Series:
Sisters of Christmas Bay (Book 1)
She'd fled the past… Would she stay for her future?
When Kyla Beckett returns to Christmas Bay to help her
foster mom, the last person she wants to run into is Ben Martinez, the boy
who'd upended her life. The small-town police chief just wants a second chance
-- to explain -- but Kyla isn't interested in giving him the time of day. But
when Ben's little girl bonds with his longtime frenemy, he wonders if it might
be the start of a friendship…or more! Can the wounded single dad convince Kyla
he's always wanted the best for her…then, now and forever?
Good book about coming home, family, letting go of the
past, and unexpected love. I liked how the author realistically included tough
subjects like child abuse and Alzheimer's/dementia without overdramatizing.
Kyla left her teaching job and moved home to Christmas
Bay to help her foster mom, Frances. She has become increasingly worried about
Frances's memory lapses. She plans to spend the summer helping care for
Frances's home and the candy store.
The story opens with Kyla in the store when a young
teenager enters. Kyla is stunned when the boy grabs the tip jar and runs. She followed
and watched him collide with the local police chief, her best friend's brother,
Ben. After declining to press charges against the boy, Hunter, she's left alone
with Ben. The memories come fast and hard - her crush on him as a girl, his
kindness to his little sister's friend, and the betrayal that changed her life
forever. Her feelings are mixed at seeing him again. She remembers her love for
him but can't forgive him for his actions.
Ben lives in Christmas Bay with his six-year-old
daughter, Gracie. His wife deserted them, leaving him with trust issues when it
comes to women. Gracie is the center of his life, and I loved seeing what a
good dad he is. Gracie is a sweetheart, and I loved seeing her with her daddy. Ben is well-liked by most residents and protective of those he
serves.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Kyla and Ben
develop. It started with the sparks of attraction that flared between them from
the beginning, though each tried to ignore them. Ben wants to avoid getting
involved with someone who will leave at the end of the summer. He especially
doesn't want Gracie to get close and then lose another person she cares for. But
Gracie bonds quickly with Kyla (I loved their "playdate"), and Ben cannot
keep them apart. As they spend more time together, their feelings for each
other grow, but the past keeps coming between them. It takes eye-opening conversations
with unexpected people to open their eyes and hearts.
There are other things in this book besides the romance
between Kyla and Ben. Kyla's foster mother has memory issues that cause Kyla a
great deal of worry. My heart ached for both as Frances stubbornly tried to
deny the problem until a frightening incident made denial impossible. I liked
how Kyla and her foster sisters are determined to do what they can to help
Frances. Their motto of "all of us or none of us" means they are in
it together. Seeing how Frances's friends and family rallied around her was
sweet. I look forward to future books and seeing how things go for her.
Kyla's other worry in this book concerns the teenage
thief, Hunter. She saw something in him that day that touched her deeply and
made her want to help. His backstory is heartbreaking; I was all for whatever
she had in mind. I loved how she and Frances gave him a job and the difference
it made to him. I ached for Kyla and the
painful decision she had to make later. It was a heartwrenching dilemma that
stirred up distressing memories and gave her a different perspective. I loved
her final encounter with Hunter.
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