Summer of Two Wishes

Cedar Springs #1

by Julia London

WHOSE WIFE WAS SHE?

Macy Lockhart's life shattered in a moment with the news that her husband Finn --- serving in the military overseas --- has been killed in the line of duty. Their ardent and devoted marriage is over, leaving Macy alone, empty, directionless. But while she tries to sustain herself with memories of Finn, the strong, quiet man who made her and their small Texas ranch the center of his life, it is wealthy Wyatt Clark who slowly brings joy back into her life. Her love for Wyatt may be less romantic than the breathless passion she'd once shared with Finn, but the time seems right to move on, and their marriage is happy and as solid as a rock in troubled waters. Until the day that Finn, miraculously spared from death, returns home to claim his bride ...

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Fiction, Military Fiction, Adult

401 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than two dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch, and The Perfect Homecoming.

Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon

Reviews

[Auntee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pretty enjoyable contemporary that really made me think “what would I do” if I faced the situation that the heroine in this book does. There were some really heart-breaking moments, and the heroine has to make some tough decisions about the two men she loves, and no matter what decision she makes, someone is going to get hurt. I felt sorry for all the players involved--there’s no real bad guy in the story, but I was definitely rooting for one of the men to get his HEA, but then I felt bad for the other guy. I really hope the author revisits these characters in a future book, because I would like to see how the man who got left out in the cold is faring.

The basic plot is that Macy Lockhart lost her young husband Finn, who was serving in the military, when he was supposedly killed in a roadside bomb in Afghanistan over 3 years ago. This piece of news totally devastates Macy, and she becomes a shell of her former self, unable to get past the memories of the husband who she loved so much and unable to do anything with her life for years. But then one day she is introduced to a kind, wealthy man (a guy totally different than her beloved Finn in many ways) who slowly brings her back to life, and she realizes that it’s time to move on and start living again. They eventually get married, and live a very different lifestyle then she was leading on her husband’s horse ranch, but she’s happy again. Then one day the Army contacts her and tells her they made a mistake, her husband never died in that bomb, but that he’d been a prisoner of the Taliban all that time and recently escaped. He’s alive and well and coming home. To her. To the ranch (called “Two Wishes”) that he loves. Ready to pick up where he left off. Macy is ecstatic--her biggest wish has come true! But how can she tell him she’s no longer his wife--or will she? Macy’s caught in the biggest dilemma of her life--she loves two men and must let one go. But who? She loves Finn with all her heart, but she also loves Wyatt, the man who rescued her. After all Finn’s been through, doesn’t she owe it to him to be there for him? But what about Wyatt? He was there for her in her darkest hours--doesn’t she owe him something too?

Oh boy, this book was filled with lots of angst. I felt bad for Macy, because she was in a no win situation. Both of these men wanted her, and neither was about to step aside and let the other have her. I felt bad for Finn, because he went through hell in Afghanistan, came back as a "hero", but had trouble fitting in his life again and takes to the bottle briefly. I felt bad for Wyatt, because he did nothing wrong besides loving a "dead man's" wife. After reading the background about her life with both men, I definitely had an opinion about who she should be with, and I was just hoping that Macy would be honest with herself. As did her whole town--everyone in her small Texas town had an opinion, and let her know it! I’m thinking not much happened in that town, because they sure did insinuate themselves into her business! Macy bounced back and forth about what she wanted to do (which frustrated me--and her men!). Even at one point one of her men told her it was time to “fish or cut bait” and I could not have agreed more. Every time it looked like she was leaning one way, she started feeling guilty about the man she would be leaving behind. Finally one of her men asked her to do what’s right for her…and she finally was able to come to a decision. Of course, there was a pretty predictable curve thrown her way (which I saw coming a mile away), and I thought she’d renege on her decision (which surprised me when she didn’t), and one of the men didn’t take it so well, and there was the predictable drama…But really I’d have to say this was a pretty thought provoking read, and yes at times I felt I was watching a Lifetime movie, but it did deal with some important topics like PTSD, survivor’s families, if it’s possible to love two men at the same time, can wishes come true, can miracles really happen, etc. I was happy with the outcome, and I think Macy made the right decision. It’s just too bad someone had to be hurt in the process.

