Talk about a second chance romance! This is a lovely sweet story where even though you know Laurel and Aiden are going to get together, there's enough twists and entertaining dialogue to keep you going. Alward has a nice way of endearing us to her characters, who are just so real. Loved the garden center. This is a good start to a new series- I can see lots of possibilities to follow up on the various residents of this terrific small town. THanks to Netgalley for the ARC= try this one for a lazy afternoon when you want a feel good story.

SOMEBODY LIKE YOU – Donna Alward
Darling, VT, Book 1
St Martin’s
ISBN: 978-1-250-09264-9
February 2017
Contemporary Romance

Darling, Vermont – Present Day

After Laurel Stone’s divorce from a man who suddenly decided to come out of the closet, she returned to her hometown of Darling and opened a garden nursery. It’s been hard work, but ultimately rewarding. One day she arrives at work and discovers that vandals broke in and destroyed just about everything. Aiden Gallagher is the police officer who responds to her call. There’s a lot of history between Laurel and Aiden, one that began at the age of five when they were photographed as wedding attendants kissing and it finally culminated with her feeling humiliated in high school due to a silly bet by Aiden and his friends. Darling is a small town and they’re bound to run into one another, but Laurel hasn’t forgiven Aiden. He keeps trying to break through the ice, and with the investigation, he finally has a chance to apologize.

Laurel has spent most of her life trying to please those around her. When her ex announced he was leaving her for a man, she just accepted it and walked away. She doesn’t like to bring this up, but of course there are the whispers. The picture of her childhood kiss with Aiden has been used in the town’s promo for its “Kissing Bridge” and now they want to redo it with the adult Laurel and Aiden kissing again. She firmly says no, but soon she is indeed locking lips with him---behind closed doors. Is their newly formed friendship now a romance? Or is she once again burying her head in the sand to avoid sharing her true feelings?

In a small town such as Darling, everyone knows you and for Laurel in SOMEBODY LIKE YOU, she sometimes wishes this wasn’t true. After years employed in an office she feels liberated working the nursey, nurturing plants and flowers. Laurel has kept things friendly with her ex because she didn’t want to cause waves, but deep down she is hurt by what happened. When her ex asks for her help planning his upcoming wedding ceremony, she agrees, but inside she is seething with anger. Laurel must come to grips with the past before she can move on with her future. Maybe it means sometimes saying no…

Aiden is sorry for his idiotic behavior when they were seventeen. While some can blame it on a foolish teenage boy’s behavior, deep down he was attracted to Laurel even then. The foolish boy grew into becoming a police officer and doing what is right. He even keeps an eye on a local homeless man, George, and provides the man food when he can. Aiden is trying to regain Laurel’s favor again by stopping in to see her whenever he can. Their friendship slowly builds, as the sexual tension simmers just beneath the surface. Theirs is a small-town romance that will have readers hoping for a happily-ever-after.

SOMEBODY LIKE YOU is the first book in the Darling, VT series by Donna Alward and is a fabulous tale that I highly recommend. Laurel is trying to keep her true feelings about the past from coming out, but it’s leaving her unable to move forward. Aiden is part of a past she’d like to forget, but she finally opens her eyes—and her heart—in SOMEBODY LIKE YOU to finally seeing the light. Their romance is fun, entertaining, and warmhearted. Grab a copy and sit a spell, as you won’t want to put down SOMEBODY LIKE YOU.

Patti Fischer

Laurel Stone has come home to small town Darling, VT, after a failed marriage that still haunts her due to her ex's determination to "remain friends." No one gets a chance to forget that Laurel's husband left her for another man.

Leaving accounting behind her, she has bought the town's defunct garden center and reopened it as the Ladybug Garden Center. She's enjoying it more than she ever did accounting, at least until the morning she comes in and finds it vandalized and the cash register "float" stolen.

