SOMEONE TO LOVE – Donna Alward
A Darling, Vermont Novel , Book 2
St. Martin's Paperbacks
ISBN: 78-1-250-09266-3
March 2017
Contemporary Romance

Present Day Darling, Vermont

Willow Dunaway had a bad childhood. Her mother wasn't only neglectful and impatient, she let Willow know she was a nuisance, and was not at all sympathetic when Willow needed her. When Willow finally graduated high school, she was a wreck and fled to Florida. She stayed there six years and came back to Darling as a woman changed through Yoga and discipline. Willow opened the Purple Pig Café where she serves local, organic, and delicious fair trade food. The café is near the Kissing Bridge, a town landmark and tourist attraction; the café is doing well.

Ethan Gallagher lost his beloved wife a year and a half ago. He's a fireman and a single father of two boys, Connor, five, and Ronan, about three. Luckily for him he has a close-knit family to help him out: parents, two brothers and three sisters. And he recently acquired a sister-in-law as well when his brother, Aiden, married. (See book one of the series, SOMEBODY LIKE YOU.)

Willow's best friend, Laurel, just married into the Gallagher clan, and Hannah Gallagher is fast becoming another good friend. This doesn't help much when Willow and Ethan meet. To him, she's a new-age crack-pot, and to her, he's a bad-humored, judgmental grouch.

Fortunately for the story, this doesn't take into account Ethan's two sons who worm their way into Willow's heart.

SOMEONE TO LOVE is one of those books that grab one immediately. The hero and heroine are intriguing, surprising, and charming in spite of their initial antagonism, not to mention sympathetic as we are let into their hearts. The little boys are lovable, and the rest of the cast very likable. When a fire destroys the town food bank, generous Darling citizens—especially Willow—rush to help. No one is seriously hurt; the only casualty is Ethan's arm, broken when a shelf unit falls on him as he fights the fire. This means he'll be off duty for some weeks . . . and around the town . . . .

SOMEONE TO LOVE is a great book by an author new to me. Now, excuse me while I go find her back list!

Jane Bowers