My rating: 3 stars / I liked it
Julia Dare is trying to run her own business, raise her young son, Max, and help her widowed mother. Her biggest worry, though, is keeping Max's father from being a bad influence while still allowing the boy to spend time with his dad. When an account from her event-planning business sends her to Caliente Springs resort, she's shocked to encounter Zeke Monroe, her college sweetheart.
Zeke is determined to keep Caliente Springs running despite financial trouble. When Julia walks back into his life, he's surprised at the feelings she stirs up. As they work together on an important client's wedding, the fate of the resort soon depends on their success. With Zeke and Julia both pushed to their limits, will their history put up walls between them or bring them together?
My Review
I have mixed feelings about this one. The characters are well-developed and the setting well-described, but there was an intense feeling of anxiety that I felt as I read about Julia's conflicts with her ex, Zeke's struggles with his faith, and the precarious state of the resort. The highlights for me were the rekindling romance between Julia and Zeke as well as some humorous moments involving Ladybug, the resident goat with attitude problems. A secondary romance involving Julia's mother felt distracting and I found myself skimming through those sections. There is a strong theme of God's love getting us through hard times, but I was disappointed that with Zeke's issues of the shame of falling short of perfection, the healing power of repentance and forgiveness through Christ's atonement wasn't brought into the narrative.
(Thank you to Litfuse Publicity and Bethany House Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)
Giveaway
About the Author
Victoria Bylin writes
contemporary and historical romances known for their realistic,
relatable characters. Her work has finaled in contests such as the Carol
Awards, the RITAs, and the RT Reviewers' Choice Award. A native of
California, she and her husband now make their home in Lexington,
Kentucky.
Giveaway
Click the image below to enter the author's giveaway for five copies of Someone Like You!
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