Rising Assets by Rebecca Zanetti

Rising Assets by Rebecca Zanetti

Melanie Jacobs is in trouble.  With three jobs--including running her ranch--and dwindling funds, she's exhausted.  Not to mention desperately trying to hide a secret.  Unfortunately, her best friend Colton Freeze knows all too well that something is going on, and he won't give up until he knows exactly he needs to fix.

Then Colton learns the truth--that Melanie's future happiness rests in the fickle hands of fate, and her chances for having a family are shrinking with every passing day.  Her only comfort is Colton, but when a heated argument between them turns into an even hotter kiss, the boundaries of their friendship are erased, leaving only a scorching-hot hunger for more.

Every kiss--every touch--is a stolen pleasure.  But will their new friends-with-sexy-benefits arrangement bring them closer together, or destroy everything they once shared?

Rebecca Zanettis is three for three in the "oh-my-gosh-why-haven't-I-discovered-this-author-sooner??" reaction after finishing her books.  After having had plenty of hints in the first two books about Melanie and Colton's friendship that was obviously more (even if Colton hadn't figured it out yet) I was worried that this book wouldn't be able to live up to my expectations, especially with how much I enjoyed the first two books.  My worries were groundless...this book was as wonderful as I could have wished.  

Melanie is working three jobs trying to cover medical bills as she does not have medical insurance and has been diagnosed with endometriosis.  This leaves Melanie having to come to grips with the fact that she will most likely not be able to become pregnant.  She is looking into possible options for herself such as freezing her eggs but nothing is guaranteed.  On top of that, her forever friend Colton is butting into her business and she is finding it harder and harder to push him back out of her life.  She is afraid to take their friendship further because she has watched his love 'em and leave 'em ways for far too many years and can't imagine her life without him in it, even if she has to take him on different terms than she would really like.

Melanie and Colton are both amazing characters.  She is level-headed and stands up for what she wants and needs.  She lets Colton have it with both barrels when he deserves it and she doesn't put up with any baloney, but she also knows when to lean on his shoulder when things get to be too much.  Colton has a long fuse but when his temper blows, watch out!  He is very much a planner and it takes a big hammer to get his preconceived ideas about how is life is supposed to go out of his head.  There were times when I wanted to shake him a bit, but watching him realize what Melanie really meant to him was incredibly sweet, and oftentimes quite humorous.   

Reading Challenges
Contemporary Romance
I Love Library Books
Monthly Mix Up Mania

I borrowed this book from my local library.