Grace Grows grabbed me right from the beginning, and spun me through a roller coaster of emotions. Grace is an editor and writer for a text book publisher, and lives with her long-term boyfriend Steven. As Steven is out of town a lot on business, Grace befriends the neighbors dog walker, Tyler Wilkie, who has just moved to the city in hopes of busting into the music business. Grace, and her best friend Peg, have a great time showing Tyler around the city and attending his gigs at local bars. Before long, Tyler is head over heels for Grace, writing her songs and calling at all times of day and night. But she makes it very clear to him that they are strictly friends, and that she is "taken". Will Grace continue on with her so-called Perfect Life or for once listen to her heart and make some big life-altering changes.

Grace Barnum was at times a very annoying main character. Sometimes I just wanted to knock her upside the head, and tell her to open her eyes! I wanted to ask her why in the world she would do the stupid things she does through-out the story. She made me mad and frustrated. But at the same time she was a very realistic character. Not all women in their late 20's are mature, grown up and well-rounded in the dating world, even though we like to think we are. Grace Grows made me laugh out loud, and even cry. My chest at one point actually ached for both her and Tyler. And, unlike most contemporary romances these days, Grace Grows took place through years rather than days or weeks. I had a feeling of what would happen in the end, but with all the twists and turns Shelle Sumners took us on, I wasn't entirely sure. I read this book deep into the night, as I had a very hard time putting it down ... and even though I never usually read ahead, this book forced me to take a peak into the future and then go back and continue reading. That's how badly I wanted to know what would happen next, and if everything would turn out okay in the end.

It has been a long time since I've read a good sized book 300+ pages in less than a week.