Okay, wow. This was better than the first (and that's saying something). I had . . . trepidation approaching this one because I really liked Chloe and Jason and I didn't want senseless retrograde relationship nonsense just to build a story. I mean, book 2 of a romance series with the same couple means something has to happen, right?
And truthfully, the book does have some problematic relationship wobbles and I didn't really appreciate it. And yes, I have to admit that it's very much within Chloe's character to have doubts and insecurities and in Jason's to have his internal guilt/pride thing going on. So there's nothing out of character so it's all very realistic and doesn't contradict anything in the other book.
And all that sounds very dire but I ended up loving how Tippetts made it all work. Not only was she not unreasonable, but she ends up showing how couples rely on the strength of their relationship to navigate difficult emotional waters. So the book ends up with a background theme of trust, love, and working towards one another in a relationship when other factors are working against you. So while I didn't appreciate it to start, I ended up appreciating a strong message, well-delivered.
But what really knocked this book out of the park for me was an inserted story that I found, at first, rather annoying. There are bits from a show of some kind interspersed throughout the novel (usually at the beginning of a chapter, but sometimes in the middle or end) and it's a bit annoying that you lack context for it. I finally figured out what was happening just before the middle of the book and it became explicit a bit later—and it became the vehicle for layering an extremely powerful emotional impact that put me literally in tears (in a good way, of course). This was very embarrassing in the middle of the work lunchroom, let me tell you, but at least nobody else was present. I'd gladly take more emasculation than that, however, for that delivery of hope in despair and dedication in the face of failure. What could have been a pedestrian treatise in simple luck and fortune became gloriously richer with layers of purpose, effort, gratitude, and finding value in unexpected but enriching places/people/circumstances.
That emotional impact was worth slogging through a slow story with uninteresting characters. Being set in a beautiful story with marvelous characters and excellent pacing made this a stand-out read that I wholeheartedly recommend. My only hesitation is that you appreciate the story so much more following the first book and this book isn't really a romance whereas that one most certainly is. In other words, if you're only into this type of thing for the romance, then you won't find what you're looking for here. What you'll find is, I think, better, but that's only true for my own, particular, tastes.
A note about Steamy: Like the first, there is no steam in this novel. Unlike the first, the main characters are clearly having sex. Tippetts manages just fine without showing details and the reader is in no doubt as to the extent or emotional content of their relationship.