Rynna Dayne is returning home to Gingham Lakes, Alabama...a place she ran from eleven years ago and never went back. She had her reasons for leaving and has her reasons for returning even if it is a bit late. It's time for new directions and to let her past go.

Rex Gunner is her hot new neighbor. He is broody, cold, closed off, and bitter. The only glimmer of joy she sees in him is when he looks at his sweet little girl, Frankie Leigh or with his longtime best friends. But she can also sense a sadness and brokenness about him. He is determined to keep her at arm's length. He thinks he ruins everything, and doesn't believe he deserves love or could ever keep it. 

But these two have such a magnetic pull. Their lives keeps circling each other and they keep getting tempted and pulled in. But there are so many fears, insecurities, scars, and pain that hold them back. Rynna is a bit braver and thinks he is worth taking a risk on. But she has to convince him that she would be worth taking a chance on and having enough faith in to let her in. But they are both haunted by their pasts and scared of loss or rejection. Rex is fighting it as much as he can. 

Their histories and secrets are gradually laid bare....all of their wounds, tragedy, grief, guilt, and deepest fears. They begin opening up and showing each other the way out of the darkness to the chance of a brighter future. But even when they seem to find some hope, it seems like the world is out to get them and some new obstacle appears in their way causing it all to come crashing back on them. As their pasts and presents continue to collide, the emotions and drama keep ramping up. 

It all comes down to believing in themselves and each other, and deciding whether they are going to fight for each other and any shred of happiness they can find. But not all of the players fight fair and there is a lot more under the surface than either of them knew. 

This is a complex,  intriguing, tension-filled, emotional, heartfelt story of two lost people just wanting to find happiness, but so afraid of taking a chance and getting it wrong. I enjoyed getting the dual points of view especially when they were not communicating well. The side characters of his friends, Ollie, Kale, and Broderick;  her friends, Lillith, Nikki, and Macy; his mother, and the memories of her Grandma added support that they really needed. And little Miss Frankie Leigh was the brightest light in the story making everyone smile and laugh. This girl was just so precocious and adorable.

Rex was a bit hard to like in the beginning. He really was not approachable and came off as a jerk. I liked Rynna from the start. But I began to fall for Rex too as his layers were peeled back and his heart was revealed. They had strong chemistry and I really liked them together. I got more and more invested as the story went on and kept building up to an emotional and suspenseful climax.

There were some secrets, surprises, and twists, and for the most part I had already figured them out, but it still did not interfere with my enjoyment of the story. It had plenty of woven layers and was beautifully crafted. A. L. Jackson has a way of putting together words and key phrases that paint the picture and keep the important themes running through our minds as we read evoking emotion and understanding. You can feel all of the pain, fear, heartache, anger, joy, and love that these characters feel. This is a wonderful start to a new series.

I am looking forward to more with Ollie and Kale who are equally intriguing men and a lot easier to like than Rex was initially. 

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Rynna Dayne hasn’t returned home for 11 years, not since the night she packed her bags and said goodbye to her gramma. Returning months after her grandmother’s death, she is determined to return the family diner to it’s former glory, to carry on her gramma’s legacy. But the memories she ran from all those years ago aren’t completely gone.

Rex Gunner lives across the street. His daughter is his whole world, and he isn’t comfortable with the way his new neighbor makes him feel and think.

Though they both grew up in town, they ran in different circles and their histories are a mystery to the other. They both have trust issues and though they start to break down walls, there are some major secrets they each hold close.

The chemistry is fast and hot between them, but Rex isn’t willing to let just anyone into his life due to his past. Rynna isn’t willing to let a chance pass her by, and feels like her gramma would tell her to take this chance.

Frankie Leah is such a cute addition to the storyline. Her energy and outgoing nature compliment her dad’s closed off gruffness perfectly. She always made me smile in every scene she was present for.

I was able to predict two of the major reveals that happen later, but thinking I knew and knowing were two different things. Even thinking I knew what was coming, I could not put this book down. Once again, A.L. Jackson has created two broken characters that smooth the jagged edges and fill the empty spaces of each other.

This is the first in a new series and sets up bits of the backstories for two other men connected with Rex. These three men have been through the ringer together and I can’t wait to see more from Ollie and Kale!