Bravo Family Ties (Book 55)
A NEW IDENTITY, A NEW LOVE
Ever since Madison Delaney learned she was switched at
birth, her life has been in a tailspin. The Hollywood actress arrives in
Valentine Bay hesitant to reveal herself to her new family, but she quickly
encounters Sten Larson living next door. The down-to-earth shipbuilder makes
Madison question everything she thought she wanted. Can a movie star find
happiness in small-town Oregon?
Wonderful entry in the Bravos of Valentine Bay series. I
have been looking forward to Madison's story ever since the switch was revealed
in Almost a Bravo. Unlike Aislinn, who had her whole family there to support
her and help her through the crisis, Madison was alone. The family had been
trying for months to get in touch with Madison, but have been stonewalled by
her agent and assistant. They finally reached out to their cousin Jonas (The
Bravo Billionaire) who was able to gain access to Madison's home.
Madison woke up on her birthday, ready for her tradition
of setting her goals for the next year. Though she thought she had no idea what
to put down, she was stunned by the goals her subconscious revealed. Her
contemplation of those goals was interrupted by Jonas's arrival. Her world was
completely upended by the news of the baby switch and what it could mean for
her. Within a week she found a beach cottage to rent in Valentine Bay, where
she could lie low, think about her plans for the future, and work up the nerve
to meet her unknown family.
Madison's next door neighbor and owner of the cottage was
Sten Larson. Sten shares his home with his father, widowed sister, and her son
and daughter. I loved his close relationship with them all. His sister's
teasing and "guidance" are spot on, and received with the expected
appreciation <grin>. I especially loved seeing him with his niece and
nephew. They were adorable, and it's obvious that he'd make a great father.
I loved the development of the relationship between
Madison and Sten. It was cute to see how Madison watched him from a distance at
first, believing that he was married and a dad. She was drawn to him but
thought he was off limits. Once she discovered he was available, however, she
was determined to get to know him better. She was a bit creative in her method,
but it did get him to her house. It was fun to see how amused he was, but he
was also intrigued. Once he found out about her connection to the Bravos, he
tried to encourage her to take that final step and get to know them. I ached
for Madison because she was so nervous and stressed over the idea. It created a
little strain between her and Sten because he would sometimes push a little too
hard. I loved the time that she and Sten spent together doing ordinary things,
and how it reinforced her decisions about the changes she wanted to make in her
life. The more time they spent together, the more the attraction and connection
deepened also. Madison fell hard and fast for Sten, but he fought his feelings
all the way. He had been badly hurt in a past relationship, and it affected the
way he looked at what he and Madison shared. I wanted to shake Sten at times
because he refused to see that Madison was nothing like Ella. I hurt for
Madison and loved how she didn't give up on him. The ending was sweet and
emotional as Sten finally broke free of his fears. I adored the epilogue with
the look at their future.
I loved seeing the other side of the switched babies
story. Aislinn had such a hard time dealing with the news that I wasn't sure
how it would go for Madison. Her initial shock was understandable. I liked that
it didn't take her long to accept the truth. The hard part for her was taking
that final step to get to know the family. Though Sten pushed a bit hard, he
also believed that it was something she needed to face sooner rather than
later. He offered her all the support she could want. I loved the first meeting
between Madison and her siblings. It was especially neat to see the closeness
between herself and Aislinn. There was an interesting twist involving one of
her brothers that makes me very anxious to read his story.
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