Clare Franklin is on her honeymoon in the Dominican Republic...alone. She may have experienced a failed trip the the altar, but she decided to take the vacation anyway before making some changes to her life. She is a bit awkward and an overthinker, but she is also smart and sweet. She longs to be settled with a husband and family, but seems to end up getting hurt. 

Deacon Montgomery is at a vet conference and he keeps running into her. He does not have a good romantic history either and he is currently a single dad to toddler twins and is also a busy vet. Something about Clare just feels right and they share a good time. 

They vow to live in the here and now and just enjoy what they have which is a connection, compatibility, and a great chemistry. But they are also under a time limit and real life is waiting for them at home. And sometimes situations arise that can change everything. The story took a few turns I did not expect, but it kept it interesting. 

This is a sweet and heartwarming story of two people whose lives and hearts became entwined on a vacation and then dealing with what comes after. It is not a quick or easy fix.  Surprises, changes, past issues, and some misunderstandings get in the way. It is hard to trust their feelings and bring down their guards. Past mistakes make them wary.

Can they find faith, trust, and hope for finally getting a love at last? 

I loved both Deacon and Clare, although I did want to shake her a couple of times. They were likable and relatable. I enjoyed how family-centric this was and the girls were adorable. Claudia Connor does a great job embracing the chaos of family and kids, but also the connections between the adults.

I was gifted a copy

It was supposed to be Clare’s honeymoon. But when her groom doesn’t bother to show up to the wedding, she takes the honeymoon as a chance to rethink, reevaluate, and reset her life. She didn’t expect to spend her honeymoon getting to know a new man.

Deacon Montgomery was there to participate in a work conference, and was all set to return home to his twin daughters. He wasn’t expecting to meet a woman, let alone fall so quickly after the way his last relationship ended.

The chemistry was off the charts. These two have been hurt in the past, but the way they come together is beautiful. There is so much of this story that is just plain sweet all around.

What surprised me more than their vacation chemistry was their individual responses as they returned to their everyday lives. Deacon is so focused on his daughters, and I loved that aspect of his character. He genuinely cares for the people in his life and he is devastated when he gets the call that cuts his trip short. He is torn between his daughters and a woman for the first time since their birth.

Parts of the story felt familiar, with the jilted bride/vacation fling aspect. But once I dug into the story, it turned into something else entirely. I was frustrated by Clare’s responses to returning to real-life, and the period of time following the vacation, but at the same time I can’t say she acted irrationally.

Overall this was a sweet read. I enjoyed the tropical vacation, the aftermath, and the rebuilding that happened when reality catches up to them. These characters are generally likable, the plot was easy to read, and the story allowed me to escape my own reality for a time. 

I was gifted a copy.

Claudia Connor
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