Series: Bravos of Valentine Bay (Book 5)Bravo Family Ties (Book 56)
The career she couldn't remember…
The marriage she couldn't forget...
Aly Santangelo's car accident left her with no memory of
the past seven years -- not her move to New York, nor her divorce from Connor
Bravo. Connor reminds the vulnerable beauty that they're no longer together,
even as he lets her into his home -- and his bed. But when unchecked passion
leads to an unplanned pregnancy, Aly vows to play for keeps!
Terrific second chance romance. I read it in one sitting,
unable to put it down. Connor and Aly
had married very young and divorced after only two years when Connor refused to
follow up on his promise to move to New York with her. They haven't seen each
other since then. Aly is on her way back to Valentine Bay to care for her
mother, her mind on Connor and their past when she is involved in an accident. The
resulting concussion blocks her memory of the seven years since their divorce.
This was an emotion-filled story. I could feel Aly's fear
and frustration as everyone tried to convince her of the truth when all she
wanted was to see Connor. When Aly's brother Dante showed up at Connor's door,
Connor's fear of the worst was apparent. He has huge regrets over his part in
the end of his marriage, and he will do anything to help Aly. Emotions ran high
as Connor struggled to be both firm and kind as well as honest, Aly finally
accepted the truth, and Aly's father and brothers reeked of hostility. Her reaction
was understandably blunt, which made it even more of a surprise when she showed
up at his house, asking to stay with him while she was in town.
I loved the rekindling of Connor and Aly's relationship.
It is evident from the start that their feelings for each other never died.
Though she still hasn't remembered anything, Aly is confident of her feelings
for Connor and wants a chance to repair their relationship. She senses that he
still cares, but that he is fighting it. Moving in with him is her way of trying
to break down his walls. Connor realizes quickly that his feelings for Aly
never died, but there are two things that argue against getting involved again.
First, she is still recovering from her injuries, and he doesn't want to take
advantage while she is vulnerable. Second, Aly will return to New York at the
end of her stay, and that is a recipe for another broken heart. I loved
watching Aly chip away at Connor's resistance until he finally gives in. He'll
take what he can get and hope for the best at the end.
I liked seeing them get to know each other as they are
now. There are plenty of sweet scenes of everything from cooking together to
walks on the beach to quiet movie nights. Though it's always in the back of
their minds, both of them put off thinking about what will happen when Aly
leaves. I cried for both of them when her memories of their divorce returned,
and she had to deal with the pain all over again. Aly's discovery of her
pregnancy is a complication that adds to her confusion over what she wants for
her future. Both she and Connor have some things to work through that create
quite a bit of tension. There were times I wondered if Connor had learned
anything from his past mistakes. His big moment at the end was fantastic and
showed that he finally got it.
I loved the family relationships in this book. The Bravos
are as close as ever, and it was great to see them. Aly's attendance at the
family dinners entailed catching her up on their lives, which also served as a
reminder to the reader of what had gone before. I really liked how Aly was
pulled back in with little fuss. Daniel still serves as the family advisor and
does a great job of helping Connor with his decision at the end. Aly's family
was terrific too. Aly was the youngest, with three older brothers, meaning she
suffered through a lot of overprotectiveness. I enjoyed the glimpses of her
life growing up with them, especially with her brother Dante. That she fell in
love with Dante's best friend created deeper issues later on. It was both funny
and emotional to see the changes that Connor and Dante's friendship goes through
over those years. There was a terrific scene that involved Dante and Connor's
sister Grace that made me laugh at Connor's reaction and wonder if the tables will
be turned at a later date. I liked Aly's relationship with her mom and the help
and understanding she received. I loved that Aly's mom was firmly on their side
and kept the guys somewhat in check.
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