15 summers ago, everything changed…
Ava Howell seemed to have it all. She moved away from
Emerald Creek, Idaho, married the love of her life and published a bestselling
memoir. But she never expected that her husband would feel so betrayed by a
secret from her past -- the truth of what happened to her and her sister all
those years ago -- that he'd walk away. Now Ava is back home and trying to move
on with the only person who can truly understand…
Following years of healing, Madison Howell is finally
happy. After college she built a no-kill shelter where she works with animals
every day, and she's in love with the town veterinarian, Dr. Luke Gentry. But
she can't ever bring herself to tell him. Years ago, his dad died protecting
Madi and her sister, so how could he ever love her back?
With the truth laid bare, and the past that Ava and
Madison have worked so hard to leave behind threatening everything they have
built for themselves, the Howell sisters' reunion is bittersweet. And as Ava
and Madi attempt to remedy the rifts in their lives and reconcile their
futures, they must face the demons of their past together.
Good story about two sisters who survived a traumatic
event as teenagers and how it continues to affect their lives. The story is
told from Ava and Madi's points of view, supplemented by that of Luke, who was
also a participant in the event that changed all their lives.
The story opens with Ava. She moved away from Emerald
Creek, married a man she adores, and made a career as a middle school English
teacher. But haunted by the events of that long-ago summer, she writes about it
as part of her therapy. She later expands her writing into her master's thesis
and eventually into a bestselling book. However, the book's publication strains
Ava's marriage as she had never shared many of those experiences with her
husband, Cullen. Hurt by what he feels is her lack of trust, Cullen uses an archaeological
dig to distance them while he deals with his feelings. Ava is devastated by his
departure and plans to spend the summer in Emerald Creek with her grandmother.
She also hopes to mend the rift with her sister, Madi, caused by the book's
publication.
Madi has tried to put the events of that summer behind
her despite the physical and mental scars. She followed her dream of helping
animals, first by becoming a vet tech and now by opening the Emerald Creek
Animal Rescue, a no-kill shelter. She's not happy about Ava's book. Madi
doesn't understand why Ava brings up those terrible memories and worries about
how people will look at her now. Her friendship and working relationship with
Luke is vital to her, as he never treats her as though she were broken. Her
feelings for Luke are stronger than friendship, but because his father died
while protecting Madi and Ava, she doesn't believe anything can come of them.
Luke is an all-around nice guy. A widower with a teenage
daughter, he is also the town veterinarian. He volunteers his services to
Madi's shelter. I loved how well he understood Madi and her fears and didn't
treat her differently than anyone else. He doesn't expect the chemistry that
flares between them and hesitates to pursue it because he doesn't want to ruin their
friendship.
A lot is going on in this book, but the central theme is
the relationship between Madi and Ava. Madi is so angry at Ava's publication of
their ordeal that she can barely stand to be in the same room with her. She
doesn't understand why everyone is so interested in what happened and hates
feeling like the center of attention. I got a little frustrated with her
refusal to read the book and maybe get an idea of its appeal. I wanted to lock
the two in a room until they talked everything out. It doesn't help that Ava also
keeps a secret that could further affect their relationship. Their relationship
is a roller coaster of ups and downs as each gains a little empathy with the
other's feelings. A crisis at the end is a make-or-break point.
We also have a rocky relationship between Ava and Cullen.
I understood Cullen's hurt at Ava's keeping the details of her past from him.
But I could also see Ava's need to be seen for herself, not as a product of her
past. Through it all, there was no question about their love for each other; it
was mainly a matter of restoring trust. An unexpected event boosts their
efforts, but will it be enough? Their story was heartbreaking, heartwarming, and
emotional.
The development of the relationship between Madi and Luke
was a slow growing one. They've been friends since that devastating day fifteen
years ago. We see plenty of camaraderie and ease with each other as they work
with the animals and during their other interactions. But two years after the
death of his wife, Luke suddenly discovers his feelings for Madi have changed.
There were a couple of heated kisses that they backed away from before
realizing their feelings for each other were reciprocated. I loved the final
push that brought them together.
The epilogue was terrific.
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