
All he wants for Christmas is her.
Dave Richardson's life hasn't turned out the way he thought it would. He never expected to slink back to his hometown of Rochester two years ago and take a bartending job, nor did he expect he'd still be tending said bar. Everyone thought he would achieve great things. Hell, he'd believed he would achieve great things. But when Vivian Walters walked into his bar, wearing that dress, on a random Wednesday night . . . things were looking up for the first time in a long time. And they looked even better when he got her number, even if it was obvious she didn't see things between them lasting beyond her night out on Sunday. If he wanted to keep a woman like her, he'd need to become the man he was supposed to be, and fast.
If there was one thing Vivian "V" Walters liked almost as much as designer heels, it was checklists. They'd served her well her entire life- first with college, then med school, landing the perfect internship followed by an even better residency, and, finally, her dream job. So far, her checklist for the perfect man hadn't panned out the same way. But that didn't mean she would lose her ever-loving mind and chuck it all out the window for a hot, sweaty weekend with a bartender . . . right? No matter how good he looked in those worn jeans, or how his blond hair curled just so at the nape of his neck, or the way his deep-brown gaze made her stomach somersault. And even if she gave in to her purely physical attraction to him, it wouldn't be anything other than a fling . . . would it?
Review:
Vivian Walters has followed a carefully forged life plan: college, med school, internship, residency and is now a successful doctor with her own practice. The only thing missing, that her mother seems to never let her forget, is the perfect man. Vivian has a detailed list for what that man would look like to fit into her perfect life; however, none of the men who checked all the boxes ever seemed to click. On a weekend trip to Rochester, V's friends encourage her to hook up with an extremely hot bartender, Dave. Dave has been stuck in a holding pattern, working at Tonic since he got out of a negative work environment. He never expected anyone like V to walk into his life, but he's worried if he's good enough for her. When V's weekend trip runs a few days over, V and Dave decide to try long distance. Over the holiday season, V and Dave realize that they are falling for one another, but also know that they have to change to fit into each other's lives.
Almost Perfect is a sweet and sexy holiday romance. Vivian and Dave are both wonderful characters with great energy and a realistic insta-love connection. It was fun to watch V and Dave's relationship grow and change from what they expected to be a fun weekend to a full blown romance. The writing created a fast-paced story switching between V and Dave's perspectives with plenty of spicy scenes as well as relationship ups and downs. I enjoyed that V's relationship with her mother and her attitudes toward marriage was addressed in a healthy way that allowed V to move forward. Dave also had to come to terms with his role in the work force and what he wanted to do with his life. Together, V and Dave worked out trust issues and open communication for a happy ending.