LOVE ME AGAIN (HOPE, BOOK, #7) BY JACI BURTON: BOOK REVIEW

 

Love Me Again

Hope Book, #7

By Jaci Burton

ISBN13: 9780399585074

Author’s website: http://www.jaciburton.com/

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jerjen

 

Synopsis:

In the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Don’t Let Go, it’s never too late for a second chance at first love…

When Loretta Simmons returns to Hope, Oklahoma, after a disastrous marriage, she’s determined to remain independent for the sake of her daughter. The only thing standing in her way is Deacon Fox—the man she loved and walked away from years ago.

Since Loretta owns the bookstore right next to his current renovation project, Deacon can’t escape the woman who broke his heart. Throw in her adorable little girl and one ridiculously oversized dog, and they’re almost a family. Only he can’t be that guy—what they had was once in a lifetime.

But love has a funny way of re-opening a door you thought was firmly closed.

Review:

Who does not love a second chance at love story?  This book was a story about a second chance at love, fulfilling your dreams and letting go of your past.

Loretta and Deacon were highschool sweethearts who had their future all planned out in their minds.   But as we all know, sometimes life steps in and destroys those plans we have made.  Loretta let her parents influence her actions and she broke up with Deacon, feeling it was better for both of them.  She went away to college and eventually married someone her parents approved of.  Unfortunately the man that she married was a cheater and after much soul searching, Loretta divorced him and moved back to Hope, along with her nine year old daughter.  She now owns a bookstore and has bought a farm to raise her daughter, Hazel.  She is determined to make a new life for herself and her daughter, without help from any man.

Deacon is not very happy to learn that Loretta has moved back to Hope.  His heart was broken after the breakup, and although he has moved on, he never forgot the hurt that Loretta caused.  His plan is to live his life and avoid Loretta at all costs.  But that does not work out so well for him when he starts spending time with Hazel, helping her to train the new dog that Hazel has adopted.

Spending time with Hazel means spending time with her mother, and he soon finds himself falling for Loretta all over again.  Can he forgive her for breaking his heart and give love a try again? And maybe even more importantly, can Loretta forgive herself and let go of her guilt for a second chance at love?

The characters were well developed and well rounded.  Loretta is a very strong woman who has learned to make her own choices and to stand up for herself.  Being independent is very important to her and she has vowed to herself to not let anyone ever control her life again.  She has to learn that she can be independent and still have a man in her life.  Deacon is one of the good guys and I really liked the way he took to Hazel and her dog, Otis.  He was patient with them both and quickly adjusted to having them in his life.  Hazel was a typical nine year old girl, full of questions and energy.  And Otis was just adorable.  I enjoyed the fact that characters from other books in the series were included, it was nice to be able to catch up on their lives.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.  The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and in creating a great small town feeling.  Loretta and Deacon have a very great core group of friends and it was great to see how they were ready to help each other at a moment’s notice.   We should all have friends like that.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted second chance love story.  I would not recommend letting a young adult read this book due to some language and a lot of steaminess.  You do not have to read this series in order, but I honestly do not know why you would not want to read all of this series.  I am already looking forward for the next book to be released.

 

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*