The love scenes in this one were mostly more emotional than explicit (PG-13 rated), but well done. You could definitely feel the love and passion, no doubt about it. I can’t say much more without giving away some spoilers, and I’m afraid if I even describe the two men in Macy’s life (beyond saying that they were different physically, economically, and in personality) I’ll give something away. All I can say is read it--I think this one will be staying with me for some time. Hopefully Julia London will write a sequel, maybe about one of Finn’s hunky brothers, and we can see how everyone is getting along. Recommended for those who enjoy a thought provoking read. 4 ½ stars

[Manda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book to be boring and predictable. She's trying to make a decision between husband 1: the love of her life she thought was killed in combat overseas and husband 2: the guy who comforted her when she thought the love of her life was dead. Did anyone doubt which decision she was going to make? Even the pregnancy by husband 2, which could be seen coming from the begining of the book, did not cloud the issue. It was an awfully long book for her to be wieghing these choices... I love H1, but H2 was so nice to me. Shocked though you may be, she chooses H1. There. Now you don't need to read it. You're welcome.

[KarenH · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote the review below 2 years ago after reading the paperback. Today I finished the audio book and came away with a much clearer picture of the story and a better understanding of what motivated the characters to behave the way they did. The narrator, Natalie Ross (nar. KMM's Dreamfever series) did an outstanding job of bringing the story to life. My revised rating for SOTW is a solid 5+ stars and probably my new number 1 favorite audiobook.



If ever there was a heroine confronted with a mind-blowing dilemma, it would have to be Macy from Summer of Two Wishes by Julia London. Macy was one of the lucky ones that married the love of her life...and every day she and Finn were together was like living the eternal "happy-ever- after". However, the couple's cocoon of bliss is destroyed when Finn enlists in the army, goes to war in Iraq and is officially pronounced dead several months later - the victim of a suicide bomber. For the next two years Macy simply "exists"...fueled only by memories of the extraordinary love she had shared with her husband. Time moves on, however, and eventually so does Macy. She meets and marries Wyatt...a wonderful man who helps her let go of the past and someone with whom she, once again, finds love and happiness.

Does the curtain drop here? Oh, hell no...this is where the book begins! We know what "assume" does to you and me so I imagine it works on a larger scale when the army assumes a soldier is dead from finding his mutilated dog tags and 3 years later he turns up alive... and as well as can be expected (considering he spent those years in captivity). No matter...the army is redeemed because Finn is on his way home! And yes, Macy has a HUGE problem!

The first half of this book was excellent but heart-wrenching. As Macy goes off alone to do some soul-searching for answers, we watch Finn struggle to survive in the normal world again. This poor guy lived in hell for 3 years, and returned home only to find everything that was once his (the memories of which had given him the will to live) had been taken away from him. Finn deals with the loss of his wife, PTSD, alcohol dependency and an overbearing mother (named Karen, no less) while publicly being touted a national hero. At the same time, Wyatt feels his world getting ready to crumble...the idealistic life and love he shares with Macy, the future they are building together and the child they are trying to have, is suddenly an uncertainty. Although my heart was with Finn, Wyatt was a great guy in his own right and did not deserve this cruel hand dealt by fate.

Just as I was beginning to acknowledge the fact that this book was well on it's way to becoming my all-time favorite (unseating another novel by London), it hit the wall (but just enough to knock it's halo crooked). Suddenly we have a "bad" guy, another big wrench thrown in the works and Macy going from sympathetic to annoying. She made her decision but never convinced me she was truly happy with it. And she fluctuated between the two men to the point of madness. In Macy's defense, however, I can't imagine what I would have done in the same situation...probably a lot worse. Another concern I had with the book is that we never get a good fleshing out of Macy's character. Who was this woman that captivated the hearts of 2 men so completely? Normally I don't care for flashbacks, but this book would have benefited from using them. I wanted to "feel" the love that Finn and Wyatt felt for Macy...a little evidence of why they both loved her to distraction.

I wanted to rate this book 4.5* but tipped it up because I'm nice like that. (uh-huh) Despite the misgivings I had (they aren't too major), this book is definitely worth reading...if for no other reason than to fall in love with Finn. You feel so bad for the guy you just want to kiss him and make it all better (of course it does not hurt that he is described as a total hotty)! London became an auto-buy for me several books back, but this is the first contemporary I've read by her. I was impressed enough to pull her back list up and GRRRrrrr...she's got at least 6 other contemps I feel I must read. *sigh* My tbr pile is going to be as big as Dina's pretty soon. ;)

[Miss Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young couple, Finn and Macy, just starting out in their marriage, is put to the test when he joins the service and heads over seas to fight in Afghanistan. Macy didn’t want him go, but she supported him. She stays back on their ranch and tries to run it alone. A few months later she is told he was killed in action, due to a car bomb. She is devastated, of course. She’s struggling to hold every thing together—herself, his ranch, horses. She forms a survivor’s support group with another war widow and tries to put the pieces back together.

