In Case You Didn't Know

3.75 stars—captivating small town romance

3.75 stars--IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW is the third full-length instalment in Samantha Chase’s contemporary, adult MAGNOLIA SOUND romance series focusing on the Westbrook – Bishop family. This is engineer Mason Bishop, and mechanic/IT specialist Scarlett Jones’ story line. IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Mason and Scarlett) focuses on the estate division of the late Ezekiel Coleman, one of the original founding families of Magnolia Cove. Struggling with his dysfunctional relationship with his mother and father, Mason battles between head and heart as it pertains to the inheritance his grandfather laid out in his will. Hoping to keep his personal and professional business separate, Mason begins to search for something that has alluded our hero most of his life. Raised with the privilege that comes with his family’s wealth and money, Mason is willing to walk away without a backwards glance. Meeting former high school acquaintance Scarlett Jones gives Mason a chance for something more but our heroine struggles with the cavernous difference between the haves and the have-nots. What ensues is the building relationship between Mason and Scarlett, and the potential fall –out as the implications of Mason’s inheritance threaten the people Scarlett knows and loves.

Mason Bishop doesn’t adhere to his mother’s need to keep up appearances in public. Never having wanted to flaunt the family riches, Mason follows a different path, a path that will bring him face to face with the woman with whom he will fall in love. Scarlett Jones is a bit of a reverse snob with a large chip on her shoulder, struggling with the Bishop’s family riches, and her life-long insecurity to be seen as something more than the poor kid on the block. Getting re-acquainted with Mason Bishop found our heroine considering the future, a future threatened by sins of the past.

The relationship between Mason and Scarlett is one of immediate attraction but Scarlett’s preconceived notions, judgemental attitude and numerous assumptions about Mason Bishop were difficult to accept. Our heroine’s bias and animosity towards Mason were troubling, so much so that Scarlett pushed Mason out of her life.

We are introduced to Scarlett’s father Dominic Jones, and her brothers Dean, Kyle and Hunter, and their grandfather Tommy Flynn; Mason’s parents Georgia and Beau Bishop, as well as his sisters Parker and Peyton; cousin Sam Westbrook and Shelby Abbott (A Girl Like You #2).

IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW is a story of family, intolerance, acceptance and love. The premise is captivating; the characters are flirty and sassy-their back and forth banter was fun; the romance is sweet-the $ex scenes are all implied. IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW is a small town romance where opposites attract, and past secrets re about to be exposed.