In a nutshell, this is my new favorite Kylie Gilmore book. And after reading every single thing this author has out, that's saying a lot, because she has stolen my heart with every book. But this one... Where do I begin? Well, first off, any book that has an eventual step-parent always steals a piece of my heart. As a child who had a step-father come into my life and has helped me become the person I am today, I am always drawn to a single parent story with a happily ever after.
On top of the usual humor readers find in a Kylie Gilmore story, there's also some tear-worthy moments and some internal struggles with characters (especially Alex) that drew me in.
Alex is a struggling single father. We've caught glimpses of his character in previous stories in this series, but now we get more insight into him. This man breaks my heart sometimes- well, not him in general, but his struggles do. He's trying to take it all on, because he lives with guilt. Every single day, he makes the best of it and he's an amazing father to Viv.
And Viv....what a sweet kid! She plays such a role in this book and the interactions are absolutely beautiful.
In comes Lauren to save the day. How little she knows this summer will change her life. I love the bond between Lauren and Viv, and then Alex. These three are perfect together. I love how awkward Alex makes a few scenes. He's trying, oh does he try, but there are a few times he's just not getting it quite right.
I could go on, really I could, but instead of reading my gushing over and over again about this book, I suggest picking up a copy of your own. It can be read as a stand alone no problem, but it's another fantastic addition to the Happy Endings Book Club. Bring on the next one, please!