Outstanding stand-alone entry to the Heritage Bay series by one of my fave authors, MA Foster. I have say first, that I'm not a huge fan of YA or NA novels. As a 50 year old mother of 3 grown children, reading about the love/sex lives of anyone under the age of 25 adds an 'Ick' factor that I'm just not comfortable with anymore. However, Ms Foster has a way of bringing her characters so realistically to life that you can't help but fall in love with them and their lives. You root for them, cry with them, and laugh out load at young angst and the drama that ensues whenever issues arise or misunderstandings lead to nonsense. Ms. Foster has a knack of showing her readers the folly of youth, yet their earnest longing for true connections and the desire to belong.
In this book, we get the backstory and continuation of Emerson MacKenzie-King's story. She is the 40 year old widowed mother of the initial main character of this series, Jayla King, daughter of rockstar and loving husband, the late Marcus King. Emerson and Marcus had a once in the lifetime love story, but now that he's gone, Emerson is lost at sea with a mourning teenager and family that loves her deeply but doesn't really understand her. Her younger brother Liam's best friend, Camerson Parker, has been in love with her from afar for nearly 10 years. He knows it's forbidden, but she's the love of his life, and he just wants the chance to make Emerson happy again and give her the love that she desperately needs and deserves. She's selfless and lonely, and he wants to be her happily ever after.
There are lots of doubts, questions, and misunderstandings along the way to their HEA, but as grown adults, Ms. Foster gives us maturity and reason, instead of blind faith or recklessness. There's a patience and understanding in this story that does not exist in the earlier books, and I expect that to be Ms. Foster's doing, writing for adults with history, flaws, and a mature outlook on life. Their perspectives are based on growth and knowledge, not just basic human instincts or desire.
Once again, MA Foster has drawn me into this wonderful world of flawed but beautifully written characters and made me a true believer. She's made me cry, laugh, and wish I knew these people personally! I'm so looking forward to the next books in the ongoing saga that is the MacKenzie/Parker families! Bring it on!!