Goodreads
She’s the one that got away. He’s the one that never let her go.
From the bestselling author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance in which past lovers get a second chance to rediscover what they lost.
Camille Ashwood had always loved a plan. Her latest was her best yet. She was going to get married so she could secure her daughter’s future, get her overbearing parents off her back, and finally start building her own life in small town Meadowlark, Wyoming. Easy, right?
But when her groom doesn’t show up to the wedding, Cam’s life is turned upside down—she doesn’t even have a place to live. That is, until she finds out the house she’s loved since high school is available to rent. There’s only one problem: the neighbor.
Dusty Tucker has spent nearly all of his adult life running. Running from what, though? More like who: Cam Ashwood. But ever since he returned home last year, the girl who was his first, well, everything has become a woman seemingly determined to keep him at arm’s length. And he was okay with that—at least, that’s what he kept telling himself. She was getting married, after all. But now she’s single and living next door. Dusty wants to show her that they can be friends, and that he can stay put.
Despite her best attempts to stay far away from Dusty Tucker, Cam realizes that being close to him is like slipping on her favorite jeans. Easy. Comfortable. That is until past wounds start to open and feelings—both old and new—wreak havoc. Nearly ten years after they first met, Dusty and Cam begin to wonder if their first love can also be their last. And this time, will it be forever?
After Cam's groom was a no-show, she found some comfort with her first love, Dusty. It may have been over a decade, but he still caused her butterflies to flutter. With Dusty finally looking to put down roots, it was up to Cam to decide if she was willing to take a chance on love.
I was sort of emotional going into this book because it would be my last trip to the Rebel Blue Ranch. I cannot express the depth of my affection for this place and these people. So, I was already crying a bit as I read the author's note. But soon, I was swept away by this sweet and touching second chance romance.
Full disclosure - second chance romances are my catnip. I love them! I adored learning about Cam and Dusty's past via flashbacks. They were two crazy kids in love! But it just was not their time...until now. Cam and Dusty were so good together! It was obvious that both grew up quite a bit, and now, they could grow together.
There were so many sweet and tender moments, moments of raw honesty. I found myself doing that thing where I touched my heart as I sighed or shed a few tears. I was moved. And of course the best-book-dad, Amos, was the rock and voice of reason who delighted me to no end. Gosh! I really wanted that man to get his own book because he is such a gem, but I digress.
I am glad I had this opportunity to get to know Cam better, and that she had this second chance with Dusty. This book started with me shedding some tears because it was the end, but I finished this book with my face wet from happy tears.
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Published by Berkley on April 22, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction
Goodreads
Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.
Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years--or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.
When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.
One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.
Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication
Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.
But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.
And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad…depending on who’s telling it.
Margaret Ives was an icon. After a tip and a successful search, Alice found the "missing" heiress for what she thought would be the opportunity to tell her story. But upon arrival, she discovered that she would be competeing with another author, a Pultizer Prize winning biographer, for the chance to share Margaret's story with the world. But both Alice and Hayden realize that Margaret is hiding something and are determined to uncover the truth.
This was different. I adored both Alice and Hayden and their grumpy-sunshine romance. Their scenes together were always my favorites. I wasn't sure what the point of the whole Margaret part of the story was UNTIL I did! That twist was really a turning point for me. It all started to come together. This happening at about the 91% mark was really testing my patience, but I loved it! And, everything that followed was wonderful and heartwarming, and YES! I was crying by the end. I am sorry to have doubted this book because it was another EmHen win for me.
Let us know in the comments!
Love your review of Wild and Wrangled! This is a second chance romance I can get behind, because as good as they were together, Dusty and Cam did need to grow and have those other experiences.
ReplyDeleteI was glad we got this book. I loved how the Ryders claimed Cam and Dusty as their own, and I was happy to see them find happiness together.
DeleteI've heard Henry's new book is more women's fiction than romance. Or at least different from her usual. I'm looking forward to it though, because I'm enjoying women's fiction (with a bit of romance, of course) more than traditional romances these days.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I find most of Henry's books to lean Women's fiction. People We Meet on Vacation was the only one I felt was totally romance, and maybe Funny Story. I would say Life featured the romance well. It was front and center, but there was also this other storyline that got just as much time.
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