Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Terrific second chance love story. Jaye and Velvet knew each other very well back in Phoenix. They were in a three-year relationship there, where Jaye was upfront about his unwillingness to commit to anything more than a physical relationship. Despite his frequent reminders of that position, Velvet fell in love with him anyway, hoping he would change. When she finally realized it wasn't going to happen, she left him and left Phoenix without telling him where she was going.
I cheered for Velvet, happy to see her stand up for her needs and dreams. She moved to Catalina Cove at the invitation of a family friend and became a ninth-grade algebra teacher. She has good friends and is content with her life now that she's gotten over her love for Jaye. The last thing she expected was to have him show up in the Cove as the bank's new owner.
It didn't take long after Velvet left him for Jaye to realize that he'd made a huge mistake. He had allowed his past to color his beliefs, but it was too late. However, Jaye is a stubborn and resourceful man, and though it took two years and the help of a private investigator, he finally found her. Now he must prove his love and win back her heart and trust.
I loved watching the rekindling of the relationship between Jaye and Velvet. Jaye has his plans all set. He's bought the bank, which will keep him in town for at least six months. He's arranged to rent the other part of the duplex she lives in, and he is determined to convince her of his love. One thing in his favor is the attraction that is still as strong as ever, but he wants more than that. Meanwhile, Velvet decides that since she doesn't love him any longer, that leaves the door open to resume their sex-only relationship. It was undoubtedly karma-like for Jaye to be on the other side of that coin and see him realize that he didn't like it.
Most of the attention is on Jaye's attempts to show Velvet that he's changed. In their previous relationship, he kept her at a distance, separating their relationship from his personal and professional lives. They rarely did anything together outside of the bedroom. Now, he waits for her to initiate any intimacy, asks her to jog with him in the mornings (previously his "alone" time), talks about his day at work and asks about hers, and involves her in his life in a myriad of ways. I especially liked the rocking chairs on the back deck and their quiet time together. His favorite thing to tell her was, âWhatever you want, Velvet, I will give it to you. No matter what it is.â
Velvet fights hard against the realization that she still loves Jaye. Her constant reminders to herself that she doesn't love him any longer feel like a case of protesting too much. Her friends Ruthie and Sierra try to convince her, but Velvet has a strong streak of stubbornness. When Jaye finally comes clean about his feelings, Velvet refuses to believe him. She accuses him of everything from lying to manipulation and pushes him away. I liked that Jaye gave her the space to come to terms with what he said, but I could also feel his frustration.
Velvet has a lot to think about, and I was happy to see that she calmed down enough to look at his actions and see them for what they were. Matters became complicated when a surprise he planned for her came to the attention of a scorned wannabe boyfriend, who attempted to use it against her. Being called before the school board is no small matter, especially when someone has it out for you. What made it particularly tricky/amusing was that this guy has no idea of Velvet's background. I loved Velvet's coolness under fire, her calm responses to the accusations, and the support shown by her friends. Jaye's arrival was the icing on the cake, as was town patriarch Reid Lacroix and his lambasting of those responsible. I was a little disappointed that he revealed Velvet's secret, as I didn't think it was his place, but it all worked out in the end. I loved the ending and seeing Velvet and Jaye moving forward into the future they wanted together.
There were a couple of subplots that ran throughout the book. One was Webb Crawford and his "I'm God's gift to women" pursuit of Velvet. He's a slimy, entitled creep, and he's fortunate that neither Velvet nor Jaye decked him when he pulled some of his tricks. The other was Velvet's issue with one of her students and his father. I felt terrible for young Lenny, whose dad pushed him to follow in his baseball footsteps. Lenny used failing his math class to fight back. In the meantime, his dad pressures Velvet to "go easy" on Lenny because "he won't need algebra to play pro ball." I loved that Velvet didn't cave in, but she did offer to help Lenny. I also loved the support she gave him to stand up for his dreams. There was an interesting twist involving the dad, and I liked how Velvet handled it.
I cheered for Velvet, happy to see her stand up for her needs and dreams. She moved to Catalina Cove at the invitation of a family friend and became a ninth-grade algebra teacher. She has good friends and is content with her life now that she's gotten over her love for Jaye. The last thing she expected was to have him show up in the Cove as the bank's new owner.
It didn't take long after Velvet left him for Jaye to realize that he'd made a huge mistake. He had allowed his past to color his beliefs, but it was too late. However, Jaye is a stubborn and resourceful man, and though it took two years and the help of a private investigator, he finally found her. Now he must prove his love and win back her heart and trust.
I loved watching the rekindling of the relationship between Jaye and Velvet. Jaye has his plans all set. He's bought the bank, which will keep him in town for at least six months. He's arranged to rent the other part of the duplex she lives in, and he is determined to convince her of his love. One thing in his favor is the attraction that is still as strong as ever, but he wants more than that. Meanwhile, Velvet decides that since she doesn't love him any longer, that leaves the door open to resume their sex-only relationship. It was undoubtedly karma-like for Jaye to be on the other side of that coin and see him realize that he didn't like it.
Most of the attention is on Jaye's attempts to show Velvet that he's changed. In their previous relationship, he kept her at a distance, separating their relationship from his personal and professional lives. They rarely did anything together outside of the bedroom. Now, he waits for her to initiate any intimacy, asks her to jog with him in the mornings (previously his "alone" time), talks about his day at work and asks about hers, and involves her in his life in a myriad of ways. I especially liked the rocking chairs on the back deck and their quiet time together. His favorite thing to tell her was, âWhatever you want, Velvet, I will give it to you. No matter what it is.â
Velvet fights hard against the realization that she still loves Jaye. Her constant reminders to herself that she doesn't love him any longer feel like a case of protesting too much. Her friends Ruthie and Sierra try to convince her, but Velvet has a strong streak of stubbornness. When Jaye finally comes clean about his feelings, Velvet refuses to believe him. She accuses him of everything from lying to manipulation and pushes him away. I liked that Jaye gave her the space to come to terms with what he said, but I could also feel his frustration.
Velvet has a lot to think about, and I was happy to see that she calmed down enough to look at his actions and see them for what they were. Matters became complicated when a surprise he planned for her came to the attention of a scorned wannabe boyfriend, who attempted to use it against her. Being called before the school board is no small matter, especially when someone has it out for you. What made it particularly tricky/amusing was that this guy has no idea of Velvet's background. I loved Velvet's coolness under fire, her calm responses to the accusations, and the support shown by her friends. Jaye's arrival was the icing on the cake, as was town patriarch Reid Lacroix and his lambasting of those responsible. I was a little disappointed that he revealed Velvet's secret, as I didn't think it was his place, but it all worked out in the end. I loved the ending and seeing Velvet and Jaye moving forward into the future they wanted together.
There were a couple of subplots that ran throughout the book. One was Webb Crawford and his "I'm God's gift to women" pursuit of Velvet. He's a slimy, entitled creep, and he's fortunate that neither Velvet nor Jaye decked him when he pulled some of his tricks. The other was Velvet's issue with one of her students and his father. I felt terrible for young Lenny, whose dad pushed him to follow in his baseball footsteps. Lenny used failing his math class to fight back. In the meantime, his dad pressures Velvet to "go easy" on Lenny because "he won't need algebra to play pro ball." I loved that Velvet didn't cave in, but she did offer to help Lenny. I also loved the support she gave him to stand up for his dreams. There was an interesting twist involving the dad, and I liked how Velvet handled it.
