Okay, I’ll admit it, the title of this book is really sappy, and sounds like something I would hate. And yes, secret child stories are way overdone and are something many readers avoid. However, in the hands of the right author, even an overused plot device can work. Not only did it work here, I found this to be a lovely, touching story. Neither the hero or heroine is perfect and I found them to be interesting, as they struggled with a truly difficult situation.
Freya and Gus met when they were high school students in an Australian beach town. Gus was the son of wealthy parents, while Freya was a bit of an outcast, raised by her hippy single mother. They enjoyed one romantic summer together, and then broke up soon after Gus went away to university. They’ve had no contact with each other for the last twelve years, but now Freya has arranged to meet with Gus once again.
Freya isn’t looking for a romance this time around. Instead, she’s facing the difficult situation of not only telling Gus that they had a son she’d never told him about, but to ask Gus if he’ll give their son a kidney (and this isn’t a spoiler, as it’s described on the back cover).
Freya’s son Nick was a normal, active young boy, until he became ill. What initially seemed to be a minor illness turned out to be a serious kidney disease. He’s already lost one kidney, and needs a transplant for the remaining one in order to survive.
Both Freya and Gus have some lingering resentments about their past, but it didn’t overwhelm the story. I appreciated that the blame wasn’t placed squarely on either of their heads for what happened. There’s recognition by each of them that they were young, and may not have made the best choices. Truthfully, each of them made bad decisions at the time they broke up, and I liked that they are now both sorry for some of their own actions.
I liked both Freya and Gus. Through the use of flashbacks, we learn more about their past, and can see how much they’ve matured. They’ve both gone through a lot since they were teenagers, have each faced difficult times, and loss, but instead of becoming bitter, they have instead become productive, positive adults. Within the context of a relatively short book, I felt that the author created two fully-developed, characters.
If you don’t like children in your romances, this will definitely be a book to avoid. A lot of the plot focuses on Freya and Gus’s efforts to help their son, and on Gus’s efforts to get to know his son. I found the plot interesting, and thought that Freya and Gus had their priorities correct. I feel that Gus and Freya’s renewed romance is believable and mature. They both recognize that there’s still a lingering physical attraction between them, but they get to know each other this time around as adults, with adult problems.
If you don’t routinely reject secret child stories, I would highly recommend this book. I for one will definitely be picking up other books by the author.
Grade: A-
Book Type: Series Romance
Sensuality: Subtle
Publication Date: 2010/10
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