⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Yes. A heart-warming family reunion that also led to a sweet romance.

On the day of his father’s funeral, Ben’s life changes forever when a woman he’s never met shows up claiming to be his sister. As he investigates the past, Ben is shaken to discover that much of his life has been built on a carefully constructed foundation of his father’s lies. Needing answers, he agrees to visit Juniper Meadows, the ancestral estate owned and run by his long-lost relatives, the Travers family.

Arriving in the pretty Cotswolds countryside, the first person Ben meets is Amelia Riley. They are immediately drawn to one another, but Amelia has her own complicated ties to the Travers family. Her only goal is to set the past to rights so she can move on with a clean conscience.

As Ben starts to see the events of his childhood more clearly, he allows the warmth and fun he finds at Juniper Meadows to draw him in from the cold. But just as he’s contemplating setting down roots, Amelia is making plans to leave…

MY THOUGHTS

There was so much to like about this story. The Travers family opened their arms without reservation to include Ben and Amelia and her mother. Their kindness and generosity knew no bounds. Like the first book, I enjoyed the descriptions of life at Juniper Meadows a lot.

Ben reuniting with his family covered all the expected emotions. I really felt his uncertainty, guilt, anger, and hopefulness. The interactions between him and his mother and the rest of the family were just beautiful.

Amelia had her own demons to slay, but she learned that it was okay to rely on other people sometimes. She opened herself up to Ben and they helped each other sort through their issues.

The ending really snuck up on me. I was having a good time reading and then, all of a sudden, it was time for the epilogue.

I can definitely recommend this if you like a closed-door romance that also focuses on family and friend relationships.  This book stands well on its own.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: September 21, 2023
Sensuality Rating: Subtle
Series: Juniper Meadows
Other books in the series: Where We Belong