Someone to Love by Donna Alward – a Review

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Description:
Ethan Gallagher is a firefighter in Darling, Vermont, who followed tradition and pledged his love on the Kissing Bridge to ensure lifelong happiness. A few years later, he s a widower with two rambunctious boys who no longer believes in magic. But even he has to admit that free-spirited Willow Dunaway fills him with wonder and an attraction he cannot deny.

Willow s come back to Darling a different girl than the one who left after high school. Overcoming her past and owning her own business has made her into a strong, independent woman. Single dad Ethan appeals to her in a way she didn t expect, even though settling down is the last thing on her mind. But after fire destroys the local food bank, the town rallies, and a fling between Ethan and Willow leads to unintended consequences. Can they find a way out of their heartbreak to make a home in each other s hearts?

Review:

Someone to Love by Donna Alward is the 2^nd book in her Darling, VT series.   Willow Dunaway is our heroine, and we had met her in the first book of this series.  Willow, who runs a successful bakery café that leans on the healthy organic side, is also very likeable, independent, a hard worker and very different than your local business woman.  She has a blue or purple streak in her hair, and has a nose ring. 

Ethan Gallagher, our hero, is a widower, who lost his wife a few years ago.  He has two wonderfully adorable sons, but he remains cold and embittered by the loss of his beloved wife.  Ethan relies on his big family to help him, when he is off to work on his fire fighter duties; but when he is home, his whole life are his sons.  Ethan had met Willow at Laurel and Aiden’s wedding, as she is Laurel’s best friend.  But when he runs into her with his sons by her café, Ethan is unfriendly and rude, even if his sons take a liking to Willow.  Early on, though I understood his pain, I really didn’t like Ethan too much.  That did change as the story progressed, though he did continue to act like a jerk at times, which would have turned me off of him.  Poor Willow had her own issues to get past from her teenage years.  Despite this, she was so great with the boys, and that was a lot of fun.

What follows is a slow build romance between two unlikely people.  Both Ethan and Willow have to face the pain of their past, in order to trust their hearts to each other.  Ethan is afraid to get hurt again, but his wonderful family pushes him to move on.  Willow has told no one about her past, but she also has her best friend Laurel and Ethan’s sister to help her.  The key is for both them to open up to each and once they do, their love will bloom in a beautiful heartwarming romance.  But there are a few obstacles that will come up that can break up their relationship.   Will Ethan and Willow be able open up and help  each other to get past their issues?

The best part of this sweet story, are Ethan’s sons Connor and Ronan.  I loved them both and loved how Willow was with them.  I really loved Willow throughout the whole book.  Ethan took some time, but did get better closer to the end.  I love the Gallagher family, too, and look forward to more stories from the rest of the siblings.   If you love small town romances, family, friendship and adorable children, I suggest you read this series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher