Paperback
Published
July 4th 2017
by Tyndale House Publishers
After tirelessly climbing the ranks of her Chicago-based interior design firm, Lane Kelley is about to land her dream promotion when devastating news about her brother draws her back home--a quaint tourist town full of memories she'd just as soon forget. With her cell phone and laptop always within reach, Lane aims to check on her brother while staying focused on work--something her eclectic family doesn't understand.
Ryan Brooks never expected to settle down in Harbor Pointe, Michigan, but after his final tour of duty, it was the only place that felt like home. Now knee-deep in a renovation project that could boost tourism for the struggling town, he is thrilled to see Lane, the girl he secretly once loved, even if the circumstances of her homecoming aren't ideal.
Their reunion gets off to a rocky start, however, when Ryan can't find a trace of the girl he once knew in the woman she is today. As he slowly chips away at the walls Lane has built, secrets from his past collide with a terrible truth even he is reluctant to believe. Facing a crossroads that could define his future with Lane and jeopardize his relationship with the surrogate family he's found in the Kelleys, Ryan hopes Lane can see that maybe what really matters has been right in front of her all along--if only she'd just look up.
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My Review: 4.5 Stars
How many times in life do we get so focused on ourselves that we can't see what's really important? I know for me, it happens more often than I'd like it to. Lane is a very successful career woman, but an accident that leaves her brother in a coma sends her home--a place where she's never felt like she belongs. My heart cracked a little bit for Lane, even though at first, I didn't really understand why, especially because she's one of those powerful women who kind of intimidate me. As the book progressed, more of her story and feelings came to light and there are some pretty hefty reasons to why she feels as she does and why she doesn't come around. I found myself a little frustrated with her at times and wished she could get some help to move on and quit dwelling in the past. But those kinds of issues take a lot of time.
What good is a story without some romance? Ryan is Lane's brother's best friend and this man is tough. A former military man, he knows how to dig in and how to be completely committed to something, which shows time and again. From work to romance, this guy is a hard-working, persistent man--I couldn't help but to adore him.
There are some heavy issues that encompass this family. Family dynamics are always interesting, especially when some of the members don't even realize there's a problem. People handle things and show emotion in different ways and it's so easy to misinterpret true intentions. I was fully invested in watching Lane figure life out and become a butterfly.
The setting swept me away and the characters became life-like. There is some real meat to the story, along with a lovely, sweet romance and some fantastically written characters and situations. This is a book that stayed with me for a long time, as I came to feel a part of this community and this family, and I left feeling very satisfied. This is my first book by Walsh and it definitely won't be my last.
Content: mild romance (an implied intimate situation, kissing); mild-moderate religious elements.
*I received a copy, which didn't influence my opinion. All thoughts are my own.*
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