really enjoys the opportunity to reconnect with his two brothers, Logan and Luke, and get to know their new wives.  (Not to mention the fact that he'll soon be an uncle twice over.)  In fact, it's apparent to just about everyone except Reid that he needs to return to Hope and settle there.  But he doesn't seem to get the memo.  

Consequently, after having a real good relationship for quite some time, Reid and Sam break-up.  Unbeknownst to her, he finally decided to move back to Hope; something he never bothers to share with her.  Consequently, she tries to be brave and all, not making a fuss and letting him go; which he erroneously interprets as her not caring for him.  Anyway, long story short: he finally ends up telling her how he feels, and amazingly she (still) feels the same way, and they live happily ever after.  

In other words, this book follows nearly the exact same pattern as all of the others in the series.  Still, despite being very predictable, the writing is excellent, the characters are lovely, and the story is (otherwise) entertaining.