And then the cop who comes in response to her call is Aiden Gallegher. She and Aiden have a history, on Laurel would prefer not to revisit. Too bad Aiden is still so attractive!

The summer plays out with Aiden and Laurel walking over the eggshells of their past and their mutual attraction, while Laurel, in her determination to be nice, kind, and civilized, agrees to ex-husband Dan's invitation to attend his wedding to Ryan, the guy he left her for. Oh, and could she supply the flowers for their wedding, and plants for their back yard--the house Dan and Laurel bought together--also?

Meanwhile, the entire town is being plagued by a wave of vandalism and minor break-ins, culminating in an assault on someone Aiden and Laurel both care about.

This is a gently paced sweet romance, with good and decent characters all around. Very pleasant reading. It's not about the plot, but the plot is pretty interesting, too.

Recommended.

4.5 stars

Somebody Like You was a very enjoyable and heartwarming second chance love story.

Laurel and Aiden were likable, relatable and entertaining characters. From the first few pages I knew these two still had strong feelings for each other and it wasn't going to be easy to put the past behind them to love unconditionally without the fear of being hurt again.

Author Donna Alward has given us a well written, heartfelt second chance love story with characters that will bring out all the feels. Overall, a great start to the Darling, VT series.

*Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts*

Someone Like You by Donna Alward is a sweet but not sugary small town romance. Aiden and Laurel's story is a touching second chance romance in which I couldn’t help but pull for Laurel to find the forgiveness, peace and love that she clearly needed. That can be difficult to do in a small town where everyone has an opinion which they just love to share. Darling, VT was no different. Still Ms. Alward gives it a positive sense of place and a community that is filled with mostly caring individuals.

The pace of the story is well done, not rushed but not at a snail’s pace either. Laurel has a defensive side that while could be irritating at times, it is genuine and realistic. Aiden for his part is swoon worthy. I just plain liked him and in my mind I kept pushing Laurel back into his direction. I guess some of the townspeople weren’t the other ones with opinion. Which brings me to the secondary characters who rounded out this perfect uplifting romance. Funny, quirky and definitely distinctive.

Someone Like You will bring a smile to your face, just like it did mine. Wonderful start to what I hope will be a long series.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a copy.

I've been trying to read the book and I just can't get into it. I'm on Chapter 5 and it was a struggle to get that far. The writing is fine but I'm just not feeling the chemistry between Aiden and Laurel. I don't like Aiden's character and their lack of chemistry is making it difficult for me to stay engaged in the story. I am a huge Donna Alward fan so I'm crushed that I couldn't get into the book. I would, however, recommend it to readers. Ms. Alward created an enchanting new series, unfortunately, it's not the one for me. I'll definitely try again at a later date. Maybe it's not the right book for me at this time.

If you’re in the mood for small town romance between two average people, this is the book for you. Now don’t get me wrong. Being average is fabulous. I think many of us tend to categorize ourselves into that category. I’m talking, this is your food for the soul book where there are no alpha bazillionaires. Just two people getting a second chance at love.

So before I get into the meat of the review, a little prologue. Imagine this…It’s the early '90s, I’m in college hanging up my posters in my dorm room. And my favorite is one of a little boy and girl, say four or five years old? They’re standing in the middle of a wooded path in autumn. And they’re kissing. As you can imagine, it’s adorable.

Fast-forward to Somebody Like You. It’s one of the reasons I loved this story so much. Laurel Stone and Aiden Gallagher are those two kids. Only their backdrop is a matchmaking bridge in Darling, Vermont. The saying goes:

In a nutshell, those who stood on the bridge and sealed their love with a kiss would be together forever.

Only, as Laurel and Aiden aged, they became each other’s biggest mistake. Instead of us reading about them being Prom King and Queen, we learn of heartbreak. Years later, newly divorced, Laurel returns home for a do-over. She’s giving up her big-shot lawyer job to open a flower and garden shop. It’s perfect…minus having to interact with the police officer who broke her heart their senior year.

