Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Terrific second chance romance. I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down. Connor and Aly had married very young and divorced after only two years when Connor refused to follow up on his promise to move to New York with her. They haven't seen each other since then. Aly is on her way back to Valentine Bay to care for her mother, her mind on Connor and their past when she is involved in an accident. The resulting concussion blocks her memory of the seven years since their divorce.
This was an emotion-filled story. I could feel Aly's fear and frustration as everyone tried to convince her of the truth when all she wanted was to see Connor. When Aly's brother Dante showed up at Connor's door, Connor's fear of the worst was apparent. He has huge regrets over his part in the end of his marriage, and he will do anything to help Aly. Emotions ran high as Connor struggled to be both firm and kind as well as honest, Aly finally accepted the truth, and Aly's father and brothers reeked of hostility. Her reaction was understandably blunt, which made it even more of a surprise when she showed up at his house, asking to stay with him while she was in town.
I loved the rekindling of Connor and Aly's relationship. It is evident from the start that their feelings for each other never died. Though she still hasn't remembered anything, Aly is confident of her feelings for Connor and wants a chance to repair their relationship. She senses that he still cares, but that he is fighting it. Moving in with him is her way of trying to break down his walls. Connor realizes quickly that his feelings for Aly never died, but there are two things that argue against getting involved again. First, she is still recovering from her injuries, and he doesn't want to take advantage while she is vulnerable. Second, Aly will return to New York at the end of her stay, and that is a recipe for another broken heart. I loved watching Aly chip away at Connor's resistance until he finally gives in. He'll take what he can get and hope for the best at the end.
I liked seeing them get to know each other as they are now. There are plenty of sweet scenes of everything from cooking together to walks on the beach to quiet movie nights. Though it's always in the back of their minds, both of them put off thinking about what will happen when Aly leaves. I cried for both of them when her memories of their divorce returned, and she had to deal with the pain all over again. Aly's discovery of her pregnancy is a complication that adds to her confusion over what she wants for her future. Both she and Connor have some things to work through that create quite a bit of tension. There were times I wondered if Connor had learned anything from his past mistakes. His big moment at the end was fantastic and showed that he finally got it.
I loved the family relationships in this book. The Bravos are as close as ever, and it was great to see them. Aly's attendance at the family dinners entailed catching her up on their lives, which also served as a reminder to the reader of what had gone before. I really liked how Aly was pulled back in with little fuss. Daniel still serves as the family advisor and does a great job of helping Connor with his decision at the end. Aly's family was terrific too. Aly was the youngest, with three older brothers, meaning she suffered through a lot of overprotectiveness. I enjoyed the glimpses of her life growing up with them, especially with her brother Dante. That she fell in love with Dante's best friend created deeper issues later on. It was both funny and emotional to see the changes that Connor and Dante's friendship goes through over those years. There was a terrific scene that involved Dante and Connor's sister Grace that made me laugh at Connor's reaction and wonder if the tables will be turned at a later date. I liked Aly's relationship with her mom and the help and understanding she received. I loved that Aly's mom was firmly on their side and kept the guys somewhat in check.
This was an emotion-filled story. I could feel Aly's fear and frustration as everyone tried to convince her of the truth when all she wanted was to see Connor. When Aly's brother Dante showed up at Connor's door, Connor's fear of the worst was apparent. He has huge regrets over his part in the end of his marriage, and he will do anything to help Aly. Emotions ran high as Connor struggled to be both firm and kind as well as honest, Aly finally accepted the truth, and Aly's father and brothers reeked of hostility. Her reaction was understandably blunt, which made it even more of a surprise when she showed up at his house, asking to stay with him while she was in town.
I loved the rekindling of Connor and Aly's relationship. It is evident from the start that their feelings for each other never died. Though she still hasn't remembered anything, Aly is confident of her feelings for Connor and wants a chance to repair their relationship. She senses that he still cares, but that he is fighting it. Moving in with him is her way of trying to break down his walls. Connor realizes quickly that his feelings for Aly never died, but there are two things that argue against getting involved again. First, she is still recovering from her injuries, and he doesn't want to take advantage while she is vulnerable. Second, Aly will return to New York at the end of her stay, and that is a recipe for another broken heart. I loved watching Aly chip away at Connor's resistance until he finally gives in. He'll take what he can get and hope for the best at the end.
I liked seeing them get to know each other as they are now. There are plenty of sweet scenes of everything from cooking together to walks on the beach to quiet movie nights. Though it's always in the back of their minds, both of them put off thinking about what will happen when Aly leaves. I cried for both of them when her memories of their divorce returned, and she had to deal with the pain all over again. Aly's discovery of her pregnancy is a complication that adds to her confusion over what she wants for her future. Both she and Connor have some things to work through that create quite a bit of tension. There were times I wondered if Connor had learned anything from his past mistakes. His big moment at the end was fantastic and showed that he finally got it.
I loved the family relationships in this book. The Bravos are as close as ever, and it was great to see them. Aly's attendance at the family dinners entailed catching her up on their lives, which also served as a reminder to the reader of what had gone before. I really liked how Aly was pulled back in with little fuss. Daniel still serves as the family advisor and does a great job of helping Connor with his decision at the end. Aly's family was terrific too. Aly was the youngest, with three older brothers, meaning she suffered through a lot of overprotectiveness. I enjoyed the glimpses of her life growing up with them, especially with her brother Dante. That she fell in love with Dante's best friend created deeper issues later on. It was both funny and emotional to see the changes that Connor and Dante's friendship goes through over those years. There was a terrific scene that involved Dante and Connor's sister Grace that made me laugh at Connor's reaction and wonder if the tables will be turned at a later date. I liked Aly's relationship with her mom and the help and understanding she received. I loved that Aly's mom was firmly on their side and kept the guys somewhat in check.
