Book Review: Stroke of Love by Melissa Foster

Stroke of Love is the eleventh book in the Love in Bloom series and the second book in The Remingtons subseries by Melissa Foster. You do not need to read these books as a series, they can each stand well on their own. Kate Parello runs a volunteer program in Belize for Artists for International Aid, where she deals with self-centered artists who use the program for good PR. She loves the country, the people, and what AIA stands for, but too many diva volunteers have turned her off to press-seeking celebrities altogether and left her questioning the value of the volunteer program. Laid-back artist Sage Remington escapes his wealthy lifestyle in the Big Apple for a two-week journey of self-discovery to figure out how a guy who has so much can feel so empty. When he meets ultra-organized Kate, who lives her life the way he's always dreamed of living his, the attraction is too hot to ignore, but Sage is there to figure out what’s missing in his life, not to find a woman. The pair find a closeness and attraction they cannot deny, but can they find their way to a life together?

Stroke of Love follows in the footsteps of Game of Love in offering me some really great moments and some repetitive inner dialogue and self pity that had be frustrated. Sage is a pretty perfect guy. He is strong, smart, artistic, and insanely caring about those around him. His only fault is that he gets lost in his work, but frankly I could have dealt with that especially since that work has made him independently wealthy.  Kate has grown up putting others first and volunteering in a big way. She does not like the diva notions and wants to make a big difference in the lives of others. She is intelligent and independent with a strong work ethic. Both characters are great and I enjoyed  the back and forth as Sage worked to get past her defenses. It was only after they made their initial commitment and the worrying about the future started that I started to get annoyed. I do not have much patience for the self pity and doubt, particularly when we are talking about a possible short term separation. Thankfully the tail end of the book made up for that. Again, I still found myself eager to see what happens with the next Remington sibling and am ready to keep on reading.

Stroke of Love is a great read that lost a bit of momentum and oomph towards the end, but  then redeemed itself a bit. Still not a perfect read, but I am definitely hooked! I am now a Foster fan and am making my way through the backlist of her books. I am really looking forward to the next book in the Remington arch.