But who was leaving the dead cats on her lawn?

Kyle Valentine has seen a lot in the military, nursing, and as a self-defense instructor. He was enjoying a good and happy life, but in one moment he lost everything and eventually left Faithful grief-stricken. For years, he lived on a fishing boat and existed as a broken man, but now he realizes how lonely and homesick he is and he is being pulled back. So Kyle is going home to make amends, deal with his past, and begin his life again. 

Vet Olivia Hudson is nice, caring, and devoted to her furry patients. She has lost both of her parents and has some guilt about the past but just swallows it down. Way back in high school she had an unrequited crush on bad boy Kyle Valentine and he hurt her feelings. But she is no longer the awkward, undeveloped teen she was. Now she is forthcoming and she just tells Kyle like it is, and soon he is actually interested. 

But they had no idea just how exciting their first date could be, and not in a good day. And that date just seems to keep going as Kyle is by her side during some unsettling events. It is a crash course in getting to know each other. And fortunately, they are liking what they are seeing...and maybe even feeling.

Both have their issues and demons. And she has a current tenuous situation and needs protection. But maybe they were meant to come into each other's lives just at this time. 

I really liked both of their personalities. Since Kyle has had some more time to heal, we get to see more of his sarcastic humor and honest feelings. He is alpha, protective, and a gentle giant. And Olivia is smart, funny, kind, and sassy. They play off each other and have amazing chemistry. 

This is a sweet, sexy, suspenseful second-chance, small-town love story. I liked the little whispers of fate and how it was weaved in. For the most part, these two actually had mature communication, but there was just a bit of misunderstanding and doubt at times. And they each had some outside issues to deal with adding drama and suspense. But since it was novella length, the drama and angst did not drag on too long. In fact, there were a couple of things I wanted to see more of the after-effects from. But it brings back some of our friends from Faithful, and ends the series with a heartwarming and unique epilogue.

This novella returns readers to the world of Faithful, Tennessee. Kyle Valentine left Faithful, TN when he thought there was nothing left for him there. His world had fallen apart and he spent the next 3 years living on a boat as far from Faithful and his memories as he could get. Olivia wanted a simple life running her clinic, but hadn’t found everything she wanted. Her clinic was running well, but she was looking for a few things to round out her life. She had a crush on Kyle when they were young, and though she was awkward and timid before, she tells it like she sees it now and shares her interest plainly. Luckily he’s interested this time around and they go on a first date that takes a turn for the unusual, stretching the first date through a long period of time as they work through their baggage and a tricky situation Olivia finds herself embroiled in.

I enjoyed watching their single date turn into more as Kyle worked to keep Olivia safe from the unknown. As they got to know each other, the layers of what lay between them were shared. This was a fun way to get to know the characters and for them to work through their issues.

These characters were easy to love. Kyle is protective, strong, and finally willing to move past the pain in his past. I loved how he accepted Aponi’s memories in his life, and addressed having found a new love of his life. Olivia is strong in her own right - demanding the things she needed in order to find her own happiness in life.

This was a fun read, with small-town romance and aspects of fate running heavily throughout. I loved the return to Faithful and the world that was built in the original trilogy. As Olivia and Kyle’s story played out, I found myself wishing for a few more answers at the end - there were a couple strings of the story that I wish had a clearer resolution before the epilogue. But that epilogue had me smiling through misty eyes at the way it wrapped up both Kyle & Olivia’s story, and a peek at some beloved Faithful characters.