This was my first book by Ms. Moran, but I'm already anxious to pre-order the next two books in this series, so I guess that's a pretty good sign that she's made a fan out of me.
I went in to this book not sure what to expect, and I was happily surprised by just how much I adored this book. This is SUCH an important book, not just because it's a well-written book with a great story line and a well-deserved happily ever after, but because it gives insight into the life of a parent who has a child on the autism spectrum. As someone with first-hand knowledge of the effects of autism on a child and on a family, I was nervous about how Hailey would be portrayed, but Ms. Moran did a beautiful job of showing how difficult life can be but also how high functioning and misunderstood children who have autism can be. This aunt of a child who has Autism and former worker at a preschool for kids with special needs would like to say thank you, Ms. Moran, for drawing attention to this in such a beautiful way. As if that weren't enough, this book includes a deaf character who isn't just a throw-away side character, but is a huge part of this book and is actually the main male character of the next book in the series. The people around him have learned sign language to make it so that they can communicate with him, they don't just make half-efforts. This type of inclusion is missing from the genre and I LOVE that Ms. Moran chose to write their stories. (I also just liked Flynn as a character, so I am excited to read his book.)
Avery is the epitome of a strong woman and a good mother and I couldn't help but root for her to deal with her (completely understandable) trust issues and allow herself to trust Cade.
I loved how she handled Hailey's meltdowns and tried to anticipate any issues, and how she checked up on Hailey at school without being a helicopter mom. Without spoiling anything, I got teary-eyed during one scene that took place at the fence.
Cade is the town's playboy who didn't stand a chance once he got past his initial incorrect assessment of Avery. It was so awesome watching him slowly lose his heart not only to Avery, but to Hailey. Unlike so many books in the genre these days, these two didn't meet and immediately fall into bed. There was a 'courtship' of sorts, and I appreciated that. This might sound weird, but even though it was a love story between Avery and Cade, in so many ways this book was also a “love story” between Hailey and Cade too. It was the kind of of a fatherly love story that every daughter SHOULD have with her father, but that Hailey had never experienced with her own uninvolved father. The way that he nurtured her and cared for, the way that he connected with her in his own way, made me swoon. I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried during the scene in the woods and then the scene that followed. I didn't expect that.
Not only were the two main characters incredibly likable, but the side characters were fabulous as well. The Battleaxes cracked me up, even as they meddled unapologetically. The staff and animals at the vet clinic were a hoot, and I adored both of the other O'Grady brothers Flynn and Drake. I liked the way that both brothers bonded with Avery, but I especially loved the way that Flynn specifically bonded with Hailey. I have to admit that if I lived in that town, my pets would be feeling “off” quite often because the people at the clinic were exactly the kind of people I would want to be around.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic comedy with a little bit of seriousness thrown in. This book has it all.
I requested a copy of this from NetGalley and was under absolutely no obligation to write this review or to pre-order the book, I did those things because I enjoyed it.