A review by clkujawa
The Rivals of Copper County by May Archer

emotional funny hopeful reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Next in the amazing Copper County series. Watt and Jasper had met when they were 12 years old when Jasper had spent the summer holidays at his great aunt and uncle, Mabel and Abe’s, camp site - where they’d spent their time challenged each other - earning themselves the nickname The Rivals of Cooper County, and becoming best friends. Then, when they were both 17, their world went astray - they had their first kiss - which had dumbfounded them. Jasper had then been called away by Abe and had then flown off to California with his parents. Twenty years later Jasper returns to Copper County to sort out his great aunt’s house and campsite, which he had inherited. With both men convinced that they had been the one to instigate their kiss, which they then had not been able to discuss, their first meeting was only going to be tense. Jasper had taken a temporary job as hockey coach at Watt’s son, Derry’s, school which has thrown Watt as Jasper had not only never played hockey but also couldn’t skate. Both men had been married - Watt to Rachel who were parents to Derry, and Jasper to his then agent Martin. However both men were now divorced - and while Watt was still friends with his ex wife, Jasper had a very strained relationship with his ex husband, especially as he found out that, not only had Martin been unfaithfully, but he’d set up a new model agency with his new lover and taken all the models from the agency they had run together, with him. For all the time Watt and Jasper had been apart their initial attraction was still there - it just needed a bit of careful handling to bring it back to life. The merging of characters and towns of O’Leary and Copper County has been brilliant and I’m really looking forward to reading Dermot and Brew’s story.
“Sometimes you need to take a wrong turn to get where you’re supposed to be..”