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Valley Falls #2
Choosing Us: A Marriage in Crisis Romance
Melody and Micah Whitley have built a life together in the small town of Valley Falls. They fell in love in college, where Micah was a star baseball pitcher-until a shoulder injury ended his dreams of the major leagues. Melody is used to standing beside the people she loves, adjusting when plans change. She and her sister grew up in foster care, and when Dana passed away, Melody stepped into motherhood when they adopted her niece, Daisy.
When Micah agrees to help his childhood friend's sister, Audra, and her young son, Ben, he sees it as an opportunity to pay back an old debt. Micah invests deeply in Ben's life, but as his attention shifts, Melody and Daisy are pushed aside, and the marriage begins to strain under the weight of unspoken grief, unmet needs, and blurred boundaries.
There are mentions of infertility, adoption, foster care, grief, addiction, self-harm and death of a non-main character. There is no physical cheating, but there is emotional betrayal. Christian and faith themes woven throughout.
When Micah agrees to help his childhood friend's sister, Audra, and her young son, Ben, he sees it as an opportunity to pay back an old debt. Micah invests deeply in Ben's life, but as his attention shifts, Melody and Daisy are pushed aside, and the marriage begins to strain under the weight of unspoken grief, unmet needs, and blurred boundaries.
There are mentions of infertility, adoption, foster care, grief, addiction, self-harm and death of a non-main character. There is no physical cheating, but there is emotional betrayal. Christian and faith themes woven throughout.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 17, 2026
This story had me so pissed off through the entire tale. This Hero is something else...
The story has a smidgen of religious background, but it's very small, so don't let the religious tone turn you away if that's an issue. This story has both an angsty tale and a rage inducer. I was so angry at the Hero through most of this story. The story starts out with this sweet couple who have been robbed of any chance of having children. Melody's sister dies of cancer, and before she dies, she begs Melody to raise her little girl. Melody and Micah agree to adopt Daisy and raise her as their own. Micah never really connects with the little girl, as he's always longed for a boy who loves baseball like he did growing up. He tries to teach Daisy baseball, but she HATES the game, and much to Micah's chagrin, he decides to let Daisy pursue her passion of dance instead.
Soon, a woman names Audra from Micah's past moves to town with her young son Ben. Audra's father was Micah's coach and mentor as a boy, and Micah is still good friends with Audra's brother. Audra is alone since her husband died, and so Micah decides to help them out in every way possible. Micah discovers that Ben LOVES baseball, so out of the goodness of his heart, he gets Ben on a baseball team (in the middle of the baseball season) and Micah decides he'll do everything in his power to get Ben up to speed. Which means spending every second he can with the boy, helping him practice and becoming a coach on Ben's team. Taking Ben and Audra to the store to drop a shitload of money on all new gear (without telling Melody anything about it). Taking Audra and Ben out to eat several times, never telling his wife where he is, or his plans to not make it home. Micah realizes that his work is slipping since he's gone so much, so he hires Audra to help him get caught up and help her earn some money.
During this time, Audra tells Micah that she grew up with a HUGE crush on him when they were younger.
When Melody voices her concern about Micah spending every second with Audra and Ben, he says he'll try to do better, but when he's forced to spend a little time with his own daughter, he's constantly checking his phone and looking at clocks and making it apparent where he'd rather be other than with his own family.
When Micah DOES promise he'll be there for his family, he constantly invites Audra and Ben to be in the middle of their family plans to, opting to sit with Audra and Ben, rather than his own wife and daughter.
