Quatrième de couverture :A is for Ash Heartford.
Adorable, strong, and independent.
Abandoned by his parents and attached to only one person—his little sister.
Attracted to River, the sultry man who saunters onto his doorstep with startling news.
Always yearning for more River, yet afraid to let him in.
Should he play it safe, or claim his legacy and risk losing his heart?
Lien Amazon
Chloe's Review :God I loved this sweet as sugar story. Like every Anyta Sunday story I fell in love with her characters as well as her story.
We meet Ash, twenty-five, who struggles to have a decent life : he’s been on his own ever since his mother throw him out once he was eighteen, and has been raising his sister ever since their mother passed away four years ago. Every penny counts, even more now because he wants to offer a summer camp to his sister : he accumulates multiple jobs to achieve that, and getting food on the table. He refuses any romantic involvement because he believes (thank you mother dear) that their name is cursed. His mother romantic relationships turned badly at every turn, so Ash forbid himself to get attached to anyone.
« Kisses were the gateway to the heart. Ash wouldn’t be fool enough to give that key away to have it tossed in his face. »
There comes River. He comes to give him Lester Mallory’s will : he was his best friend, he knew the old man since he was ten, he was like a grandfather to him. Soon, we learn that he was Ash’s biological grandfather, which is a hug choc for him, since his father’s family was a mystery, because he never knew his father. Lester gave him, through River, his library, Silver Pines. This place means a lot to River, but he will respect every last wishes of Lester. Soon after we learn that a company wants to buy the field on which the library is. There starts the battle for Ash’s heart, in every sense of the term.
River first wants to respect Lester’s wishes : taking care of his grandson. But he soon learns to know Ash as himself. He respects him and both become close friends. And being openly gay, he can’t not notice how hot Ash is. But Lester was clear : he is off limit. Both River and Ash struggle against their growing attraction. It is really sweet to see, because they don’t want to ruin the beginning of what could be a beautiful friendship. But as readers we see that it could be so much more ! River doesn’t do relationships, not for the same reasons as Ash but they are two sides of the same coin : they don’t want to get hurt.
« River thinks I only wanted fun and fireworks?”
“Worse, he’s thinks you are someone he’ll love with all his heart, only to wake up one day and find you gone.”
Ash filtered through the information again, until he distilled it to the sorest point. River thought Ash would break his heart. »
It is a bit of a meet and cute story : very funny, a bit cliché sometimes, but it works because of Anyta’s beautiful writing. Her words put us under her spell and we fall in love with Ash and River. I found that River and Ash were so real : their attraction, their denial, and finally giving in. We learn so much during this book : how sacrificing yourself for those you love does not always show love. It shows a bit of misery and loneliness. We see two characters too frighten to take a step towards happiness. The last few chapters gets really emotional and raw, as they bare themselves to each other.
« River, still seated deep in him, cupped his cheek and gazed at him with tenderness, awe, and the tiniest trace of uncertainty. “I’m falling for you, Ash.”
“Good,” Ash said softly. “I haven’t stopped falling, either.”»
As always Anyta’s book is a happily ever after, but it is not rushed : characters slowly falling for each other, and finally getting their happy end with each other We also meet the next two main character : Ben, River’s friend and Landon, River’s brother, two best friends, but it is so much more complicated than that. I can’t wait to read their story !