Aspen – A Love Story

This book was such a wonderful read with good character and storyline development that I was glued to my kindle from the very beginning! Susan and Marc kept me totally engaged with their story as it unfolded as each page was turned until the very last page!

Aspen is indeed a love story, but not like those typically found in the romance genre. Marc and Susan both come from unusual backgrounds for most romance novels. Marc, having lost his wife three years previously, is attempting to make a fresh start in a town. Susan is a single mother doing everything she can to provide the best life for her daughter, Jackie. The two come together naturally, each with their own concerns and reservations, but unable to deny the happiness they find in each other. Their story of learning to trust and communicate is both familiar and new, charming in its own unique way.

The book is filled with delightful descriptions of food, furniture, and other details that paint each scene clearly before the reader as if they were in the room. From the start, it’s clear how much care went into creating each moment. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous of the characters for all the different foods they get to enjoy.

My favorite thing about the novel is how Jackie, the daughter of Susan, is present throughout the novel. She is rarely excluded and is welcomed and respected by Marc, rather than ignored in even the slightest way. Instead of focusing wholly on the romantic love between Marc and Susan, there is the love of family present as well.

I did take off a star as the pacing of the novel is slow. While I do think that the conflict is well worth waiting for, it is largely positioned in the second half of the novel, and it did make it a little odd to read. However, there is a lot of charm throughout the book that makes it a good read.