This handsome firefighter makes a living coming to the rescue, but Gin doesn't need a man to fight her battles.
After Raine's dad walked out, Ginevieve Lightly never lived in one place too long, a rambling lifestyle that defined her daughter's youth. When their car dies in Banister Falls, Wisconsin, Gin promises Raine they can stay until she finishes her senior year of high school. Gin will do anything to make sure her daughter has a bright future . . . a future that's compromised when Raine reveals she's pregnant.
Dan Moretti has only ever called Banister Falls home. After losing his best friend in a tragic accident, Dan devoted himself to responding to fires, rescuing the helpless, and guiding Cody Bennett, his best friend's son, through life. With Cody being the epitome of the good kid, it was an easy job. Until he says four little words: "The baby is mine."
Knowing gossip of Raine's pregnancy will erupt sooner or later in the small town, Gin's reflex is to grab the suitcase and escape to a new city, a new life. But with each passing day, Gin's feet stay rooted in Banister Falls, and she falls a little more for this local firefighter who shows her not all men abandon women at the first sign of smoke.
As Gin and Dan do the best they can to guide the two teenagers through their early entry into adulthood, they discover together that romance can bloom in the rockiest of situations. And God can turn the pieces of a broken past into a beautiful new beginning.
My Thoughts: This is the first book I've read by Springer and I really enjoyed it! The story immediately pulled me in, and I appreciated the depth of character she gave to several different characters - Raine, Cody, Dan, Ginevieve, and Evie (Cody's mom).
This book definitely does not shy away from the reality of life and that it is not easy. The book tackles several tough issues including abuse, abandonment, teen pregnancy, single parenting, and death - and yet woven through it all is hope. Hope in God, and knowing that even when we are alone, we are not alone.
I appreciated the realism in this book - including both the flattering and unflattering (sinful!) reactions of the church people to Cody and Raine's pre-marital relationship. It is a harsh truth that one moment of weakness, one wrong decision, can impact your life forever. And yet is is a beautiful truth that God can work, even through our sin, to bring joy and hope in the midst of life's hard times.
Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for organizing this tour and providing me with my complimentary review copy.
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