Series:
Indiana Summers (Book 3)
They've been trying to avoid each other.
But this town has other ideas…
When Berkley Carr opened The Love Shack Animal Haven, she
thought she'd finally put her past behind her. But sometimes she feels the
sting of the scandal from her youth, especially when she keeps crossing paths
with her handsome neighbor. So, she keeps her head down and pours all her love
into caring for animals.
Lawson Salder moved to Cemetery, Indiana, to escape from
the grinding poverty of his childhood. He barely knew Berkley from their old
neighborhood, but every time he sees her, the shame and pain come crashing
back. He knows she's got major baggage of her own. They're better off just
avoiding each other.
But that's downright impossible in a town full of
matchmaking busybodies. Then there's the hard-to-ignore attraction they feel
every time they see each other. When the universe is conspiring to bring them
together, will Berkley and Lawson let past hurts go and embrace the love they
deserve?
Good book about love, friendship, starting over, and
letting go. This is the third book in the Indiana Summers series. I haven't
read the first two, and this book easily reads as a stand-alone. We have a
two-for-one romance and four people who have come to Cemetery to escape their
pasts and start over.
Berkley grew up in a poor neighborhood in a small town in
Kentucky. She left town under a scandal that was no fault of hers but has
affected how she sees herself. She has a new life running the Love Shack Animal
Haven, where she pours all the love in her heart into the animals she cares
for. However, the fallout from that past makes her wary of getting close to
anyone, so she tends to keep to herself. She's shocked when someone from her
hometown also moves to Cemetery, raising fears that her past will come to
light.
Lawson grew up in poverty with awful parents. He left as
soon as he could and traveled the world, seeing the good and the bad of people
everywhere. He settled in Cemetery and opened a t-shirt printing business. He
was surprised to see Berkley, who he knew when they were younger. He feels
guilty that he didn't do anything to help her back in the day.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Berkley
and Lawson. They initially planned to avoid each other, but it is a small town,
and they live close to each other. Their early interactions are facilitated by Berkley's
pets - Hero, the overprotective rescue dog, and Cheese, the klepto-kitty. I
loved the background stories of these two animals and how they came to live
with Berkley. I laughed out loud whenever Cheese would steal something from
Lawson's (usually laundry) and hide it at Berkley's, necessitating Lawson to retrieve
it. He earned big brownie points with Berkley and me and with his kindness and
understanding toward her pets.
I liked how easy it was for Berkley to connect with
Lawson since she had nothing to hide from him. He already knew about her past. They
quickly developed a strong friendship, and it wasn't long before sparks of
attraction flared between them. I liked the slow build from friends to more, allowing
each to deal with their pasts. I loved Lawson's protectiveness and support when
Berkley's past threatened to wreck her new life. The ending was great.
A secondary romance developed between two other
newcomers. Lark owns the local hair salon. She also came to Cemetery to escape
the trauma and memories of the past. She is bubbly, outgoing, and determined to
get to know everyone in town. She and Berkley bond quickly, forming a deep
friendship that fills a hole neither realized they had. I loved seeing Lark
zero in on Oliver, another newcomer, who seems serious and standoffish. She is
determined to get him to lighten up. Oliver, a former physical therapist, came
to Cemetery to escape a toxic situation with his family. He is opening a
fitness center. The first meeting between the two was fun to watch as Lark
smashes through his aloofness. Their relationship was also fun to follow.
Two other characters played significant parts in the
book. The first is Betty Cemetery, the town matriarch and descendant of the
town's founder. She is deeply immersed in everything that goes on in
"her" town and doesn't hesitate to interfere if she sees the need. I
loved how she took Berkley under her wing and became like a surrogate
grandmother to her. Her support and belief in Berkley go a long way toward rebuilding
Berkley's confidence.
The other character is the town mascot, a mannequin named
Kathleen. Kathleen appears in various locations, but no one knows who is behind
it. Lawson is initially creeped out by her, and it is especially funny to see some
of the goings on as someone takes advantage of that. I laughed out loud at some
of the antics and enjoyed seeing Lawson slowly join in the fun. I loved seeing
Lawson, Berkley, Lark, and Oliver join together in a special Kathleen event.
