The best decision they'll ever make
Lacey Hamilton is used to living in the background.
Overshadowed her entire life, she stepped out of the Hollywood limelight and
into the role she's meant to play: a counselor, part of the High Risk Team
started by The Lemonade Stand women's shelter in Santa Raquel.
Her caseload leads her to the doorstep of Jeremiah
"Jem" Bridges to rescue a little boy. She's not supposed to fall in
love with the rugged construction worker and his adorable son. Love and duty,
though, don't always agree. Especially when a truth is uncovered that neither
she nor Jem is prepared to face.
Excellent story with an unusual storyline. The book opens
with Lacey, a social worker, getting a call from a concerned daycare worker. A
little boy she has cared for since he was a few months old shows worrisome
signs - unusual injuries and a change in personality among them. She's afraid that
he's being abused. Lacey takes down the information and pays a visit to father
and son that very night. I will say that I was somewhat disappointed in Lacey
at the very beginning. It seemed to me that she immediately jumped to the
conclusion that it was Levi's father doing the abusing before she even met the
man. Fortunately, it didn't take her long to realize that if there was any
abuse, it wasn't Jem doing it. There are, however, enough signs that she can't
completely walk away.
I really liked both Lacey and Jem. Lacey is a strong and
compassionate woman who also has some self-image problems. She and her
identical twin sister, Kacey, were models when they were younger, and Kacey went
on to work as an actress, too. Lacey was the quiet one who frequently got
overlooked around her more outgoing sister. It wasn't until Lacey moved away
and became involved with a women's shelter, The Lemonade Stand, that she found
her niche in life. However, she does tend to compare herself to her sister, always
believing that she doesn't measure up. I loved how she connected with little
Levi and how he found his way into her heart. Jem is a great guy and a
wonderful father. I loved seeing him with Levi and what an excellent
relationship they have. Jem has full custody, with his ex-wife, Tressa, getting
weekend visitations. I often got frustrated by the way Jem consistently made excuses
for Tressa's actions and attitude. The more I got to know him the more I liked
him, but I also wanted to find a way to open his eyes.
I loved the development of the relationship between Lacey
and Jem. There were sparks between them right from the start, but Lacey tried
to resist them. Because of her work connection to Levi and Jem, having a
personal relationship was not possible. But as fate kept throwing them
together, the attraction between them could not be denied. I loved that Lacey
accepted the connection and made the move that would remove that obstacle from
their relationship. I loved watching them grow closer, slowly getting to know
each other. Jem won my heart with the way that he focused on Lacey even when Kacey
was around. I loved how he showed her that she was wonderful the way she was
and didn't need to keep comparing herself to Kacey. I especially liked his
explanation of how he knew the difference between the two women. Lacey's
feelings for Jem grew quickly, but her insecurity worked against her for a long
time. I loved seeing her finally start to believe in their relationship.
However, she also had a big reservation, and that was the relationship between
Jem and Tressa. There were things about it that raised red flags for her, but
Jem blew off her concerns. It wasn't until a combination of something that Levi
said and a confrontation with Tressa that Lacey's suspicions proved correct. I
ached for both her and Jem as she confronted him with her observations and
conclusion and made her stand. I loved Jem's big moment at the end and
everything he went through to get there.
Another thing I loved about this book was the
relationship between Lacey and Kacey. Their love for each other was
unquestionable. I also loved how they were there for each other, even during
those times when their relationship was strained. It was interesting to see the
similarities and the differences and how those affected their relationship. I
loved that Lacey saw what she needed to do for her own happiness and did it. I
also liked that with time and distance she was able to change the dynamics between
herself and her sister. I also liked how her love and concern for Kacey helped her
sister get a better handle on her own life and issues. It was a great start to
Kacey finding who she is inside. I've already read Kacey's story (Her SecretLife) and found it just as moving as Lacey's.
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