I was engaged by the First Impression chapters right away, and was happy to be able to read the rest of this cautious-with-each-other romance. It was a delightfully slow burn tale of recently un-engaged Anh Nhi ("Annie") and commitment phobic Emmitt who unwittingly wind up as roommates when Emmitt unexpectedly comes home early from a foreign work assignment and find Annie living in his house and sparks (and shoes) fly.
Annie is working through identity issues as a woman of color and an adoptee. This is one of the most well written adoption stories I've read. As an adoptive parent, most of what I read in fictional adoption themed stories is completely cringe worthy. Adair handles this issue with care and helps present both the adoptive parents perspective (THANK YOU for calling it "Adoption Day" and NOT "Gotcha Day"-I cannot stand that one!) and the feelings of conflict about being adopted that Annie feels.
Annie and Emmitt work through their separate issues to grow and find new found trust and love with each other. The care and support both characters gave each other was believable, which is why the "break up" conflict at the end didn't feel authentic to all the work these two had done to earn each other's trust. I really loved this book right up to the end where I think the author went off character of what she had thus far given us. The resolution was rushed and the event that set up the final conflict didn't feel satisfactorily resolved. Again, really loved this book all the way up to the last two chapters. Is there time to re-work the ending before final publication? It was so good up until then!!
Annie is working through identity issues as a woman of color and an adoptee. This is one of the most well written adoption stories I've read. As an adoptive parent, most of what I read in fictional adoption themed stories is completely cringe worthy. Adair handles this issue with care and helps present both the adoptive parents perspective (THANK YOU for calling it "Adoption Day" and NOT "Gotcha Day"-I cannot stand that one!) and the feelings of conflict about being adopted that Annie feels.
Annie and Emmitt work through their separate issues to grow and find new found trust and love with each other. The care and support both characters gave each other was believable, which is why the "break up" conflict at the end didn't feel authentic to all the work these two had done to earn each other's trust. I really loved this book right up to the end where I think the author went off character of what she had thus far given us. The resolution was rushed and the event that set up the final conflict didn't feel satisfactorily resolved. Again, really loved this book all the way up to the last two chapters. Is there time to re-work the ending before final publication? It was so good up until then!!