Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed on 10/24/2019 + 2617 more book reviews

Good book. Raine is a high-powered, workaholic lawyer. At the beginning of the book, she has just won a big case, but instead of the satisfaction she should feel, she just feels empty and beat up by the headaches and indigestion that come with the job. In the middle of the celebration, Raine receives a phone call from one of her grandmother's foster children. Her grandmother is in the hospital, and the three girls are in trouble. Suddenly she's on her way back to the small town to help the woman who was the only stable factor in her life.

I admit I didn't like Raine much at the beginning. Her satisfaction at winning the case, at the expense of the retirees who were harmed by it, rubbed me the wrong way. I applauded her immediate response to the call for help, but I didn't like the way she jumped to conclusions about what was happening during the stand-off. I got a bit of satisfaction when she arrived and found things were not what she expected, especially when it came to the sheriff.

I liked Jack from the start. His handling of the stand-off was well thought out. I'm glad he was the one in charge, because the other law enforcement people who were there were a bit too gung-ho, especially considering they were dealing with three young girls. He also won my heart when he was shown taking care of his daughter's nano-pet at the same time. I loved his even-keeled responses when Raine showed up and started throwing around accusations and threats. Things got a bit more complicated when they also had to deal with Raine's mother's antics.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Raine and Jack. The sparks between them were hot from the beginning, but both tried to ignore them. Raine only plans to be in town for a few days, just long enough to straighten things out before she heads back to New York. Jack is still grieving the loss of his wife two years earlier, so he's not looking for anything either. However, something about Raine stirs up things he hasn't felt in a long time. As circumstances forced Raine to stay in Coldwater Cove longer than she expected, she and Jack can no longer deny the attraction they feel. I had to laugh when they decided that they could indulge in a nice, simple affair because I could already see that they'd passed that point. Jack is already falling for Raine as he gets to know the passionate woman underneath the tough façade. I loved the way that he understood how the things in her past had made her need to always be in control. Raine is a bit freaked out by the way that Jack gets under her skin. She never expected to be so drawn to him and his daughter, and tries to convince herself that it is just chemistry and proximity. There were some terrific scenes of the two of them together, especially as Raine starts to lose her city edges, and Jack brings out an unexpected softer side of her. I enjoyed seeing their feelings grow and ached for them both as they tried to figure out how they could make it work. I wasn't too surprised by the solution they came up with and loved their big moment at the end. The epilogue was terrific.

For Raine, being back in her hometown forces her to face the demons of her past, mostly her relationship with her mother. Lilith is quite the free spirit, and it was easy to see why the two butted heads for so long. But with distance and maturity, and the help of three teenage girls, Raine starts to see a different side of her mother. It's not a miraculous, hearts and flowers kind of thing, but more like Raine being able to see that she and Lilith had two very different views on their mother and child relationship and Lilith recognizing that she had made mistakes but wanted to do better.

I also enjoyed the storyline with the three teenage girls. Their actions at the beginning were a bit extreme, but they were motivated by Ida and what she told them. The situation became more difficult thanks to Ida's age, and then Lilith's actions at the court hearing. I liked the fact that Raine was willing to step up and be the responsible adult to keep the girls out of a more desperate situation. I especially liked Gwen's story and the realistic portrayal of the issues surrounding teen pregnancy. I ached for Gwen and her struggle to decide the best thing to do. Lilith's openness about her past actions went a long way toward helping Gwen, as well as Raine. The resolution was heart-wrenching and heartwarming, as everyone came together to help Gwen make the choice that was right for her.

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