In this contemporary story, Tess Hartsong flees her life after she realizes she just can't cope with the unexpected death of her husband. It is three years since and she still is full of anger and restlessness and sorrow, so she uproots herself and decides to go to the mountains of Tennessee where she can heal and reimagine her life. She chooses a remote cabin in the woods, where she locks herself up teetering between despair and intense anger and restlessness. When she shakes off her sadness, it's anger that drives the wild dances she does on her porch, along with blaringly loud music, even in the rain, in her underwear - and why not -- she's in the middle of nowhere with no neighbors for miles. Or so she thinks...
Along the path comes a man yelling at her to turn down the music at whom she yells right back. This man is Ian North the IV, a famous street artist who ironically came from NYC to the "middle of nowhere" to reimagine his art, to find focus. Instead, he finds Tess, who is disturbing his solitude. Along with this grumpy miserable man comes a very pregnant woman after him, sending him back to their place, a refurbished old schoolhouse now a beautiful mountain home. This woman, Bianca, who Tess describes as "ethereal" a "wood sprite" promptly removes all of her clothes while talking to Tess, insisting that she's uncomfortable in them due to the heat and her pregnancy, but is really just the type of woman to jump into immediate intimacy with people. She strikes up a friendship with Tess, but there is friction from Ian, who seems to resent Tess's presence at every turn.
Ian just wants his art to evolve and still be relevant. Bianca just wants to play house and have her baby. Tess just wants to heal from the unexpected loss of her young husband. But just as in real life, they wont all get what they want, and what they want will change and evolve, sometimes by choice, sometimes by fate.
Being familiar with the beauty of the Tennessee mountains, I found this setting really unique and I loved the small town in it, and how it evolves along with the newcomers. Ms. Phillips did an excellent job of creating believably flawed and cautious characters, while also creating some delicious sexual tension, as well as developing some friction between Tess and townsfolk.
Although contemporary, or women's lit, is not my usual genre (historical fiction), I do enjoy reading something that has a familiar modern feel that has the tension and plot to move it along and make it enjoyable, especially when I enjoy the characters, as I did in this story.
I decided to read this and found it relaxing and enjoyable. After this last week being full of stress, national, and local turmoil, this book was a safe haven to ease my frazzled feelings, and soften those edges in my mind. I appreciate a book that can do that.
A big thank you to my contacts at William Morrow who somehow put me, and keep me, on their contact lists and sent me this book to highlight and review.
I recommend this book to anyone seeking a sweet story that will have just the right amount of tension vs heartwarming moments! I'll definitely be looking for more books by this author.
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