Second Chance Summer (Cedar Ridge #1)
by Jill Shalvis
Blurb:
RESCUE ME
Cedar
Ridge, Colorado, is famous for crisp mountain air, clear blue skies, and
pine-scented breezes. And it's the last place Lily Danville wants to be. But
she needs a job, and there's an opening at the hottest resort in her hometown.
What has her concerned is the other hot property in Cedar Ridge: Aidan
Kincaid-firefighter, rescue worker, and heartbreaker. She never could resist
that devastating smile . . .
The
Kincaid brothers are as rough and rugged as the Rocky Mountains they call home.
Aidan has always done things his own way, by his own rules. And never has he
regretted anything more than letting Lily walk out of his life ten years ago.
If anyone has ever been in need of rescuing, she has. What she needs more than
anything are long hikes, slow dances, and sizzling kisses. But that can only happen
if he can get her to give Cedar Ridge-and this bad boy-a second chance . . .
Themes: contemporary
Rating: 3.75 stars
Heat Rating:
Review:
An all new series begins, one that made me
cry, laugh, and fall in love with all the crazy characters in this mountain
family. Shalvis has several series that I
have enjoyed following for a long time now, but I am always looking for
something new and exciting and Second Chance Summer might just be the start of
what I’ve been looking for. Set in the
beautiful Rocky Mountains, this series revolves around a family of sexy and
dangerous men and their adrenaline junky little sister. If you are a fan of Shalvis’s other series
you will definitely enjoy the quirky characters in this town as well, but if
you are a first time reader of her work I can tell you that laugher, wit,
sarcasm and sweetness are to be expected from the story and the characters. I really enjoyed getting to know the Kincaid
Family and their friends and neighbors, but of course this story was full of
Aidan and his struggle to earn a second shot at winning Lily’s heart. The fun of watching them circle around one
another was tempered by the sadness, emotional trauma, and trust issues that
each had to come to terms with. I am
really looking forward to the next couple of stories in this series and getting
to know more of this family.
Lily
is returning to her hometown, extremely reluctantly, bruised and battered on a
personal and professional level. After
a betrayal by a man she thought she could trust fully, there is no way
she will allow another man to break her, even the sexy and terrifyingly alpha
Aidan Kincaid. He bruised her heart once
and she won’t that mistake again, no matter how much he seems determined to put
them together. Aidan is surprised by the
depth of emotion he still feels for Lily when she blasts back into his life,
but he lives his life in full speed now and he will find way around, under, or
over her walls any way he can. As
they grow closer together the emotional traumas of their past have to be dealt
with and Lily isn’t sure she can truly trust him to be there for her. When danger lurks around every corner for
this search and rescue operator/firefighter, can Lily allow herself to fall in
love and risk losing him too?
Shalvis
has found an all new chord to pull on my heart with the story about a woman
that is dealing with guilt, grief, and fear while still trying to pick herself
up and make her way in the world. Lily
seems fragile in the beginning but you slowly begin to see her come into her
own as she is bolstered by friends and the new family she finds herself
surrounded by. She is definitely a character
with fire inside, she just needed to dig herself out of the ice she has wrapped
herself in for her own safety. And
really I’m not sure what more to say about Aidan than HOT!... ok so there’s
more to him than just a gorgeous firefighting, rock climbing, adrenaline seeker,
but that's a good place to start. While it
may seem he’s just a thrill seeker, his obvious concerns for his safety and the
safety of his friends and family, show him to be the truly caring individual he
is. He is the bedrock for his family and
has been since he was a young boy and their world imploded, caring for his
siblings and helping his mother cope with her husband’s treachery. Seeing him interacting
with his friends and family shows how sweet he can be, even as he is saving
people from danger—and themselves—and when he finally comes to terms with the
way he feels for Lily there is no stopping his pursuit of her, this time for
keeps.
I
liked this story every much. The Kincaid
family was full of laughter, even though they were dealing with serious issues
ranging from financial troubles to missing family members and coming to terms with the
past that has colored all their lives.
Aidan is the man that brings everyone together and keeps his siblings from becoming too mired in the worries and fears, and his interactions with his
mother are beyond hilarious. Lily has
some serious issues to deal with, letting go of guilt for past mistakes and
finally letting herself grieve her loses, but with Aidan’s help and the
confidence he inspires she is able to conquer it all and find her niche. When Lily and Aidan are together the sparks
fly, whether they are fighting or loving, and it is obvious to everyone that they
are meant to be together as long as they can drop their walls and find a way to
accept each other’s love. Set in one of the
most beautiful parts of the country, the Cedar Ridge series promises to be
another great success and I cannot wait to see their world once winter
hits. Lighthearted at times, but dealing
with the real sorrows and griefs of life, this romance will be a reminder that
even if you feel like you can never trust another person enough to fall, love
is out there for everyone, You just have to open yourself up to it. Cannot wait for Hudson and Jacob’s stories
(already planned for the next year) and the books coming in the future as
well. Looks like another Hit series,
Jill.
*eARC provided by publisher (via
netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No
compensation was provided.
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