phyllish
Written on May 4, 2018
Romantic. The first definition given by Merriam-Webster is “having no basis in fact”. It isn’t until the 5th definition, letter b, that we get a definition closer to the one that most women use for it “marked by expressions of love or affection”.
Isaac is afraid of romance, afraid of getting hurt. He might even, in a way, think that romance best fits that first definition. Yet the everyday things he does for Brooke speak so clearly of the best kind of romance. He opens her doors, he treats her like she is important, and he listens to her.
Brooke has a much better view of romance, realizing it isn’t all about flowers and fancy restaurants. It is about the tender looks, going on picnics, finding the things that have deep meaning to the one you love and doing them. Even she, however, is fearful of making any kind of overture towards Isaac, or any man for that matter, ending relationships before they have a chance to go bad.
The ongoing bets that Isaac and Brooke made were so fun! Especially because they ended up being so complicated they couldn’t keep track of who was winning. Moreover, they really didn’t care.
Gemma, Isaac’s little seven-year-old niece, was so very precious. She suffered from anxiety disorder and selective mutism. I loved her relationship with Isaac, and the way he kept giving her new nicknames. Brook’s acceptance of her and the fact that she never spoke to her was very touching. I really hope to read more about her in another story.
"Usually, she looked forward to gardening as her time to unwind. Sacred, personal time away from customers, away from phones, even away from music with only the whisper of wind through the trees and the occasional call of a blue jay. Brooke was of a mind that too much silence would be deafening and claustrophobic, but in small doses, it made a statement as important as a rest in a concerto or the white space on the printed page – a relief, a brief moment to regroup and prepare. Without silence, no one could appreciate hearing what they loved most. Today, though, Brooke filled that silence with laughter in joking with Isaac, using abdomen and intellect muscles that had started to atrophy in her loneliness, and the time passes way too quickly."
This review was originally posted on Among the Reads
I would like to thank Maria Hoagland for giving me this item. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.