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Synopsis

From New York Times Bestseller, Corinne Michaels, comes a new second chance standalone romance.

I spent twenty years waiting for Trent Hennington to open his eyes and see me. But it was all for nothing. He chose to keep himself guarded and let me walk away, proving that my time and efforts were wasted.

I’m done being invisible.
It’s time to move on.

A single dance sets my new reality into motion, and I welcome it. After all, Cooper Townsend is perfect. He's kind, sexy, and attentive– everything a girl could want.

I thought I got it right this time.
That my heart could mend, and I would be happy.
Apparently, some things really are just too hard to walk away from.

 

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Book Trailer

 

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Review

“You forgot the part about where I want to be someone’s world.”
… “You forgot the part where you already are.”

4 stars, and all the feels!

Corinne Michaels writes wonderfully emotional love stories, and this series and its stories of second-chance-romance are like book crack for a reader like me. Trent and Grace’s story has been hinted at in previous books of the series, and I have been so excited to get my hands on this one!

Trent is the town Sherriff and the eldest of the three Hennington brothers. He and Grace have been in an on and off relationship for 20 years, but it’s a relationship that never really went anywhere. This book starts off with an emotional punch as Grace ends her relationship with Trent once and for all. She loves him madly, but she can’t put up with his lack of involvement, the doubts as to whether he truly loves her, and his refusal to move forward. It’s devastating and heartbreaking, and even though it’s the first few pages of the book, I was feeling it all with her.

“I’m done,” I say with my back turned. “I’m done only being good enough when it’s convenient for you. I’m done being the girl who’s waitin’ around, hoping you’ll finally admit that you love her. I can’t do it anymore. You’re killing me.”

It’s a heartbreaking situation. There is clearly a lot of love between them, but with Trent unable to give Grace what she wants, I could completely understand why she wanted to end things and move on with her life. And what makes it even more heartbreaking is Trent’s acceptance of everything that Grace is saying, his acknowledgement that she deserves more and that he can’t give it to her, and their genuine love for each other that shines through every encounter.

“Trent,” I say as he passes through the threshold. I step closer because for better or worse, Trent is worthy of love. “Promise me that you’ll find whatever it is you’re searching for.”
He wipes the tear from under my eye. “I already had it, but I wasn’t smart enough to hold onto it.”

In a delicious twist, with Grace single for the first time in a long time, Presley’s brother Cooper seizes the moment to make his move. He has been friends with Grace since their childhood, but he feels more for her and he is keen to explore what could be between them. I love Cooper! Smart, funny and an absolute sweetheart, he is exactly the sort of man that Grace knows that she should be with, and I loved their interactions! They are open and honest with each other about their feelings – Grace tells him her hesitations and doubts and Cooper is understanding and accepting of all of that, and the fact that she is still so obviously in love with Trent, but she’s keen to move on with her life, and I love their willingness to explore what they could have together.

But the reality of Grace actually moving on without him is what wakes Trent up to everything that he has lost. He’s always loved her – and only her – and finally realises what he wants, and he is a man on a mission as he sets about winning back the woman he has always loved but that he let slip away.

“It was never about you not being what I wanted. It was me not knowing that what I had was everything I needed.”

She’s the girl I want. She’s the girl I love. She’s the girl I’m going to get back.

I love second-chance-romances. This one sort of borders on the second-chance thing because to me it never really felt like Trent and Grace were separated. The intention may have been there, but emotionally it never really happened. There are emotional barriers that they need to overcome, and Trent has a whole lot of growing up to do, and this book is more about that as he realises what he truly wants, and tries to convince Grace of that, while accepting her love in return.

“You said you love me, and I’m standin’ before you askin’ you to let me do the same.”

I enjoyed the development of Trent’s character. Though he struggles with it, he is a man who is deeply in love, and seeing him put all of that out there for Grace for the first time was really gorgeous, as was her reaction to it as she lapped up everything that she’s been missing for so long. It’s a wonderful mix of drama, emotion and passionate romance, and I could feel it all!

“Say I’m yours,” he demands.
I don’t hesitate. “You’re mine.”
“Say you’re mine.”
“I’ve only ever been yours.”
… “You’ll only ever be mine.”
I touch his cheek. “And you?”
… “I don’t see anyone else but you, Gracie.”

But just when it seems like they are finally getting on the right track, more heartache and drama threatens to ruin the progress they have made. The strength of their relationship and will be put to the test like never before as their world is turned upside down.

I really enjoyed the set up to this book. Usually in a romance book we get to watch a couple fall in love and we fall along with them. In this book they are already there, they just need to get on the same page and finally do something about it, and then learn how to stick together and persevere through the hard times. I enjoyed that shift and thought that Michaels did a great job of us dropping us straight into a highly emotional situation and making us feel it straight away rather than allowing those emotions to build along with the characters as you read.

Having said that though, I wasn’t as invested in Grace and Trent’s love story as I wanted to be. I was just so annoyed at the both of them for wasting so much time – Trent for his refusal to put his heart out there for Grace and commit to her, and Grace for putting up with it for so long! I mean, it was 20 years! 20 years without him ever telling her that he loved her, 20 years of him pulling away every time she tried to talk about the future, and 20 years with her putting up with that! Really? And I thought his reasoning behind it all was weak. The fact that they had gone on that way for so long meant that I didn’t get that ‘epic love’ sort of feeling that I love in a romance. I want a couple who throw themselves all in rather than just going with the flow and stagnating for so long. But that was the journey for these characters, and there’s no denying that they are meant to be, and ultimately I was happy at the way this one ended up.

“You’re the only thing I know that’s real.”
“I’m real. I’m yours, and I love you

Characters from the series are all a part of the story, and I loved catching up with the couples from the previous books, as well as their families and friends. Of course Cooper is a big part of the action, and I loved getting to know him more. There’s a hint about his story, and I’m really excited to get to his book.

And speaking of Cooper, if you are concerned about a love triangle, don’t be. It’s very clear where Grace’s heart lies, and the situation with Cooper is handled perfectly, with no stupid behaviour, game playing or hurt feelings and I was more than happy with how it all played out.

This is a beautifully written book and a gorgeously emotional story about two people finally fighting for what they want. I wish things had been different for Trent and Grace, but there is no denying their story certainly brings the feels. My heart ached for them, and there were moments that had me swooning madly, and as their story unfolded I cried sad and happy tears. The ending left me with a big smile on my face, and I loved the epilogue which finishes everything off perfectly.

4 stars.

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

 

The Hennington Brothers

 

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About the Author

Corinne Michaels is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author of The Salvation Series (Beloved, Beholden, Consolation, Conviction & Defenseless). She’s an emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun loving mom of two beautiful children. Corinne is happily married to the man of her dreams and is a former Navy wife. After spending months away from her husband while he was deployed, reading and writing was her escape from the loneliness.

Both her maternal and paternal grandmothers were librarians, which only intensified her love of reading. After years of writing short stories, she couldn’t ignore the call to finish her debut novel, Beloved. Her alpha heroes are broken, beautiful, and will steal your heart.

 

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