It is 4.5 rounded to 5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

What I love more than Second-Chance books are authors who surprise me

There is no doubt that Alden's writing has matured immensely, her plot is well-though of and for a short book (remove the sneak peek for her upcoming books by the end and the story is less than 200 pages) it hit all the emotions.

quick synopsis...not a spoiler cause it's literally in the blurb

The book opens with Rose and Gray married for 20 yrs. He got her knocked up when she was 18 and him 22, got married, had twins. Of course his family did not approve of her.
Rose is being disengaged from her family. Her children think she is uneducated because she didnt finish college so they do not interact with her much. Her husband drowns himself with work to the point where everyone thinks that he is having an affair with his assistance.

In the words of Rose, her marriage was not all bad, there were good times especially the intimacy part between her and her husband but "I do love my family, but I need to be loved too," I told her (her friend). "I'm so tired of taking care of those who don't return the favor"

Her marriage was like a tree that kept giving fruit only to be depraved of the sun, water and care.

So Rose leaves and this act becomes the reality check for Gray and her kids.

This book is a Therapist heaven
It addresses two points

1- Are women who stay for their families doormats? and when they leave, are they homewreckers?
2- Men who take their marriage or partners for granted.

I've read in some of the reviews that Rose was a doormat.
I'm sorry people think that because they do not know what a doormat is.

Rose may have appeared like this, but she is further from. A lot of women are nurturers in their nature. They love taking care of their family, nothing wrong with that. However, they do love to receive also.
Rose, when young, did not have the luxury to leave or stand up for herself. She was isolated and surrounded by people who belittled her
but that did not break her. Once she made sure that she is at a point where no one would say "you didn't do your part" she said FUCK YOU ALL and left.

"I lost myself, Malou. Became invisible. The thing about marriage no one tells you is that you have to give yourself completely to it. You do it selflessly. Your kids, your husband, they become your life. But you don't become theirs. No one even says thank you. It's like you were expected to lose yourself and your identity to become a mother and wife. I don't even know who Rose May is anymore. They didn't see me, that's true—but what's truly fucked up is that I didn't see myself either."


The way Gray perceived his marriage and Rose is, unfortunately, how many men see marriage. They think She should be their "safe haven" without them making an effort to become hers.

Yeah, I knew she loved me. I'd always known that. It was why I treated her the way I did, wasn't it? It was why I took her for granted, thinking, where would she go? Hadn't I thrown that stupid prenuptial agreement at her time and again in the early years when we had a fight?

When Gray realized how fucked up he was with Rose, he did what we wish men in his position do ...fix his damn mistakes.

Now as much as I wished to see more grovel (I am a bitch and always want a man on his knees)
I think Gray was on the right path

- Don't know how to fix your mistake? seek a therapist
- He neglected his wife? so he shows up and quits everything to be with her
- He did not support her choice of friends? help her with her friend problem and be supportive
- He allowed family and friends to belittle her? stand up for her and cut off anyone who does
- He publicly disregarded her? make a public speech where he shows how much he loves her
- Put his work first? quit his job while supporting hers

The book hit me on a personal level because I know women who are Rose but didn't have the luxury to leave or a Gray to grovel to.


I gave up this author but this book restored my faith. I hope the next one's of hers would be as thought of as this one