After two years, she meets another man, Wyatt. He’s a wealthy land broker, and is smitten with Macy. She falls for him, and he asks her to marry him. Still in love with Finn, she even asks for a blessing from Finn’s parents before she agrees to marry Wyatt. She marries him and he gives her an exclusive lifestyle suited for the rich and famous. She doesn’t care about the money, and she does love Wyatt, but her love for his is just not the same as her love for her husband, Finn.

A few months after her marriage, she is told that Finn is alive. He’s been held captive by the Taliban for past three years. She’s overjoyed he’s alive and cannot wait to see him. But what happens now? Wyatt is crushed. Finn comes home fully expecting his life to be the same and is reasonably angry and crushed as well that she has remarried. He accuses her of moving on too quickly.

The first half of this book was very sad, and I felt for all three of them involved. I swayed between the two men more than once while trying to figure out who she should stay with. However, it started to drag on, and I wanted to just grab her shoulder and say ‘come on, damn it! Make a decision. These guys are dangling here’.

In the meantime, Finn finds his life as he left it is gone. He’s got no wife, no home, and no horses. He keeps having flashbacks of his time overseas. The whole town sees him as a hero, and he hates it. He starts drinking heavily to cope. It’s just sad, but I understand he’s lost. Wyatt is almost inconsolable himself. His life has been ripped out from under him, too. Also at this point, every one in the small town has picked a ‘side’ and increases pressure on all of them.

I feel like the author made one of the men into somewhat of a villain in order to make it seem ‘more ok’ for Macy to dump him. I’m not sure I liked who she did end up picking, but the ending was happy and that’s what matters here. I don’t want to give away who she eventually chooses. I just want you to read it!

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5* rounded up to 3* for goodreads

For people who enjoy angsty, emotional stories, there is a lot to recommend about this book. London does a good job portraying the "King Solomon" dilemma facing Macy as she has to decide between Finn, who was pronounced dead in the Afgan war, and Wyatt, who she fell in love with and married afterwards. Wyatt is scared and angry about having his perfect life upended by no fault of his own. Phin is stunned and angry to come back to find he has no wife and no life left back in Texas. However, if you're looking for an emotional read that comes to a satisfying ending, this might not be the best choice. There is no satisfying ending possible in this emotional melodrama.

While I was compelled to keep listening and find out Macy's choice and the ramifications of it, I have some reservations about Summer of Two Wishes. First is the amount of repetition, especially in the first half of the book. The reader is privy to the mind-numbing process Macy goes through, thinking first of one husband, and then of the other. We experience first dates in detail, as well as many other special times she spent with each one. I understand this could be seen as character development, but the same phrasing is used over and over again, and it gets old. I get it; she loves both of them. The sex scenes, especially the first one, made me feel icky. It seemed so dishonest of Macy. In fact, the book would be stronger without the sex scenes at all. They didn't add to the story, and in fact made me dislike Macy's character. Honesty and integrity dictate Macy should have kept her pants zipped until she made a decision. But then, Macy comes across throughout much of the book as more passive than purposeful.

Frankly, there weren't many people to like in this story. Samantha, the moms, the town gossips, even Macy and at times Wyatt, weren't very likeable characters. Finn was a more sympathetic character, and there were some secondary characters that were good. There is no Happy Ever After here, either. Relationships were broken and people badly hurt in the course of the book and no amount of happiness for the eventual couple at the end can do away with the emotional devastation left behind. With the added emotional twist the author throws into the story, Macy's choice seems almost cruel, no matter what "soft landing" the author tries to give it.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Macy is distraught when she hears the news that her husband has been killed while serving in the military. While she misses her husband dearly, she can't help but fall for Wyatt who shows her once again what it feels like to be truly alive. She finally feels like it is time to move on and she marries Wyatt. And just when she thought she was settled into this new life, the shock of a lifetime hits like lightening. Finn is alive and he's come back for his wife.

It was really hard during some parts to keep reading this book. My husband served in Afghanistan and I would worry every second of every day. There would be weeks where I had no contact with him whatsoever. It was an extremely difficult time in my life and this book brought back all of those feelings. I have so much respect for the men and women who not only serve this country and the families that they leave behind. It is an incredibly difficult thing to do and my heart goes out to everyone who has a loved one living day to day in the line of fire.

