Once, her art brought her fame. This time will it bring her love?
Widowed homemaker Rachael Stark isn’t quite sure what comes after her only child leaves for college. To fill her suddenly quiet hours and scrawny bank account, she needs a job. But painful memories prevent her from resurrecting her former art career, and “motherhood” isn’t much of a résumé. When her best friend needs help recovering from a gunshot wound that occurred in the line of duty, she is there. Finally, someone to take care of.
Evan Wayne won’t let his injury keep him from being a police officer. His dedication to protect the innocent stems from the guilt he carries over having failed his childhood friend. What he needs now is to recover and get back on the streets. Instead, he’s handed a myriad of light-duty tasks by his captain—one of which involves heading up the department’s entry into the town’s annual mural contest. He’s not an artist, but he definitely knows one. And he’ll take any excuse to spend more time with her.
When Rachael agrees to paint for Evan, she never expects to also be drawn into finding answers for the mother of a missing child. As the two friends work side by side on the mural and the case, their feelings move beyond friendship. But with Evan unwilling to leave his dangerous job, and Rachael unwilling to risk another loss of a loved one, their fears may paint over the promise of a beautiful future together.
My Thoughts
Speechless. I am always speechless when I finish a Susan Tuttle novel. I honestly just sit there in awe for a few minutes after reaching the end and wonder how I can ever right a review that will do it justice. But then I start typing and all the things I loved come spilling out and turn into my longest reviews ever.
I have been waiting for Rachael’s story since we first met her, even though she had loved and lost I just knew she had so much more in store. And the second she and Evan were on the page together I knew he was her more. Their friendship was absolutely perfect, the banter and understanding between them was just spot on. And as someone who really likes friends-to-more stories I was so ready to see their journey.
One of my favorite things about Tuttle’s writing is the realness of her characters. They are written so authentically that you feel like you genuinely know them. Every pain and struggle they go through is felt on a deep level and you truly understand the things they wrestle with. Even when I wanted to shake Rachael to make her realize what she had in front of her I felt every part of her fear and understood why she held herself back.
Both Rachael and Evan had experienced some of the most horrendous losses imaginable and they had so much unresolved pain to work through. It was raw and tough but I loved how they helped each other through, though it took outsiders wisdom and God to really break the walls down. They had such a special bond that allowed for speaking truth even when it wasn’t what the other wanted to hear and I admired the way they fully knew when to push and when to step back. They were connected in such a beautiful way and the fact that they were meant to be together was the most obvious thing in the world.
Their relationship had its ups and downs that had me alternatively laughing, yelling at them, sighing in happiness, and even tearing up. Basically it was perfection!
It was also so much fun to see more from Jonah and Penny, and Micah and Belle from the previous books! And Blake and Harlow from her standalone novel even made a cameo which made me so happy!
I cannot say enough how much I loved this book and this whole series! Definitely staying permanently on my favorites list!
ACFW Carol Award finalist Susan L. Tuttle lives in the Mitten State of Michigan where she's a mom of three and happily married to her best friend. Between still homeschooling her youngest and leading the women's ministry at church, she finds time to write stories filled with inspiration, hope, and encouragement. Connect with Susan at susanltuttle.com.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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