When You're Ready (Ready, #1) by J.L. Berg Series: Ready #1
Published by Self-Published on July 23rd 2013
Pages: 270
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Can his love mend the pieces of her grieving heart? Years after suffering the tragic loss of her husband, Ethan, which left her alone to raise their young daughter, Clare Murray still holds the last letter he wrote with the words "When You're Ready" written in his familiar messy handwriting, unable to break its weathered seal. Ready for what? He was her entire world, and Clare had accepted a life without him, without love. Until years later, fate brings her to an emergency room, and face to face with a stormy-eyed doctor intent on changing her mind.
Logan Matthews is the son of a billionaire who has spent his entire life trying to make his absent father proud. Years of living up to a man who was more ghost than father, and a publicly failed marriage has left Logan cold and emotionless until he walks into an exam room and discovers a woman who can stop his heart, make his body burn with desire and leave his entire world altered.
But how far are Clare and Logan willing to go for love?
When their love is tested, is Clare ready to put her whole heart on the line again? Can Logan learn the true meaning of love, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness? When a second chance at love is given, Clare and Logan learn you never know if you are truly ready until you're ready to risk it all.
When You’re Ready is a sweet second chance romance. Clare is a widowed mother of a preschooler, Maddie. She’s doing a fantastic job raising her daughter alone, but is neglecting her needs as a woman. Logan is a successful ER doctor, but he’s rather self-loathing and is essentially sleepwalking through life instead of opening himself up to any meaningful relationships. Life changes for both of them when Clare brings Maddie into the ER one night.
I really enjoyed seeing Clare re-discover the feminine, sensual side of herself. Claire and Maddie trigger an emotional transformation in Logan that is wonderfully heartwarming. Let’s face it. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Maddie with her cheerfulness and love of everything ballet.
On an editorial note, there is a tendency for the author to change tenses within a sentence. It’s a small grammatical error that exists throughout the book, but it stood out to me. However, if you aren’t a Grammar Nazi it may not bother you.
If you’re worried about an angst ridden, tissue grabbing story, fear not. I expected this to be a tear jerker, but the book is surprisingly drama-free. It avoids most of the gut-wrenching, emotionally exhausting aspects that are prominent in similar stories. Clare isn’t consumed by anger towards her deceased husband, or wrecked with guilt at the prospect of loving another man. This is a hopeful, feel-good romance.
The ending is rather predictable, but I still enjoyed it. If you’re a fan of romances featuring single moms, I think you’ll be especially pleased with this. Leah, Clare’s no-filter best friend, has her own book, Never Been Ready, and it looks like a fun story.
Recommended for fans of:
Second chance romance
Single mom stories
Cute little girls and tutus
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