If you're up for a romance with more drama than daytime soap operas, you'll fall in love with this book. It was a wonderful romantic read that keeps you interested.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not sure that I have ever been more annoyed by two characters. Finn’s backstory is interesting, but him as a character is lacking. Macy knows early on she wants to be with Finn, but drags them both on AND cheats, and still doesn’t have the courage to own up to her feelings. Each time she gives Finn her attention, all while ignoring Wyatt, it drove me crazy. That’s in no way a mature way to handle a difficult situation. Each time Wyatt tries to get her to talk with him, she gets all nauseous, blah blah blah. And Finn’s obnoxiously nice way of talking to Wyatt makes me want to punch him.I thought the bones of the story had great potential, but the characters (except for Wyatt) really bugged me. I found myself more interested in the secondary characters than Macy and Finn, and hoping that Wyatt would be set free so that he could find somebody more worth him and his affection.

[Kay · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am surprised I got through this novel as quickly as I did, because it felt like I was trudging through mud. I am not happy for Macy by the story's end because all through the novel she came off as a pampered and privileged girl. The only character with any lasting likability was the dog, Milo.

[Kasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always thought the subject of this book would make a great heart breaking story. This was a good story and easy to read. But I would like to have gotten to know the characters better. I also would have liked for London to have shown us how the characters feel instead of telling us. This book was the perfect set up to make me feel every heart ache that the characters felt. I was not disappointed in Macy's choice, but I honestly don't think there was a wrong or right choice in this situation. All three of the main characters were put in an impossible situation and someone was going to get hurt. There was not true bad guy although London chose to slightly vilify one of the men and I'm not sure I like that she did. I think that was the easy way out. In the end I think it is all forgivable and hope our heartbroken man gets his HEA too.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do like Julia London but not this book. You would think a book on this subject matter would be emotionally heartwrenching, but instead it was very predictable from the start and I was never able to connect to the book emotionally.

Instead of empathizing with Macy's problem, I found her annoying. And as much as I enjoy most JL books, the "love" scenes in this book are about as engaging as reading a description of a mechanic tuning up your car...no emotion whatsoever.

[Nora · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unbelievable characters that made bizarre choices & did 180 changes without warning. I didn't know Julia London could write something this bad. And now, I'm going to put it in my library bag, turn & walk away hoping to forget this ever happened.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story but it wasn't my favorite by this author. I love her historical romances much more. This was one of those plots I wasn't sure would have a positive outcome for all involved. Despite all that was going on, Ms. London managed to make it all come together.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

gd read

[Katie(babs) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summer of Two Wishes deals with a love triangle and as always it comes down to the woman between the two men who must decide who she wants to be with. Writing a believable love triangle is a hard thing to do. The question here is was Julia able to accomplish that?

Macy has a wonderful life. She is married to a wonderful man who gives her everything and more. Wyatt Clark has money and prestige and showers all his love on his wife Macy. There marriage seems to be a match made in heaven, but Macy will always have a place in her heart for her first husband, Finn Lockhart, the one that was killed in combat three years ago when he was shipped off to Afghanistan. Macy and Finn fell head over heels in love with one another and barely had time to enjoy themselves after they were married because Finn enlisted in the army. When the U.S. Army Casualty Notification Officers came to Macy to give her Finn’s half-burned dog tag and told her he was dead, something inside her broke. She would never love another man as much as she did Finn. She mourned and then decided to go on living and that is where she met Wyatt and married him. She loves Wyatt differently from Finn. Now three years later a Lieutenant from the Army comes to see Macy again. This time he brings different news. Finn wasn’t killed in action and has been found alive.

Finn was a prisoner of the Taliban and only had the will to live because of his undying love for Macy. Now that he has been saved, he will be able to rebuild his life with Macy by his side. His dream is to go home and pick up where he left off and work on his ranch and breed horses. Just as Macy has the shock of her life, Finn is in for one when he finds out that Macy has moved on and found love with another man.

Wyatt knows that Macy loves him, perhaps not as deeply as the love she had for Finn, but he refuses to let Macy go without a fight. He has much more to offer her. He is stable, well off and can give her so much more than Finn can. If only he can show Macy how important their marriage is and why she should stay with him and not run back to Finn who is still recovering from the trauma of war and his time as a prisoner.

