Paige Wellington is a foster case care worker. Valerie Cruz is a children’s librarian. Paige comes from a fairly well-to-do family while Val has aged out of the foster care system. They meet when Val re-enters the foster care system, but this time offering herself and her home for foster parenting. Paige is the assigned care worker on Val’s case.

This is a book about really getting to know the two women. And the author has created two very beautiful women in Paige and Val. Both come with their baggage; Val more so than Paige, but are beautiful people.

Their attraction to each other is wonderfully captured and their chemistry grabs the reader. Their interactions with each other, with the kids in their care and with the secondary characters are also excellently depicted.

You know all through that this is a romance, but you are so dying for them to get together and hanging on to every interaction waiting to see how it plays out and where it leads. You’re just rooting so strongly for them and hoping that there is no big crisis thrown into their relationship. You cannot bear to think that these two will either be recipient of or reason for visiting heartbreak on the other.

This is a soft, slow burn read. And when they do get together it is as great as you wished for.

Definitely one for all romantics.

This book was an amazing read. I can't remember the last time I needed tissues while reading a lesfic book. It's hard to believe that in a non thriller book like this that there could be a surprise, but there is. For so much of the book I was sure it couldn't happen, but then it did. Then it didn't. I literally can't give more details without giving spoilers. If you read the book you will totally understand. This book definitely goes on my rereadable list. It's moving, poignant and enlightening. I can't wait for more from this author. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It features interesting, well-developed main characters, great secondary characters, and a thought provoking storyline.

Valerie is an ex-foster child who wants to be a foster mother, Paige handles foster parent training and home placement, and also has a daughter adopted through foster care. She and Val meet at the foster parent training and have a connection, which is complicated by Val having foster kids placed in her care by Paige.

The foster kids Ian and Lily, and Paige’s daughter Emma are all delightful, and watching both sides of the foster relationship play out gave the story depth, and it’s not without angst. What I really loved was that this isn’t glossed over.

Both characters are also three-dimensional and flawed but works in progress. Val acknowledges her issues and confronts them, Paige also acknowledges her self-esteem issues and Paige and Val actually talk to each other, (yes, that rare unicorn of lesfic, communication!!!), so there’s no stupid miscommunications that drag on for ridiculous reasons.

The other supporting characters in Connie, and both sets of best friends are also lovely and add to the story. The story also unfolds over a long period of time, so it feels more realistic, although I did think the conflict of interest could have been addressed sooner. So, even though the HEA was never in doubt, it feels more than earned by the time it arrives.

All around this was a great read, even though the topic and situations could have lead to it being a bit dark, it’s actually a sweet read and never feels bogged down. 5 stars.