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neshaisabookworms_book_review's review
5.0
The best book of the series
This is by far my favorite book of the series, absolutely phenomenal writing, characters, and story line. The burn was slow but man did it buuuuurn when the time was right!
Drew was the redemption arc I didn’t know I needed but so glad that I got.
This is by far my favorite book of the series, absolutely phenomenal writing, characters, and story line. The burn was slow but man did it buuuuurn when the time was right!
Drew was the redemption arc I didn’t know I needed but so glad that I got.
scoutmomskf's review
4.0
Good book, with unusually realistic look at depression and its effects on a person's entire life. We first see Fay as she has awakened from sleeping with her ex-husband, to find that he is attempting to sneak away. She is rather whiny, begging him not to go, and wondering what she did wrong. Shane is cold, making excuses, and leaves without even a nice word. Fay doesn't understand his actions, since she's so sure that they are going to get back together. Shortly after that, she begins to descend into a funk, but has to pull herself together to take care of her boys.
At this point I really wanted to shake her, smack her, tell her to open her eyes. Shane is only using her, and she can't see it. However, we do start to learn that Fay has a real problem with self esteem and depression, and I began to feel a bit sorry for her. Though I still wanted her to wake up and see the truth, I could see that it was going to be a struggle for her.
Zach has come to Shady Grove to try to get his own life back together. He lost an arm and a leg in the Marines and is trying to figure out what comes next. One of his half brothers lives in Shady Grove, and Zach gets a job working for him. His relationship with his half brothers has been a bit rocky, as Zach is the illegitimate one. He holds great resentment against his father because of the way his mother was treated. I liked the way that he and Kane came to an understanding, with Kane treating Zach as any other employee. Zach's independence comes through when he refuses the apartment over the pub, and instead looks for his own lodging. He ends up at Fay's B&B.
Their initial meeting is a little rough. Fay thinks he looks dangerous, with her imagination off and running. Zach thinks she's a bit flaky, but eventually accepts a room. Then he witnesses a visit (more like a confrontation) from her ex-husband's pregnant fiancee. She's in shock and he helps her out, but realizes that she has more issues than he thought. He figures that, even though he's attracted to her, it's better to stay away from her. Even so, he again comes to her aid when he witnesses her trying to gather the courage to confront Shane while being fussed at by her best friend. I liked the way that he stepped in and rather than telling her what to do the way everyone else does, tells her what her options are and that what she does is up to her and no one else.
This is the beginning of an interesting relationship. Zach is drawn to her in spite of her problems. They become friends, with Zach connecting with her sons and being the kind of example their father isn't. He and Fay become workout buddies, as he helps her see that exercise can help with her moods. All the time, we see how close Zach is getting to her, and how much he starts to care. Fay is getting closer to Zach also, and his influence helps her break the cycle with Shane. Her feelings for him start to grow, but she's not sure that she can believe what she feels is real. She gathers the courage to make advances to him, but then panics the next morning and pushes him away. I ached for Zach because he cared so much and her reaction hurt him badly. I loved that it was the pregnant ex-fiancee that pointed out to Fay what an idiot she was being, and that if she wanted Zach she was going to have to go after him. I enjoyed her big moment at the end and seeing the beginnings of the woman she could be, and the one that Zach has seen all along.
I really liked Fay's sons. Like most kids, they are pretty adaptable, and they soon accept Zach just as he is. There are several really great scenes as they interact with him in their own styles. I also loved seeing how he treats them when they're being obnoxious little twits.
I did not like Maddie at all in this book. She treated Fay like she was an idiot and kept telling her what to do instead of supporting her. I liked seeing Zach tell her off, and Fay finally stand up to her. It was an eye opening experience for Maddie.
At this point I really wanted to shake her, smack her, tell her to open her eyes. Shane is only using her, and she can't see it. However, we do start to learn that Fay has a real problem with self esteem and depression, and I began to feel a bit sorry for her. Though I still wanted her to wake up and see the truth, I could see that it was going to be a struggle for her.
Zach has come to Shady Grove to try to get his own life back together. He lost an arm and a leg in the Marines and is trying to figure out what comes next. One of his half brothers lives in Shady Grove, and Zach gets a job working for him. His relationship with his half brothers has been a bit rocky, as Zach is the illegitimate one. He holds great resentment against his father because of the way his mother was treated. I liked the way that he and Kane came to an understanding, with Kane treating Zach as any other employee. Zach's independence comes through when he refuses the apartment over the pub, and instead looks for his own lodging. He ends up at Fay's B&B.