I was fucking livid at his behavior through the entire story, and heartbroken for the neglect his wife and daughter suffered. It's apparent that Micah is developing feelings for Audra too. They are practically inseparable between work, baseball, practices and dinners. Meanwhile Micah's family is pretty much completely forgotten in his quest to make his new son a baseball super hero. Micah (while coaching ANOTHER of Ben's games) misses Daisy's entire dance recital (that he PROMISED her multiple times that he'd be at), opting to take Audra and Ben out to ice cream instead. The devastation that Daisy went through realizing that her shitty father forgot her AGAIN, was so sad. And when Melody took Daisy out for ice cream to stop her tears and to cheer her up, to make up for her dad mysteriously never showing up to her recital like he promised he would, they ran smack into Micah and his "new family" at the ice cream parlor. I wanted to kick Micah in the balls so hard.
The story was so emotional up to the point that
The rest of the story involves Melody feeling betrayed and lining Micah out, trying to wake him up to what he's been doing. When he finally sees it, he tries to make up for his past behavior, but I think he should have worked a whole hell of a lot harder to make up for what he did to his family. It is what it is, but this story had me pissed off all over again as I write this review. I'm definitely going to re-read it again, just for all the feels! I was going to give this 4 stars, but the more I think about the emotions this story churned out of me, the more I think it deserves 5 stars.
The story has a smidgen of religious background, but it's very small, so don't let the religious tone turn you away if that's an issue. This story has both an angsty tale and a rage inducer. I was so angry at the Hero through most of this story. The story starts out with this sweet couple who have been robbed of any chance of having children. Melody's sister dies of cancer, and before she dies, she begs Melody to raise her little girl. Melody and Micah agree to adopt Daisy and raise her as their own. Micah never really connects with the little girl, as he's always longed for a boy who loves baseball like he did growing up. He tries to teach Daisy baseball, but she HATES the game, and much to Micah's chagrin, he decides to let Daisy pursue her passion of dance instead.
Soon, a woman names Audra from Micah's past moves to town with her young son Ben. Audra's father was Micah's coach and mentor as a boy, and Micah is still good friends with Audra's brother. Audra is alone since her husband died, and so Micah decides to help them out in every way possible. Micah discovers that Ben LOVES baseball, so out of the goodness of his heart, he gets Ben on a baseball team (in the middle of the baseball season) and Micah decides he'll do everything in his power to get Ben up to speed. Which means spending every second he can with the boy, helping him practice and becoming a coach on Ben's team. Taking Ben and Audra to the store to drop a shitload of money on all new gear (without telling Melody anything about it). Taking Audra and Ben out to eat several times, never telling his wife where he is, or his plans to not make it home. Micah realizes that his work is slipping since he's gone so much, so he hires Audra to help him get caught up and help her earn some money.
During this time, Audra tells Micah that she grew up with a HUGE crush on him when they were younger.
When Melody voices her concern about Micah spending every second with Audra and Ben, he says he'll try to do better, but when he's forced to spend a little time with his own daughter, he's constantly checking his phone and looking at clocks and making it apparent where he'd rather be other than with his own family.
When Micah DOES promise he'll be there for his family, he constantly invites Audra and Ben to be in the middle of their family plans to, opting to sit with Audra and Ben, rather than his own wife and daughter.
I was fucking livid at his behavior through the entire story, and heartbroken for the neglect his wife and daughter suffered. It's apparent that Micah is developing feelings for Audra too. They are practically inseparable between work, baseball, practices and dinners. Meanwhile Micah's family is pretty much completely forgotten in his quest to make his new son a baseball super hero. Micah (while coaching ANOTHER of Ben's games) misses Daisy's entire dance recital (that he PROMISED her multiple times that he'd be at), opting to take Audra and Ben out to ice cream instead. The devastation that Daisy went through realizing that her shitty father forgot her AGAIN, was so sad. And when Melody took Daisy out for ice cream to stop her tears and to cheer her up, to make up for her dad mysteriously never showing up to her recital like he promised he would, they ran smack into Micah and his "new family" at the ice cream parlor. I wanted to kick Micah in the balls so hard.
