Naima Simone

Good book about family, love, and facing the past. The story opens as Flo returns home after a business trip that ended badly. In need of distraction, she has a steamy and mutually anonymous one-night fling with a stranger she believes is passing through. Imagine their shock when they discover they will be working together on a restoration project. Complicating matters, Adam's five-year-old daughter, Jussy, takes an immediate liking to Flo, declaring them "best friends."

Neither Adam nor Flo had any intention of getting involved with each other. Adam is determined to provide stability for Jussy, which does not include getting involved in a relationship with an expiration date. Flo avoids emotional entanglements, preferring to protect her heart. But neither can deny the attraction that pulls them together.

I enjoyed watching Flo and Adam's relationship develop. A tentative friendship developed once they moved past that awkward first post-fling meeting. Adam started to see Flo as the warm-hearted woman she was and noticed the beneficial impact on Jussy. I liked his sensitivity to the conflicts she experienced within her family, his willingness to listen and comfort, and his support as she worked through her feelings. But he also has his own hangups that keep him from opening his heart to the possibilities of a future with her. Flo's trust issues stem from her childhood and keep her from fully believing that she is loveable enough for Adam to want her in his life.

The more time they spent together, the closer Flo and Adam became. I liked how they started to share their pasts and listen to each other, helping each other move past their fears and doubts. But there are still some niggling insecurities that drive a wedge between them. I liked the unexpected source of Adam's awakening and what he did about it.

Adam's daughter, Jussy, is a huge part of the story. She is the center of Adam's life; giving her stability is his focus. I felt his frustration over his ex-wife's neglect and his worry over its effect on Jussy and her future. Her exuberance leaps off the page, and it is easy to see how it speaks to Flo's heart.

Another big part of the book is Flo's relationship with her family. Though she is close to her adoptive parents and siblings, she has insecurities that cause her to hold part of herself back. Then, a blast from her past returns, and she must decide if she's ready to let go of old hurts and move forward.

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