Jen is a fundraiser for Brown, still married to her ex and sharing both a house and custody of her son. At the wedding of her niece she meets Madison and they take the opportunity to share a night together.
Madison is a social worker, recovering from a bad relationship she returns to Providence and finds herself working at the school Jen is on the board of.
Whilst it’s the second in the series, the characters are tied together by the town they live in, rather than a friendship group. You don’t need to have read the first book – Providence – to read this one. Lindsey is friends with Jen and appears briefly, whilst Rebekiah is only mentioned – so you won’t miss anything in this storyline.
Their friends and families integrate well into the storyline. I found the relationship Jen had with her friends to be effective as part of the narrative in understanding who Jen is and how she fits with Madison. Madison’s family are included just enough for background infill and some familial grilling of Jen.
I loved Madison’s relationship with Carter, Jen’s son. The natural bond they have over geeky things is written really well and it helped to build a picture of any long term future Jen and Madison might have together.
The inevitable angst happens with enough time for things to be resolved with a satisfying end, and I felt the ending was appropriate for the pair. I’m hoping that they’ll be another in the series and we’ll get to see some brief glimpses of them again.
I can’t say this is the worlds most exciting book – but it is a good portrayal of how life looks when it’s complicated and you’re trying to do your best as a couple in building and maintaining a respectful relationship. I was surprised that the sex scenes weren’t steamier after reading Providence – but they do seem fitting for this pairing.
Any wlw age gap romance fans should find something to enjoy in this one, as will most other romance fans.
I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
LGBTQ+ Reader 