Marine captain Gabe Pennington knows how to keep a secret -- a little too well. He's been in love with his best buddy's wife since they met. And he can't forget the stolen, passionate kiss they once shared. But now Annie Jennings has been a widow for two years, and Gabe wants her more than ever.
Except that Annie still isn't ready to say goodbye to her deceased husband. Instead, Gabe can only hope that the searing chemistry between them is enough to convince Annie to move on -- and forget her promise to never again date military guys. Especially because Gabe still has one secret eating away at him. And it's a secret that could set Annie free…or destroy her faith in love forever.
Good book. Gabe has been in love with Annie for years, ever since he and his best friend Erik met her. But Erik got to her first, so Gabe buried his feelings and was a good friend to both. After Erik died in a training accident, Gabe did his best to support Annie. But all that time together pushed his self-control until he stole a kiss. It was too much, too soon, and Annie pushed him away.
Two years have gone by when Gabe sees Annie again. His feelings haven't changed, and he still wants her. But Annie still grieves for Erik and the life they could have had. Even if she were ready to move on, Annie would not fall in love with another military man. She wants a man who will be home every night and doesn't risk his life every day.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Gabe and Annie. When Gabe shows up at Annie's sailing school, there is no denying the sparks between them. Gabe is ready to pursue Annie but runs into a roadblock when she makes it clear she doesn't want a relationship. She's okay with a friends with benefits arrangement, but risking her heart isn't going to happen.
Gabe was a bit on the cocky side, confident that he could win Annie over to his side. Meanwhile, Annie has set a goal of finishing the boat that Erik was restoring and sailing it from Maryland to California by herself. This is her method of closure, and nothing will deter her. Gabe is super-protective of Annie and makes his disapproval of her plan known, but helps her ready the boat anyway. I liked watching them get to know each other along the way, deepening their connection from friends to something more. Annie is still resistant, determined to protect her heart until a crisis with Gabe opens her eyes. The two of them still can't agree on the future, and harsh words are exchanged.
I liked how some time apart gave both Gabe and Annie time to reflect on what they want. I liked how Gabe finally realized how important the journey was for Annie, and that Annie accepted Gabe as he was. I liked how they managed their goals, with neither one sacrificing everything. Gabe's big moment at the end was terrific.
My only quibble with the book was a relatively minor one.
The school that both Gabe and Erik graduated from was the US Naval Academy. It is
generally referred to as the Academy or the Naval Academy - always capitalized.
The references here were not capitalized, which was irritating to me. On the
other hand, Marine was capitalized correctly throughout the book, which was a
nice change from most Harlequins.
