Connie needs to get away, away from the memories of her failed relationship with Jenny. She needs to get over her but it’s hard to do when she’s still loves her so much. When she sees an ad for a glamping trip to a deserted island where she can be alone, she decides it’s the perfect place for a getaway. Only fate has a different plan for Connie and getting over Jenny isn’t part of the plan.

This was a fun read. I am pretty good at suspending reality and just going where the story takes me. That is a good quality to have for this book because you can only explain Connie and Jenny being stranded on an island together as fate. Connie is a better woman than I am. I was frustrated with Jenny before I ever met her, but Connie’s love is unwavering. Being on an island together forces Jenny to actually talk to Connie instead of her default, running away. She doesn’t handle confrontation or even difficult discussions well but when stranded on an island trying to survive, Jenny is forced to make some much needed changes.

This story is told from Connie’s perspective, which works in that it gives us insight into why her long for Jenny is so strong and why she’s willing to deal with so much. It’s also why I had issues with Jenny for quite a while in the story. Gradually, I began to understand Jenny and it made me want the two to get back together and get their happily ever after. Claire Highton-Stevenson has given us a fun story of the power of fate. This is a great read for a relaxing spring day. If only I were reading it while on an island.

An ARC was received from the author for an honest review.

Hannah Pascoe’s life is forever changed when a terrorist bomb explodes outside of a restaurant where she’s meeting her date. She wakes up in the hospital only able to see shapes and has a hard time accepting that her sight won’t return. Erica is a volunteer support worker who helps people adapt after losing their eyesight. Erica helps Hannah get into a rehab facility where they spend a lot of time together and feelings develop that neither was prepared for.

I really enjoy Claire Highton-Stevenson’s writing. In this one, she brings us a character in Hannah, who goes through a gamut of emotions from anger, self-pity and finally acceptance. I could easily put myself in Hannah’s place and feel the despair she felt. It’s not often we think about what we would do if suddenly our vision was reduced to only shadows and shapes and we could no longer experience the beauty of a sunrise or gazing into a woman’s eyes.

Erica has worked with many others in the same position, and she treats her, not as someone who is broken, but as someone who can have a full life with a different way of thinking and some adjustments. I liked Erica and Hannah together and how their relationship progressed. The rest of the characters were well developed and integral to Hannah’s journey. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to what comes next from Claire Highton-Stevenson.

An ARC was provided by the author for an honest review.