Somebody Like you (Darling, VT #1) by Donna Alward (Amazon link)
Rating: Very Good
Source: Publisher
Description: Aiden Gallagher was only five years old when he appeared in a photograph on the Kissing Bridge. The town of Darling, Vermont, has used Aiden’s image on the famed bridge—local legend has it that a kiss there results in everlasting love—as part of its tourism campaign. Now, twenty years later, Aiden is asked to recreate the moment with the woman he once kissed: Laurel Stone.
Recently divorced, there’s nothing Laurel wants less than to pretend happily-ever-after with Aiden. As teenagers, their romance was no fairy tale—and Laurel has never quite forgiven Aiden for breaking her heart. But now that she is back in her hometown, and keeps bumping into police officer Aiden, Laurel can’t deny that there’s still a strong flicker between her and her old flame. Could it be that the Kissing Bridge is working its magic on Laurel and Aiden—and that all true love ever needed was a second chance?
Genre: Romance - Contemporary
Why I Picked This Book: I have really enjoyed Alward's Jewell Cove series and can't wait to see what she's coming up with next!
My Impression: I've been keeping an eye out for Donna Alward since her last Jewell Cove book was published far too long ago. When I got the notification for this one I was absolutely thrilled. While I'll miss Jewell Cove I'm super excited to explore Darling, Vermont and get to know a whole new cast of characters. I wasn't completely in love with the blurb on this one if I'm being honest. The foucs on recreating the kissing photograph just screamed contrived issue. Thankfully, that's not how it played out. This is mostly because Aiden and Laurel are perfectly capable of creating their own complications so the kissing photo is definitely a side plot.
Aiden and Laurel are both so likable that I instantly connected with them and found it super easy to root for their romance. Aiden is almost too perfect - he's smart, he's kind, he really just wants to help every one and he's ridiculously good looking. But as I got to know him a little I dis see there were some cracks under all that perfection (plus I loved that he moved stuff around just to mess with his brother) and it was impossible not to like him. Laurel's a little more prickly. She's got some issues that she's refusing to address and she's pretty stubborn at not forgiving Aiden for a high school bet gone terribly wrong - though to be fair I probably wouldn't have forgiven him easily either. There friendship/romance doesn't have the smoothest start but it was tons of fun to watch and I felt the conflicts made sense to both of their personalities.
If you want a fun contemporary romance with lots of heart, characters who really forge an emotional connection, and a small town full of interesting characters I think you'll enjoy this first book in the Darling, VT series. The ending did feel a little rushed but while it may not have been the most realistic I had a huge grin on my face while I was reading it!
Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Absolutely! I was super excited to see the next two books are about Aiden's brothers and Alward's The House on Blackberry Hill from her Jewell Cove series is one of my favorite contemporary romances.
Would I Recommend this Book?: If you enjoy contemporary romance - particularly those set in a small town - this is a series not to miss.
I do enjoy books set in small towns or villages. By the way, Thank you so much for the suggestion about the audio books, once you mentioned them I remember we had A Hole in the Bucket for Trustan when he was little. Then we had a small Sony cassette player, very brightly colored. I guess these days I need to think in terms of CDs. Great idea - thanks!
ReplyDeleteI need to read more Alward! I loved The House on Blackberry Hill so much, but haven't read anything else besides a Christmas novella. I'm glad you really enjoyed this one.
ReplyDeleteGood review, Katherine! I liked this one also. It was my introduction to Alward, but I took a chance on her because I remembered you like her -- so your previous reviews had an influence on me. :-) (Incidentally, my review for the tour goes up on Thursday, if you get a chance to stop by.)
ReplyDeleteI don't read a lot of romance, but this sounds cute. And what a bright, fun cover! I'm definitely going to check this one out.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that I have read Donna Alward before and really wonder why that is. This sounds like the kind of book that I would enjoy. I am glad that it turned out better than the synopis had you believe. I will have to look for this one. Great review!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very good read, I have just started to notice Donna Alward and it seems to me maybe I should start with her Jewel Cove books. Although love books set in Vermont!
ReplyDeleteI too do not read a lot of romance but this sounds like a nice read.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a nice comfort read! Do you have an opinion yet of how this series stands up to the previous one? Like them both equally, or one more than the other?
ReplyDeleteI'm just wondering whether to pick this one up or get book #1 from the other series first. Thanks!
Oh love when there's an instant connection to the characters like that. Sounds like a fun read :)
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