A summer rental, a new beginning…
Hannah Russell's carefully crafted plans for her life
have been upended without warning. When her best friend died suddenly, Hannah
became guardian to a five-year-old named Noah. With no experience at
motherhood, she's terrified she's not up to the challenge. She and Noah need
time to get to know each other, so she decides to rent a country house with
stunning views on a lake in rural Colorado.
When they arrive at the house, they are greeted by the
owner, a handsome man who promises to stay out of their way. But his clumsy
Great Dane, Romeo, has other ideas and Noah immediately bonds with the lovable
dog. As Hannah learns to become a mother, Owen Abrams, who is recovering from
his own grief, can't help but be drawn out of his solitude by his guests.
But life throws more challenges at this unlikely trio and
they are tested in ways they never thought possible. All three will discover
their strengths and, despite their differences, they will fight to become a
family. And the people of Sullivan's Crossing will rally around them to offer
all of the support they need.
Sweet story of love, healing, and family. Hannah is a
busy sales exec for a medical equipment company. Her life is going as planned, with
her wedding approaching rapidly, and her career on track for a promotion. Then
she returns early from a less than satisfactory team-building exercise to find her
fiancé in bed with her assistant. This is followed by the unexpected death of
her best friend, leaving Hannah as the guardian of Erin's five-year-old son
Noah. Determined to do the motherhood thing right, Hannah rents a house near
Sullivan's Crossing, takes family leave from her job, and gives herself and
Noah a chance to grieve their loss and get to know each other.
The house is owned by Owen, a brilliant photographer who
rents his home while he travels. His most recent trip was canceled, leaving
Owen at loose ends. Rather than cancel the rental, Owen stays in his studio,
leaving the house to Hannah and Noah. He promises to keep out of their way, but
his dog Romeo and Noah have other plans. Owen quickly finds himself drawn into
Hannah and Noah's lives.
I loved the development of the relationship between Owen
and Hannah. They are attracted to each other from the moment they met, but with
only a two-week stay planned, neither is prepared to do anything about it. They
attempt to bury the attraction and quickly form a satisfying friendship. I
enjoyed seeing them get to know each other, from quiet morning coffee on the
porch to outings with Noah. By the time the two weeks are up, both Owen and Hannah
acknowledge that there is something special between them. Owen convinces Hannah
that she and Noah should stay for the summer and see where it goes. Owen also
shares the tragedy he experienced twelve years earlier that changed his life.
The romance between Owen and Hannah is a slow-burning
one. I liked that they took their time to get to know each other. Owen is a
sensitive man who excels at understanding other people's feelings. Both he and
Hannah keep their lines of communication open, talking about issues before they
become problems. I loved that Owen was there for Hannah, supporting her without
taking over. I liked the way that he made his feelings clear, and his hopes for
the future, without putting any pressure on Hannah. This enabled Hannah to
regain trust in her feelings and her judgment.
Things aren't all rainbows and flowers though. Hannah
became Noah's guardian because Erin was estranged from her family. Her mother
was emotionally abusive and showed an undeniable preference for Erin's brother.
Roger was physically and emotionally abusive, as well as an addict and criminal.
Erin's will made it clear that her family was to have no contact with Noah. Hannah
was shocked when Erin's mother, Victoria, challenged her for custody and was
suspicious of her motives. Hannah's protective instincts were fierce and I
liked seeing her inner strength revealed. Hannah's new friends rallied around
her to help however they could. I especially liked Helen's methods, which were
unconventional but effective. There was a twist to the resolution that I didn't
see coming but really enjoyed.
Noah was adorable. I liked watching him bond with both
Hannah and Owen. It was terrific to see that he and Hannah were able to talk
about their grief at the same time they built their own relationship. He wasn't
a perfect child, which was refreshing. His actions were realistic for his age,
with the occasional meltdown and bits of stubbornness. I loved the way that he
and Romeo bonded. It was so much fun to see the two of them together. Noah's
explanations of Romeo's clumsiness to others were always amusing. I ached a bit
for him when he talked about being different from other kids, and loved seeing
the changes he experienced while at the lake.
I enjoyed seeing various characters from earlier books.
Even though I have only read the first book and this one, I never felt lost.
There was enough information given to enlighten without bogging things down in
recaps. It did whet my appetite to go back and read the others.
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