Realistic portrayal of how sins of the past, whether our own or are parents, effect present day relationships. The emotions, the words said in anger, the holding on to something that happened 10 years ago. I felt like I was reading scenes out of real life not the make believe fairytale of a romance we normally read.
Cassie Reeves had a horrible childhood. No nurturing was given to her by her mother. She did her best to protect her younger sister from that the trash her mother would bring in but wasn’t always successful. She had no self esteem and drowned herself in boos and men for years. Ten years ago she got involved with boy who was 5 years younger than her, not only was it in her eyes taboo due to their ages but when she ended up in a situation her way of handling it left him angry and unable to ever forgive her.

Four years later she finds a man who cleans her up and gets her pregnant right away. She thought he was her savior but after having her son she finds out he is a possessive monster. Six year later she goes on the run after he is released from prison knowing he will come back and finish what he started. She calls upon an old friend and ends up in a small town in Washington called Seaclusion.

Cassie had no idea that when her old friend got her a job at the Dr office that one of the Dr’s would be none other than the 18 year old boy she had betrayed all those years ago.

John Tyler hates Cassie and he doesn’t hold back in his words or feelings toward her. Many of the conversations between John and Cassie were so realistic from the hurt and shaming words we’ve all thrown at someone that has hurt us deeply. The romance in this book isn’t traditional. It’s realistic. Cassie had a self-destruct personality and John always went the way of least resistance. The harm that these two caused each other due to this was heartbreaking to read.

I love finding new authors that bring a fresh and different voice. This is going to be a 4 book series. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
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