Jesse and Audrey grew up knowing one another and being the best of friends. He was a few years older than her but they hung out together as she always felt safe and comfortable with him as well as having a secret crush on him. Jesse, meanwhile, had loved Audrey for as long as he could remember but he always knew that she would leave their small hometown as she had dreams of being a dancer and there was simply no pace for one there. But then, in their teens, his Dad and her Mum started going out with each other and that really stopped any romance between them – not even a peck on the cheek. So she grew up and left – first to Philadelphia and then onto Paris where she became a professional ballerina and she loved her life. Well when she thought about it, all she seemed to do was ballet, have a boring diet and sometimes have time to go out with her dance colleagues but nothing else. But then she injures her ankle but doesn’t tell anyone till it’s too late and she is ordered to go home for six months and find some hobbies! So despite only seeing her Mum a few times over the years and hasn’t seen her younger sister, Annabelle, all those years so there is lots to make up for. She only lets Annabelle know why she’s back and for how long. During this wonderful story we see her reunite with her crush Jesse and how he has changed over the years and what he’s been up to. How he’s now running his Dad’s old business with his best friend Joe [he’s a great character and surely deserves his own story??] and a new recruit who is somewhat ‘trying’! But Audrey still maintains that she is going back to Paris to dance and is desperately trying to keep her fitness up to it’s peak level – despite the bacon that is described in the story and made me just have to make myself a bacon buttie [didn’t expect that reaction to one of Ali’s stories lol]. But when she books her tickets to return to Paris but doesn’t let on to Jesse till it’s too late he feels betrayed and heartbroken. Can Jesse forgive her? Can they have a chance of a relationship between them as they do love each other even though they haven’t declared it. But then there is a ‘surprise’ that brings her back home but is it for good this time? Will secrets keep them apart? Such a great storyline with exceptional characters. Jesse is everything in a man that she wants, needs and loves but secrets and distance could keep them apart. Annabelle is a lovely young woman who cares for those she loves and cares about – I did wonder if she and Joe might have found romance between them? I think Audrey was a very caring, determined and , yet, confused young woman she knew what she wanted but because she withheld info she didn’t let others, namely Jesse, help her out to help her achieve her goals. I loved the ending and hope we hear more about these ‘people’. I received a reader’s copy of this book and voluntarily leave my honest opinion of it here. Most definitely recommended. Grab this for yourself a copy of this book.
