Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Terrific friends to lovers story. Josie is the true farmer of the family and is in charge of Wild Rose Farm after her sister Payton and Aunt Marilyn found love in the first book of the series (The Father of Her Sons) and moved away to be with their men. Josie intrigued me from the start with her independence and determination. After several failed relationships, she gave up on finding "The One" but not on her dream of being a mother. A visit to a sperm bank and her wish is about to come true.
As the book opens, Josie is in labor, snow is falling, and her sisters and aunt aren't due to arrive yet. With no landline and unable to find her cellphone to call an ambulance, Josie walks to the farm next door and pounds on the door. Miles, a widower and single father, handled the emergency calmly and competently, delivering young David Miles with a minimum of fuss. I loved how he encouraged Josie when she doubted herself and distracted her when she needed it.
That support continued after Josie had the baby and her family returned to their homes. Though Josie hangs on to her independence, there are times when she appreciates the help. And as the occasional check-in turns into near-daily lunches together, Miles and Josie quickly find they have a lot in common. There are some adorable scenes of Davy and Miles, who can't get enough time with the sweet baby. Also in common is their mutual refusal to believe in love. Josie's relationships ended badly, and Miles's story of his wife's betrayal was heartbreaking.
The more time they spend together, the deeper their friendship grows. That friendship makes Miles realize how much he's missed having a wife - a companion, a confidant, a partner, and a lover. He shocked Josie when he proposed that they marry and that their friendship will make a better basis for marriage than s-called love. Remembering her romantic failures leads her to accept Miles's proposal.
Their marriage gets off to a great start. The attraction between Miles and Josie is fantastic; their teamwork working the two farms and caring for their blended family goes smoothly, and life is good. Then Josie realizes that her feelings for Miles have grown beyond friendship. She knows he hasn't changed his stance on love, so what should she do? I ached for Josie, who doesn't want to lose Miles, but she can't go on pretending. I could feel her trepidation as she worked up the courage to face him with those feelings. I liked seeing her stand up for her needs and her belief that he loves her. I wanted to shake Miles, who did not react well to her confession.
I ached for both as their fears created a chasm between them. I loved seeing Miles get hit with advice from his girls and his mother. At the same time, Josie's sister Alex forced her to face some uncomfortable truths about her part in the problem. I loved the ending and seeing them brought together by a family crisis, getting them past the pride that kept them apart. I especially liked the reality of Miles's confession that he's "working on" his issues because something that deep isn't going to go away quickly.
I enjoyed the bits with Miles's daughters, Ashley (16) and Hazel (13). Ashley's problems with her dad were believable and well-illustrated. I felt sorry for Miles, whose confusion over her attitude was plain to see. The love between them was evident, as was the frustration. Hazel was sweet. I liked how she jumped in to help Josie with her rescue animals and her enthusiasm for taking care of Davy. She's observant for her age, and I enjoyed her take on the things she saw.
Now I can't wait to read Alex's story.
As the book opens, Josie is in labor, snow is falling, and her sisters and aunt aren't due to arrive yet. With no landline and unable to find her cellphone to call an ambulance, Josie walks to the farm next door and pounds on the door. Miles, a widower and single father, handled the emergency calmly and competently, delivering young David Miles with a minimum of fuss. I loved how he encouraged Josie when she doubted herself and distracted her when she needed it.
That support continued after Josie had the baby and her family returned to their homes. Though Josie hangs on to her independence, there are times when she appreciates the help. And as the occasional check-in turns into near-daily lunches together, Miles and Josie quickly find they have a lot in common. There are some adorable scenes of Davy and Miles, who can't get enough time with the sweet baby. Also in common is their mutual refusal to believe in love. Josie's relationships ended badly, and Miles's story of his wife's betrayal was heartbreaking.
The more time they spend together, the deeper their friendship grows. That friendship makes Miles realize how much he's missed having a wife - a companion, a confidant, a partner, and a lover. He shocked Josie when he proposed that they marry and that their friendship will make a better basis for marriage than s-called love. Remembering her romantic failures leads her to accept Miles's proposal.
Their marriage gets off to a great start. The attraction between Miles and Josie is fantastic; their teamwork working the two farms and caring for their blended family goes smoothly, and life is good. Then Josie realizes that her feelings for Miles have grown beyond friendship. She knows he hasn't changed his stance on love, so what should she do? I ached for Josie, who doesn't want to lose Miles, but she can't go on pretending. I could feel her trepidation as she worked up the courage to face him with those feelings. I liked seeing her stand up for her needs and her belief that he loves her. I wanted to shake Miles, who did not react well to her confession.
I ached for both as their fears created a chasm between them. I loved seeing Miles get hit with advice from his girls and his mother. At the same time, Josie's sister Alex forced her to face some uncomfortable truths about her part in the problem. I loved the ending and seeing them brought together by a family crisis, getting them past the pride that kept them apart. I especially liked the reality of Miles's confession that he's "working on" his issues because something that deep isn't going to go away quickly.
I enjoyed the bits with Miles's daughters, Ashley (16) and Hazel (13). Ashley's problems with her dad were believable and well-illustrated. I felt sorry for Miles, whose confusion over her attitude was plain to see. The love between them was evident, as was the frustration. Hazel was sweet. I liked how she jumped in to help Josie with her rescue animals and her enthusiasm for taking care of Davy. She's observant for her age, and I enjoyed her take on the things she saw.
Now I can't wait to read Alex's story.