Three lives are changed in many ways and the one person who holds all the cards is Macy. Finn was Macy’s first love and the one she thought she would grow old with. Wyatt has become her rock and her savior that allowed her to move forward and live her life. How can she choose between two wonderful men who have given her so much?

Summer of Two Wishes is an emotional story. This is more than just a romance where a woman is being courted by two men who she has feelings for. Julia London takes on an important topic such as war and the aftermath that effects the family and loved ones when someone is believed to be dead but isn’t. You feel for Macy, as well as Finn and Wyatt because in the end one of these men will lose. The stress that Macy is under in trying to decide who she wants to be with will hit the readers hard. You can’t help but place yourself in the same position as Macy. Because both Wyatt and Finn are both wonderful men, it is hard to take sides. Finn is a fighter as well as a man who loves unconditionally. Wyatt feels the hurt and pain of being the one who was chosen second. He is scared because he thinks Macy will end up with Finn. And why wouldn’t he? If I were in Wyatt’s shoes, I would feel the same way.

Some readers many feel that Macy may be weak or too undecided. Anywhere she turns people are watching her very closely from her family to friends as well as the people she has grown up around who have their own opinions on her situation. There is a sense of desperation on her part, knowing that no one will be happy with what she chooses to do.

Summer of Two Wishes has some deeply moving scenes and the reactions of the characters keep you turning each page. I found myself undecided who Macy should be with because Finn and Wyatt are both equally as appealing. Julia does a great job at keeping the reader guessing as well as a twist that may make your jaw drop. If you like your books with drama and a bit of a soap opera feel, Summer of Two Wishes is the one for you.

[Nely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Macy Lockhart is devastated when she is informed that her beloved husband, Finn, has been killed while fighting in the war in Iraq. She succumbs to depression and lands herself in a deep, dark hole that she just can’t seem to climb out of. That is until Wyatt comes along and helps her accept the fate that Finn is gone and she must move on with her life - she eventually falls in love with and marries him.

Then the news arrives that Finn is not dead - but alive. Macy is overcome with joy - her one true wish - that the love of her life is not dead but alive has come true... but what about Wyatt? She is now also in love with him. What about their marriage? Which love does she choose?

We’ve all seen this story more than once.. just recently in Jennifer Haymore’s A Hint of Wicked, if you think about it. But this just never gets old. I enjoyed the tug and pull that you feel from both Finn and Wyatt. They are both in love with Macy and you (as the reader) can’t choose one or the other. They are both good men, yet are both flawed, but in the end they each have one goal ... spending the rest of their lives with Macy. I liked these characters so much. They were all fleshed out in a way where you felt their joy and you also felt their pain. I was drawn to Finn - just because I’m gushy about the whole love of your life romanticism but at the same time Wyatt was very appealing - he came into Macy’s life and picked up the pieces making her a very happy woman.

Ms. London’s writing was superb and there were some sensual scenes that were quite beautiful (to say the least). I really liked that the chapters were read through different narrators (Macy, Finn and Wyatt). It really gave you and in depth feel for each character making Macy’s/your decision an even harder one. I was absolutely captivated by this love triangle and I would recommend this to anyone who likes character driven novels - not just romance readers since it did have a dramatic flare to it.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I skimmed this *heavily*. I kept feeling like I should have liked it, because there was certainly a heart-wrenching setup: Oops...turns out your husband wasn't dead, now what are you going to do with your new husband? Part of the trouble was, is that it was painfully obvious from chapter one which one she would choose. I often find this to be true of love triangle stories, and I suppose I really should start to realize that I have never ended up liking a true love triangle story, and take the hint, but when I read the synopsis I found myself thinking: Wow, that really would be hard. I guess I thought it might truly be a love triangle story with an unclear outcome. The author even used both men's viewpoint, which is the only way something like that could have worked, but by the time we got to their viewpoints, it was too late. Even knowing for sure which she would pick, I might have enjoyed the romance, except that it was just too painful and angsty. One problem after another, and the hits just kept on coming in a continuous, and predictable manner.

I can see why a lot of people might like this book, and maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for it, but I figure I ought to at least warn you to be in the mood for a depressing story.