The story was so emotional up to the point that
The rest of the story involves Melody feeling betrayed and lining Micah out, trying to wake him up to what he's been doing. When he finally sees it, he tries to make up for his past behavior, but I think he should have worked a whole hell of a lot harder to make up for what he did to his family. It is what it is, but this story had me pissed off all over again as I write this review. I'm definitely going to re-read it again, just for all the feels! I was going to give this 4 stars, but the more I think about the emotions this story churned out of me, the more I think it deserves 5 stars.
June 15, 2026
Another story where the MMC is emotionally unfaithful and it is somehow because of a shortcoming on the part of the FMC. In this couple’s case, it’s her inability to have his biological children. So he goes out and decides to become a stand in father for an old friend’s son. Plus, a stand in husband to the old friend. Screw these obtuse, self-centered assholes. An affair doesn’t require sexual intercourse. He dumped his wife and his adopted daughter to play hubby and daddy to another woman.
June 15, 2026
Way better than the first one
So I decided to give this offer another chance it still might be my last one. I read by her because the first one angered me so much but this one was a much better story. I wanna say she is a skilled writer. I found very few issues the plot was well developed, and you really do feel everything. The characters are going through. And in some ways, even though Micah really messed up you acknowledge that he’s not a bad guy. It is a Christian romance, but it’s not as devoted to that trope as the first book felt which I appreciated. There is such a thing as too much religion when it comes to romance books I think no matter what the religion is. I’m a Christian, but I don’t enjoy reading that in my romances because I feel like faith is often used to disguise problems or to make women feel like they have to forgive spouses. If I’m being honest, this really probably was a five star book, but I just could not forgive her for redeeming Mark in the first one. So I took a star off solely for the fact that she wrote that one and then made him seem like a good character in this one. Mark is an absolute POS and there is no world in which a woman should be married to him. The fact that she thought it was OK to redeem that character made me one of vomit. If she had written in this book that Tessa was single and had finally left Mark and was dating somebody else, this would’ve been a tin star, because that is the only ending that Mark deserved.
So I decided to give this offer another chance it still might be my last one. I read by her because the first one angered me so much but this one was a much better story. I wanna say she is a skilled writer. I found very few issues the plot was well developed, and you really do feel everything. The characters are going through. And in some ways, even though Micah really messed up you acknowledge that he’s not a bad guy. It is a Christian romance, but it’s not as devoted to that trope as the first book felt which I appreciated. There is such a thing as too much religion when it comes to romance books I think no matter what the religion is. I’m a Christian, but I don’t enjoy reading that in my romances because I feel like faith is often used to disguise problems or to make women feel like they have to forgive spouses. If I’m being honest, this really probably was a five star book, but I just could not forgive her for redeeming Mark in the first one. So I took a star off solely for the fact that she wrote that one and then made him seem like a good character in this one. Mark is an absolute POS and there is no world in which a woman should be married to him. The fact that she thought it was OK to redeem that character made me one of vomit. If she had written in this book that Tessa was single and had finally left Mark and was dating somebody else, this would’ve been a tin star, because that is the only ending that Mark deserved.
June 17, 2026
I liked this one more. It definitely had a few gut wrenching scenes. I do think the h forgave him a little to easily.
June 15, 2026
I love this book
#1 to start off I am terrible at reviews! I mean egg left in a coat for months terrible...but I read a lot! So proceed with caution... and a lot of grace..
Melody and Micah are married and unable to have children. They adopt Melody's niece Daisy when her sister passes away. Micah was a baseball star until an injury sidelined him. He really would like a son. Enter Audra and Ben. Mother and son. Micah was friends with Audra brother.
Now the problems begins. Ben wants to play baseball. Micah is the coach. Ben is fatherless. Micah feels useful and needed. Melody and Daisy are put on the back burner. What is going on? Is Micah being unfaithful? This book just touched something within me. I really really loved it!
Give this book a read!
I read this on Wattpad and I was so very happy when the amazing author decided to publish it! I preordered and here it is.
