Lessons from a One-Night Stand

Austin Bailey is the older sibling of a family that is as good as an institution in a small town in Alaska where he’s also a teacher and baseball coach at the high school. A beloved member of the community, he wants to be seen as something other than a man who sacrificed a bright future for his family. When a new Principal arrives at the school, Austin will be put on the spotlight when he realizes that this is the same woman he had a one-night stand with the previous weekend. Holly Radcliffe had her motives to take a temporary job in the small town on the opposite side of the country, but she’s not about to advertise it. Finding her Saturday night fling welcoming her to the new job isn’t her idea of smooth sailing, but she’s a professional and will act as such. Piper Rayne have done it again bringing us a whole new family to fall in love with. The Bailey siblings are many and quite different from each other, their personalities so rich I couldn’t take them in fast enough. Austin and Holly’s story is sweet and sexy, filled with an unexpected love while they are dealing with the need to find their rightful place in life and pursuing their dreams. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Piper Rayne book if you didn’t laugh until it hurts or cried in pivotal moments of the story and this book has it all. But the best part of all is that it’s a window to all the fascinating characters that will make this series and I, for one, can’t wait to read more about the Baileys of Lake Starlight! 5 loved filled stars

Awesome brand new series starting out. Lessons From A One Night Stand is the first in a brand new nine part series by Piper Rayne. Yes, you read that correct. We’re getting nine new books instead of the usual three, and from this first one, it’s going to be a cracker of a series. The Bailey’s, which is the name of the family and the series, btw, are a large family of siblings. There’s nine of them and each are going to get their own juicy, sexy piece of the Piper Rayne storytelling pie. We’ve moved location further north, yet again, with this book and now it’s the turn of Lake Starlight, Alaska to shine its beauty on us. It’s no secret that I love all thinks Piper Rayne related, and for the last two years, this dynamic duo have never failed to wow me, ever since they released their debut co-written ‘Charmed By The Bartender’ in 2017. This new series is no exception, other than to say that maybe, it’s even better. I loved the setting, loved the characters, and getting to know them all. This is a very close-knit family but they have had some heartbreak in the past that has made them who they are today. There’s a seriousness about the storyline as well as the expected humor, and I did find myself laughing, but also close to tears at times. The whole book was well written, the pace was perfect and the main characters brought it all together, but some parts were so beautiful and wonderfully played out on the page, I just sighed with pleasure. This book is set mainly in a high school as the leads are a teacher and a principal, but even here in this setting, Piper has planted seeds for more non-Bailey’s related stories to grow from this nine-parter, or I think so anyway!!! I’m already looking forward to the next installment in six weeks, when it hits our kindles.

Full review appeared at Reader's Edyn on 07/18/20 Holly is new to Alaska. She’s taken a principal job for the remainder of the year, but she is also there to try and connect with her father who abandoned her and her mother when she was a baby. To complicate an already complex situation, she engages in a one-night stand – the most amazing s3x of her life – a quickly discovers Mr. Amazing is one of the teachers at her school. The attraction is palpable. Trying to stay away from Austin is proving difficult and before too long, she’s agreed to a casual relationship that will end at the end of the year because just like Holly, Austin is headed out as soon as the year is over as well. He’s got plans and she’s got to figure out her next move after she tests the waters with her father. But things never tend to work out as planned and before too long her emotions concerning Austin are completely caught up. He is exactly the guy she imagines herself with if they were to have a future. But Austin has had his life on hold for far too long and she refuses to be the reason he continues to hold back for. The resentment she is sure he would feel toward her eventually would be too much to bear. As much as it rips her heart out to do so, she encourages him to chase his dream. Meanwhile, she decides to call Lake Starlight her permanent home and try to figure out what this new life of hers will look like without Austin in it. Austin is finally within reach of his dreams. Following the unexpected deaths of his parents, he ceases his course toward pro-baseball to return home to care for his younger siblings. Now that the youngest of the Bailey’s is graduating high school, Austin sets his sights on coaching ball at the college level. But the arrival of Holly has him rethinking his plans. However, Holly never gives any indication that she could feel more for him, so he continues with their original plan. Enjoy one another for as long as they can and then part ways to continue on their vastly differing paths. Graduation arrives quicker than expected and before too long Austin is headed to California and away from Alaska. But the closer he gets to his flight, the more doubt surrounds him. Is he making the right decision? Could Holly be more invested than she let on? Is it possible his dreams have altered without him realizing it? And should he remain on course, or veer into uncharted territory and risk his heart and career? I have not experienced a Piper Rayne book before this read and I can say with confidence that it will definitely not be the last. I was sucked into the Bailey vortex immediately and didn’t want it to stop. Austin and Holly are so flipping likable that I couldn’t help but fall in love with them both. Seriously, they were both perfect. I couldn’t find a single thing about them that I disliked. Austin is the perfect guy. He puts his life on hold and commits to raising his younger siblings – all 7 of them who are still underage at the time of their parents' tragic accident. He is well aware that he has to be a role model and that he will have to find a way to comingle the brother/parent personas. He will never have the relationship he would have had with them, but he doesn’t resent any of them for it. He, in fact, counts himself as lucky to have been able to step in and keep the family together and – for the most part – on course. But he also had his own dreams and now that the twins are in their senior year in high school, he is ready to leave the nest himself. While he is firm in his resolve, his siblings are less than thrilled about the idea despite understanding his decision. And then there is Holly. He could have never seen her coming and suddenly she tilts everything off Austin’s axis. But Holly also understands Austin’s sacrifice and his need to follow his dream so she puts on a brave face, knowing he is going to blast her heart to smithereens with his departure. I absolutely adored them. The Bailey’s are a spectacular family with each member being introduced even if a bit briefly...