Steering clear of relationships has never been difficult for demolitions expert Cole Bowen, but now, with his brother’s engagement sending the female population into full-blown hysterics and the town of Alden’s month-long festivities helping along, he finds himself in hell. When he discovers Alden’s new resident and the object of all his wet dreams, Christine Sheridan, has sworn off relationships and is going to hire a gigolo to get professionally laid, he decides to kill two birds with one stone.

Christy is so not drinking again. Thanks to José Cuervo she has her friends signing her up for stud conventions and Cole frigging Bowen offering sex in exchange of fake dates, which is so out of the question it isn’t even funny. She knows the domineering man will push her boundaries, and after battling all her life with self-esteem issues, she isn’t ready for that. Too bad he won’t take no for an answer. Cole is determined to strip away all of her defenses but refuses to lower his ever-present walls, so when Christy realizes she wants more, she’s left with only two options; walk away or crack his shield and risk her heart in the process.

This book was on a hot tamale train to my “Favourites” folder from page one.

I started reading it on a bus and laughed so much while reading the first chapter that everyone around me thought I was crazy. Heavy Issues simply has it all – witty and realistic dialogues, loveable characters, a beautiful love story of self-acceptance and lowering one’s defences when the right person comes along.

It is not JUST a steamy love story – the focus is, of course, on the relationship between the two main characters, Cole and Christy, but it is equally a story about learning to love and accept oneself and allowing others to love us. I really liked how Ms Aycart dealt with Christy’s issues of warped body image and lowered self-esteem. Her imagined “ugliness” was so believable to me as a reader that I couldn’t decide whether I felt like hugging her or beating some sense into her head.

But then there was Cole … *taking a moment to wipe off drool* … and his perfect possessive macho suck-it-up-princess way of dealing with Christy’s issues. He accepted them but never allowed her to get away with her need to hide her body from him or obsess about her flaws. I just FELT their connection, really believed it and got invested in it. I loved their love story so much but I also loved their own personal journeys.

I can’t recommend this book enough to anyone looking for a truly enjoyable well-written read.