This is my absolute favorite Catherine Cowles book to date. Her stories just keep getting better and better, but I knew this one would shine from the first moment we met Caelyn in Reckless Memories. She is the best heroine that Catherine Cowles has ever written, in my opinion. She’s brave and strong and the most genuine and kind woman you can imagine. We learned a little bit about her past before this book, but we get to dive deep into it in this story and let me just tell you…it is A LOT. Caelyn is the sole guardian of her three younger siblings: Mia, Ava, and Will. I think what truly set this story apart for me was the fact that I’m also the oldest of four. I have two younger sisters and a younger brother, and I would whole heartedly lay down my life and dreams for them. That’s exactly what Caelyn does in this story. She drops out of college and moves home to take care of her siblings after they lost their parents (sort of – read the book to see what I mean). It’s fascinating and empowering to witness her day to day life: taking care of her siblings, working, and still making time for friends. She’s a BOSS. 

To add a little spice to our tale, we are introduced to Griffin. Yummy, delicious, insanely gorgeous Griff. Oh man. He also has a dark past. That’s where we really got into the meat of our story. Griffin experienced great loss and heartbreak. The kind a lot of people might never recover from. He is back in Anchor to handle his family’s property. It was vandalized and ransacked. The contents in the house were basically destroyed and the entire house is in need of repair. Griffin makes it his mission to take on the house alone, with no help. He doesn’t realize how much he needs love in his life until he gets closer to Caelyn and her siblings. Will, Caelyn’s brother, helps Griffin with renovations. Mia and Ava bring him joy and sprinkle color into his life. And of course, Caelyn brings friendship and romantic love. It’s the perfect ingredients for a happy family. 

Honestly, there isn’t too much I want to say about the plot of this one because I fear it would spoil the novel! I will say this: I cried more in this book than any of Catherine Cowles other novels. It’s powerful and so beautiful. If you’re looking for a sexy book, this isn’t it. There are a few sexy scenes, but it’s more about the suspense and the emotional depth than anything else. It is AWESOME. 5 stars!!