MY RATING:
Synopsis:
There’s nothing like teaming up to investigate your mother’s shady new boyfriend to make you see your best friend in a whole new light . . .
Jenna Greene has been very clear with her She is not ready for marriage. Too bad he didn’t listen. Turns out a rejected proposal is a sure way to lose a boyfriend—and a job.
Read More:
Because, yes, he’d also been her boss. But it seems the firing has come at the perfect time. Back on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, Jenna’s widowed mother has returned from a cruise—with a new boyfriend in tow. Something isn’t right, and Jenna decides to return home to find out what’s going on.
Tyson Parker has a pretty great life on Chincoteague. He’s gainfully employed at his parents’ bed and breakfast—in the very home where he grew up with his three brothers, right across the street from his best friend, Jenna. He loves volunteering for the island’s illustrious fire company and being one of the saltwater cowboys who cares for Chincoteague’s wild ponies. If only he could’ve skipped the whole part where he’d married a two-timing woman. Still, he’s elated to have his best friend back when Jenna returns to the island, even if it is only temporary. And he’s happy to help her figure out what her mom’s suspicious new beau might be up to. But soon his feelings for Jenna begin to shift into. . . something different.
Jenna expected to enjoy visiting her mom, Tyson, and his whole family. She’d expected to feel closer to her deceased father on the island where the foal they’d named years ago now roams the wild salt marshes of Assateague like its ancestors have for hundreds of years. What she didn’t expect was for her feelings for her best friend to change. But she’s always sworn she’d never date a firefighter. Plus, Tyson is fresh off a betrayal. And also, there’s that teensy commitment problem she seems to have. Would she even have the courage to finally give her heart away? And should they really risk their beautiful friendship in the hopes they could someday be something more?
- Pages: 320
- Genre: Romance, Contemporary
- Publication date: April 14, 2026 by Thomas Nelson
- Format: Paperback, Kindle, Hardcover, Audiobook
- Source: ARC NetGalley
PURCHASE LINKS:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
KOBO
REVIEW:
This book had an interesting premise and a strong start. The failed proposal and relationship, the starting anew and how Jenna would overcome and grow out of this were what made me pick this book up and what intrigued me. This said, I was not pleased with the outcome and how the character dealt with the issues at hand.
And very soon in the story, the plot started to weaken. There was a lot of unnecessary drama thrown here and there. Not to mention the whole ordeal with Jenna’s mum… oh, and the side “crazy woman” thing with Tyson. These did not contribute to the main plot whatsoever and only made me annoyed with where and how everything was going on. Honestly, I would have preferred it if the author had focused more on Jenna’s recovery journey, with her friend gradually falling for her or something like that. I definitely think that the side story of her mother was a letdown, and it irritated me to say the least. Grown people acting like kids on steroids… not my thing. Additionally, I was totally on Jenna’s side regarding this ordeal. If my mum did something similar, I would absolutely 100 % be telling her off and would have thrown that guy out of my house myself. If you know what I am talking about, please let me know what you would have done in this situation.
Another thing that did not sit well with me is that everything is so conveniently placed and right there when the characters need it. I see this glitch in so many contemporary books that at this point, I think it is a trend. So not going to dive into this any deeper.
Had these aspects been out of the picture and had the author focused on the main plot and characters, it would have been such a wonderful book. But I digress.
I must say I did enjoy the writing style and the friends-to-lovers trope, and in retrospect, it was a cosy, low-stakes read. The fact that this book is Christian and clean with no cursing or anything sexually explicit was great, and I absolutely appreciated this. It is a breath of fresh air to read books with clean content after all the overly explicit ones I have read over the years.
Overall, it was an alright read, and I gave it a solid 3 stars. I would still recommend it, though.
Lin's Perspective 
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