Spoilers ahead
Tessa and Bryce first met 10 years previously and spent a week together, he was about to leave for a 6 month stint in Afghanistan but with the amazing connection between them they decided to get married. Shortly after he sent her a Dear John letter saying he was sorry but he couldn't do this. Though heartbroken Tessa continued on with her life until 10 years later she moves to Hope Valley and runs into her husband on the street. Although Tessa is initially resistant and Bryce considered himself undeserving they soon realize that they were still in love with each other. An angry mom of one of the kids of the home Tessa now runs however poses a threat to their HEA
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NOTHING says I love you like a 10 year separation and reconciliation just because you ran into each other on the street! I mean this is the kind of stuff I LIVE for!!! As a matter of fact I'm going to ask my husband to leave and return 10 years later JUST so I can experience this EPIC love!!!!!!
For fucks sake!(don't even Act like y'all didn't see it coming 😂😂😂😂😂😂)
Ok so our boy Bryce felt misplaced guilt at his buddies death in Afghanistan so he felt he didn't deserve to come home to Tessa so he basically broke up with her in a letter, he however did not track her down to send divorce papers because selfishly he wanted to keep that connection to her......never mind the fact that he'd been sleeping with OW(thankfully no details or mentions just a vague reference) thus making him a cheater. I just didn't understand his bullshit reasoning. Not only that but Bryce who works for Alpha and Omega has the connections to find Tessa, even just to check up on her to make sure she was alive YET he never did that! It was only after running into her that he looked her up!!!! Thennnnnnnn seeing her again he realised he still loved her(I'm grinding my teeth so hard) yet it took his friend's intervention for him to even consider attempting to pursue her again because ya know he considered himself undeserving which quite frankly his dumb ass was. When Tessa finally gave him a chance they were living together within the blink of an eye and confessing their love within a blink and a half. Apparently 10 wasted years meant NOTHING to these two lovebirds
Tessa was actually ok, she didn't give in immediately nor did she sit waiting for him to return but she moved on with her life(it's implied sje had sex too). She was probably one f the most mature h's I've ever read from this author. She had her moments where she 'd be weak kneed at Bryce's eyes or body or the chemistry between them but she was still an ok h
The setup for the reconciliation,with Tessa falling sick,was as cliched as Bryce's Alpha speak
Bryce called Tessa beauty so many times I gagged
I loved the children of the home and was pleased to see Charity adopted by Bryce and Tessa
Without Tessa this definitely would've been 1 star
*******As is typical of this author she sets up a pairing for the next book that's guaranteed to show TRUE love, you see Leo wanted to pursue this h while Danika gazed after him in longing and he never even cast his eyes to her UNTIL Tessa mentioned that Danika would be interested, I mean NOTHING screams match made in heaven as when the woman you wanted points you in the direction of a woman who ACTUALLY wants you! I'm just THRILLED at the Danika and Leo pairing, this author is really FANTASTIC at true love stories
No cheating in present
No OW or OM drama
h is attacked
Concerning sex with others during the separation this is what was said.........
Shit, Bryce. You didn’t . . . we didn’t . . . We forgot a condom.”
“Are you on birth control?”
“Yeah, I have an IUD. But . . .” She trailed off, her gaze slowly returning to mine. My stomach clenched and bile rose in my throat, because I could see the question in her eyes. And I fucking hated it.
“I’m clean,” I told her as shame began coursing through my blood. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
She visibly relaxed. “Okay. I am too.”
Just like that, the high I’d been riding bottomed out, and I thought I was going to be sick. “Have you . . . Were there other . . .?” I couldn’t finish the sentence.
The post-orgasmic glow drifted from her face, and her features went blank. “Don’t ask me that,” she ordered quietly. “I don’t want to know about your past, and you don’t need to know about mine. You wanted a second chance, and questions like that aren’t going to do either of us any good. We were apart for ten years, Bryce. If this is going to work, we need to start again from this point right here. Okay?”
The thought of her with another man—or men—ripped me apart. But I would’ve been the biggest hypocrite in the world to push.
Inhaling through my nose, I counted down from ten until the fire raging inside me banked. “All right.” I nodded my head in agreement. “I won’t ask, honey.”