Enjoyable read...it's been hit or miss lately with KA books. I'm reminded of her past writing style with this one. I was interested in the different directions the plot took me. It had some "slow" times with too much description but nothing I couldn't get past. I really enjoy when it's not all about romance. ( )

Maybe a high 3 -1/2 stars so I went with 4. This was solidly written and solidly plotted. There was nothing really amazing about it but it was a totally pleasant outing. I enjoyed the older characters. I thought it was interesting to read about a man who could realistically gone back to his wife but who chose to move on with the new woman he had met after his wife divorced him and then realized it was a mistake. There was a bit of a police mystery going on and I was very pleasantly surprised by how well that bit was written and maybe ms. Ashley would be good at going the romantic suspense route. ( )

It is a good book, a lot like KA's earlier work, 'The Burg' series.
Hixon and Greta.
There are a lot of insightful things in this book. Hixon has been married for almost 20 years and is blindsided by a divorce, so he has to learn to 'date' again, the advice he gets from his teenage son is classic.
It is a small town so there is a different feel to this one, that said there is also a huge 'family' support network in good friends.
When the book starts we see things from Hixon's perspective and he has so much going on emotionally and then with his job, a murder, that he can't deal with all the complications that would come from being involved with Greta. What he doesn't know or has been too self involved to notice is that Greta's life has hardly been a bowl of peaches either. In typical KA fashion for a hero, he treats her badly, hurts her then realizes he has lost out of something huge so he sets about sorting that out.
This is a hard line to walk as some readers will feel the hero goes too far or his redemption is not enough so it can depend on your feelings what your take is on this.
I felt he acted badly, really hurt her but it is done when he is under a great deal of pressure and it does bother him after, he means to get things sorted but he has huge family issues and a murder to deal with so it gets put on the back burner a little. When he does realize how badly he messed up he goes to her and I thought he was sweet and he does say he was wrong but more importantly for me, he shows her he knows he was wrong. It also makes him human.

Greta's life and past is really difficult but it is not widely known as such, well Hixon didn't know anyway, some sheriff he is eh?
Some of the scenes dealing with her past and present are really emotional, I won't explain not to spoil it for any readers but it is KA writing at its best.
There are some extra treasures from scenes with Hix's kids, massive ex drama and Greta's past drama.
There are a few extra characters that would open itself up to be more books in the series but apparently KA had planned this to be a standalone book.
(Watch out for Toast and Hixon's son). ( )

4.6 stars

One of the things that I love the most about this author is her ability to give me real characters. Many of these characters, are older, have kids, are divorced, and have experienced life. They are real people like myself. As in older, this resonates with me. Her men, like Hixon, are just the right amount of Alpha and swoony. Her women, like Greta, are just the right amount of soft mixed with feisty and opinionated. So combined it is something that feels like it could really happen. There is a reason that this author can be just referred to as KA and people know who she is. ( )

Exclusive Audible story, narrated by Lance Greenfield and Erin Mallon. Hixon comes across as self absorbed, quick tempered ass at first. Once he gets his head out of his ass I started to really enjoy their story and romance even with their struggles with his crazy ex-wife and her toxic mother.
( )