Barbara O’Neal’s books have quickly become an automatic read for me. This book was first published in 2002, and revised in 2024.

I love how some books seem to enter your life just when you need THAT sort of read. This book was that for me. If you follow me, you know I love a good emotional read. This book hit all the feels. O’Neal paints a picture of the Sabatino family, a tight knit, large Italian family. Jewel, the wild child, returns home with her teenage son and her gravely ill best friend. Estranged from her Dad, what transpires next more than she could ever dream of.

Family is at the center of this book, both the family we are born into and the family that we choose. I so enjoyed the big family and how there was so much love going on behind the scenes. Friends that become our family when times are tough and are always there for us, no matter what. Jewel made a tough decision at a young age, and had to live with the fallout. Things come full circle in a heartbreaking way bringing with it an unexpected but heartwarming ending. This story was beautifully written and so relatable. Very rarely do I read a story that I fall in love with all the characters. There is a tough facade to all but a softness underneath. This is a love story of parents, family, friends and lovers that come into our lives at perfect times. Jewel is so unapologetic with the decisions she made in the past, she owns it and makes no excuses. But she has grown up and now knows what she needs to do. She is in no rush and let’s things play out organically, which I appreciated. This shows how differently we look at things and people at different points in our lives.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion. ( )