3.75 stars--STIFF SUIT is the fifth instalment in Tawna Fenske’s contemporary, adult PONDEROSA RESORT ROMANTIC COMEDIES romance series. This is thirty-four year old, attorney and eldest sibling James ‘Iceman’ Bracelyn, and geologist Dr. Lily Archer’s story line. STIFF SUIT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.

SOME BACKGROUND: A few years earlier the Bracelyn patriarch, Cort Bracelyn, died leaving his eldest son James to pick up the pieces of his billion dollar estate, an estate to be divided between his five children (Bree, Sean, James, Mark, Jonathan )all born of different mothers. The Ponderosa Resort is the family lodge where each of the now adult children lives and works.

Told from dual first person perspectives (James and Lily) STIFF SUIT follows in the aftermath of Sean Bracelyn’s marriage to Amber King. Having had too much to drink at his brother’s wedding James Bracelyn wakes up next to one of the bridesmaids, having no memory of what happened the night before. Enter geologist Dr. Lily Archer, the woman with whom James will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between James and Lily, and the potential fall-out as the Bracelyn siblings are once again stunned and angered by their father’s past.

Lily Archer doesn’t do relationships, in fact, our heroine has a reputation as a man-eater. Meeting James Bracelyn stirs something deep within our heroine’s heart something that will shatter when James is unable to let go of the past. James Bracelyn has no time for romance or love but waking next to Lily Archer gave our hero something to think about, something that looks a lot like a possible happily ever after. Our hero is a bit of a stuffed shirt, always working with no time to enjoy the lighter side of life.

The relationship between Lily and James is a ‘friends with benefits’ of a sorts, that turns into something more. Neither one is prepared to fall in love but the heart wants forever even though the mind says something else. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Most of the previous story line couples play secondary and supporting characters. There is a struggling family dynamic between siblings who were aware of one another but never had the chance to bond until adulthood.

STIFF SUIT is a story of family, friendship, secrets and lies. The premise is emotional and engaging; the romance is captivating and seductive; the characters are energetic and colorful but I struggled to find the humor throughout the story line.

There are moments of fun and adventure but the overall premise is a little heart breaking and sad. James Bracelyn is the keeper of the family secrets, so much so, that is eats away at his emotions and pride. The family patriarch has done a real number on his numerous progeny, such that family counselling is the only way to understand and survive. When even more secrets are revealed James becomes the punching bag for their father’s sins and lies.