Good book. Kat has returned to Haven Point for her sister's wedding a changed woman. Before she left, she was known for being a bit flighty and for flirty relationships that didn't last. She gave up her job as a teacher to follow her boyfriend to South America and ended up broke and abandoned. She pulled herself together, found a job teaching English and volunteering at an orphanage. There she met four-year-old Gabi, a special needs child that stole her heart. Her goal now is to adopt Gabi and bring her back to Haven Point. With Gabi depending on her, Kat is determined to change, become more responsible and stay away from men.
Bowie is a newcomer to Haven Point, moving there along with his computer business. He was just settling in when he was blindsided with guardianship of a younger half-brother he hadn't known existed. Complicating the whole situation, Milo is autistic, and Bo is overwhelmed. This is evident when Milo has a meltdown in the grocery store, and Bo has no idea what to do. Fortunately, Kat is there and steps in to prevent disaster. Relieved and impressed, Bo immediately offers Kat an outrageous sum of money to become Milo's temporary nanny. Though not impressed with Bo, the money will help with her adoption plans, so Kat accepts.
I liked both Bo and Kat. He overcame a difficult childhood with an unstable mother to become the self-made man that he is. I loved that Bo stepped up as soon as he found out about Milo and immediately took him in, determined that he will have a better life than Bo had had. I ached for him and his frustration at his inability to communicate with Milo. I also loved how, though the frustration was clear; there was no resentment over the huge changes that Milo has caused in Bo's life. Bo did have some trouble at the beginning finding a good balance between work and home, but he did figure it out. I liked Kat, too, though she did have some times when she frustrated me. I liked the way that her medical issues as a child gave her such empathy for special needs kids. Her obvious love for Gabi and quick connection with Milo were heartwarming. Unfortunately, some of the effects of her childhood illness weren't so good, leading to some serious problems with self-esteem. I really didn't like the way that she still thought of herself as "StupidKat" because she isn't stupid by any means. I was also frustrated by her refusal to share any of her worries about the adoption with her friends or with Bowie. She made things so much harder for herself because of it.
I enjoyed the development of Bo and Kat's relationship. There was no doubt about the attraction between them. Both of them felt it right away, but both were determined to resist. Kat because she has decided that Gabi will be the sole focus of her life, without the distractions caused by her poor choices in men. Bo is so busy with work and Milo that he figures there isn't time for a relationship. Besides, he feels he doesn't have any true idea of what a loving relationship is. But as Kat works with Milo and teaches Bo how to relate to him, they discover that they actually like each other, too. Bo is surprised to find himself wondering what it would be like if Kat were to stay, and the idea doesn't scare him. I also liked that he was one of the few people who understood Kat's love for Gabi and her need to adopt her. Kat also realized that her feelings for Bo were growing, but her reaction was to push him away. She refuses to believe that they aren't just another bad decision in a long line of them, especially since she believes that she isn't smart enough for a man like him. It takes a runaway Milo to open her eyes to the truth and allow herself to accept Bo's love. I also liked that she finally realized that accepting his help didn't make her weak, it made her stronger.
The epilogue was sweet. I loved seeing the huge difference in Bo and his joy in his life as it is now. The happy chaos of the party was so much fun to see. Gabi's exuberance was a lovely balance to Milo's quietness. I especially enjoyed seeing the changes in Milo brought about by the love of his new family. I look forward to seeing more of them in later books.
Bowie is a newcomer to Haven Point, moving there along with his computer business. He was just settling in when he was blindsided with guardianship of a younger half-brother he hadn't known existed. Complicating the whole situation, Milo is autistic, and Bo is overwhelmed. This is evident when Milo has a meltdown in the grocery store, and Bo has no idea what to do. Fortunately, Kat is there and steps in to prevent disaster. Relieved and impressed, Bo immediately offers Kat an outrageous sum of money to become Milo's temporary nanny. Though not impressed with Bo, the money will help with her adoption plans, so Kat accepts.
I liked both Bo and Kat. He overcame a difficult childhood with an unstable mother to become the self-made man that he is. I loved that Bo stepped up as soon as he found out about Milo and immediately took him in, determined that he will have a better life than Bo had had. I ached for him and his frustration at his inability to communicate with Milo. I also loved how, though the frustration was clear; there was no resentment over the huge changes that Milo has caused in Bo's life. Bo did have some trouble at the beginning finding a good balance between work and home, but he did figure it out. I liked Kat, too, though she did have some times when she frustrated me. I liked the way that her medical issues as a child gave her such empathy for special needs kids. Her obvious love for Gabi and quick connection with Milo were heartwarming. Unfortunately, some of the effects of her childhood illness weren't so good, leading to some serious problems with self-esteem. I really didn't like the way that she still thought of herself as "StupidKat" because she isn't stupid by any means. I was also frustrated by her refusal to share any of her worries about the adoption with her friends or with Bowie. She made things so much harder for herself because of it.
I enjoyed the development of Bo and Kat's relationship. There was no doubt about the attraction between them. Both of them felt it right away, but both were determined to resist. Kat because she has decided that Gabi will be the sole focus of her life, without the distractions caused by her poor choices in men. Bo is so busy with work and Milo that he figures there isn't time for a relationship. Besides, he feels he doesn't have any true idea of what a loving relationship is. But as Kat works with Milo and teaches Bo how to relate to him, they discover that they actually like each other, too. Bo is surprised to find himself wondering what it would be like if Kat were to stay, and the idea doesn't scare him. I also liked that he was one of the few people who understood Kat's love for Gabi and her need to adopt her. Kat also realized that her feelings for Bo were growing, but her reaction was to push him away. She refuses to believe that they aren't just another bad decision in a long line of them, especially since she believes that she isn't smart enough for a man like him. It takes a runaway Milo to open her eyes to the truth and allow herself to accept Bo's love. I also liked that she finally realized that accepting his help didn't make her weak, it made her stronger.
The epilogue was sweet. I loved seeing the huge difference in Bo and his joy in his life as it is now. The happy chaos of the party was so much fun to see. Gabi's exuberance was a lovely balance to Milo's quietness. I especially enjoyed seeing the changes in Milo brought about by the love of his new family. I look forward to seeing more of them in later books.