Their initial meeting is a little rough. Fay thinks he looks dangerous, with her imagination off and running. Zach thinks she's a bit flaky, but eventually accepts a room. Then he witnesses a visit (more like a confrontation) from her ex-husband's pregnant fiancee. She's in shock and he helps her out, but realizes that she has more issues than he thought. He figures that, even though he's attracted to her, it's better to stay away from her. Even so, he again comes to her aid when he witnesses her trying to gather the courage to confront Shane while being fussed at by her best friend. I liked the way that he stepped in and rather than telling her what to do the way everyone else does, tells her what her options are and that what she does is up to her and no one else.
This is the beginning of an interesting relationship. Zach is drawn to her in spite of her problems. They become friends, with Zach connecting with her sons and being the kind of example their father isn't. He and Fay become workout buddies, as he helps her see that exercise can help with her moods. All the time, we see how close Zach is getting to her, and how much he starts to care. Fay is getting closer to Zach also, and his influence helps her break the cycle with Shane. Her feelings for him start to grow, but she's not sure that she can believe what she feels is real. She gathers the courage to make advances to him, but then panics the next morning and pushes him away. I ached for Zach because he cared so much and her reaction hurt him badly. I loved that it was the pregnant ex-fiancee that pointed out to Fay what an idiot she was being, and that if she wanted Zach she was going to have to go after him. I enjoyed her big moment at the end and seeing the beginnings of the woman she could be, and the one that Zach has seen all along.
I really liked Fay's sons. Like most kids, they are pretty adaptable, and they soon accept Zach just as he is. There are several really great scenes as they interact with him in their own styles. I also loved seeing how he treats them when they're being obnoxious little twits.
I did not like Maddie at all in this book. She treated Fay like she was an idiot and kept telling her what to do instead of supporting her. I liked seeing Zach tell her off, and Fay finally stand up to her. It was an eye opening experience for Maddie.
beckymmoe's review
4.0
Phew--this one was a tough one to read at times. A very realistic (or so it appears from the outside, anyway) portrayal of depression--sometimes it was all too easy to be tempted to adapt the attitude of Fay's friends and family: why can't she just leave her ex at the curb, already? Get over him and move on? OMG, especially at the beginning I just wanted to shake her--but yeah, I completely understand why she had to find her way to putting him in the past by herself. I loved watching her discover her inner strength (mostly) on her own--Zach helped point her in the right direction, definitely, but it was very much Fay's own struggle and triumph. Their romance is almost an afterthought to the bigger struggles they're both dealing with--her depression, toxic ex, and dependence on others; his moving on with his life after losing an arm and a leg in the Marines--but truly, that's how it needed to be. There's much more to them finding their HEA than just discovering the right person to make that journey with.
Though I'd really like to see more of them as they continue on their way--perhaps Josie could have her own book, and Fay and Zach could be secondary characters? (And that's something I never thought I'd even consider at the beginning of this one, since Josie's the nineteen-year-old Fay's reprehensible ex impregnated and then left in a hotel room far from everything she knew...but hey, right in the same town as his ex and their two kids. Total prince...though Josie herself didn't quite seem like a sympathetic character at first. Until suddenly, she was.)
I definitely appreciated the fact that Fay's two boys weren't model children. The oldest was a bit of a mouthy brat used to getting his own way, and the youngest had a tendency to be on the timid side (though he could give his brother as good as he got when needed). It all fit with their mother's self esteem issues and struggles with depression. Underneath it all, they're sweet boys--hopefully as Fay continues to grow stronger and under Zach's positive influence they'll straighten up. They showed promise when Zach let them help in the kitchen (some of my favorite scenes, btw.)
I've gotten behind in the In Shady Grove series--clearly it's time to catch up!
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Though I'd really like to see more of them as they continue on their way--perhaps Josie could have her own book, and Fay and Zach could be secondary characters? (And that's something I never thought I'd even consider at the beginning of this one, since Josie's the nineteen-year-old Fay's reprehensible ex impregnated and then left in a hotel room far from everything she knew...but hey, right in the same town as his ex and their two kids. Total prince...though Josie herself didn't quite seem like a sympathetic character at first. Until suddenly, she was.)
I definitely appreciated the fact that Fay's two boys weren't model children. The oldest was a bit of a mouthy brat used to getting his own way, and the youngest had a tendency to be on the timid side (though he could give his brother as good as he got when needed). It all fit with their mother's self esteem issues and struggles with depression. Underneath it all, they're sweet boys--hopefully as Fay continues to grow stronger and under Zach's positive influence they'll straighten up. They showed promise when Zach let them help in the kitchen (some of my favorite scenes, btw.)
I've gotten behind in the In Shady Grove series--clearly it's time to catch up!
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
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