Lexi Clark’s life is falling apart!
Summoned home to Sunrise Cove, the last thing she wants to do is face all the complications she left behind. Her past, her stepsister Ashley, and especially her infuriatingly gorgeous childhood nemesis-turned-crush Heath Bowman.
Lexi’s way too focused on her job as an art appraiser, she doesn’t have time to believe in trust, love, or Happily Ever Afters. Her stepsister, on the other hand, is so full of life it hurts to look at her. But Lexi can’t refuse Ashley’s plea to honor their late mother’s final wish. So, on behalf of her estranged mother’s estate-and with Heath in tow as the executor-Lexi embarks on a road trip to repay all the people her gambling addicted mother owed money to.
Soon, all of Lexi’s complicated feelings come to a head; missing her mom, missing Ashley, and most of all, missing Heath. For the record, she doesn’t like it, or the way he has of scaling the walls she’s built around her heart. The road trip shenanigans that ensue are both funny and heartbreaking, but Lexi finds something shocking along the way. Acceptance. Family.
And, unbelievably… love.
About The Author
My Review
At the heart of the novel is Lexi, a woman scarred by a lifetime of disappointment from a mother who seemed more absent than nurturing. Her mother’s death reopens old wounds—but also opens the door to unexpected healing, through a series of letters that pull Lexi back to the one place she never thought she’d return. There, she must face both her estranged sister Ashley and Heath, the man who once stirred her heart.
Lexi is a compelling, layered character—guarded and understandably skeptical, but yearning for something more. Her emotional journey feels authentic as she grapples with grief, betrayal, and the possibility of rebuilding the relationships she once gave up on. Ashley, in contrast, brings a sunny optimism and determination that masks her own secrets and motivations. She’s not just the cheerful sister—she’s a woman with her own version of pain and hope, hoping desperately to create the family she missed out on.
Heath, ever the caretaker, is kind and reliable to a fault. His tendency to prioritize everyone else’s happiness over his own sets up a quietly powerful subplot about self-worth and emotional boundaries. His chemistry with Lexi is slow-burn and believable, rooted in shared history, tension, and unresolved feelings.The emotional weight of the characters’ pasts is balanced by the warmth of their present connections. The letters from their mother serve as a catalyst for truth, healing, and unexpected revelations, giving the story depth and resonance.
This is a heartfelt, character-driven story filled with sorrow, redemption, and hope. It’s about finding love—not just romantically, but in family and in oneself.
My Rating
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