Book Summary: 

In a last-ditch effort to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, Boston fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? The burly and bearded bed-and-breakfast owner and fisherman, Evan Whaler—who single-handedly disproves the theory that Canadians are “nice.”

After a boating accident lands Evan unconscious in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancée by his welcoming yet quirky family, who are embroiled in a long-standing feud over the B&B. In a bold attempt to mend family fences, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for one week in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content.

Amid long hikes and campfire chats, reeling in their budding feelings for each other proves more difficult by the day. But is Mel willing to sacrifice her picture-perfect life in the city for a chance at a true, unfiltered love in the wild?

My Review:

I’m genuinely speechless (first time for everything) realizing we’ve come to the end of the Influencer series. Melanie, Tara, and Crystal have carved such a special place in my heart that I truly will miss their recurring presence in subsequent stories. And while I might be slightly bias as Exes and Os is my favorite in the series (I mean, it stars a Romance Bookstagrammer, come on!), Melanie’s tale really resonates with me. Her story is one of acceptance, trust, embracing the unknown, and challenging logical reasoning (no matter how sound it may be).

As a lifestyle influencer, Melanie Karlsen has worked to curate the perfect brand for her audience. The look, the luxury, the embodiment of perfection, she is the bar that others only wish they could reach. Yet, behind this well-crafted exterior lies a cost not everyone sees. To maintain this image, she distances herself from others, with the exception of controlled peeks she allows by close friends Tara and Crystal – and, of course, her brother Julian. Melanie has constructed barriers to protect the less confident person she conceals. And while this defense has served her well, it begins to fracture. After her split from Ronan and the subsequent loss of sponsorships, Melanie’s past fears threaten to resurface. Fear driven and running out of options, Melanie seizes an unexpected offer of a week-long, all-inclusive trip to a Nova Scotia resort for social media promotion. What seems like the perfect escape quickly turns into a nightmare when the arrival dates are misaligned, leaving Melanie stranded. Quick on her feet, Melanie finds a room at a bed and breakfast an hour out of town. Unfortunately, it is ran by Evan, a temperamental, yet intriguing innkeeper. Their initial clash, including a reservation refusal and an unwanted eight legged visitor, sets the stage for an unexpected adventure. Melanie’s determination to navigate this rough spot grows when she signs up for a whale-watching tour, captained by none other than Evan himself. Fate seems to have it in for her when an accident puts Evan in the hospital, propelling Melanie into a whirlwind of guilt and a desperate charade as his fiancée to circumvent hospital policy and keep him company until Lucy arrives. Her little controllable white lie goes up in smoke when Evan’s family suddenly appears with questions. As the only other person that could save her, Lucy convinces her to keep up the lie so she can help end a family feud and save the inn. Melanie has no idea how she gets herself into these situations but understanding the importance of family (she would do anything for Julius), she is determined to do what she can – as long as her and Evan don’t kill each other first!

While troupes have a tendency to repeat themselves (if it’s not broke, don’t fix it), the characters manifested within these troupes are what make a world of difference. Amy does a brilliant job creating deep contrasts with Melanie’s and Evan’s backgrounds. Melanie is adopted, the only father she has ever known has passed away, her mother skipped town Christmas Eve, washing her hands of her children and responsibilities to start fresh. The only family she has is her brother Julian. With financial issues and a less than stellar upbringing, she learned to hide who she was after a bout of teasing at school with the philosophy that people can’t hurt you if you don’t let them get close. Evan is the polar opposite, while is father and mother were separated – they both wanted him around (Evan choosing to live with his mother after deciding city life was not for him). Close to his cousins, his family is the beating heart of who he is as well as the town he calls home. He knows everyone, everyone knows him and he doesn’t believe in lying or keeping secrets. Mel and Evan’s interaction, driven by their differences and a battle of wills, is the rocket fuel of this story, keeping readers guessing if they will ever find common ground. It was a creative twist to use the basis of the fake relationship for the collective benefit of reuniting a fragmented family and rescuing the inn versus selfish/personal needs. It adds a heartfelt spin to the troupe while allowing more angles to play out between the two characters.

As always, I love it when I am reading a series and get to check in with characters. We get an update on Crystal and Scott as well as Trevor and Tara. Crystal and Tara played the Angel and Devil perfectly in this book, being the voice of reason as the voice of possibilities. As Melanie said, her logical mind would not allow her to see the fantasy of what could happen with Evan, having Tara be that push was a wonderful addition. 

The humor woven throughout the series remains as strong as ever, with Melanie and Evan’s lively exchanges and memorable moments, like the waterfall photoshoot. The description of his poses alone were priceless. 

As we have come to expect from Amy, where there is humor, there is heat. Masterfully balancing the lighthearted moments with the sensual tension between the characters, Amy adds just enough heat to spice up the narrative without overwhelming it. 

The transformation of Melanie’s character and her growth was the core of this book. Between the psychological damage brought on by her mother, the call of duty bestowed on her by her father to care for her brother, her need to protect herself at all cost, and her relationship with Tara and Crystal – the foundation of Melanie is deeply fractured. She didn’t know who she was outside of influencer persona. The idea to explore anything else was unfathomable. Even when someone tried to pose a sound argument, her defenses were so well trained, they shut out any type of rational thought for the sake of self-preservation. When Evan made the compromise in the end, it proved he truly knew and saw her for not only who she was but who she wanted to be and what was stopping her. She was able to satisfy what she longed for (acceptance, family, belong) and what she need to feel safe (independence and her own identity).

While the close of the Influencer Series brings a sense of loss, the anticipation for Amy Lea’s future work is undeniably exciting. Who knows? Perhaps we’ll run into Melanie, Crystal, and Tara again somehow, much like Sophie Kinsella has revisited beloved characters. In either case, Amy definitely saved the best for last.