Samantha Casey loves her job as a school librarian and is trying to live her life to the fullest, but this was not always the case. She left her last school as she realized that she had fallen for another teacher and a relationship with him was never going to happen. Instead she left and went to find herself. Sam is about to get some exciting but frightening new, Duncan Carpenter (the guy from previous school) was just hired as the new principle as her school. Sam is very nervous but excited as well, he will be a perfect addition there. But the Duncan that walks in is not the man she remembers, he is strict, brings a gun to the first teachers meeting, and is all about sterile walls. Sam doesn't know what happened to him but is determine to help him remember the man and teacher he used to be.
This is the second book that I have read by Center and while I appreciate the story that Center tells here, I did not feel like I was as engaged with the overall plot and characters as I was with her other book Things You Save in a Fire. I thought the plot was just not very interesting, people trying to save the way of life as a small school, from someone who wants to make changes for security reasons, it's a little lacking on substance if I'm being honest. Granted I do not read in this genre very often so maybe that has something to do with my opinion about this book.
I liked Sam as a character with all her heart that goes towards the school, the children and the Library there, but there were times when she felt very naive as well, not quite the woman that you expect her to be but getting there as there is some growth that occurs in the book. I think this book is not only about her growth but Duncan's as well. Duncan is very different from Sam, he's all hard edges, no shades of grey and wants to keep everyone safe. His reasons for this are very understandable and I am shocked that it takes Sam so long to figure it out, you think she would have thought to see why there was such a change in him sooner.
Their relationship growth is very cute and I like the set up the other ladies in the book did. They realized that they really were good for each other that the other person could bring something else out of the other. I just feel like you knew where their relationship was going and how it was going to end that it just seemed more typical to. It was kind of like hurry up and get there as we all know what is going to happen, I guess in a way i was missing some suspense from within the usual genres I read.
I do like Center's writing style and her ability to tell a story. If I do read in the romance, chick lit, contemporary genres, she will be the author I go to now. Although, I did not enjoy this book as much as her other one that I have read, it was a nice break to read something not so dark and serious. I think fans or frequent readers of these genres would enjoy this book also if you like the Hallmark Movie Channel.
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