Mess With Me

July 3, 2017
In Helm’s second Mile High contemporary (after Need You Now), when a man who is trying to hide from his past meets a woman who is seeking hers, a lukewarm romance manages to emerge through the confrontation and self-analysis. Sam Goodall has spent years isolating himself from others; the last thing he wants is to help train the recently discovered half-sister of his two business partners, who want her to be a guide for their mountain adventure company. But he owes them a favor, so he agrees to take on the task. Hayley Winthrop has never felt like she fit in with her family and hopes that coming to Gracely, Colo., and meeting her half-brothers will help her discover some sense of self and decide what she wants in life. The downside is dealing with their gruff and ornery partner. Hayley and Sam soon challenge each other to confront the problems they’ve ignored for so long—her low sense of self-worth and his guilt over his sister’s death—as they accept their growing attraction. Helm once again shows the importance of open dialogue in developing a relationship, but she fails to deliver much heat in this installment. Agent: Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary.