I chose this book from an ARC program because I liked the synopsis and was feeling for a good women’s fiction.

The Premise

Now in her 50s, Allyson has finally found happiness, and is ready to move forward in life with her boyfriend. But just as she becomes Warren’s fiancée, she receives a visitor: a sixteen-year-old grandson she did not know about, the child of the daughter she gave up for adoption when she was seventeen. With few options to care for Nick after his mother’s death, Allyson takes him in.

His presence brings up memories of her past — mainly, Nick’s grandfather, Sonny, who disappeared without a trace after their first time together, at Woodstock almost four decades ago. She decides to embark on a road trip across the country with Nick to meet his grandfather, who never knew Allyson had had a child. Will their past love have any place in the future, or are old memories better left in the past?

The Pros

This was an emotional and beautiful novel with relatable characters and an interesting plot. The developing relationship between Allyson and Nick had its ups and downs, but they found common ground through rebellion. Through Nick, Allyson reclaims some of her own youth. There were vivid descriptions of their adventures together, and these were heartwarming and brought life to the novel.

Warren’s steady love and the potential of the past flame to ignite with Sonny also brought tension to the tale, and I enjoyed that balance of past and present with the uncertainty of the future. It was lovely to see Nick come out of his shell as he found that not only did someone actually want him in their life — but that he was someone worth fighting over.

The Cons

While I enjoyed the novel overall, I did wish for a bit of a twist… some heart-stopping moment that was completely gripping. This didn’t happen, however — there were no surprises, but a gentle build to a satisfying though predictable end. The flashback scenes were also a bit too detailed; I would have preferred these to be much shorter. Finally, at times, I found myself wishing that it were told from two points of view — I would have loved to see Nick’s story unfold alongside Allyson’s, and this may have made for a more dramatic and entertaining story.

Conclusion

Despite those minor niggles, I really enjoyed this novel and I would highly recommend to anyone, but particularly female adult readers. There was a lot of emotional introspection and healing that took place for all the main characters, a nice pacing as the story unfolds, and a few dashes of excitement here and there. I can see this being turned into a Lifetime movie, so if that’s the kind of story that floats your boat, this would be an excellent pick.

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