"Can a person be a ghost town? I believe I am. Once flourishing . . . Similar to an abandoned town, everyone and everything abandoned me but the trauma, the grief it produced, and the silence that followed."
Avalee Elvis was merely existing, rather than living. Her renovation skills were extraordinary, her accomplishments many, while the dark circles under her eyes served as a testament to the wasteland residing within. When Avalee's restoration company, Lowcountry Lost, is contracted by a group of investors to bring an obscure ghost of a town back to life, Avalee goes right to work envisioning Somewhere, South Carolina as a prime destination. However . . . .
. . . when the rumble of a motorcycle sounds, toting a familiar form and carrying a familiar voice, how does Avalee respond? . . . like the adult she is pretending to be, she runs and hides. How dare Rowan Murray show up in her town!
Thankfully there were some wildly winsome characters between these pages, (both human and canine) for the tension pulsating between Avalee and Rowan was thick enough to cut with a knife. Just like each building on Somewhere's streets, demolition preceded restoration, meaning there were some really painful moments between the two of them; after all, grief doesn't hand out favors, but grace . . . flows freely.
"We'd lost a lot, but look how much we'd found" . . . It seems that second chances are often under-rated.
Romantic! Entertaining! Hopeful! Grateful! . . . . this author successfully puts Somewhere, South Carolina on the map . . . . of outstanding stories!
*I purchased a copy and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 4.5 stars
BackCover Blurb:
Sometimes what haunts you most is wondering what could have been.
Avalee Elvis prides herself with being able to fix just about anything. . . except her past. Unable to put the puzzle of her life together, she pours heart and soul into making neglected places whole again. As the owner of Lowcountry Lost, Avalee spends her days in hot-pink Carhartt overalls and a tool belt reclaiming Lowcountry properties. Making them beautiful again releases the deep sigh that soothes the hurt she holds.
Avalee’s latest project takes her to tiny Somewhere, South Carolina, a long-abandoned town. She ignores its ghostly folklore but can’t miss the shock of hearing the familiar Irish brogue that materializes on the job site—the voice of the man she never wanted to see again.
Rowan Murray is a structural engineer hired by investors to oversee the redevelopment of the quaint downtown Avalee is bringing back to life. Once upon a time, he was also the man who knew Avalee better than anyone else—or so he thought. Six years ago, neither of them was prepared for the tragedy they would face together or what would happen in its wake. But as they work together to complete the rehabbing of Somewhere, their broken pieces and the pain that nearly consumed them begin to lose its grip, and both begin to wonder if it’s not too late for a restoration of their own.
From the author of the breakout Southern fiction bestseller Under the Magnolias comes a story of loss and abandonment, forgiveness, and the beauty of undying love.
-Contemporary Southern romance with a second chance romance trope
-Special features include: discussion questions for book clubs, recipes, and a playlist inspired by Avalee and Rowan’s love story
-Contains themes of loss and restoration
-For fans of HGTV shows like Fixer Upper, Home Town, and Good Bones
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