Tuesday, March 10, 2015

One Perfect Year - Melinda Curtis

One Perfect Year
Melinda Curtis
Harlequin Heartwarming, Mar 1 2015, $6.50
ISBN: 9780373367153

Almost two years have passed since Shelby Hawkley’s husband Nick and her Grandma Ruby died within a week of each other.  Still grieving, she lives with her retired veterinarian Grandpa in Harmony Valley, California along with Ruby’s dog Mushu and Siamese Gaipan.  Making matters harder on Shelby is that her former BFF “Dead” Gage Jamero stopped communicating with her from the moment she buried her husband.

A vet who works with racehorses, Gage plans on moving to Kentucky.  However before he leaves California, Shelby’s grandfather Dr. Wentworth offers him a chance to buy into his practice in Harmony Valley.  Reluctantly Gage agrees only temporarily to help his mentor until he leaves for Lexington.  As Gage and Shelby awkwardly meet for the first time since the funeral, he knows he owes her the truth behind his incommunicado.  Yet he cannot bring himself to tell her how much he has loved her since science class together; while knowing she never reciprocated his feelings beyond being best buddies and besides Gage abandoned Shelby when she needed his shoulder.

The latest Harmony Valley romance (see Season of Change) is a wonderful second chance contemporary.  The relationship between the protagonists is interesting while the stories from Grandpa and his peers add flavoring to a warm tale of a secret love.


Harriet Klausner

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