My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it
A hometown hero that’s suffering a personal crisis. A single-mom who’s finally back on her feet. And the what-ifs they finally have a chance of seeing come true.
A year after her divorce, Chelsea Lewis spends most of her days working part-time at her cousin’s bakery and hiding veggies in her picky son’s lunches. Then she reconnects with an old friend who helps Chelsea in all the ways she’s forgotten she needs—including romantic ones.
Former football player, DJ Kaiser, is back in his hometown, working as a fireman to serve his community, but after nearly burning down his own house with a barbeque and wrecking the Chief’s truck, his mistakes are stacked against him—until he sets out to ease the stress of Chelsea’s load. Serving her has him feeling like a hero again.
When Chelsea’s ex shows up and begs Chelsea to move closer so his young son doesn’t grow up without his father, Chelsea and DJ have to consider what’s best for Chelsea’s little family, even if that means sacrificing the relationship that has saved them both.
My Review
I enjoyed getting to know DJ and Chelsea and all their flaws, quirks, and strengths. They felt very realistic. Chelsea has been living at her parents home recovering from a divorce, and struggling with her two year old's resulting behavior. It was interesting that in a situation that she feels helpless, she chooses to exert control in what she feeds her son and allows him to consume. There is definitely some mom guilt there. I liked her attitude towards her relationship with her ex-husband Brady. They are friends and do their best to be considerate of each other. The fact that DJ is Brady's close friend and hers from high school make them both feel conflicted when they reconnect and begin a romance. It was nice that they fell right back into their friendship so they had that foundation when they began to consider more, and they went in with their eyes open as to what that could mean for Brady. Some drama and angst ensues of course, and they each are tested with their vulnerabilities and levels of self-confidence and confidence in each other. DJ is struggling with his job and future career path, which made him more susceptible to doubt even though he is generally a confident person. I appreciated that the author included a spiritual aspect with Chelsea turning to the Lord in prayer, especially since the characters are portrayed as active members of the Church. I think it would have felt shallow without showing that Chelsea, DJ, and the other characters live their beliefs. Overall, this is a sweet romance that explores the unexpected transitions we go through in life and the importance of friends and family to support and encourage us.
(The characters are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and there are some references that are specific to that faith, but this story can be enjoyed by any fan of clean contemporary romance).
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
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