Going back to Warner was not something Jacob Donovan was excited about; finding out that his former best friend, Rebecca Reed, had also returned to their hometown was also shocking! As young children, Jake and Becca were next-door neighbors—best friends who was always available when the other needed someone to be a champion. Both kids had really horrific childhoods with undesirable parents. Each had no one else upon whom to depend except the other. Eight years ago, they had one night together and, from then on, life was never the same for either of them.

Becca was head librarian in Warner; Jake was back only to sell his home place and leave again. Eight years of prison for murdering a woman had totally changed Jakes life; Becca’s was also changed with the birth of her (their) daughter, Katie. This secret kept from Jake would shock him in more ways than one! The small town of Warner had accepted Becca’s single parenthood and the resulting child; it was not as forgiving in accepting Jake when he had such a bad rap sheet.

Ms. Laverentz has expressed her small-town characters so that those of us who are from that setting could definitely relate. Whether good/ bad, rich/ poor, old/ young, male/ female, the characteristics are almost always the same in a small town. The personalities of the two major players were so deeply developed and so loveable that it was almost impossible not to love them and hope for reconciliation.

I will admit that I was shocked at some of the chaos these two faced! It was a great book and one I had trouble putting down to sleep! I really enjoyed both the story and her writing style. You will not be disappointed, I promise!

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Very sensual

Reviewer: Brenda Talley
September 4, 2007