With You

This book was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher for the copy. The characters are likable and come alive on the pages. A plethora of characters but easy to keep track. Love and romance…starting over…family and friends…get togethers and book clubs…the main character has her new friends meet her old friends…they mesh. This is a book I would read again. I liked the story…I really liked the story…the characters, although intriguing, are somewhat flawed. Interesting…real…

Against a backdrop of sun-soaked afternoons by the lake and cool autumn evenings by the fire, Amanda Waters explores haunted pasts and delicate new beginnings in her exquisitely tender story centered around two guarded introverts.

After living in the same Chicago apartment for 20 years, Kristen finds herself feeling disillusioned and decides a change of scenery must be what she needs. She swaps the hustle and bustle of the city for a small-town community, relocating to Riverton where her dad lives, but promises to stay just a year. She quickly befriends her neighbours—the unbelievably considerate and excessively thoughtful Celia and Levi—as well as their cousin Jack, who's rugged and charming in equal measure. Since experiencing a whirlwind abusive marriage at just 18 years old, Kristen has closed herself off to romance, but now, after years of being alone, she finds herself craving connection.

Wayfarer Jack, with a habit of bolting when life gets serious, is never in town more than a few weeks at a time, but after laying eyes on Kristen, he's eager to stick around. Jack and Kristen are immediately drawn to each other. He to her assertive, confident nature and she to his gentle kindness. (Okay, maybe there is mention of long legs and crooked smiles..) But will they overcome their fear of vulnerability to make it work?

Waters's second romance novel employs a selection of well-loved tropes (best friend's relative, meet-cute, miscommunication, etc) but avoids feeling formulaic due to the unexpected depth of her characters. Throughout her enchanting slow-burn romance, Waters studies the effects of trauma, the stages of grief, and the importance of communication with nuance and care, creating characters that are just.. so human.

She writes with luscious prose, attentive to all five senses, building a stunning sense of community surrounded by vibrant nature. I read this on a cold, dreary day in November, and it was every bit as warm and wholesome as I'd hoped. With home-made lemonade, freshly baked pies, sunlit kitchens, and the aroma of wet soil greeting you when you open the door.. With You will leave you longing for a homely cabin in the woods.

What makes With You so wholesome, though, isn't the blossoming (healthy!) romance or even the serene wildlife setting; it's the friendships Kristen makes during her stay in Riverton. Featuring some admittedly unrealistic dialogue with introspective, profound quotes that you maybe wouldn't hear in real life, Waters nurtures friendships that are sympathetic and understanding among characters who genuinely want the best for each other.

With whimsical prose and love of all kinds, With You is wonderfully warming. A perfect comfort read.

As someone who has been in the MC shoes its so nice to see more stories about healing from an abusive relationship. There are so many books that deal with the situation but not the aftermath, and the ones I have read have not handled it well. I will say if you are expecting a book filled with drama, this is not for you. This is a book full of ordinary days about mental health, supportive friends and family, and personal growth. I will say I felt like there was a lot of talk about food, eating and prepping it. It kinda made me hungry, but the last 25% was really good and by the end.