Too bad Aiden Gallagher still makes her heart flutter, despite her resolve to remain enemies, or at least distant acquaintances.

“…No sparks? No laughing over days gone by?”

This time Laurel laughed. “God, no. I think we’re still in the stay-out-of-each-other’s-way place.”

“He’s still pretty sexy, though, isn’t he?” Willow wiggled her eyebrows, and Laurel laughed.

“Okay, fine. He’s sexy as sin, is that what you wanted to hear?”

“I know. All that muscle and stuff packed into the uniform and his eyes…he’s got bedroom eyes. They’re so blue. And he’s a ginger.”

“Gingers don’t have souls,” Laurel stated, giggling a little.

And squee, he’s a ginger! I’m strolling down memory-lane yet again. Yes, my very first crush was a ginger who played on my older brother’s baseball team. Usually the men are always some tint of blonde to brown to black. Never the red hair!? And thus, I’m eternally grateful to Ms. Alward for gifting us with one of the few but fabulous ginger heroes.

Finally, Aiden recognizes he messed up and works darn hard to make things right again with Laurel. He never meant to break her heart. Perhaps she’s held his heart all along and never knew it? Watching them spar as Aiden regains her trust is delicious.

“Laurel.”

Damn, his voice was all silky-smooth now. “Yes, Mr. Narcissist?”

“You know damn well you want to hate me and you can’t. Besides, I saw your face just now. Maybe if I took off my shirt…”

“Would you like to go somewhere private to be with yourself?” she asked, biting the inside of her lip. She shouldn’t be enjoying this so much. And she wouldn’t be, if she thought he was serious. But he was teasing her. Like he used to do when they were friends. And today…she swallowed against a ball of emotion. Today she needed a friend…

Yep. Donna Alward's latest novel is sweet and sexy. It’s about second chances and first loves. As this is the start of a new series, I can’t wait to read the next episode. Especially given how interesting the side characters are. Will George find love? Who’s George, you ask? You’ll just have to read!

While normally second chance romances are one of my favorite things to read, this one just didn't do a whole lot for me. The plot seemed to be a good one, but I never really connected with the characters. I wanted it to work, I really did, but it was just mediocre for me.

Wonderful addition to my library of books written by Donna Alward. I can't say enough about the quality of characters and how the reader becomes involved in the story from the beginning. I am never disappointed in a story written by this author.

After her divorce, Laurel Stone returned to her home town and opened her own business. The problem with a small town is everyone knows all about everybody else. Also her high school sweetheart is still there.
Aiden Gallagher responds to a vandalism call. That brings him in touch with the woman he has been connected to in the towns eyes for years. They both acted out of anger and hurt pride all those years ago, can they put that behind them?
A second chance romance that is very emotional. The characters are so good and sweet it almost gave me toothache. No real surprises but a nice read.

I must admit, I’m a sucker for a romance set in a small town. This sweet down to earth romance, the first in a new series, was a heartwarming and beautifully written story of second chance. It’s a story of forgiveness and understanding, but most of all a great romance between two engaging and vibrant characters.

Laurel Stone has decided to build a new life for herself in her childhood town, Darling, famous for its “Kissing Bridge” where a kiss reportedly results in everlasting love. Laurel has bought a garden center, with the intention to revive it. Darling is a quiet town, but someone has obviously bad intentions towards her. Her business has been vandalized and robbed. The cop on duty is her childhood friend and high school crush Aiden Gallagher. Laurel and Aiden have history, and he is the last person she wanted to see again. Their first interactions are tense, Laurel is prickly and brusque. Aiden broke her heart when they were teenagers and she doesn’t trust him anymore.

I loved Aiden, he really stole the show for me, he is kind, caring, genuine and easygoing. He isn’t proud of his past actions, and wants to rekindle their friendship. He has a reputation as a serial dater, he usually likes to keep things light and casual, but with Laurel he wants more. Although she tries to put on a happy face, Laurel has unresolved trust issues. She is recently divorced and has to come to terms with the fact that her marriage was a lie. Her ex-husband’s insensitivity deeply hurt her and she still needs to let the past go. Laurel is an endearing character, self-assured and yet so fragile.

Aiden and Laurel’s second chance was inevitable, although Laurel was scared of being let down again and refuses to become the talk of the town. There was a lot of anger she hadn’t dealt with, resulting in her prickly attitude. But Aiden was ready to open up to her, share his emotions and go slow to gain her trust.

I loved how this story was built, how it unfolded and how the characters’ backstory was intertwined. The story of 5-year-old Aiden and Laurel kiss on the Kissing Bridge was so cute and its repetition was swooningly romantic! The setting is well-developed, allowing me to picture a quaint small town. There is a great cast of secondary characters, including Laurel’s friend Willow and Aiden’s brothers. I can’t wait to read more about them in the next books in this charming series.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley.

Here we’ve got the ‘poster kids’ for Darling: caught in photograph on a picturesque bridge when they were very little: how could anyone resist the childish innocence of that kiss? But, as years passed and our little couple grew into teens, a bad choice turned the friendship now love match to dust.

Returning home to Darling after a very lascivious divorce, Laurel has hopes that her return will provide the respite she needs, and allow her business, The Ladybug Garden Center to thrive. Still reeling, and emotionally in the same place she was when first leaving, Laurel’s self-confidence and esteem have taken blows. The very LAST person she needs to see is Aiden, now the town’s police officer, and first man to break her heart.

Aiden has never really left town, and he’s never forgotten the HUGE mistake he made with Laurel when they were teens. Since she moved, he never had the chance to make the amends he knows are far overdue, and perhaps he can get her to forgive his stupidity, to even become friends again.

Oh but Laurel is so NOT ready or willing to forgive and forget: she’s put her prickles up, and is quick to take offence, believing that everyone is whispering about her lacking ‘something’, and she is still working through her own issues. She’s not interested in love or a relationship, and even Aiden has an uphill climb because they were the best of friends almost from toddler-hood, so his betrayal in high school was particularly wounding.
Yet Aiden is not willing to give up: he freely recognizes the attraction that sparks between them, but rather than want JUST that, he wants Laurel to have a safe space with someone who understands and empathizes with her hurt, not just whispers about it. And, he’s super guilty, wanting her to understand that the teen version of him was the idiot – not that she was, or ever could be, lacking in any way for him.

Told in dual POV, we see Laurel’s prickles and Aiden’s true remorse, and can recognize the overwhelming feeling of “more to come” long before Laurel sees it. She’s understandably guarded, perhaps moving to self-pity more than is good for her, but underneath it all, the return home is what she needed. Aiden’s struggle with relationships seem to be more based in the what if scenarios he’s had since hurting Laurel years ago, and while he’s been hurt, his real desire and intention to make things right are wonderful. Beautifully written, with descriptions that bring the town to life, secondary characters that add depth and a wonderful romance that develops gradually as the couple comes to see that sometimes what you need was at home all along.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

This new series by Donna Alward started out a little slow for me. I stopped reading it for a couple of days before picking it back up. Now, it could have just been the mood I was when I first started the book, but when I picked it up again, it fit perfectly. A sweet story of a second chance romance, in a small town, with strong secondary characters and swoon worthy HEA. I enjoy small town stories, and even though I am a little tired of second chance romances, this one fit perfectly with this plot. Donna Alward has written a strong plot, with very believable characters, and I, for one, am looking forward to finding out who gets an HEA in the next story in Darling, VT.

"Those who stood on the bridge and sealed their love with a kiss would be together forever."

FINAL DECISION: A book with a wonderful sense of heart, I absolutely loved this one. Wholesome and sweet with just enough humor and angst to keep the story exciting, my first Donna Alward novel made me immediately preorder the rest of the series so that I can find out the fates of the other characters.

THE STORY: Laurel Stone has returned to her hometown after a failed marriage which necessitated a change in careers. Laurel now owns the Ladybug Garden Center which is reconnecting her with the outdoors that she loved growing up. Laurel's return to Darling also ends up reconnecting her to Aiden Gallagher who broke her heart when they were a teenagers. Aiden is now a police officer in town. Aiden and Laurel have a long history together and, in fact, they are legends because they are depicted in the most famous picture in town. As small children, Aiden and Laurel innocently kissed on the Kissing Bridge where legend holds that those who kiss there will be together forever. Now the town wants to update the photo using Aiden and Laurel again, but Laurel is in no mood to cooperate.

OPINION: A lovely, heart warming small town romance, SOMEBODY LIKE YOU was a book that I read only because it was offered to me to review. I accepted the chance to review the book intrigued by the Kissing Bridge and the idea that two people who were photographed on it as children get a chance at romance as adults. Sometimes I just have to take a wild chance and see what happens.

I'm happy to report that this was a wonderful book. Funny, sweet, and heartwarming. Once I began reading it, I couldn't put it down. The story satisfied something in me that likes the gentle and real relationships. (I love angsty dramas but this book isn't that type of book. Instead, this book feels like sweet and cold ice cream on a summer's day -- recognizable and incredibly satisfying).

Laurel is a woman recovering from the end of a marriage that made her question all her assumptions about her own future and happy endings. She is generous and willing to help others even to her own detriment. She is unwilling to purposely hurt others and that had led her to be taken advantage of by some...but it also opens her up to being wonderful in helping those who genuinely need assistance. I loved that she is a normal woman who is struggling to determine what she wants from life. She works hard, is charitable and has to work through her mixed emotions for not only Aiden but her ex-husband.

Aiden is so much a normal guy that I never expected him to become one of my favorite romantic heroes. Like so many of us, he made mistakes as a teenager. In his case, it resulted in him hurting Laurel which is something he never intended to do. He is considered the goofball of his family, but like so many clowns, his humor hides a sensitive soul. Aiden is a man who wants to make a difference out of the genuine goodwill in his heart. Caring for a homeless man, solving small town disputes and crimes, and being an important part of his family is a normal day for Aiden. Laurel and her pain and love brings out Aiden's desire to care for her.

I loved the romance between Aiden and Laurel. Two people who have known one another all their lives, their interactions have been a series of getting to know one another and then moving apart. Their romance seemed to have possibilities as teenagers, but immaturity sent them spinning out into the world with other relationships. Meeting again as adults, the two know one anther but don't truly know the inner self of the other. But this time, Aiden and Laurel begin to discover the true self under all the superficial. Aiden sees the generous and hurt woman under Laurel calm facade and Laurel discovers the deep and caring man under Aiden's humorous surface.

I'm all for large romantic gestures, and Aiden's final one made me sigh and smile and read again. When I began the book, I had expectations and I liked how the book played with those expectations, turned them around and then surpassed what I expected from the final scenes. Bravo!

The town of Darling manages to feel both incredibly normal and real and also quaint and a typical small town. The characters are quirky and bring a tremendous amount of humor to the book. I just knew when I finished this book that I had to read the next books in the series. And so I shall...see my reviews soon.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book doesn't contain explicit "on screen" sex and is perfect for those who might want a less graphic and yet entirely satisfying romance.

CONNECTED BOOKS: SOMEBODY LIKE YOU is the first book in the Darling, VT series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

This was my first Donna Alward book and I loved it! Laurel Stone is coming to her hometown after getting a divorce and opens up a garden center, which ends up being broken into. She calls the police and none other then her crush from high school comes to help. Aiden Gallagher and Laurel have known each other since they were little. They were 5 years old when they got their picture taken on the kissing bridge. But Laurel wants nothing to do with Aiden, because he broke her heart back in high school. There are other characters in here I like and I'm glad they are having their stories told as well.
No matter how hard Laurel tries to avoid him, he will always be there. Will she finally forgive him? Or will she become bitter and alone because her ex husband has really betrayed and left her broken. Read it and find out! You won't be disappointed.

What do I love? A series based in a small town, with down-home, regular people. I’m over the billionaire/rock-star/pro-athlete, playboy-type “heroes” and much prefer my romances to be more on the realistic side. With Somebody Like You, Donna Alward delivered.

Laurel Stone has recently returned home after a failed marriage. She’s focused all her energy on the new garden center she’s opened in her home town of Darling, Vermont, and things are going pretty well. Until some vandals break in, making a huge mess of the place and stealing some money. When local police officer Aiden Gallagher arrives on the scene, Laurel is less than pleased to see the person who embarrassed her and broke her heart as a teen.

After an uneasy truce, Aiden and Laurel learn to forgive each other for past hurts, and learn to find love together.

This story hits all the points that make a small-town romance work. Good friends with wise advice, siblings that push buttons, and townsfolk who put their nose into business that isn’t their own. It’s all there – but without being too cliched. As a first story for this series, Donna Alward did a great job setting up future stories for several of the side-characters in this book. And she managed to do it without it seeming like that’s what she was doing. I am looking forward to reading more about the residents of Darling, Vermont!

This is the first book by Donna Alward I have ever read but I will be looking into buying more of her books and I will be continuing into this series because I have to say that I very much enjoyed Somebody Like You.
The story is different from any other romance books I have read so far. The characters were realistic and I really did like Aiden and Laurel.

This is one that I will be keeping and most likely reading again in the future.

I give this book 4 out of 5

Somebody Like You by Donna Alward
A Darling, VT Novel #1

Did I like this book? Yes
Will you like this book? I think you will IF you like:
* Second chance at love love stories that are plausible
* Characters that deserve one another and deserve their HEA
* Love stories that are more than just a love story
* To feel with the characters
* Characters that could become your friends

The author has written a believable story in a wonderful location and set the hook for books to come in the future. I have not read a book by this author in the past but look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Laurel and Aiden were more than friends in high school but something happened that caused them to move away from one another. Laurel has recently moved back to Darlington when the story begins and her garden shop has just been vandalized. Aiden is first responder and their first encounter was not smooth. Over time they bump into each other again, share some truths and become closer. Aiden is empathetic and understands Laurel better than she may understand herself. Laurel and Aiden both have issues they have to deal with before they can find their HEA but each hurdle they overcome is believable and adds to the story. I enjoyed the side stories of George (the homeless man), the finding of the hoodlums and also the background of the kissing bridge. Willow and Ethan’s story is up next and I can hardly wait!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. This is my honest review.

4.5 Stars

Somebody like you had the warmth and sass of a small town community. More importantly it has a hunky, good hearted Irish hunk who wins the town's simple yet strong girl next door's heart with swoony, romantic and passionate grand gestures and small things alike.

A very romantic indeed start to the Darling VT series centred around a large, loving Irish family.

I adore small town romances and Somebody Like You was the perfect romance for me. Laurel Stone is recently divorced and has moved back to Darling to rebuild her life while starting her own garden center business. The one person that she had hoped that she would never run into was her teenage love, Aiden Gallagher, who broke her heart and left her betrayed. All that changes when the town wants the two to recreate a photograph of them kissing on the infamous Kissing Bridge when they were five years old. Rumor has it, that whoever shares a kiss on the bridge will experience everlasting love and hopefully, the bridge can bring these two together again.

I loved Somebody Like You from the very first page and couldn’t get enough of this story. Laurel had been through so much already and she never really knew how Aiden felt about her. These two characters were made for each other and even though they had several bumps in the road, they found their way back to love. This is the first book in a new series by Ms. Alward and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.