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Blurb
The New York Times bestselling author of Life’s Too Short delivers a refreshingly modern fairy tale perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Emily Henry.
After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come—the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable.
While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere” ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.
Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?
Review
5 amazing stars
Just damn. What a book, and what an audiobook! Reading this book was an incredible experience, I was immediately sucked in and was completely captivated from start to finish. I loved every moment, listening to 10+ hours in two sittings (and two very late nights), and when I finished, I started listening to it all over again. It’s an age-gap, opposites-attract romance that is funny, sweet, dramatic, and beautifully romantic. I loved this book so much, it’s an instant fave.
Alexis Montgomery is a dedicated ER doctor with the weight of her family’s legacy on her shoulders. Her parents are rich, entitled and care for little else other than their family name, and they look down on her and her life choices, especially since she left her long-term surgeon boyfriend (who turned out to be an emotionally abusive a-hole). They expect “better” from her, and she’s drowning under their expectations.
When Alexis finds herself stuck in a tiny country town after experiencing car trouble, she’s rescued by a helpful local who she later runs into at the local bar. They end up spending the night together, and she expected that to be the end of it. But it’s not. Daniel is the complete opposite of any man she’s ever met, he’s a country boy, he’s not wealthy, he’s kind, caring and big-hearted, he enjoys the little things in life and has zero expectations of her. He’s also nine years younger than she is (she’s 37, he’s 28) and somebody that she should stay away from. But she can’t.
Daniel is everything that Alexis shouldn’t want, but he’s the only thing on her mind. The feeling is more than mutual, and when Alexis reaches out to him, Daniel is beside himself with excitement. The chemistry between these two is electric, the banter is absolutely fantastic, and I loved every single interaction between them.
And as they continue to spend time together, Alexis gets to know Daniel’s small town. She meets the locals and sees how people outside of her usual social circle live. She begins to appreciate the simple things in life, and the joy and contentment that Daniel brings to it.
But they are from different worlds. There is so much standing in their way, and a future together is impossible. They’re completely honest and upfront about everything that’s happening between them, and they decide to enjoy each other for as long as they are able. But they find themselves falling deeper than they ever expected, inevitably putting them in a heartbreaking situation. And yes, my heart broke. There are scenes in this book that had me in tears (both times I listened to it… oh, Zachary Webber, those scenes should win you an award, seriously), I felt so much for them!
The love story is just incredible and I loved everything about Daniel and Alexis together. Despite their age gap and their huge differences, they are just so right together. Everything about them is easy, fun, sweet, swoony and passionate, and I adored every moment that they are together.
Daniel absolutely owned my heart. Honestly, the man is just perfect. He’s smart, funny, kind and thoughtful, he’s vulnerable and he’s real, and his quiet strength underpins every aspect of this story. He has his own dramas that he’s dealing with, and I loved the way he approached the issues in his life and worked so hard to achieve his dreams. And the way he opened his life up for Alexis is just gorgeous. He is amazing, and I love him so much!
There’s a great bunch of side characters (Alexis’ best friend, Bri, had me laughing so hard), and the town of Wakan feels like its own character as we get to know the eclectic, quirky and wonderful bunch of townsfolk. There are mini-stories running throughout the book that allow us to get to know the characters better, and that bring so much depth to the book. Hell, even the dog and the baby goat wearing pyjamas bring so much to the story! This is such a funny bunch (the dick pic conversation is absolute gold!), but there are also some serious storylines that are meaningful and emotional (trigger warnings for physical and emotional abuse), and I loved it all.
As much as I loved the romance, this book is so much more than that. This book is about the choices you make in life, figuring out what you need to be happy, and finding the strength to let go and move on so that you can live the life you want. Alexis’ journey as she does just that is heartfelt, profound, and beautifully written.
It’s amazing how someone can touch you, even if you only know them for a moment in time. How they can change you, alter you indelibly.
The audio is narrated by Julia Whelan and Zachary Webber, and they are absolutely phenomenal. Whelan’s portrayal of Alexis makes her so relatable, and I felt so much for her. And Webber is already a fave of mine, and the way he brought Daniel to life was just incredible. He made me swoon, laugh, cry, and fall in utter and absolute love, and I could not get enough of listening to this one! Books like this are why I listen to audiobooks. The only downside is that I couldn’t highlight quotes, because so much of this book is quote-worthy. If you have the chance to listen to this one – do it!
Abby Jimenez can do no wrong for me. I have adored each of her books, and I already know it will be one of my favourite reads for 2022.
5 stars!
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