Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A widow opens herself up to new love in this smart and moving romance from bestseller Sussman (Funny You Should Ask). The novel toggles between past and present, following Lauren Parker as she falls in love with and marries her childhood sweetheart, Spencer, and, years later, as she mourns him and struggles to solo parent their teenage daughter, Lena. When, in the present, her brother, Gabe, a famous actor, invites Lauren and Lena to the set of his latest film, Lauren is walloped by lust at first sight of his costar, Hollywood heartthrob Benjamin Walsh, who's several years younger than her. Ben reciprocates Lauren's feelings, leading to a steamy encounter, but he wants more from her than just a casual fling. Lauren panics when Gabe, Ben, and their close friend Ollie turn up in her Montana hometown to renovate a local theater and stage a play. The close proximity forces big decisions--and readers will root for Lauren to make the right choices. Though there's some tonal dissonance between past and present chapters, Sussman skillfully handles sensitive topics, including Lauren and Lena's grief and Gabe's struggles with alcoholism. Moments of levity, most often provided by snarky supporting character Ollie, inject some fun into all the drama. It's heavier than Sussman's last book, but fans will still find plenty to enjoy. (July)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Recently widowed single mother Lauren Parker has always chafed at the confines of her small Montana hometown, where she's now best known as the sister to famous actor Gabe Parker. While visiting the set of her brother's newest movie, Lauren meets an actor named Ben Walsh, and sparks immediately fly between them, but Lauren is hesitant to dive into her first romance since the death of her husband, Spencer. Then Ben comes to Montana to help Gabe open a new theater, and Lauren finds herself at an unexpectedly complicated crossroads. She must figure out whether she can have more than one true love in a lifetime and if she can honor her past with Spencer and find new love with Ben--or will grief force them apart? VERDICT Told in two timelines that show the evolution of Lauren's relationships with both Spencer and Ben, Sussman's signature sharp writing shines in this gripping, emotional read, even if she leans to much on telling readers what's happening instead of showing them. Longtime fans of Sussman's work will also appreciate catching up with Gabe and Chani from her 2022 novel Funny You Should Ask.--Whitney Kramer
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A widowed mother falls for the sexy movie star who shows up in her small town. Three years after her husband's death, Lauren Parker is definitely not looking for love--Spencer was the only man she'd ever truly loved, and no one else in her small town compares. She has her hands full with her teenage daughter, the book and craft store she runs with her mom, and the rest of her life in Cooper, Montana, where everyone knows everything about her. Her brother, though, is famous actor Gabe Parker, and he recently moved back to Cooper to escape Hollywood and start a theater. He brought two actor friends with him to help put on a show: Oliver Matthias, who's their director, and Ben Walsh, a bisexual heartthrob known for his daring exploits. Lauren and Ben have intense chemistry right away, and she's extremely interested in a fling--but nothing more. This is, after all, the small town where she was judged for her supposed promiscuity as a teenager, and where her ultraconservative former mother-in-law is watching her every move. Lauren tries and repeatedly fails to avoid Ben (and his motorcycle and all-black ensembles). Plus, their lives are very different--Ben is a rising star who may end up being the next James Bond and traveling the world, while Lauren is firmly rooted in Cooper and dealing with all the complexities of raising a newly teenage (and still very much mourning) daughter. Fans of Sussman'sFunny You Should Ask (2022) will be happy to get another look at Gabe Parker, his love interest, Chani Horowitz, and the town of Cooper. Sussman alternates between Lauren's present-day attraction to Ben and her relationship with Spencer, impressively balancing two love stories at once. Lauren and Ben are an easy couple to root for as they face realistic adult obstacles like family and career, with the added sparkle of Ben's celebrity. A romance that balances the heaviness of grief with the excitement of new love. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
