Ties (Lengths, #4)

by Liz Reinhardt and Steph Campbell

[Cocktails and Books]

Hattie comes to California searching for her father, a man who lavishes her with expensive gifts but can never give her the one thing she wants. Him. But what she finds in the little sea side town of Silver Strand, California, is a family where she belongs and a man who shows her that falling in love, even if your heart gets broken, is worth it.
Hattie is a very analytic, very black and white person (except if she's had a little too much wine...then all bets are off). She speaks her mind and doesn't cut anyone a lot of slack. But beneath all that is a girl just trying to fit in. I felt for her, because she became a different person when she was openly embraced by her half-brother, Deo, and his family and friends. She'd been missing that most of her life, which is probably why she acts the way she does. Then she meets Ryan. Despite her initial thoughts about dating and what she was looking for in a relationship, Ryan breaks down Hattie's walls and her prejudices to show her that she can't always map out her life and keep it sterile to protect herself.

I really enjoyed all the secondary characters in this story. I haven't read any of the other Lengths series books, so being introduced to all these wonderful characters made the story for me. They were a big family that very easily welcomed an outsider from Connecticut and taught her that she can be loved for who she is and open herself up to people.