Ford Grant moves to the small town of Rose Hill to escape the spotlight and open a recording studio. But his plans are complicated when a twelve-year-old girl shows up claiming he’s her biological father. As Ford adjusts to unexpected fatherhood, he also has to resist his growing attraction to Rosie Belmont, his best friend’s younger sister. When he hires Rosie to work for him, their years of tension quickly turn into something neither of them can ignore.
2.5/5 stars – I absolutely loved Ford’s relationship with his daughter, Cora, and how her story unfolds, even if it isn’t the primary focus of the book. Cora and Rosie’s friendship was adorable. Everything about this part of the story was so sweet, and you genuinely root for everyone involved. I really enjoyed Rosie’s story of leaving her life in the city to start over back in Rose Hill. I just wish both of these storylines had gotten a little more attention because they felt overshadowed by everything else going on.
I lost some interest around the 40-50% point of the book. Ford’s feelings for Rosie move from sweet to sort of creepy territory. He kept her diary key around his neck for 10 years? Most diary keys are made from cheap materials, not like sterling silver or something so it felt like a forced plot point from the author. It’s just silly. I also didn’t find the emails between Rosie and Ford as charming. Like I get they have a long history together, but putting down some of what they said into company emails is wild.
Ford’s possessiveness also stopped being cute when he lashed out at Ryan, fired Scotty, and went on his whole drawn-out revenge against Stan. Don’t get me wrong, Stan deserved what he got, but buying multiple million-dollar buildings over it was just too much. All Rosie really wanted was for someone to validate her feelings and offer her some comfort, which Ford did, but then he takes everything way too far.
I did appreciate that they acknowledged he went too far, and I was happy with how everything was ultimately resolved. I just rolled my eyes when he offered her half the business and the dock in the next breath. Whatever at this point, lol. Can they just DATE??
I did really love how the book incorporated Rosie’s diary and tied everything happening in the present back to something that had happened between them in the past. Overall, this was a sweet story. I just wish they had leaned a little more into the Cora storyline, but I get that this is ultimately a romance between Ford and Rosie.