Something New

Something New is a sweet, heartwarming, older woman/younger man romance. I love spunky, soccer grandma Gwen. She is raising here daughter's children, worried about her finances and exhausted. Daniel, 10 years younger and a single dad, is Gwen's new neighbor in the other half of the duplex. The kids bond over soccer and a desire for pets. The adults form a fast friendship over adult hour. Daniel is interested in Gwen but allows her to dictate the bounds of their friendship. This heartwarming story of love and friendship emphasizes the strength in families and the importance of second changes. It also discusses addiction and bullying. I could not put it down.

Irresistible love story! Gwen is the consummate caregiver - involved mom with three grown children, hands-on grandma to three (while their mother, her daughter, is getting her life together), and doting daughter for her aging yet still spry father. Somewhere along the way, probably around the time her husband of thirty years passed away, she forget to prioritize taking care of herself. Daniel was blindsided by his (now-ex) wife's double life, so he's starting over with his two children by purchasing the other half of Gwen's duplex. He's instantly smitten with the still-young grandma but he allows her to set the pace of their friendship as their five children form their own strong connections. I loved that Gwen is portrayed as a youthful, active woman who isn't letting her years slow her down. She still dominates the soccer field and has a knack for creating beauty everywhere she goes. I adored Daniel, especially his quiet confidence as well as not hesitating to pursue a woman ten years older. I also really respected the several scenes that focused on the issue of mean girls and bullying. The thorn in Gwen's side was handled beautifully by Daniel, and Gwen's mama bear was perfectly frank yet restrained when confronting its generational repercussions. The beauty in this author's story is in all the heart-to-heart conversations that show a rare emotional intelligence in every generation of these characters. Gwen may be the second of the four generations of her family that she's focusing on, but she shows that she can learn from every one of them while still having a thing or two to teach them. This is a heartwarming story that will make you believe in the strength of families and the importance of second chances for everyone. Gwen and Daniel's HEA was adorable and I loved the hints about the unexpected direction that the next book will take. I highly recommend this romance as well as the series. You're in for a real treat. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.