This was a cute book while is it is set during Christmas time it isn't overflowing with christmas spirit where they are doing loads of holiday themed stuff so its good to read at any point. During the holiday seasons I like to read books that practically scream holiday spirit and this book didn't do that. Being that it isn't holiday season any more I'm not mad about it. What I did end up getting was still a really good contemporary book. I enjoyed getting to know the character and seeing how things were going to turn out with the child that was put up for adoption because from the books description its clear that was one of the things that was going to pop and it was interesting seeing how the father of that child would react when he finds out about this secret. Overall this was a pretty good book I really enjoyed it.

Ava was going through the ledgers f her deceased father’s paper mill company. She had been at it for three hours and it was 1:00am. All Ava had determined so far was that something wasn’t right. The numbers aren't adding up- literally and figuratively. The current owner her uncle rudy would not let her have access to the company’s computers. Now Ava was trying to find out why her mother's share of the profits had dwindled. Ava was the chief administrator of the Sawtooth Children’s Home. This was still a new job for Ava as she had only been there since September. Ava had left the corporate world of finance in Charlotte. She came home to holly river. All the resident kids lived with their “ house parents” in smaller structures around the campus. There was ten kids to a cottage. Ava saw a light on in the kitchen when no one should be in there and found a girl in the refrigerator. The girl said she was taylor Grande. She had disconnected the security system with a swiss army knife and advised Ava to update the security system and make it digital. Ava talked “taylor” into staying the night and said she wouldn’t force her to stay if she wanted to in the morning. The next morning Ava called her brother Carter he was a cop. The girl was a runaway and fourteen and her real name was Sawyer Walsh and her father was looking for her. Than a man was pounding on Ava’s door and it was Sawyer’s father . than Ava realized she knew the man. She hadn’t been able to take her eyes off him six years ago just like now. She had known him too well- at one time. This man had lied to her when she lived in Charlotte. Mr. walsh said Sawyer wasn’t afraid of him, she hated him. Than he told her to call him Noah. Noah was the man who had in one night changed her life. The man she had tried so hard to forget because she had no other choice. Than her brother Carter came and was introduced to Noah, he said this was the fourth time sawyer had ran away and he didn’t know if he could let Sawyer leave with her father. Noah said he traveled a lot in his profession and hired housekeepers he carefully had chosen. But Sawyer has a problem with boundaries. He added Sawyer’s mother Mary Kate had left five years ago and was currently in Barcelona as far as he knew. But Mary Kate and sawyer had argued all the time. Mary kate said she needed peace and tranquility and left Sawyer with him and had nothing to do with them. Noah had a sense he knew Ava before but that couldn’t be. Ava was standing face to face with the man who had told her he was married and she deserved better. Ava was shamed, panicked, and pregnant. Six years later- Noah decided to stay in town a couple of days. Ava had hoped he would leave. But he was being extremely stubborn. Ava had to remember that she was the administrator of a children's home and the residents were her biggest concern. Ava introduced Sawyer to charlie who was actually her half brother. Ava hoped they would at least have an amicable relationship as they lived in the same cottage. As long as Ava was careful , as long as she followed the advice of the counselor, Mrs. Marcos the two children would never learn of their strong tie. At least not until and if the time was right. Hopefully Noah wouldn’t remember his time with Ava as it had only been one night. Ava’s thoughts turned to Noah and the man he was now- strong, decisive, and determined perhaps lost in knowing how to deal with Sawyer and the man he was than- charming, cocky, ultimately irresistible. He had appealed to her senses that night and Ava had flirted with him, teased him, and tempted him. Things Ava wouldn’t normally do with any man. Jace seen Noah at the diner and invited noah to his wedding even mentioned he could escort Ava. the next day jace stopped to let Ava know and advised her to say yes to Noah. Ava went to her lawyer about her uncle rudy and he sent rudy a letter to let him know they were pursuing the money owed to Cora who was Ava’s mother.
I loved this story. It was a well written second chance romance. I loved Sawyer and Charlie and felt they really added to this book. Poor Charlie broke my heart. I also loved Noah and Ava together and how they interacted. I loved the plot and pace. Iread this in less than a day. I loved Ava’s family and how close they all were. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend it.

It might be a great romance and it might be that I have not read a romance in while, and I don't like to give a bad review, but this book was not for me.  Ava gives up her high-powered career to be closer to the son she gave up for adoption who is now in a Children's Home - why the heck doesn't she bring him home?  I do understand that it would be confusing for a child who had been through the death of his parents, but in the real world, I do think the birth mother would come forward IF they wanted to and they would just bring the child into their home and family.

A teenage girl shows up at the Children's Home and her father turns out to be the father of this little boy that Ava gave up for adoption?  It's just too unbelievable.

Also, I did not like Noah - the attractive biker.  I kept thinking he would grow on me, but he never did.  He did care about his daughter, Sawyer and tried to provide for her, but there was something about the way he was written that didn't sit right with me.


I did like Ava's character and I loved the big, warm Cahill family, the brothers and sisters in law and family dinners.  I loved the idea of a Children's Home and the way it was set up with the cottages.  Sawyer being concerned about her dad because he had a dangerous job and feeling like he didn't care about her because he took risks, felt real to me.

3.5 stars

This was a sweet and enjoyable story. There are a number of interesting side characters that I would be interested in reading more about (I suspect this is part of a series.).

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.