This gets the emotions flowing right out of the gate. The story starts at the funeral for Riley's father, Harvey, which is the catalyst that brings Riley and Adam together again after almost 14 years apart. They are in their 40s now and have truly experienced life. Riley is openly gay and Adam is now divorced. I appreciated all the necessary conversations that happened. Adam truly treated Riley poorly in the past, and luckily he now realizes his mistakes and wants to make things right. This is truly a story of right person, wrong time. They have both always loved each other, but Riley was the only one who could admit it. Riley really gave me Ryan Price vibes (Tough Guy) in that he was really struggling and deserved so much better from the NHL. The mental health rep was also lovely to see here. Rachel Reid handles the subject with so much care, and it felt so relatable for anyone who has struggled with depression.

I enjoyed the cozy vibes of Avery River. It was such a nice backdrop for such an emotional story. Adam is a redemption character. You honestly kind of hate him a little for a lot of the story because of what he did, but he is on a journey of growth, and I loved being there for that. 

This is a slow-burn of sorts in my mind because Riley takes his time in forgiving Adam, as he should. Adam really has to work to get back into Riley's good graces, and I liked seeing that. The journey felt real and honest. 

My only desire from this that wasn't fulfilled was that I would have liked to see a few more flashback scenes. I would have liked to see a little more of what happened, rather than be told in the present. That said, Rachel Reid is amazing. She really knows how to write good characters and raw stories. This is definitely worth checking out.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.