Poppy Maysen's life changed in an instant and all that she was left with from her loving husband was a birthday list...a sort of bucket list to be completed by certain birthdays. Five years later she is tackling that list herself in his memory. She has survived and is now owner of a kitschy restaurant. She is smart, sweet, and caring. But she is closed off and  not over her loss, and the list is one way she hopes to be able to finally move on.

Detective Cole Goodman never forgot the time they initially met and was surprised to see her again. He is handsome, charming, generous, genuine, and determined.  They spark when together, but he knows her story and that she has issues. And he is willing to help her in any way he can.

Is it coincidence or fate that keeps bringing Poppy and Cole together? 

Attraction and fun adventures are tempered by guilt, grief, fear, and pain. Her feelings are mixed up and she is half stuck in the past and afraid to move forward...Living minute by minute is the best she can do. It's hard to know when to let go and when to hold on.

Can she find room in her heart both Cole and the man she lost?

I absolutely adored Cole. He was so patient, kind, understanding, but also had sex appeal and charisma. He could make her smile and laugh. He completely made me swoon. Poppy was  hot mess, but it was understandable with all of her conflicting emotions. But she also had a quiet strength and determination and was loving and funny.  I liked the pacing and real timeline of the book and it was not something that was solved in a week or two. The little joys and pockets of happiness helped make this a lighter story than it could have been. 

"Whatever you need, I'll be there in a heartbeat." 

Sometimes life surprises you both good and bad, and the future is not always what you imagined it would like like. But how you deal with it determines the new path the future might take...if you are brave enough to take it. 

This is a beautiful, emotional, and inspiring second chance love story. It is ultimately about love, hope, healing, and living life. The quirky side characters added more charm, fun, and drama. I want to go to Bozeman, Montana and eat in her restaurant and people watch. I especially liked her brother, Finn, and her best friend, Molly. Their relationship also kept me invested. And Randall and Jimmy cracked me up. I enjoyed getting both Cole and Poppy's points of view. I loved the little coincidences and twists that just made it more interesting.  This  is my favorite Devney Perry book to date and Cole just topped her hero list. 

I was gifted a copy.

Cole Goodman and Poppy Maysen didn’t meet under the best circumstances, or even good circumstances. But years later, Poppy is ready to get her life moving forward again, but struggles with how to say goodbye and take those first steps. She decides the best way to move on is to finish the list her husband started before his death, a birthday list of things he wanted to do. It seems a coincidence that Cole and Poppy keep running into each other, but when Cole offers to help Poppy with her list, she accepts.

Poppy lives with the whispers she hears from friends and strangers alike. As a widow she is pitied and she is ready to move beyond that one aspect of her life. I love the little restaurant she opens with her best friend and the purpose that restaurant gives her as she decides what to do next and how to tackle the list.

Cole is an all around good guy. His name fits. But he is also a patient man. He still remembers the night he met Poppy and running into her again sparks a curiosity about her that he had all but overlooked in the stress of that first night. He genuinely wants to help her, and through helping learns that he is more than just curious about her -- he is attracted.

I loved all the little details about this book. The side characters help build a world that is fresh and complete, and add humor and community to the main storyline. I love the gruffness of Randall that first day he walks into Poppy’s restaurant, and knew he would be there to stay. I hope that this becomes the first of a new series, because I would love to get more of Molly and Trent’s story, whether it is a story of forgiveness and moving passed their hurts or two stories of them moving on (though I hope it’s one!).

This book pulled me in from the beginning. I found myself overwhelmed by emotion early on, and the way the story is constructed put my broken heart back together as Poppy’s mended as well.

I was gifted a copy.

Devney Perry