Review over. Sorry I'm just not good at this but I really did love it!!!
#1 to start off I am terrible at reviews! I mean egg left in a coat for months terrible...but I read a lot! So proceed with caution... and a lot of grace..
Melody and Micah are married and unable to have children. They adopt Melody's niece Daisy when her sister passes away. Micah was a baseball star until an injury sidelined him. He really would like a son. Enter Audra and Ben. Mother and son. Micah was friends with Audra brother.
Now the problems begins. Ben wants to play baseball. Micah is the coach. Ben is fatherless. Micah feels useful and needed. Melody and Daisy are put on the back burner. What is going on? Is Micah being unfaithful? This book just touched something within me. I really really loved it!
Give this book a read!
I read this on Wattpad and I was so very happy when the amazing author decided to publish it! I preordered and here it is.
Review over. Sorry I'm just not good at this but I really did love it!!!
Read
June 21, 2026For starters, a little boring.
Secondly, and this will be unpopular, I felt more sympathy for the H than the heroine and her daughter. He's a clueless idiot as paper heroes can be, but the h and the daughter were kind of self-centered and bratty. I felt more for the barely present plot moppet fatherless boy.
It probably would change, but I have no patience.
Secondly, and this will be unpopular, I felt more sympathy for the H than the heroine and her daughter. He's a clueless idiot as paper heroes can be, but the h and the daughter were kind of self-centered and bratty. I felt more for the barely present plot moppet fatherless boy.
It probably would change, but I have no patience.
June 19, 2026
He was clueless
I really thought he was into the ow too. He did everything with her, smiled at her like she was special, go get pizza with her while he missed his daughters rehearsal, he made her number 1 priority. Oh of course it was due to Ben but it didn't feel like it was for Ben. They go to counselling at their church and find there way back to each other. He never touched or or even wanted her, he said. Not even emotionally supposedly but he did like that she worshipped him. All good and years later in the epilogue.
I really thought he was into the ow too. He did everything with her, smiled at her like she was special, go get pizza with her while he missed his daughters rehearsal, he made her number 1 priority. Oh of course it was due to Ben but it didn't feel like it was for Ben. They go to counselling at their church and find there way back to each other. He never touched or or even wanted her, he said. Not even emotionally supposedly but he did like that she worshipped him. All good and years later in the epilogue.
June 15, 2026
loved it
I was just talking to God the other day saying how I wanted a book with a good plot & no smut ( I have been dnf’ing so many books because it’s alll smut with no plot)…. Anyways, read the first book in this series & enjoyed it & was so excited for the second book! I loved this book & loved how Mark & Tessa had a part in it too. Plus Faith as well. Can’t wait for more.
I was just talking to God the other day saying how I wanted a book with a good plot & no smut ( I have been dnf’ing so many books because it’s alll smut with no plot)…. Anyways, read the first book in this series & enjoyed it & was so excited for the second book! I loved this book & loved how Mark & Tessa had a part in it too. Plus Faith as well. Can’t wait for more.
June 22, 2026
2.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It was an ok read. I felt maybe the story felt short for an appropriate character development, but it was ok.
What I found really confusing was Derek the brother not being clear about the sister’s background, addition struggle and becoming upset with the MMC because the sister got confused.
Didn’t make sense.
It was an ok read. I felt maybe the story felt short for an appropriate character development, but it was ok.
What I found really confusing was Derek the brother not being clear about the sister’s background, addition struggle and becoming upset with the MMC because the sister got confused.
Didn’t make sense.
June 16, 2026
Melody and Micha
My heart ached for Melody. Her absent husband/dad chose distractions than his own family and I wanted to reach into the pages of the story and shake some sense into Micha.
My heart ached for Melody. Her absent husband/dad chose distractions than his own family and I wanted to reach into the pages of the story and shake some sense into Micha.
June 22, 2026
a nice story
I appreciate that Micah and Melody came back together and that Micah didn’t do anything he couldn’t come back from.
