Hi y’all!

Hope this post finds you cozy Wow, what an incredible story! This is my first book that I’ve read by Esther and it will certainly not be my last. This book had it all: secret pining, fake engagement, real swoony kisses, a horrid villain and so much more. I adored David and Anna’s story!

Childhood friends. Seemingly unrequited love. SLOW burn. Fake Engagement. Marriage of Convenience. Dark secrets. Potential financial ruin. True love. Found family.

I received an ARC from the author/publisher. All opinions are my own.
This book will be published tomorrow, February 3rd!

Book Summary: “A lady desperately seeking freedom. A prosperous younger man. An unexpected connection.

Anna Atwood returns to Breckenridge, where she spent one blissful summer as a young woman. This time, though, she comes to the quaint town as a penniless spinster with a single hope: to build a life free from the constraints her father’s death put on her and free from the persistent suitor Mr. Green, whose plans for marriage are Anna’s worst nightmare. When she runs into David Tate, the boy she knew from that memorable summer, she finds he has grown into a confident and striking man. As they rekindle their friendship, David offers her warmth and protection in the moment she needs it most—when Mr. Green appears in town and threatens to destroy Anna’s carefully laid plans.

David Tate remembers Anna as the spirited woman who once brought light into his dark childhood. Now a man of means, he has a promising future, if he can withstand the powerful Lord Murphy—a man whose menacing hold on the town he owns is surpassed only by his relentless hold on David’s life. When David meets Anna again, he realizes he has a chance to save her from Mr. Green’s schemes, even if it means putting David in danger of Lord Murphy’s wrath and revealing David’s deepest secrets.

In a moment of desperation, David and Anna agree to a proposal of convenience to provide the safety they both need. But as their attraction ignites, the looming dangers from Lord Murphy and Mr. Green threaten to destroy their budding happiness.”

I loved the setup for this story. Learning David and Anna’s backstory was so sweet. Learning how Anna’s friendship saved David was so lovely. We get more details from David’s extremely difficult childhood throughout the book. And Anna’s friendship is such a beautiful strength to him amidst such dark times. I love that he loves her for years! I love that he proposes when they are young and never changes his mind. Seeing Anna come to understand what David’s friendship meant to her is also beautiful. They give each other strength, love, and true belonging when they need it most.

Getting to know Anna and David was a joy and a privilege. They have both experienced truly horrible things outside of their control. David experiences abuse at the hands of his father and Anna loses her father and must rebuff the attentions of a slimy suitor. These difficult experiences affect them but they don’t ultimately define them. David manages to be a true gentleman and one of the kindest characters I’ve ever encountered. I loved how Anna brought joy to everyone around her. Her friendship with David’s sister is lovely and her beautiful healing love for David was incredible.

Anna and David’s romance is slow burn, marriage of convenience perfection. There is so much to love in their love story: childhood crush, fake engagement, real feelings, marriage of convenience, and the slowest of slow burns. Will they find their happily ever after? You really don’t know until the very end! With all the twists, I adored their love story. Their love is so beautiful, so healing, and so worth fighting for. I loved when they finally put aside all their fears and secrets allowing their love to truly save them.

I’d like to officially put my name in the Esther Hatch fan club because I am hooked on her stories after experiencing this one! Highly recommend!

Have you read any of Esther Hatch’s novels? Which are your favorites?