A review by read_on_reader
Second True Love by Vikki Jay

5.0

Clementine Hawthorne comes from a very wealthy very well known family with expectations on every aspect of her life already predetermined, so when she wants to venture off the beaten path and do things on her own her horrific mother does not agree. For years Clementine has tried to fight for every ounce of independence and while she is very naive about some things she is a strong willed person wanting to what she can for herself. My heart hurt for her because no one in her family would really stick up for her, none of them truly believed in her dreams, and they all were waiting for her to fail so they could coddle her and tell her I told you so. I was proud when she went out on her own moved into a new area, started a new job, and tried so hard at everything she did. When she moves in with the Adams’ she doesn’t expect grumpy Keith and his wonderful daughter Merida. She instantly befriends the daughter but Keith is still chasing ghosts of his past so he comes off hateful towards her. Keith also broke my heart because he carried so much pain with him. He was still mourning the loss of his wife ten years later and he couldn’t see that not only was it eating away at his soul, but it was taking away from his relationship with his daughter. When things happen and the tension rises between Clementine and Keith will Keith let his guard down to pursue it or will his pain be too much to bare? Can Clementine prove to herself and her family that she is fully capable of living her own life on her own terms or will they all still wait for her to fail? This story was a beautiful one about learning to carve your own paths in life and learning to live with the past never forgetting but living again. The characters were wonderful except I still despised her mother she deserves so much horrible things because she acts as if everyone, including Clementine, is beneath her. I also had issues with Oscar which I loved before, but in this book he was unsupportive when Clementine truly needed it, never took her side when it counted, and was one of the ones waiting for her to come home with her tail between her legs which was all disappointing because he seems like a great guy. In the end Clementine proved herself more than able to succeed in life and love. She was the light to Keith’s darkness and the happiness in his grief.