Derek had some nerve ever being upset with Micah when he arguably abused their history and friendship. I’m gonna be mad about that for awhile.
Becoming foster parents was obvious from the start and I cannot believe it took the epilogue to actualize it. Thank goodness, for Anita pointing out the Daisy, Micah comparisons.
Loved seeing Tessa and Mark again.
Derek and Marie were the actual villains of this story. They knew without a doubt that Audra needed support and they left her and Ben to suffer. Then came back after the fact when Micah and Melody had been wrung out.
It was a good story. I’m glad Daisy and Melody got everything they wanted in the end.
I appreciate that Micah and Melody came back together and that Micah didn’t do anything he couldn’t come back from.
Derek had some nerve ever being upset with Micah when he arguably abused their history and friendship. I’m gonna be mad about that for awhile.
Becoming foster parents was obvious from the start and I cannot believe it took the epilogue to actualize it. Thank goodness, for Anita pointing out the Daisy, Micah comparisons.
Loved seeing Tessa and Mark again.
Derek and Marie were the actual villains of this story. They knew without a doubt that Audra needed support and they left her and Ben to suffer. Then came back after the fact when Micah and Melody had been wrung out.
It was a good story. I’m glad Daisy and Melody got everything they wanted in the end.
June 18, 2026
2.75⭐️
The premise of this was right up my street and I really wanted to love it. There was some language around adoption that I found a great deal of issues with. I wish, even people within the adoption community, that it would be more apropos to refer to only fully biologically linked children as their “own”. It something that always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
This is a well written story but the above issues and the heavy handed religious bent at the end was very off putting. I expected some organic mentions and was unprepared for how it became such a focus.
Please check content warnings if you do proceed, as there are so heavy and possibly triggering topics/scenarios that run throughout.
The premise of this was right up my street and I really wanted to love it. There was some language around adoption that I found a great deal of issues with. I wish, even people within the adoption community, that it would be more apropos to refer to only fully biologically linked children as their “own”. It something that always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
This is a well written story but the above issues and the heavy handed religious bent at the end was very off putting. I expected some organic mentions and was unprepared for how it became such a focus.
Please check content warnings if you do proceed, as there are so heavy and possibly triggering topics/scenarios that run throughout.
June 21, 2026
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
What an amazing book and lesson. Micah so absorbed in wanting a boy to play. Are all he nearly threw away what he had. Oh it wasn’t his intention but it still happened. But they did the work and fixed it. That’s what most people skip. Doing the work.
What an amazing book and lesson. Micah so absorbed in wanting a boy to play. Are all he nearly threw away what he had. Oh it wasn’t his intention but it still happened. But they did the work and fixed it. That’s what most people skip. Doing the work.
June 18, 2026
Wow
This book sneaked up on me. What a story, weaving together love, hurt, betrayal and forgiveness with spirituality. Definitely did not think this would be a 4 star read but it was. Marriage in crisis to well earned happiness >>> 10/10 no notes
This book sneaked up on me. What a story, weaving together love, hurt, betrayal and forgiveness with spirituality. Definitely did not think this would be a 4 star read but it was. Marriage in crisis to well earned happiness >>> 10/10 no notes
June 17, 2026
This Man Is A Communal Narcissist Who Neglects His Family Until Toddlerised Into Showing Up. Daisy Will No Contact Both Mel Amd Micah, For Normalising Abuse
June 18, 2026
What a heartbreaking story. My heart still hurts from reading it. I'm not sure the MMC was actually redeemed in the end, but I couldn't put this story down, and I was glued to the very end.
June 19, 2026
4.5⭐️
June 19, 2026
3.75*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2026
insightful and hopeful
Appreciated that the author understood there are many ways to betray a person and the road to healing was an act of grace and mercy
Appreciated that the author understood there are many ways to betray a person and the road to healing was an act of grace and mercy
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews