This is a lovely book. It's not all sweet: it deals with things that are harsh and heartbreaking. But that is all balanced, actually overtaken, by warmth, decency, generosity, and, of course, love.The story has depth. This is about two people who, while still young, each had hard, tragic experiences, and then worked to move on with their lives. They followed their instincts and found ways to cope. They've done much good helping others but in doing so have neglected their own healing. It's together, as a couple, helping and caring for each other, that they will now begin to fully heal.
And the romance is well done. Penelope and Gabriel are both strong, intelligent, and admirable people. Their romance never feels forced or false; the author shows us its natural progression from the very start of her story.
This is the third book of a series but the first book I've read by the Heather Snow (definitely not the last). I t never seemed like I was missing anything at all in the story jumping into the series at this point. The story grabbed me from the start and held me til the end.