Series: Darling VT (Book 1)
A Kiss To Last A Lifetime
Aiden Gallagher was only five years old when he appeared in a photograph on the Kissing Bridge. The town of Darling, Vermont, has used Aiden’s image on the famed bridge―local legend has it that a kiss there results in everlasting love―as part of its tourism campaign. Now, twenty years later, Aiden is asked to recreate the moment with the woman he once kissed: Laurel Stone.
Recently divorced, there’s nothing Laurel wants less than to pretend happily-ever-after with Aiden. As teenagers, their romance was no fairy tale―and Laurel has never quite forgiven Aiden for breaking her heart. But now that she is back in her hometown, and keeps bumping into police officer Aiden, Laurel can’t deny that there’s still a strong flicker between her and her old flame. Could it be that the Kissing Bridge is working its magic on Laurel and Aiden―and that all true love ever needed was a second chance?
Very good second chance story. When they were five years old, Laurel and Aiden were photographed kissing on the legendary Kissing Bridge. When they were in high school, their brief romance ended when Aiden made a stupid mistake, hurting and humiliating Laurel, which led to some humiliation for Aiden. The town uses the photograph to promote its tourism, and someone has come up with the idea to recreate the photo. Aiden is willing, but Laurel is much harder to convince. Laurel returned to Darling after her divorce, determined to move on. She is happy and busy, reconnecting with friends and getting her new garden center up and running. The last thing she wants to do is get involved with Aiden, who she has still not forgiven.
I enjoyed the development of Laurel and Aiden's relationship. It starts out a bit rough, as their first encounter is when police officer Aiden responds to a report of vandalism at Laurel's business. Aiden is professional but friendly, ready to move past their teenage idiocy. Laurel realizes that she is still holding on to the past when Aiden makes a point of apologizing. Aiden is drawn to the grown-up Laurel's beauty, both inside and out, and wants to spend more time with her. Laurel is drawn to Aiden also, but her divorce has made her very wary of getting involved with someone else. I really loved seeing them get to know each other. Laurel is kindhearted and sweet, which sometimes works against her when others take advantage. She struggles with the effect her divorce has had on her dreams for the future and her confidence in herself. This creates a conflict in her relationship with Aiden, as she tries to deny her growing feelings for him to protect her heart. Aiden is patient, sweet and charming as he works his way past Laurel's walls. The dates he came up with showed just how much he understood her. There is also a vulnerability to him, as we see him have trouble expressing his feelings and suffer from the occasional "foot-in-mouth" moment. I loved how they slowly opened up to each other, sharing their hurts as well as the good times. I ached for Aiden when he shared his feelings for Laurel, and her fears made her push him away. It took working together to help a friend to close that divide. Laurel also had to face the fears that were holding her back. Aiden's big moment at the end was romantic and awesome.
I loved the small town setting and the characters that live there. The secondary characters were unique and well developed. I loved Aiden's relationship with his family members, with their teasing and nosiness and obvious love for each other. I loved the little bits that showed Aiden purposely doing some things to irritate his brother Rory. I also loved how the family quickly pulled Laurel into their circle. Laurel's friend Willow was a blast with her new agey style and direct attitude. She was always there for Laurel, even when Laurel didn't realize it. I loved her parts in helping Aiden. My favorite character was the homeless man, George. I loved how we first witness Aiden's kindness and sensitivity in the way that he treats George, and how that attitude rubs off on Laurel. I loved watching the changes in George as he benefits from their actions. Like Laurel and Aiden, I wanted to know more about who he was and what brought him to Darling. I loved George's interactions with them, especially the conversations that he and Lauren had. I felt Lauren's fear for him when he was missing and her determination to find him.
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