Beneath the Quiet Sky (Quiet Love #5) by L.H. Cosway

ABOUT THE BOOK

Erin never thought she’d see Tristan Balfe again, so it’s no surprise that he doesn’t remember her. After their brief friendship when she was a struggling, homeless teenager, she left town with no plans to return.

Fast forward nineteen years and she’s the manager of her uncle’s hotel, the Astor Cove. It’s an old but much beloved establishment in dire need of some TLC. Tristan, now one of the most successful hoteliers in the country, has set his sights on the historic building and is keen to turn it into an exclusive location for his wealthy clientele.

Erin doesn’t want things at the Astor Cove to change and she tries to convince her uncle not to sell, but he’s seduced by the idea of a luxury retirement and Tristan’s persistence wins out. The only silver lining? Erin and some of the other legacy staff will get to keep their jobs under the new ownership.

So now she must work alongside Tristan while they transform her beloved place of work into something shiny and new, and Erin learns that Tristan can be just as persistent a flirt as he is a businessman. He’s determined that they’ve met before even though he can’t remember when or how, but Erin has no interest in revisiting her painful past and insists they’re strangers. The problem? Tristan’s irresistible charm and playful personality awakens something in Erin, something she’d promised herself long ago was dead.

Erin is powerless to prevent being swept into Tristan’s orbit, but she fears that when he finally remembers who she is—and how she heartlessly abandoned him all those years ago—he’ll no longer want her at all.

MY REVIEW

Second-chance romances are definitely my jam, and when it comes to this trope, no one nails it quite like L.H. Cosway. Her stories are so real and emotional that you feel them in your heart, and Erin and Tristan’s journey is a perfect example.

Erin first met Tristan in the lowest time of her life. She was homeless due to her sister’s lecherous, abusive boyfriend and her sister’s ignorance until she found a private refuge in the local hotel owned by Tristan Balfe’s family. Tristan is the popular kid in her class and way out of her league. When he finds her squatting in the hotel, he keeps her secret and becomes her friend and confidant until she is discovered and flees town.

Twenty years later, Erin is moving on with her life after a past relationship that really messed her up mentally. She loves her job as manager at her uncle’s hotel, clinging to her self-imposed celibacy to stay in control and keep herself happy. But Tristan comes back into her life to take over her livelihood and change the place she calls home. The real bombshell is that he doesn’t know who she is at first, and I was surprised that he didn’t recognize her by her eyes alone, which are an unusual amber color he always commented on when they were kids. That said, I valued Erin’s character because she could admit her mistakes. I understood her anger and frustration at losing her inheritance, letting her friends go, and being trained by a younger woman. Still, I also admired her resilience and her awareness that her aunt and uncle deserved a comfortable life after working so hard to run the hotel.

Tristan is charming and thoughtful, promising Erin he will preserve the heritage and charm of her uncle’s hotel, and he does. Good grief, this man. He has an incredible kindness that comes naturally. His patience and respect for Erin are beyond compare. He is honest and exactly who he seems. And the way he connects with Erin again, listening to her as an employee and as a woman, and spoiling her with meaningful gifts and tender compliments, is beautiful and heartfelt.

This love story is a slow burn that is well worth the wait. Erin and Tristan are both so lonely and deserve a happy ending. They spent years building their careers, and I found it refreshing how mature and honest they were about their feelings.

I’m a big fan of L.H. Cosway because her characters and plots are so charming, engrossing, and emotionally draining, but in a good way. I highly recommend this book, and I look forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to Ms. Cosway for giving me the opportunity to review this book with no expectation of a positive review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

L.H. Cosway lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favorite things in life include writing stories, food, and, of course, books. She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.