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It was a first time read for this author and it was enjoyable for me. Even though it's considered to be a standalone, there were quite a few times where I was a bit overwhelmed by the huge introduction of many characters. I think reading the previous books in the Needing Moore series will definitely help you understand everyone much better. It took some time, but eventually, I was able to catch on quickly on who is who.
The Moore family is an absolute riot, they definitely bring a new meaning to Thanksgiving dinner with the family. There were so many hilarious moments when it comes to that family, I would just love to be a fly on the wall during one of their dinners.
Something I found rather interesting was the multiple POVs, I can't say that I was a fan of it because although the main story was around Aiden and Holly, there were at least about 5/6 different POVs, it got confusing. In the beginning, I did get overwhelmed by it because it was just a pursuit of all these different characters. But I'll mention it again, if you read the rest of the books in this series, you'd definitely have a different opinion. I had to do a lot of re-reading at first to make sure who was narrating at the time.
I loved how much of a fighter Holly was even after her heart was completely torn out by the one person she thought who would be her forever. In a sense, I understand Aiden's reason for calling it quits on their relationship, but I didn't like all the other reasons he came up with to try and push Holly away. It definitely did more damage, when he just needed to be honest. And I'm not a fan of the whole, "I wanted to protect you" reason for breaking up with someone, I don't like when they take the decision away from the other person involved. However, being involved with someone in the military isn't a walk in the park, but honesty goes a long way. And deployments are never easy, a lot can change while overseas.
I constantly felt sad for Holly, even though a year has nearly passed, she's still tending her broken heart. Jumping into a relationship with a man who is not only way older than her (not that I'm judging), but there's definitely more to that guy. And you'll have to read to find out what it is exactly.
Aiden. He's definitely not the same Aiden after coming back home with some life-altering injuries physically and mentally. And he's also dealing with PTSD of what happened overseas, although it wasn't specifically said what happened, it was easy to figure out with the details that were given.
Even though Aiden and Holly weren't together at that point, it's as clear as day that these two absolutely love each other. Aiden is still sticking firm with his decision of staying apart, but Holly was ever the persistent one. He feels like he needs to have so many things sorted out before he even considers it. It won't be an easy journey for them and what they had before will never be like what they have now. They have to find a new normal together.
I really wanted to love this, but there were little things here and there that kept me from doing so. I really recommend reading the previous books in this series before diving into this one, I think it's essential. But yes, a definite enjoyable read!