greatly enjoy Sarina Bowen's books, so I was happy to stumble over an older one that I hadn't read yet. In some ways, this is the familiar love story between the girl from straightened circumstances and the rich man. As always, it's the details that make or break the story and Sarina and Sarah don't disappoint.

Callan may be the "poor little rich boy", but he has had his fair share of trauma and it informs his character in a realistic and believable way. Grace's circumstances probably feel more familiar for most readers; the way that constant struggle and hardship wear you down and cause you to limit your vision. It was engrossing to watch them encounter each other and be drawn in despite themselves.

But no review of this book would be complete without mentioning Uncle Jack, who we never meet but who greatly informs the entire story. His death is what brings them together, his influence on Callan's upbringing, his apartment that they spend so much time in, his fabulous dog, and the obvious effect he had on the world around him bring a level of richness to the book that is fabulous.

Although the book ends with an HEA, it definitely sets up the plotline for more books moving forward. I, for one, would love to see what happens with Callan's sister and to find out more about their mother's history. It's been four years since it was published, but I hope we get more. ( )

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.

I read this book a few days ago and I have to say, it's probably one of the best contemporary books I've read in a while.

This book has a lot of pain and turmoil in it. I love that at its core, it's not just about two people falling in love, but about dysfunctional families and people who should be in your corner but aren't, just based on a tiny difference, that really is nobody's business but yours.

Callan is a very hurt individual, one that is trying really hard to get away from his family, but he seems stuck between parties, fancy yachts and hot, nameless women. It takes the death of his beloved uncle to wake him up and force him to try to do something more with his life, something meaningful. I was truly sad for him, that the only thing powerful enough to wake Callan up was the death of his uncle, and it truly shows just how lost he was. Because although he got away from his mother, who's just the most evil woman I've read about in a while, it seems like he's given up on everything that was important to him. It isn't until later in the book that we find out just why that is, why he's not even trying to do something important or useful, and why he's that lost. It really made me sad to read about his family.

On the other hand you have Grace, who's the sweetest woman I've read about in a while, one that struggles with being the best big sister and guardian for her little sister, one who is willing to give up her dreams in order to keep her sister in school, happy, fed, with a roof over her head. I really liked her dedication to her job, even if it was not the right job for her. Clearly she can do more, she deserves a better job, and it's sad that in today's economy, you have a lot of young people having to accept unfit jobs just to get by. I really respected Grace, because it takes a lot of courage and strength to take care of her little sister, to be a role model, at such a young age. I was angry for her when the shit hit the fan, so to say, because she clearly did not deserve to be treated the way she was.

The cool thing about this book is that, even though not physically present, I felt that Jack, the dead uncle, was written in such a way, that he felt like a true character, not just a plot device. I really enjoyed that, and I loved how he was portrayed. I felt like he was there the whole time, and that's something I truly enjoyed. I would love to learn more about him, if a sequel is at any point in the future in the works *makes puppy eyes*

The book is pretty fast paced, and I really enjoyed reading every single page of it. The ending was a bit surprising, and it made me hope for a sequel, because I need it in my life. But even without a sequel, this book was fantastic and I would recommend it to every contemporary romance fan out there. ( )