Synopsis
from Goodreads: She's
never had the courage to hold on to anyone. He never learned how to
let go of what he wants.
Delaney
Shaw isn't looking for anything complicated. After her teaching
career is put on hold, she decides to spend the summer in Georgia
with her best friend. Lanie lives for the here and now, and she isn't
thinking past the end of the summer. She's never had any problem
being unattached, because she learned a long time ago that life is
safer that way.
Until
Reece Walker decides to change her mind.
Almost
a year after his ex-wife's death, Reece is still reeling from her
passing. He's devoted himself to raising their son and working his
family's farm to keep himself grounded. Reece feels like he's lost
sight of the man he used to be, and he's not sure how to find his way
back.
Everything
changes when the woman he's unsuccessfully tried to forget walks back
into his life.
Even
though she's fighting their sizzling chemistry, Lanie is losing the
war. But love isn't always like it is in the movies, and they have
real issues. Lanie is terrified Reece's small town won't accept their
interracial relationship, and she doesn't know how to let him in.
Lanie
has had years to build her defenses, but Reece isn't the sort to give
up without a fight. If he can counter Lanie's fears with the future
only he can offer her, maybe they can both learn to breathe again.
This
book is considered New Adult and/or adult contemporary romance due to
age range, subject matter, and tone.
Stats
for my copy: e-book, pub. 2016.
How
acquired: NetGalley.
First
line: “This always looks a lot
easier in the movies.”
My
thoughts: I've avoided New
Adult, because I got a little tired of Young Adult and more
interested in reading about characters a little closer to my own age,
and New Adult just didn't seem that far removed from Young Adult, and
frankly, the phrase “New Adult” just sounded stupid to me. So
this is the first book I've read with the New Adult label. And I realize now that I
shouldn't look down my nose at a whole category of books just because
I haven't deigned to try it. (I'm still not quite prepared to read
that fifty shades book, but someday I will. Probably.)
It
took me a little while to really get into the story, though I'm not
sure why. The writing is smooth, and the characters interesting and
likable. We meet Lanie first, on the day she learns she is being let
go from her teaching position in New York. Devastated, she decides to
visit her best friend, Quinn, in the small town of Baylor, Georgia.
In
Baylor we meet Reece. He's a little different than the cowboy heroes
I'm used to, with his motorcycle and his eyebrow piercing. He's still
mourning the death of his ex-wife, who he had stayed close to and
friendly with after their divorce. He lives in an apartment with one
of his brothers and his young son, Jamie. There were some times when
Reece was out and about or with Lanie and I would wonder where Jamie
is and who's taking care of him. I would've liked Jamie to get more
page time and be more involved in the story. But the scenes between
Reece and Jamie were wonderful. Reece was a very loving father and
you could tell Jamie was a huge priority to him, and some of their
exchanges were very poignant.
And
actually, a lot of the book was poignant. There were so many feels,
and I teared up a few times while reading a scene. And there were
also many, many scenes that made me grin like an idiot.
For
the most part, the book is a light, at times sappy romance, but
there's also some seriousness. In addition to Reece coming to terms
with the loss of his ex-wife and putting his life back together, and
Lanie dealing with trust and commitment issues and bitterness towards
a father who left the family when she was young, the characters also
deal with racism. Lanie has been surrounded by it all her life, but
that doesn't make it any less painful for her. And Reece is appalled
when he witnesses it happening to her, and when it's aimed at the two
of them as an interracial couple.
A
very enjoyable book.
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