I thought Fool Hearts had a lot of pining but Oh. My. Goodness Jake and Nash are on a whole other level. This story spans thirty years of friendship, resisting and giving in, all the pining, heartbreaks, and secrets. 

Jake Hanson came to Plum Valley as a young man ready to get started in his own vet practice. He is outgoing, charming, positive-minded, impulsive, and a bit pushy. And he barrelled his way right into  Nash Dupree's life. He decided they would become friends and made it happen despite the fact that Nash is his opposite. Nash is the stoic, stubborn, superstitious, cautious restaurant and bar owner, and tends to avoid issues rather than dealing with them. 

The story is told in present-day during a difficult time and in flashbacks with time jumps showing both of their points of view throughout the years. They are friends, sometimes lovers, and sometimes they are sort of in a hidden relationship that they just do not really acknowledge. But Nash is often pushing Jake away. He has his reasons, but does not share them, so Jake has to come up with his own conclusions. I will admit that sometimes I got really frustrated with Nash and wanted to smack him upside the head with his fishing pole. He really could have changed things if he just talked honestly to Jake.

And I also struggle sometimes with flashbacks and present day because it seems like just when things get serious in present day then I am jerked back to the past. But this structure does add to the mystery of what has happened to both bring them together and tear them apart at various parts of their lives. It increases the tension and angst level. And all along I was rooting for them to get it together and just be truly happy. 

This is an angsty, small-town, best-friend-to-lovers, soulmates, multiple-chance romance that spans decades. It's about friendship, trust, self-sacrifice, protection, fear, misunderstandings, and a soul-deep connection. The push and pull are real in this one. 

I adored Jake and thought he had an amazingly patient, caring, tender heart. And Nash, although frustrating, did love deep and hard. In his own mind he was trying not to cause Jake the ultimate pain, but he kept inadvertently hurting him anyway by trying to protect him. So there was this vicious cycle of giving in to Jake and then pushing him away that just got more and more involved over the years. My heart hurt for both of them though because Nash was not a bad guy, he was just broken and hurting and really believed in his reasons. All the pent-up emotions and their tight bond, just added to the intensity of their situations. 

So this is another epic, hard-won love story in Plum Valley. I enjoyed some cameos from some of the other townies. I enjoy this author's complex characters and stories even when they are driving me crazy.