Free: Available from Prolific Works

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Review

5 stars

OMG, I loved this story! It’s short, but it packs a punch, as friends in their 40s find love the second time around in a funny, sweet, emotional and steamy novella.

Leah’s husband of 20+ years has up and deserted the family, and she is 45 years old and left alone with four teenage children. Of course she’s devastated, but she takes strength from her children, and their life together, and she picks herself up and gets on with her life.

It’s two years later when also-divorced long-time family friend, Stone, finally makes the move that he’s been wanting to make for years, and puts his heart on the line to finally woo the woman he wants.

I’ve exercised more patience than I thought I possessed hoping for her to be with me in the feelings I have for her. It’s not who I am. I see something I want, and I go for it. But with Leah, I knew that I needed to go gentle. I needed to give her time.
Time’s up.

OMG, Jennifer Van Wyk has written some incredible literary men, and now she’s given us Stone! He has strong alpha vibes, but is so sweet and romantic. He’s gentle with Leah, knowing that he’s guiding her into something potentially huge, and his honesty, thoughtfulness, little romantic gestures and heartfelt declarations had me swooning madly!

“Our marriages ended for a reason, Leah. Those weren’t our people.”
“And you think I’m your person?” she asks quietly, a little skeptical.
Yes. With one hundred percent certainty.

“I am in this with you. Every step. However fast or slow you want it to go.”

Everything between them unfolds beautifully and perfectly with loads of chemistry, sizzling sexy time, and very little drama. This story felt real. The characters are real, their reactions are real, and I could see it all unfolding before me as I read, and I love that! I could feel everything between Leah and Stone, and loved watching them come together.

This novella is a prequel to the upcoming Lake Family series, which will have books for each of Leah’s four children, and there are already some fantastic setups there! These kids are a great bunch – beautifully proactive of their mom, funny and sweet with fun dynamics, and I am so freaking excited to carry on with this series.

“I want to know what your intentions are with our mom.” … “Dad totally dicked her over and acted like a tool. Don’t do that. She deserves to be treated like a queen and with respect, you know? If you can’t do that, I suggest you walk away now and maybe y’all can just stay friends.”

I absolutely loved this one. It was way shorter than I wanted it to be, but still gave me all the feels, and is a gorgeously romantic story.

5 stars!

 

The Lake Family