This second chance love story with a hot single dad will have you swooning!

Blurb:

*Can be read as a standalone.* One truth can explain everything. Declan Kelly has spent his entire adult life saving people, all the while avoiding any real connections or emotions. He’s already been destroyed once, and after she ruined him, he knows he’ll never love again. Almost two decades later, Declan moves back home to raise his daughter around his family. He tried to prepare himself for how he would react when he saw Amie, but could never have anticipated just how hard it would be to remain unaffected. Amie Dotson knew from the moment she lied that Dec wouldn’t forgive her… but she didn’t want him to. Lying was easier than the truth because he would have stayed for her, and she didn’t want him to miss out on his dreams because of her. Harboring more than one secret, Amie tries to avoid Declan when she discovers he’s back in town, but when he sees the evidence marring her body, she knows he’ll do whatever it takes to remove the fear from her eyes. When the truth is revealed, can two people finally find the happiness they lost but never forgot?

Second chance romances in real-life and fiction warm my heart. It doesn’t matter why couples separate, especially young people, but the reuniting at a later point in time always has me sigh with joy. Give Me This by Anna Brooks is the kind of story that makes me feel good when I read it.

Two young high school kids, Declan and Amie, fall in love and plan a life together forever has life hit them with some real adult issues. The breakup is Amie’s decision. She decides it is better to leave with a lie than for Declan to make a decision that will change his plans and dreams. In hindsight she realizes that she made a mistake but what can she do; they both move on.

I like these two. They are developed nicely and come across as real people struggling with their mistakes. Life apart is a challenge for them constantly questioning and wondering how life would be different--if only. Then, seventeen years later, Declan moves back home with his baby daughter. It is inevitable that he is going to run into Amie at some point, and sure enough, they do.

Amie has a terrible life that she takes her fate as penance for hurting Declan. Of course, Declan, being the alpha male he is, wants to be her rescuer and protector. They move into a push/pull scenario both holding secrets, and both are wanting each other but fear of getting hurt again keeps each of them apart.

For the most part, the storyline makes sense. Amie is thrown a major loop as a teenager. It is a situation that makes many adults question their decisions. Her reveal took me completely by surprise, and that doesn’t happen often. It brought tears to my eyes and made me want to give her a hug.

The second bump in their rekindling relationship feels immature and turns me off a bit. The story will be a solid five, in my opinion, if that section is handled differently and in a more mature matter. For me, it is a high school reaction, and, after everything, they went through, it requires a mature conversation between both of them. It is possible that this won’t rub a twenty-something the same way it does me as an older reader it just made me think "Did you two not learn anything?" I know I'm a little vague here but I don't want to spoil anything.

Give Me This is the first book for me by Anna Brooks. She is now added to my list of authors to watch. It is the last book in the series but don’t let that scare you away. It works perfectly as a standalone. There isn’t one time that I feel like I missed some piece of information. So, in summary, if you are like me and love romance, especially second chance romance, Give Me This, is a book you will want to read.

4 STAMPS

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“Where’s Clover?” God, just saying her name makes my throat tight. “With my mom and dad for a little bit.” “Oh.” I pick up my stuff that he set on the kitchen floor, but he shakes his head and takes it from me. “Stop. You’re not bolting out of here.” I huff and cross my arms. “What do you want, Declan?” “Why are you with Larry?” “There isn’t a reason.” “Why?” “Why did you name your daughter Clover?” I throw a question back at him. “Don’t try to change the subject.” “Don’t try to psychoanalyze me.” “You know Larry’s a prick, and you’re too strong to let him put his hands on you.” Declan leans against the wall and raises an eyebrow at me. “So tell me, Amie. What the fuck?” “I don’t owe you any explanations.” “I think that’s the least you owe me, don’t you?” I look around the room and avoid his eyes on me, shaking my head. “It was a long time ago, Declan,” I whisper. “I’ll go to my parents, and you can forget you ever saw me again.” “No.” “No?” “You’re not leaving.” I don’t understand. He hates me, so why the hell is he trying to help me? “Why do you want me here? We both know you hate me for what I said.” He straightens and tilts his head. “It’s what you did, Amie.” “Whatever.” I reach for my bags again, but he closes his fingers around my wrist, and I yank my arm away. “Let me go.” “There she is.” “I never left,” I snap. He flinches, and I know it was a low blow. I was just as excited to get out of here as he was. We were going to start a life and travel, see the world. We even had a list of places we wanted to go. Adventures we wanted to take together; scuba diving, skydiving, driving a racecar. And I ruined it. He knows me too well, and I’m becoming defensive because he’s pissing me off, hitting nerves that I’m in denial about. “Why are you with him?” he whispers. “Declan …” “Why?” “Because I deserve him.” I sit on the floor, leaning against the kitchen chair. I don’t cry because I’ve accepted my fate, and along the way to discovering it, I’ve learned that tears don’t change a damn thing.

Also Available from Anna

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About the Author:

Anna began writing when she thought the world would want to hear her sick lyrics through song. Since then, she's realized her childhood dream wasn't so far-fetched, just misguided. Now she writes romance with real emotions and happy endings. If Anna isn't writing or reading, she can be found by a space heater drinking a ridiculous amount of Diet Dr Pepper. She also likes to hang out with her husband and two boys. If it wasn't for them, she wouldn't ever leave the house. Anna was born in Wisconsin but now lives in the Evergreen State.

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