STARLIGHT BRIDGE

This is book #2, in the Harmony Harbor series. This book can be read as a standalone novel. For reader enjoyment and understanding, I recommend reading series in order.

Griffin & Ava have a past as husband and wife. There is much pain and reminders are everywhere when he returns. How can he not want the love of his life back?

Ava knows how she feels for Griffin. She also knows there are too many factors keeping them apart. Can they meet in the middle and conquer the obstacles?

I do not do spoilers. I will say that this story has so much to it - you will want to read it all at once, as I did. These characters are so easy to root for, and very much should be together. I cannot wait to read the next book in the Harmony Harbor series!

***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review, by Netgalley and its publishers.

Excellently written real tear jerker

Circling around the restoration and renewal of Greystone Manor, and the people who are working to make this forgotten gem a going concern. In this book we have Ava, a well-known and regarded chef, brought in by Sophie (the nexus of the project to save the manor) to help out. But there are issues. See, Ava was once married to Griffin, and after a huge mistake, she used her fear to drive her next steps – pushing Griffin away, even though they both still loved one antoher. Now, even though she was back in town to help her dying father, she’s retreated from life and further from Griffin and his family, hoping to keep him away from the real reasons she walked from their marriage.

Griffin, for his part, never stopped loving Ava, even remarrying (although now divorced) didn’t keep him from thinking about her, wondering what he did wrong, and having the repeated ill-will toward her from his family reinforced. No one really understands why they split so long ago, and the one person who may have known is long since gone, having never shared the why to a person, but left behind in a memoir. Ava is desperate that the reasons never come to light, so her need to find this memoir, left somewhere in the Manor house, is reaching critical mass. Avoiding Griffin, who is helping with the renovation is a close second on her list.

Oh this was fun, when two people are desperate to avoid one another, and interference and coincidental moments are fueled by a ghost and a cat, the façade that Ava has constructed to hide her ever-present love for Griffin is crumbling. And together, despite bickering, ignoring and desperate attempts to not address one another directly, the passion, emotion and connection between them is clear and palpable. They just need to be honest, and despite some childish and petty behavior meant to distract and disrupt the connection from Griffin’s ex Lexi, the developer’s monkey wrenches thrown to discredit the new owners and their attempts to make the business a success and the meddling ghost, the story moves forward until Ava needs to confront or run from the secrets of the past.

Given plenty of time to reacquaint themselves, despite the back and forth, the connection and regard that Ava and Griffin have is clear, and while Ava mistakenly and rather childishly decides that her answers are the best ones, the gradual understanding and growth that she finds in the solidity of Griffin and the power of truth and honesty to allow you to move forward is clearly drawn and brings the couple together in ways unexpected. Tension from the threats to the Manor, the attraction between Ava and Griffin and the curious interferences from the ghost add a solid underlayment that draws you forward, keeping you engaged. A wonderful installment in the series, I can’t wait for the next.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.