Tumble
I initially found this book because book 2 in the series is getting a lot of hype on Instagram. Now these books can be read as standalones, but if you want the full effect and to understand the characters it's always best to just read them in order, so when I bought book 2 I decided to buy book 1 also. I've had Adriana Locke on my to-read shelf for a while, but I've never taken the plunge. I felt like this was a solid book to start with. I really enjoyed it, and it was an easy read.
"After being burned by her dream job in New York City, sports journalist Neely Kimber suddenly finds herself jobless and paying a long-overdue visit to her hometown in Tennessee. Her plan? Relax, reset, and head back up the corporate ladder. There's just one unexpected step. Neely's back in Dogwood Lane for barely a day when she sees the man she ran from nine years ago: the bad boy next door who was her first kiss, her first love, and her first..heartbreak. Devoted single dad Dane Madden knows he hurt Neely in the worst way. He's got a lot to make up for. And as passionate as their reconnection is, it's a lot to hope for. Having her back in his arms feels so right. But falling in love all over again with a woman who wants to live a world away is bound to go so wrong. What's it going to take for Neely to give him- and Dogwood Lane- just one more chance?"
"You're gonna fall a lot. Sometimes it'll hurt and sometimes it won't hurt as much as it will bruise you, and you'll have that scar for a really long time. But you can't let it stop you."
Neely was a great character. She was strong, and sassy. She came back home pretty defeated, but she didn't let that stop her from living. She made herself right back at home and picked up right back where she left off. I think she could see that her true colors were really shining when she was back home with the people she loved. I enjoyed the conversations between her and Dane, but I think my favorite conversations were those she had with Mia. You could tell she had already started to build a connection with the little girl in the short time she was home.
I see a lot of hate towards Dane on Goodreads reviews, and I don't get it. Sure I was pretty upset when I found out what he had done to drive Neely away, but I'm also a big believer in forgivness. He did the unthinkable, but he did that over 10 YEARS AGO. He was in highschool. I know that I myself am a completely different person than I was in highschool, and I wouldn't want people to associate me with that person anymore, so I guess I had a little more forgiveness for him. I also feel like as an adult it's easier to grow up and move past things, than it might have been fresh out of highschool. You could plainly tell he was a great guy, and a great father.
"This," He says, motioning between us, "was what I've wanted my entire life. This was my chance of a lifetime."
I loved the supporting characters in the story. It made you wish that was your hometown and those were your friends. I'm still kind of hoping that Neely's best friend Grace leaves the big city life and comes to Dogwood Lane and finds herself a man, her character was one of my favorites.
I think the character growth was outstanding in this story. Neely came to town still feeling burned from what went down so many years ago, but she was able to grow and forgive. Dane was finally given the opportunity to tell her his side of things and apologize for how much pain he caused in her life. I think the biggest part of this love story was forgivness. Learning how to forgive things that had happened in the past, and move forward with your one true love. I liked that even now, many years in the future, they still had to overcome those obstacles that they ran from in the past to finally see each other, and finally get their shot at real love.
"But she is our family," Mia insists. "I feel it in my heart."
"If you love somebody, you look for them. You look and look and look until you find them. And I know you love her just like she loves you."
Overall, I'm giving this one 5 STARS. It really was a no brainer for me. These two people really loved one another, and they were able to grow, and forgive and find that love again. It was a love that never really left either of them, but in order for them both to move forward they had to face those demons from the past. This was a fantastic read! I can't wait to see what Adriana has in store with book 2!
"After being burned by her dream job in New York City, sports journalist Neely Kimber suddenly finds herself jobless and paying a long-overdue visit to her hometown in Tennessee. Her plan? Relax, reset, and head back up the corporate ladder. There's just one unexpected step. Neely's back in Dogwood Lane for barely a day when she sees the man she ran from nine years ago: the bad boy next door who was her first kiss, her first love, and her first..heartbreak. Devoted single dad Dane Madden knows he hurt Neely in the worst way. He's got a lot to make up for. And as passionate as their reconnection is, it's a lot to hope for. Having her back in his arms feels so right. But falling in love all over again with a woman who wants to live a world away is bound to go so wrong. What's it going to take for Neely to give him- and Dogwood Lane- just one more chance?"
"You're gonna fall a lot. Sometimes it'll hurt and sometimes it won't hurt as much as it will bruise you, and you'll have that scar for a really long time. But you can't let it stop you."
Neely was a great character. She was strong, and sassy. She came back home pretty defeated, but she didn't let that stop her from living. She made herself right back at home and picked up right back where she left off. I think she could see that her true colors were really shining when she was back home with the people she loved. I enjoyed the conversations between her and Dane, but I think my favorite conversations were those she had with Mia. You could tell she had already started to build a connection with the little girl in the short time she was home.
I see a lot of hate towards Dane on Goodreads reviews, and I don't get it. Sure I was pretty upset when I found out what he had done to drive Neely away, but I'm also a big believer in forgivness. He did the unthinkable, but he did that over 10 YEARS AGO. He was in highschool. I know that I myself am a completely different person than I was in highschool, and I wouldn't want people to associate me with that person anymore, so I guess I had a little more forgiveness for him. I also feel like as an adult it's easier to grow up and move past things, than it might have been fresh out of highschool. You could plainly tell he was a great guy, and a great father.
"This," He says, motioning between us, "was what I've wanted my entire life. This was my chance of a lifetime."
I loved the supporting characters in the story. It made you wish that was your hometown and those were your friends. I'm still kind of hoping that Neely's best friend Grace leaves the big city life and comes to Dogwood Lane and finds herself a man, her character was one of my favorites.
I think the character growth was outstanding in this story. Neely came to town still feeling burned from what went down so many years ago, but she was able to grow and forgive. Dane was finally given the opportunity to tell her his side of things and apologize for how much pain he caused in her life. I think the biggest part of this love story was forgivness. Learning how to forgive things that had happened in the past, and move forward with your one true love. I liked that even now, many years in the future, they still had to overcome those obstacles that they ran from in the past to finally see each other, and finally get their shot at real love.
"But she is our family," Mia insists. "I feel it in my heart."
"If you love somebody, you look for them. You look and look and look until you find them. And I know you love her just like she loves you."
Overall, I'm giving this one 5 STARS. It really was a no brainer for me. These two people really loved one another, and they were able to grow, and forgive and find that love again. It was a love that never really left either of them, but in order for them both to move forward they had to face those demons from the past. This was a fantastic read! I can't wait to see what Adriana has in store with book 2!
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