[Lea's Audiobooks Hensley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unabridged audiobook version - I reviewed in the 9/30/19 Speaking of Audiobooks column:
Narrated by Natalie Ross
London’s 2009 contemporary (released in audio in 2010) is a moving tale featuring a returning soldier from Afghanistan believed to be dead for three years. Although devastated by the news, his wife has finally picked up the pieces and is now happily remarried. Natalie Ross does a superb job of delivering this heart wrenching story of a woman with two husbands and the dilemma they face. I’m not a fan of love triangles (and admit that I finally looked ahead to discover the chosen one) but with the combination of London’s writing and Ross’ performance, I found myself mesmerized – tears and all. Ross clearly distinguishes one voice from another and the pacing is perfect as well as the sense that this narrator understands what the listener is feeling at any particular moment. Although I enjoy both London’s historicals and contemporaries, I prefer her contemporary voice and had this one on my wish list for months. It lived up to my anticipation and, as an audiobook, this one rates a solid A.

[MissNYix · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really like this book, as reason number one; it's predictable, you know what is coming. Besides that, she (the main character) is really 'unfortunate' to have things coming her way in a wrong time (always). Number two; this story could have concluded way before page 401. It could have concluded in a few pages if it had not been dragged on - away from the main points of the story.

Oh, you could also get irritated with the main character for; things that she does not need to explain to others but she does, besides that, she is a bit too naive. I wished she could have stand up for herself a little bit more although of course she is "shattered" by the truth that her husband was still alive.

[Char (1RadReader59) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had to be one of the most frustrating books I read in a long time. For that alone I gave it a 4*. But, I must say I never new for certain what Macy was going to do because she was such a wishy washy character. What is with the last few books i've read but this time it was a woman. As I said in my update her second husband I did not like at all, yet at the end I learned to give him a little respect.Finn though I enjoyed him all the way through a real cowboy gentleman hero in my book. Macy's aunt was a hoot but all the extended family beside Finn's & Macy's siblings at least the mom's OMG!!! All in all was a good book that I would recommend.

[Yuni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I keep telling myself to put it on hold. I cannot. I want Macy with Wyatt. Months or years I lost count. But then I accidentally read the story of Wyatt. Oh God, there's happiness for this guy. So I think again whether to read this book or not. I don't know how or when I took it, sitting on my favorite chair and open the first page.

Can't Macy get both men in her life??? Why Wyatt needs to suffer even for a little? And the last but not least, why I'm so emotional about this fiction??? Congratulations, dear Julia. You made my day. Now I need to reread again Wyatt story so I can forget about the bitter.

[catharooni · Rating 1 out of 5]

high hopes dashed ... lightning fast character changes and a wimpy heroine made this less than compelling reading. dialogue was weak at time, but quite good at others - made for less than believable characters.

great concept - i had hoped to see it done more justice.

[Staci]

http://kayespenguinposts.blogspot.com...

[penelopewanders]

I have had the second in the series on my shelf for a few years, and I despaired of finding a copy of the first. I prefer to read my series in order... so was happy to borrow this from the virtual library I have access to.
As is often the case, I didn't pay much attention to what this was going to be about, so was quite surprised to realize it was a contemporary.
The premise of the book - a war widow who has finally begun to remake her life learns that her (first) husband did not actually die as reported, but has now escaped captivity, so she has to decide which of her husbands is the one to keep.
Lots of to-ing and fro-ing. I was a bit shocked by the vehemence of her friend Samantha, although her actions did make things simpler in a way.
It was an interesting read, and it's hard to know how one would react in her place.

[Lilly Zeidler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, I tend to give five stars to a lot of the books I finish up right away, but this book genuinely is so cute very dynamic and didn’t waste my time which I was happy about. Very excited to read the next two books in the series! Also Finn….🥵…lemme at em!! I’m letting my friend read it next and I’m super excited that the author included “book club” questions in the back so we can have a conversation about it all :)))

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept is an interesting one. I struggled to like Macey throughout. Her in decision made me angry and I felt it self centered. I figured out about half way what was going to happen and was nearly correct. Felt bad for both men and felt the change in Wyatt was rather abrupt near the end. This is not a book for everyone and it left me still feeling bad about the situation.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superbly written with emotional inflection that only Julia London can deliver. Masterfully, she takes one on a life’s journey that leaves the reader with a newfound appreciation for life itself. Enjoy!

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good

Although the book was good, it was boring after while. I felt like the story was being dragged out and it made me lose interest. It was taking too long to choose which man she was going to pick, when the choice was obvious.

[Linda L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very suspenseful read. You are unable to put this book down wondering how it is going to end. I enjoyed this book very much

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and complicated story.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has an interesting premise and leads the reader to wonder what Macy, the main character will do. I definitely preferred one of the men and hoped she would choose him!