Sometimes it takes a leap of faith in order to soar . . .A gifted teacher, Lily Robinson adores her students, but fiercely guards her independent lifestyle. Deep inside, she is afraid of loving too deeply for fear of getting hurt. Only her best friend, Crystal, has ever been able to get close. Now an unthinkable tragedy has drawn Lily into the shattered lives of Crystal's family -- a family that suddenly needs her.
Sean McGuire is a rolling stone used to living in the shadow of his famous brother, Derek. He's made his own way in life, playing by his own rules. Then one April night everything changes when a fatal car crash orphans Derek and Crystal's three children. In an instant, Sean finds himself in the role of guardian.
Sean and Lily are brought together by tragedy, joined in their grief and their mutual love for these children. But raising three kids is a monumental job, and Sean realizes he's in over his head. And though Lily has been the unofficial aunt to these children since they were born, planting emotional roots means taking risks -- and Lily's not sure she can.
The ups and downs of love and family life can be a roller-coaster ride -- thrilling, unpredictable and downright terrifying, yet filled with incredible delight. and Sean and Lily are about to discover the possibilities that make everything seem worthwhile -- a future filled with hope, happiness and the certainty that trusting love is the best choice of all .
I Loved this book. Notice that is Loved with a capital "L". This book made me laugh, made me cry and touched my heart in so many ways.
Let's start with Lily, a school teacher who loves her children. But only for a year and the she lets them go and spends the summer traveling and getting ready for a new school year. She also does not have a close relationship with her parents, due to something that is only alluded to throughout the book. It is this same something that does not allow Lily to get close to anyone because she is afraid of being hurt. Once the something is explained it all makes sense to me (and my psychology/counselor brain). But I feel that once it is explained that everything around her relationship with her parents resolves too quickly. I would have liked it to be explored a bit more throughout the book, that we could see her relationship with them change and evolve.
Sean. Throughout the book Sean is really a likeable guy. I never got the sense of him in the "before" the tragedy, so we don't see him change and evolve as much as we do Lily. However, we do see him change and evolve from "the uncle that loves the kids from a distance" to "hands on, fixing the girl's hair, changing diapers and loving it" guy. And that makes him very appealing.
When Crystal and Derek die, it is not a huge suprise, because you know that is coming from the dust jacket. And I really didn't care because I didn't like either one of them. I hated the way they were using the kids to get what they wanted in their divorce and how they used their kids as confidants for grownup problems.
But Lily and Sean and their relationship with and commitment to Cameron, Charlie and Ashley is messy and charming and real. And I loved every minute of getting to know these people and coming to love them and care about them as they took their journey to becoming a family. I think you will too. And the final scene? Perfect. In every way.
Purchase book here.
Product Information
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Mira; Large Print edition (April 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0739453688
ISBN-13: 978-0778321675
ASIN: 0778321673
Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
Indeed.
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