The Echo of Regret by Jillian Liota is live!

The fourth book in the Cedar Point series, this is a small town, second-chance sports romance that is sweet, sexy and emotional, and I loved this story.

 

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Blurb

Bishop Mitchell is destined for baseball greatness – until an injury brings him home before he ever truly gets his shot. Now, he’s biding time back in Cedar Point. Helping coach his high school team, hanging with friends…and, apparently, falling for his high school girlfriend all over again.

Gabriela Ventura enjoys her small town life: a few close relationships, a thriving pottery business, and teaching ceramics is more than enough. So when the boy who broke her heart returns to town, the last thing she’s interested in is rekindling a friendship. Or anything else.

When Bishop and Gabi get partnered together at work, they cautiously take a trip down memory lane. The laughter, the banter, the chemistry…it’s all just as good as they remember, and slipping back into their routine proves easier than either could have imagined.

But what isn’t easy is healing old wounds. With Bishop’s days in Cedar Point counting down and their future uncertain once again, the two must decide: is what they share worth letting go of their regrets from the past?

The Echo of Regret is book four in the Cedar Point series, a series of interconnected standalone romance novels following five siblings as they find their happily-ever-afters in a lakeside small town in the mountains. While the books can be read in any order, readers will receive tidbits throughout the series about other couples. For the best, spoiler-free experience, it’s encouraged to read the series in order.

 

 

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Review

4 stars

The fourth book in the Cedar Point series, this is a small town, second-chance sports romance that is sweet, sexy and emotional, and I loved this story. Though you do see characters from earlier books in the series, you can easily read this one as a standalone.

Bishop is one of the Mitchell siblings who form the heart of this series. He’s a minor league baseball player and has just returned home to recover after suffering a near-career ending injury. He’s helping out the high school baseball team and reconnecting with friends and family, and his time off becomes a whole lot more interesting when he runs into his high school girlfriend four years after he left town and broke her heart.

I’ve always known I missed her. I’ve always regretted how things ended between us, the fact that I lost my best friend and the love of my life in one fell swoop.

Gabi is a local artist in Cedar Point. Moody and somewhat antisocial, she is fantastically snarky and deeply unhappy to see Bishop again. They were ‘it’ for each other, it took her a lot to get over him and she’s moved on and has a good life, and now he’s back and she’s instantly putting up walls to protect herself again. But they’re both teaching at the local high school, and when they’re partnered up to work together, it forces them to confront each other in a way that Gabi was trying so hard to avoid.

Now that I‘ve had a hit of what it’s like to be near her again, I’ve been dealing with a rush of memories and emotions and reminders of who we used to be back when we didn’t have such a chasm between us. That’s what I’m facing now, trying to figure out how to bridge that gap, how to scale that moat and fight my way back inside the space she protects so fiercely
I just want her in my life again, however I can.

It’s a fun dynamic between these two. Bishop is like an excited puppy, so happy to be back with the girl he’s missed so badly, and Gabi tries so hard to resist, but it’s not too long before they’re talking about the old days, laughing, joking and having fun together. Before too long they are all up in each other’s lives once again, and effortlessly falling back together.

“I missed you,” I tell her, not having planned to say the words out loud but feeling it so deeply that I’m practically compelled to. “God, Gabi…” Using my good hand, I caress the side of her face, stroking my thumb along the apple of her cheek. “I missed everything about you.”

This is such a gorgeous romance. Bishop is sweet and fun and full of understanding and patience with his girl, and when Gabi lets her walls down, they’re so easy and natural together. Their feelings for each other are strong, they’re so honest with each other, and they hold nothing back.

“I love you. I’ve always loved you. And I don’t think I’ve ever stopped.”

But life outside of their happy bubble tore them apart last time, and with Bishop’s time in town coming to an end, they are risking their hearts once again. They have challenges to face as they figure it all out, and I loved watching them find their way to their HEA.

I’m such a sucker for a second-chance romance, and I loved this story! Bishop and Gabi are great characters, I loved them and their heartfelt romance, the moments with family and friends, and the small-town setting which adds a lot to their story.

This is such a sweet read and I loved it. 4 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.

 

Cedar Point

 

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About the Author

 Jillian Liota is a Southern California native currently living in Suwanee, Georgia. She is married to her best friend, has a three-legged pup with endless energy, and acts as a servant to a very temperamental cat.

Jillian writes contemporary and new adult romance, and has had her writing praised for depth of character, strong female friendships, deliciously steamy scenes, and positive portrayal of mental health.

 

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