Series:
Forever, Texas (Book 25)
He's in for a surprise in a tiny Texas town
Engineer Matt O'Brien just arrived in Forever to meet the
daughter he never knew he had. He can thank Riley Robertson. But the dedicated
nurse is determined to do more than bring parent and child together. Riley has
faith -- even if Matt doesn't -- that he can be the father his little girl
needs. The charming single dad is also making Riley yearn for more. Is Matt the
man she didn't know she needed? Are the three ready to become a forever family?
Good book about secrets and when not to keep them. Five
years earlier, Riley's best friend, Breena, had a relationship with a visiting
college student. Breena ended up pregnant but refused to tell the father
because she didn't want him to feel obligated to marry her. Riley thought she
was wrong but agreed to keep the secret when Breena insisted.
As the book opens, Breena is dying of cancer and asks Riley
to contact Matt once she is gone so that Vikki will have another parent. Riley sends
the letter, wondering what Matt's reaction will be. She carries a slight grudge
against him, believing that he walked away from her friend and never gave her
another thought. She would love to adopt Vikki and raise her as her own.
Matt is stunned when he receives Riley's letter. He has
never forgotten Breena and tried for a year to contact her before giving up,
thinking she didn't share his feelings. Matt's reaction to Riley's news about
Breena's death and Vikki's existence was realistic. Disbelief, denial, and then
cautious acceptance. His memories of his time with Breena showed that he genuinely
cared for her, and I ached for him when she seemed to blow him off. I liked
that he wanted to know the truth.
When Matt arrived in Forever, his first stop was at Miss
Joan's diner. I loved his shock that she remembered him and took him to task
for his actions. I liked that she listened to his side of the story. Matt got
another shock when Riley showed up, and he had to deal with her hostility. A
very emotional scene is when Riley takes him to see Breena's grave. I liked the
effect it had on Riley and her attitude towards Matt.
I felt sorry for Matt. He's dealing with so many emotions
as he comes to terms with Breena's death and his fatherhood. Being a father was
not something that had been in his plans. I liked his first meeting with Vikki,
who was only told he was a friend of her mother's. She's a sweet but precocious
little girl (she speaks far more maturely than a typical four-year-old), and
she takes to Matt immediately. I appreciated how he stepped up even though he
felt overwhelmed.
Over the next few days, Riley finds ways to bring Matt
and Vikki together to get to know each other. At the same time, she and Matt
become closer. Neither expects the sparks of attraction that flare between
them. Riley tries to ignore them because Matt had been her best friend's love,
but the more time they spend together, the harder it is. Matt's growing
feelings for Riley confuse him. How can he be so drawn to Riley while he's
grieving for Breena? I loved the ending. Matt is sweet and awkward as he shares
his feelings with Riley. I loved how caution warred with hope as she listened
to him, with a terrific ending.
The secondary characters were great. I always love Miss
Joan and her no-nonsense gruffness. Her scene with Matt was terrific. I loved
Riley's family and their whole-hearted acceptance of Matt. Riley's grandfather
and mother are very perceptive and play significant roles in bringing Matt and
Vikki together, as well as Matt and Riley. The most important of the secondary
characters is Vikki. I didn't find her entirely believable for her age, but I
liked her anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment