Someone to Love is the second book in Donna Alward’s Darling Vermont series. It’s a thoughtful, character- driven novel which touches upon the importance of family, the grieving process and the ability to make hard decisions. The novel features Café owner Willow Dunaway and widowed firefighter Ethan Gallagher. Their unlikely opposites attract love story drew me into this fabulously written novel.

Ethan and his late wife, Lisa, promised to love each other forever. The Gallagher’s picture perfect life ended when Lisa died of cancer leaving Ethan with two young sons to raise. The demands of raising two small children alone and working fulltime as a firefighter have brought Ethan to the breaking point. He is ill-tempered and rude to Willow when they sit next to each other at a Gallagher family dinner.

The couple finds common ground when the town’s food pantry is relocated in the storefront next to Willow’s café. Ethan and Willow try to fight their attraction but the physical pull is undeniable and a passionate relationship ensues. The author’s descriptive writing style shines in the novel. She does a fabulous job bringing Ethan’s children Ronan and Connor into the storyline. The two boys warm up to Willow immediately and I could hear Ronan say ‘Wil-low” and imagine Connor running after a soccer ball. Willow makes a choice which effects Ethan and the choice leads to a huge falling out between the couple.

The last few chapters were fast paced, exquisitely written— and kept me reading past my bedtime. I enjoyed how the author let Willow’s personal story unfold during the course of the novel and contrasted it with Ethan’s publically visual situation. I felt for Willow and came to understand Ethan as I read each page. The author stayed true to her characters Willow’s choice was heartfelt. Ethan’s reaction was pure Ethan; a boatload of angry words, finger pointing and denial. I preferred the open- ended conclusion to the novel as opposed to the traditional happily ever after ending that one might have expected. It was perfect! Looking forward to the next book in the series!

Loved, loved this book of small town romance with plenty of emotions. An unlikely match between Ethan, a widower with two small boys and Willow, a free spirited person, who has her own secrets. Willow has returned home to open up her own little cafe, she is now very independent. Soon Willow and Ethan have a mutual attraction but want to take it slow, but can it be slow without broken hearts.

This is the second book in the the Darling VT series but can be read as a stand alone. Love the family of the Gallaghers, very close knit. Willow brings out so much in Ethan and the boys, I just fell in love with. This story is packed full of emotions that will keep you turning the pages.

FINAL DECISION: The story of two damaged people who are survivors of some of life's tragedies, this book dwells not on the sadness of their lives but how they can move forward to find joy in one another.

THE STORY: Ethan Gallagher is a widower with two young boys. Having met, married and lost the love of his life, Ethan is dwelling in his grief and has no intention of falling in love again. When he meets his sister-in-law's best friend, the two rub each other the wrong way. Willow Dunaway is too much of free spirit according to Ethan. From her dyed hair to her tattoo, Willow is not serious according to Ethan. When his sons take to Willow, however, Ethan finds himself spending more time for Willow and finding out that that former high achieving high schooler has rebuilt herself after her life was shattered. Willow is herself afraid of falling in love, but this firefighter and his two adorable children call to her heart.

OPINION: Can I admit to really liking stories where the main characters get each other completely wrong in in the beginning? And boy do Ethan and Willow see one another in a warped way in the beginning. Assumptions, stereotypes and just plain misunderstandings abound in the beginning. The two end up fighting and arguing and just purely want to dislike one another. Because, of course, they are perfect for one another but neither wants that to be true.

Ethan is a good and honest man who loved his deceased wife tremendously. The two made promises on the infamous kissing bridge (which promises love for life), but the lifetime the two expected ended far too soon. Buried in grief since her death, Ethan finds himself being pulled, unwillingly, into life again. Willow touches something in Ethan that he believed broken and he finds himself resenting it. He doesn't want to feel again and he certainly doesn't want to love. But despite himself, he begins to fall for Willow.

Willow, herself, is closed off to the possibility of love. A youthful mistake almost destroyed her and caused her to reinvent herself. Her safe and comfortable self discounts the possibility of truly opening herself up to weakness and love. It is much easier for her to keep her relationships constrained and herself in control. Quirky and unique, Willow demonstrates the dangers of assuming you know someone's story based on appearances or superficial knowledge. As Ethan (and we the readers) learn, Willow has deep reasons for being who she appears to be on the outside. Ethan and his sons begin to break down the protective walls that Willow has built and he thus challenges her control.

The romance between Willow and Ethan is so powerful because these two seem to have no chance as the book begins. They learn that they are more similar than they expected and liking one another turns to a powerful sexual attraction and eventually they have to make the leap of faith to trust love. Even if there are no guarantees.

WORTH MENTIONING: For fans of the first book SOMEONE LIKE YOU, there is a little special surprise for you too!

CONNECTED BOOKS: SOMEONE TO LOVE is the second book in the Darling, VT series. The romance in this book is independent of the other book in the series, but the main characters of this book do appear in the prior book. This book can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 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.

Someone to Love was definitely Willow's story. I know in the first book Aidan and the rest of the Gallagher family were set up to be the focus of this series and this is Ethan's HEA but for me the center stage belonged to Willow.

I loved her zen vibe, her emotional growth, her bravery and her soul searching honesty. She was an h I wanted to claim as bbf and sister. I loved her. She was the quiet quirky girl that charms you with soft words and gentle eyes.

Her story had me bouncing all over the place with a wide range of emotions. I honestly didn't know how I was going to rate this until I started writing up this review. But in the end she left an undeniable impression on me.

~They were both too broken and neither of them wanted to be broken further.~

Both Ethan and Willow have emotional baggage that they have to work through to get to their HEA and it is angsty and sad but also sweet and hopeful. This was definitely an emotionally charged read. It packs a punch and it grabs hold of you until the end.

~Caught between a memory and a possibility, afraid to let go of one and afraid to embrace the other.~

I had to bust out the tissue for this one because when Willow finally reveals what almost broke her, I cried. After everything that she went through, she still stayed such a great human being. I liked her as the wise and controlled Willow, but fearless stands-her-ground Willow was the best. She always said what she felt and owned up to her fear. She put herself out there and when push came to shove, she didn't let her doubts and insecurities stand in the way of doing what she thought was right.

"Your heart calls to mine, Ethan. It calls and mine answers and that is something so rare it needs to be treasured."

Seriously the four stars was for Willow. I loved her so much and I wanted her to be happy and if that was with Ethan than I was okay with that. Normally I stay far away from Hs or hs with dead spouses because I don't like the fact that (especially if the spouse was loved) there is always a third wheel in the their relationship. For the safety gang this is not a safe read. For the majority of the book, Ethan constantly brings up his dead wife Lisa, who was the love of his life, mother to his two boys and woman he was very much still mourning. This is not particularly romantic but this story is about personal growth and part of Ethan's journey is accepting he is still alive and living.

This author's writing is boss and I like her style. I don't want this to discourage anyone from reading this because I think Willow deserves to be known, unfortunately I know that Ethan's past will be a huge deal breaker for some readers, so fair warning.

Here's the link to my review, I'm sharing it on all social media outlets.

I said I enjoyed the first book in this series, and I did. Fine, I was more interested in a secondary character's storyline at times, but the romance, the setting and the entire feel of the book worked for me. As such, I totally jumped on the chance to read the next two books in the series (why wouldn’t I?) and this is the second book.

This book is all about Ethan and Willow and they are definitely an opposites attract kind of couple. I mean, Ethan is very reserved and straight-laced as he is a single dad and a widower trying to raise his two boys and move past the death of his wife. Willow, on the other hand, is an ‘earth child’, she has an organic restaurant and practises yoga daily and meditates and is much more alternative with her dyed hair and nose piercing. They aren’t a typical couple but those two work together.

It was an interesting read both because Willow isn’t the usual type of character I’d be interested in with her meditation and yoga, it’s very not my kind of thing, and then Ethan and his kids aren’t the type of thing I’d be interested in a romance either. Yet, bring those two together and something just works. Sure, Willow may be a character I wouldn’t immediately gel with but when she’s with Ethan they both bring out a different side to one another which works. Also, I don’t even care there were kids in this romance (I’m just not a fan of a whole family situation when I’m reading romance).

Sadly, George wasn’t really present in the book, but there were plenty of familiar faces so I could still enjoy. There were also hints about the next book (which I loved) so I’ll be reading that soon. In the end, this was a good romance, not a favourite but definitely enjoyable. I had an issue with some of Willow’s decisions in the book but they were explained. It wasn’t amazing but not enough to put me off the next one so that’s good.

What a sweet town in a beautiful setting. I enjoyed watching Ethan and Willow change and grow together, and her relationships with his boys was lovely.

SOMEONE TO LOVE is a sweet and emotional story of healing and finding happiness again and a really great addition to this series.

A free-spirited, New Age-y heroine and an uptight, closed off single dad do not seem like a good match in any way, but Ethan Gallagher and Willow Dunaway have one thing in common: they have suffered loss and are still struggling to deal with it.

For Ethan, his wife's death caused him to pretty much shut down and the only things that keep him going are his kids and work. Willow took the opposite tack and is focused on making her business a success.

Their initial meeting was not exactly great but her affection for Ethan's kids is where they find common ground and their relationship progresses from a cautious friendship to more. Ms. Alward certainly took a risk with this story because the story wasn't a straight line to happy ever after for these characters.

Ethan and Willow were so different that it's surprising that they had anything in common. My feelings for them swung between annoyed and sympathetic, and I had some reservations about how the story played out. However, I particularly admired Willow's personal strength. Her history could have damaged her irrevocably but she was determined to make something of herself and she did.

Ethan's kids were a very welcome addition to this series and provided much needed humor. I also enjoyed the support their family and friends provided them as they struggled through their issues.

I think that opinions are going to be split on this book, but I enjoyed it, uncomfortable as some parts were and I'm looking forward to more in the series.

Alward has a knack for writing sweet believable romances- and this is a worthy second chance tale. You''ll really root for Ethan and his boys to get together with Willow. I liked that these were mature individuals with responsible jobs and families who found one another again and made a match. THanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Try this one if you'd like a charming, heartwarming story for the day.

If you have ever lost a loved one then you can completely relate to Ethan in Someone to Love (A Darling, VT Novel) by Donna Alward. I can think back now and see how grief would cause me to seeming strike out at someone in a gruff uncomplimentary way. Ethan is much the same way needing to work through the grief. I appreciate Donna Alward realistic but heart touching approach to his story.

Ethan may be hard to like compare to Willow in the beginning but I am glad that neither I nor Willow gave up on him. Then Ethan’s sons added so much to the story. Just like in my experience, children are easy to accept others and show adults the way, these little guys also did that.

So much emotion in their story, a poignant read. Real world, real life. Someone to Love is an intensely satisfying read that I can recommend.

3.5 Stars. Small town romance is not one of my go to tropes anymore after getting burnt out on a long running series that shall not be named (unless someone really wants to know lol) but this one caught my attention. Ethan is a widowed dad with some bitterness and a whole lot of reluctance when it comes to everything from romance to accepting help from family. Willow is a nature-loving free spirit that, at first glance, appears to be incompatible with him. For some reason, they work. They compliment and support one another in very good ways. I really enjoyed their progression from animosity to love. The inclusion of the children was done with great taste and tact and the emotional component of the same was heartfelt and genuine.

The plot was interesting but towards the end, takes a not altogether unexpected turn that was handled poorly by Ethan. It's not to say that he's not allowed to handle it one way or another, but how he acted did not feel congruent with the character I thought was well established by then. The reconciliation felt rushed and unsatisfying. Despite this, I enjoyed reading this story.

Safety: No others for either. No rape or abuse. Brief separation.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

I have read the first book in the Darling, VT series and I did enjoy it so I couldn't wait to read Someone To Love.

I found this book very good. This book is an emotional rollercoaster that kept me reading.

I do highly recommend this book.

This is the second book in the Darling, VT series and it can be read as a standalone, but do you really want to miss out on all the goodness from book 1?

I adored Willow from the first book, she was just one of those characters that I could help but want to be friends with. She is a bit of a free spirit, but there is something beneath all that new age stuff.

Ethan... well, for most of the book he really isn't that likable. He is not just gruff, he is rude and nasty and just not a nice guy. Yes I understand he is going through a lot, but ugh the way he treated people wasn't always nicest - and I know I would have run the other way!

But as the story progressed and both Willow and and Ethan opened themselves up to love, he did become a lot more tolerable and even lovable.

The little scene stealers in this book though are Ethan's two boys. Oh my heart!

I loved the snark between our lovelies, and can't get enough of the banter between Ethan's family and Willow and her friends. The small town feel of the story is a winner for me too(I live in a small town so i sure can relate to it).

Whilst I didn't get as swept away in Willow and Ethan's story as I did the first book, it doesn't mean that I didn't like it!

I loved that we got more of Ethan's brother Rory, and is a great lead up to the 3rd book in the Darling, VT series.

Bring it on!

As this is a romance, most romantic stories end the same way. It's the getting to that ended that matters. This book was different. There were multiple little character arcs that had the character, and me, reeling and needing to slow down. This is so true to life, that I could not stop reading!

While I was concerned about all their little, and some not so little, hiccups, the story line was fabulous. As a romance it really goes slow. It is paced beautifully. Donna Alward really takes her time setting the stage and making her readers wait for that special moment.

So frustrating!

But, I concede the point that this was such a great story, that there was no need to hurry the characters along. They had to go at their own pace, especially since they've both been hurt. Baggage is always hard to get over.

Ethan sounds adorable. I just love his gruff exterior and the way they meet is out of this world. They do say that opposites attract but the fact that Willow is like a fairy nymph and Ethan seems so grounded makes this for a very interesting tale. They are different but they are also very alike in many ways, and it takes quite some time for them to see that their is an attraction there. Especially since they don't like each other, at first!

Sadly, I did not get to read Darling, VT #1, but there is enough in this that I did not feel lost. There are a lot of characters but the way they are introduced helped me to fall in love with them one by one. I loved this so much that I want to go back and find #1 just so I can have the full story. Especially since there's a third coming out in April!

In short: Edge of your seat romance! I read this in a day! I just bought a house but damned if I was going to put this down to go paint.

Downside: I wanted more recipes. This started with a couple recipes, short but promising, in the beginning but didn't go further with more. I want more!

Upside: I didn't want the book to end!

Willow grew up in Darling, and left as soon as she could. Now grown and a far different and stronger person than she was, she’s grabbed for the life she wants, and experiences it on her terms, always. With her shock of colorful hair, her own business and a carefree tackle it when they come attitude toward problems and opportunities. She’s still reeling with her own disappointments, unloved by her mother and betrayed by her first love, she’s just moving forward: responsible for just herself with no one allowed the opportunity to hurt her again.

Ethan never expected to have his life changed, after planning for a happy family and a career he loves as a firefighter. Even with the crazy hours, he was happy until his wife died, leaving him broken and alone to manage his two young and rambunctious sons, Connor and Ronan. Everyone in this little trio is hurting, and while the boys tend to grab for female companions and the softer touch, Ethan is closed off. Understandably, he’s still grieving but his grief tends to push forward in his gruff and often rude behavior. And right there at the bottom of his list is Willow: too bright, too cheerful and the boys like her just a bit too much, and she seems to return the affection.

Alward manages to twist readers in all directions: Ethan and Willow alternate between being sympathetic to frustrating in equal measures, they both show an enormous ability to put their own animosity aside to focus on the boys, and making them smile. Slowly as their time together increases largely because of the boys, they start to let their own guards down, and form a tentative friendship, and soon they cross that line to more. And then the twists start.

I loved the chances that were taken here; taking a story that started with a familiar trajectory into something wholly different, enriching the story with the grief from both Willow and Ethan, and using the boys, secondary characters and the familiar sense that we all have of being home in a known place to bring he story to a wonderful ending. Both have plenty of growing and healing to do, and overcoming the grief and trust issues that they’ve gripped tightly isn’t easy, and we see some of that back and forth as we wind to the end. Well worth the time to read, this book fits perfectly into the feel and underlying storyline of coming home to heal that threads through the small town of Darling.

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.

Another amazing addition to Alward's Darling, VT series. I am never disappointed in a book from this author. So wonderful with emotions-laughing, crying,it makes the reader want to start over and read it again.

Single dad, cute kids, best friend's sibling, and an opposites attract trope! Someone to Love is book 2 in the Darling VT series, but is a stand alone.

Willow is such a new age hippie type! She has funky hair, a free spirit, and a nose ring. She has sort of rose from the ashes of her past and that made her a very relatable character. I admired her because she didn't let her past define her, and didn't let the judgement of others impact her. She is a bit hurt by Ethan's lack of approval because there is an attraction there, however.

Ethan initially seemed like a sympathetic character. His wife died, and he is now raising 2 children on his own. However, he is a douche. Like, for almost the entire book. Even when he wasn't a mega douche, he was still douche-y. I never really warmed up to him, even though he had the potential to be a great character. He is judgmental, rude, and brusk. Its not attractive at all, even when you try to forgive him for some of the behavior because of his past. It was impossible for me to really love this story because of Ethan.

Someone to Love is a lot of things: small town romance, single dad, best friend's sibling, opposites attract. If you like those tropes, you might enjoy this book. For me, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I didn't loathe Ethan so much. I also think I am having a larger issues with contemporary romance in general. The tension of the story often comes from the characters themselves or between the 2 main characters. That is my least favorite climax device. I think that my tastes have become more towards paranormal romance, romantic suspense, and the likes.
(Link live: 3/8/17)

This is the second book in this small town contemporary romance but each book is a standalone. It all takes place in the small town of Darling, Vt. Willow owns The Purple Pig which is a bakery, sandwich, soup store that is more like a health food restaurant. She comes across as a bit of an oddball for this town because she colors streaks in her hair, has her nose pierced and practices yoga. Ethan, a widower with two small boys, is a fireman in the town and thinks she is really a kook! The premise sounds sweet and easy to figure out, but this book really had a lot of depth to it. Several serious issues were dealt with very adeptly by the author who took a sweet story and made it very poignant. I enjoyed the first book in this series and actually like this book even more. I thought the plot was well thought out, the characters were three dimensional and the storyline believable. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book for an honest review. I truly enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next book in this series.

I agree with another reviewer who stated that this is a wonderful addition to the author’s Darling, VT series. This is truly a book for a reader who enjoys good, solid romances. Willow is a free-spirited, Zen kind of girl, who owns a, organic café and enjoys such things as yoga and being outdoors. Ethan is a damaged widower with two small, adorable sons. Since his wife’s death about a years ago, Ethan has remained in a funk, trying to be both mother and father to his sons, trying to help them work thorough grief as a family, and trying to come to grips with how his life has changed. As he is a bit staid and put-offish, Ethan is not impressed by Willow’s pink streak in her hair, new-age ideas, her openness, etc. when they first meet, However, as time goes on, Ethan begins to see through all this and to warm to Willow. His two sons, on the other hand, are drawn to Willow from the start, especially the younger one. Both miss and need a mother or at least a mother figure desperately, and see this in Willow. This is the story of how Ethan and Willow grow to enjoy and like each other and how two damaged people come together to heal themselves as well as each other. I was totally taken in by the characters in the story, especially Ethan’s young sons. In many cases, they stole the show for me. Once again, we meet the Gallagher family and get to experience their special kind of love for each other, their intertwined lives and their family support for each other. They are a good example of how families should be, but usually are not. Having their interactions only added to this story and the romance theme and tale. The only thing I found difficult to take was the lack of suspense and/or plot, as I knew, from the start, where things were going. Still, this is another good romance, and there often are usually not very many twists and turns in a romance. If you enjoy the author’s books, or if you enjoy good romance or the others in the series, I highly recommend this one for you. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

I was happy to be back in Darling ! "Someone to Love" tells us the story of Willow Dunaway, a lively café-owner, and Ethan Gallagher, the broody single dad of two energetic little boys. In her endearing style, Donna Alward has delivered a cast of appealing characters and an emotional plot.
Willow is a busy bee, but tries to adopt a zen attitude in all circumstances. She is Laurel’s best friend and is often invited to Gallagher’s family gathering. Her interactions with the eldest Gallagher brother, Ethan, are tense at first. Ethan is a widower, father to two young boys. His life has been torn apart by his wife’s death, and he tends to be grumpy and bad-tempered. But his two boys enjoy Willow’s company and they spend more and more time together.

Willow is on her own, but she has always longed for a loving and close-knit family like the Gallagher. Willow and Ethan are both conflicted by the attraction they feel for each other. Willow has built herself a serene life and although she comes across as uncomplicated, she wants to avoid feeling too much. She has been hurt before and doesn’t trust easily. But she is not immune to Ethan’s charm, despite her best effort. Ethan is grieving and intends to keep things casual between them, but doesn’t succeed. It took me some time to warm up to this character, but I loved when he finally lowered his guard and let Willow see his trueself.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed this beautifully written story, I have to mention that the author introduced a final twist I was not so keen on.

There was a lot of push and pull between Willow and Ethan, feelings of insecurities, grief and trust issues to overcome. Willow and Ethan’s story was a bumpy and emotional ride!

With this second installment in her Darling series, Donna Alward celebrates the importance of family and friendship to find one’s path in life. I enjoy the charming small town vibe and the attaching characters of this series. And two adorable little boys definitely stole the show in this sweet and emotional story.

An advanced copy of this book was kindly provided to me by publisher St Martin's Press, via NetGalley.