ABOUT THE BOOK
Madeline Rose is a sweet, sheltered and eternally youthful young woman of 25—the youngest child of a prominent Philadelphia neurosurgeon. Despite the unending support of a loving, close family, she battles formidable insecurities, thanks to a recent, bitter break-up with her first real boyfriend and a turbulent adolescence characterized by a few extra pounds. Unsure of her future, she struggles to live up to her potential as well as her highly educated pedigree, given her fortunate placement in an impressive ancestral heritage.
Still adjusting to civilian life after four years in the United States Navy, handsome, affable and ambitious Ken Lockheart has two goals: to rise above his blue-collar, Shore town roots and to marry his true love. Though the epitome of the classic, all-American male with his boyish good looks, six-foot frame and broad, muscular body, he retains a basic humility borne of a relentless work ethic and an inner drive to succeed.
When a chance encounter in a Somers Point nightclub initiates an unexpected relationship, neither one of them is prepared for the ensuing odyssey of heartbreak, personal growth and spiritual development that fuels their individual life lessons and leads them full-circle to a divinely guided conclusion.
MY REVIEW
I have to admit, I got this book a long time ago and only just finished it. Oops! But I finally made it through, so here are my thoughts.
I liked the idea behind the story. It’s a slow-burn, lost-and-found, fated-mate romance, which I always find interesting. The setup was good, but honestly, the book felt too long, and the characters seemed immature, which made it drag at times.
Maddy is kind, but also naive and insecure. Her dad is always busy and her mom is overprotective, so when she meets Ken, she’s swept off her feet. It seems like fate when they click and even share the same birthday. But Maddy depends too much on her mom’s approval of Ken, which leads to their breakup, a lot of loneliness, and some awkward mistakes in her later relationships. I found myself rolling my eyes at some of her choices—not because I didn’t support her, but because I wanted her to stand up for herself more.
Ken is outgoing and hard-working, just back from the military. He wants to prove himself and make his family proud, and he believes Maddy is the one for him. At first, I liked how he treated Maddy and made her feel safe, but then he ghosted her, which was really frustrating. It was even worse when he came back years later and expected her to be friends with his rude fiancée. Seriously, dude?
As the story goes on, both Maddy and Ken deal with a lot of heartache and regret. They find each other again years later, and that’s when the story really starts to shine. By then, they’re both more mature and ready to try again. It’s a good moment for both of them, but I just wish it hadn’t taken so long to get there because I was starting to lose patience.
My biggest issue with the story was how long it took for it to get interesting. I kept wanting to skip the repetitive parts and get to the happy ending. Still, if you enjoy slow-burn romances and stories about second chances, I recommend giving this book a try.
Thank you to Ms. DiGiovanni for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daria Anne DiGiovanni is a content strategist, ghostwriter, and health freedom advocate with a passion for helping others tell their stories. Diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis after years of unexplained symptoms, she turned to functional medicine and reclaimed her well-being through a personalized, root-cause approach. Drawing on her professional writing expertise and personal experience, she now empowers others to challenge the status quo and seek real healing.
