Review: Good plot but the characters didn't carry it well.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 07 29, 2013
When I read the blurb, I couldn't resist what is one of my favorite tropes - friends to lovers. Kiersten has known a lot of tragedy in her life. First, she lost her parents, then her sister and brother-in-law in a car accident, then Pete, her fiancé, cheated on her. As her nephew's legal guardian, she's also a single mom. She doesn't trust men or relationships anymore, mostly to guard her heart, but also because it's best for her nephew, Chris. Garrett has had a crush on Kiersten since high-school. That crush never waned, but since Kiersten's ended engagement, he's been put firmly in the friend's corner. On the one year anniversary of what would have been her wedding day, she has a moment of weakness fueled by anger and resentment towards her ex. She knows Garrett is interested and he's the best candidate to help her scratch her itch. She didn't count on him wanting much more than she was prepared to ever give. He's tenacious and becomes even more determined when she tells him they're about to become parents.I really wanted to like this story because the plot was good, the obstacles were somewhat believable, but the characters didn't really carry this story very well. I understood the heroine's feelings over the losses she's experienced in her life. When Pete cheated, he not only broke her, but he had also hurt Chris. It was no wonder she preferred to be alone. I just didn't approve of how she went about dealing with it and her treatment of the men in her life. Garrett was sweet and loving, kind of the perfect guy. But I couldn't understand why he was attracted to Kiersten in the first place. She used him and kept pushing him away, even during the pregnancy, and she had no friends (I am not counting the neighbor that popped by once to bring her some food as a friend). Why did he let her jerk him around for so long? I felt like I spent so much time in Kiersten's head that it didn't help me like her despite coming around at the end. I thought her wavering emotions dragged on far too long with her trying to hold to her mantra. And I don't think it was the pregnancy hormones.Then there was her overly protective brother and Garrett's best friend, Matt. He kept warning Garrett away from acting on his crush, but I would have thought Matt would be happy that a man like Garrett would be there for her. Especially after the Pete fiasco. Having her repeat how all of it was Pete's fault was also a little annoying. I think that was well established in the beginning of the story, and the point didn't need to be driven home throughout the story.Overall, I felt that the characters were a little bland and immature. I didn't believe the chemistry; I didn't believe the budding relationship. The painful journey of waiting for her character to peak was fraught with one too many "I don't want to" and "I can't". This story wasn't what I expected, but I may try something else by this author at another time.Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.