Single Sundays: For Lila, Forever by Winter Renshaw

Single Sundays: While this blog may be focused on reviewing book series as a whole, we can’t forget about the good ole’ standalone novel! On Sundays, I will review a novel that is considered to be a standalone novel. Here is this week’s offering:

Synopsis for For Lila, Forever (from Goodreads):

The words “For Lila, forever” adorned the front of the envelope in blue ink, the handwriting all too familiar. But it didn’t matter what it said. I didn’t have the heart to open it.

We couldn’t be together.

Not after everything …

Leaving Rose Crossing, Maine was one of the most painful moments of my life—or at least it was until the day I came face-to-face with Thayer Ainsworth again.

After a decade of searching, he’s found me, and he wants to know why I quit my housemaid job and left his family’s island estate without so much as a goodbye. But I’m bound by a devastating secret much bigger than the two of us, and telling him the truth has consequences.

Looking into the eyes of the only man I’ve ever loved, I tell him the only thing I’m allowed to: never contact me again. And when he’s gone, I sit down and finally open his letter.

Only it isn’t a letter at all.

And it changes everything.

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Must Read Author
Author: Winter Renshaw
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: Toasty
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: April 25, 2019
Source & Format: Hidden Gem Reviews–eARCs

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

At this point, I’ll read anything by Winter Renshaw but this one was especially intriguing. I love second chance romances that are plagued by family secrets and this one sounded like that exactly.

The Plot:

I had a pretty good idea of how this story would go given the synopsis, but like most of Winter Renshaw’s work, she managed to surprise me. This is a solid second chance story yet at the same time, it isn’t in some ways. I loved that we start in the past and get to see their relationship first hand. And then comes the results of the fallout as you slowly link the past with the present. I think it’s this linking of that past and present that makes this book feel different than your everyday second chance romance. These characters really have to work for it.

Which makes for an exciting story. I was thoroughly addicted to it and had a hard time putting it down. There’s just this incredible flow to it that sucks you in as a reader.

The Characters:

I really liked both of our leads. They have enough to them to carry the story and keep me satisfied with their development.

The Romance:

While I really liked these two together (they’re so sweet!), I had a hard time getting over the shortness of their romance and their very deep feelings that arise in that time frame. We do get to see them interact a lot which helped to solidify their connection when they first meet. But some thing was just missing for me; perhaps it felt a little rushed? I get that it is a summer romance but these two fall very fast and I just needed a little more from them.