Hearts are lighter and wishes burn a little brighter at
Christmas…
Elizabeth Hamilton has been lost. Trapped in a tangle of
postpartum depression and grief after the death of her beloved parents, she
couldn't quite see the way back to her husband and their two beautiful
kids…until a car accident stole away her memories and changed her life. And
when she finally remembered the sound of little Cassie's laugh, the baby powder
smell of Bridger and the feel of her husband's hand in hers, Elizabeth worried
that they'd moved on without her. That she'd missed too much. That perhaps she
wasn't the right mother for her kids or wife for Luke, no matter how much she
loved them.
But now, seven years later, Luke finds her in a nearby
town and brings Elizabeth back home to the family she loves, just in time for
Christmas. And being reunited with Luke and her children is better than
anything Elizabeth could have imagined. As they all trim the tree and bake
cookies, making new holiday memories, Elizabeth and Luke are drawn ever closer.
Can the hurt of the past seven years be healed over the course of one Christmas
season and bring the Hamiltons the gift of a new beginning?
Very good second chance story that deals with some hard
subjects. Seven years earlier, Elizabeth walked out into the night and
disappeared, leaving her husband and children behind. Luke has dealt with being
a single father as best he could, but it hasn't been easy. The whispers around
town of why Elizabeth left and what happened to her have only gotten worse. To
complicate matters, Luke is about to be arrested and charged with her murder,
even though there is no proof that she is dead. On the contrary, Luke has
recently discovered that Elizabeth is alive and well, living in a town several
hours away, so he goes to get her to clear his name.
I ached for both Luke and Elizabeth. At the time of her
disappearance, Elizabeth was struggling with a double dose of depression. First
was the pain she felt after the deaths of her parents. Added to that was the
severe postpartum depression that Elizabeth experienced after the birth of her
second child. Terrified that she would physically harm the baby, and convinced
that they would all be better off without her, she left home. Though it didn't
take her long to realize she'd made a mistake and turn around to go back, fate
intervened. Elizabeth was involved in an accident that left her in a coma with
extensive physical and mental injuries, including a loss of memory. It was
several years before her memory began to return, and each memory added to the
guilt she felt. She wants to go back, but worries about if it's the right thing
for her family.
Luke has never forgotten Elizabeth and grieved for her every
day. He does his best with his kids, though he occasionally exhibits moments of
frustration and guilt, such as when it comes to doing his daughter Cassie's
hair. He frequently blames himself for not seeing the depth of Elizabeth's
problems thanks to his preoccupation with getting his business up and running.
He faces the rumors and innuendos stoically and keeps on living his life. When
a friend with the FBI tracks down Elizabeth, Luke is furious that she's been so
close without letting anyone know. Now all he wants is to clear his name, get
divorce papers signed, and try to move on with his life.
The first encounter between Luke and Elizabeth is an
emotional roller coaster. She is stunned to find him at her door, demanding her
immediate return to Haven Point. Even though she had planned to return soon,
she feels unprepared to face everything now. Luke is so furious that he refuses
to listen to Elizabeth's attempts to explain, wanting only to get it over with.
He does all he can to keep her at an emotional distance. Though Luke's anger is
understandable, I ached for Elizabeth when he refused to let her see the
children.
It was satisfying to see Luke present Elizabeth to the DA
and clear his name of her murder. I also liked seeing Luke's shock as he listened
to everything Elizabeth had been through. I loved how he lost his anger and
became willing to let her back in their lives. It wasn't all unicorns and
rainbows, though. While Luke is ready to allow her to see and spend time with
the kids, he is determined not to let her back into his heart. He was
devastated when she left the first time and didn't want to go through it again
if he allows himself to love her again. Elizabeth never stopped loving Luke and
the children, but she is still convinced that they are better off without her.
Because the people of the town need to know that Elizabeth
is alive, she and Luke must make public appearances together. There are some
very emotional (and sometimes funny) scenes as Elizabeth reconnects with her
friends and neighbors. There are also some painful scenes when Elizabeth spends
time with Cassie and Bridger. Though Bridger comes around pretty quickly,
Elizabeth's attempts to rebuild trust with Cassie do not go as smoothly. There
are also some fantastic family scenes. I especially enjoyed the snowball fight
and the promise it showed.
As Luke and Elizabeth spend time together, it becomes
clear that their feelings for each other are still there. I enjoyed seeing them
get to know each other as they are now. Elizabeth has trouble believing that Luke
could forgive her enough to allow her back in their lives. It wasn't easy, but
with honesty and love, both Luke and Elizabeth were able to see that they
belonged together. I loved their big moment at the end as they were finally
able to open their hearts fully again. The epilogue was terrific and honestly
portrayed their progress and the challenges they still face.
No comments:
Post a Comment