A Justified Love Affair. Kimberly Brown. 2024. 295 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.]
The Santiago family returns in this sequel to The Expiration Date. In it, Emmanuel Santiago finds himself excited by a chance meeting with Racine Bradley at his brother’s coffee tavern. She’s unhappily and unfortunately still married after catching her husband cheating on her in their own bed. She turns to the coffee tavern as a retreat, but it leads to a great opportunity to connect. When she starts to give her estranged husband a taste of his own medicine, Emmanuel is the perfect person for the job.
Emmanuel and Racine have an immediate – and intense – chemistry that comes through immediately. He’s known as a playboy, but their entanglement brings out a side of him that is unfamiliar to those closest to him. It’s clear that Racine doesn’t fall into the same treatment as his situationships, one night stands, etc. This makes for tons of jokes at his and Racine’s expense, luckily from a place of love and affection, if not admiration for her potentially slowing him down a bit. Nonetheless, at times it feels like so much of a whirlwind that it may be harder for some to get on board with their situation. This is actually acknowledged several times throughout the book, which I appreciated.
Generally, I’m not a fan of messy romances that involve marital infidelity. However, Racine actually starts the book having already made concrete steps to end her marriage. Her husband Nathan simply refuses to cooperate, instead begging for forgiveness and to keep their marriage intact, with little in the way of changed behavior. For this reason, the book approaches her actions with an air of forgiveness for the disrespect that she has to endure. The various situations she finds herself in, as related to her husband, are at times infuriating, unbelievable, and even humorous. For that, she’s very relatable and realistic.
As with Brown’s other books, there are frequent appearances from characters in previous books. Sully and Audrey, of course, are prominent, as are the Santiago parents and siblings. Their presence adds depth and context to the story, so it never feels extraneous. They’re often a vehicle for reflection or humor, which I think drives the plot, too.
A Justified Love Affair is a quick, enjoyable read, much like others from Brown. My only real note is that the title is misleading. Its subtitle as a “billionaire baby spinoff” is a misnomer; this refers to its connection to The Expiration Date, and not necessarily Emmanuel and Racine’s situation.
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