Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this touching contemporary set against the lush, sensual backdrop of Brightwater Valley, New Zealand, wilderness guide and grieving widower Finn Kelly--the younger brother of Chase from Ashenden's Find Your Way Home--fights against the charms of sweet and sexy Beth Grant, a new-to-town American jewelry designer. Beth, determined to start fresh after a miscarriage, postpartum depression, and abandonment by her ex, insists on keeping a positive attitude and being friends with everyone, including gorgeous, taciturn Finn--who just wishes the falsely chipper woman would leave him alone. Even Finn can't deny their mutual attraction, however, and they agree to a one-night stand, acknowledging that neither feels emotionally available for a relationship. Everything changes when Beth winds up pregnant, bringing out the protector in Finn, who offers her a home, a support system, marriage, and even regular sex--just as long as she knows that he'll never fall in love. Beth is used to settling for what she can get, but will living in the shadow of Finn's late wife really be enough for her? Ashenden skillfully balances tender sex scenes with the hard emotional work necessary for genuine intimacy. Fortunately, the Brightwater Valley community offers abundant support as the protagonists weigh whether to risk their hearts again. Readers will be transported. (Nov.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Grumpy widower Finn Kelly is not prepared to have his quiet life shaken by the arrival of American Bethany Grant to his rural hometown in New Zealand. Bethany and her friends are trying to embrace the Kiwi way of life and have left behind their homes in rural Alaska to launch a new tourism business venture. Taking tourists on wilderness hikes and running a horse farm are soon not all Finn is interested in when he begins to see beneath the bubbly veneer that Bethany shares with the world. Struggling with her own losses and complicated family history, Bethany seeks a new life in New Zealand but gets more than she bargained for after one night in Finn's arms. They must each decide if opening themselves up to love and loss in the hope of a brighter future together is worth the threat of pain and heartbreak. VERDICT Ashenden's second visit to Brightwater in her "Small Town Dreams" series (after Find Your Way Home) is filled with chemistry, steam, and a heart-warming sense of community while delicately tackling the heavy subjects of grief, loss, and learning to love again.--Jenna Harmison
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