This Love of Mine - Miranda Liasson (Mirror Lake #2)

Rating: 3.5 stars
Published: October 2015
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Bridal shop owner Meg Halloran spends her days making other women’s wedding dreams come true—and her nights dreaming of her childhood crush, hometown heartthrob Dr. Benjamin Rushford. After a lifetime of wearing her heart on her sleeve, she’s done waiting. Meg’s ready to find love, with or without him. Moving on feels right—until Ben pops an unexpected question.

To win the open ER position in Mirror Lake, Ben has to convince the board that he’s settled and ready to put down roots. His latest stroke of genius? Asking Meg, the local good girl, to be his pretend girlfriend. With her by his side, he’s a shoo-in for the job. But he’s in over his head because, as much as he tries to deny it, Meg tempts him. And if she learns the truth about a secret that has shadowed and shaped his life, will she ever be able to forgive him?"

I love second chance books and this is a good one. It's not the usual love lost, love found kind of second chance. It's a second chance at loving one's self and loving another after finally facing a past that held you back. The story of loving your siblings friend is common, but this one has a twist, a heartbreaking twist. Meg and Ben have an adorable romance, a little more snarky than smutty. I really enjoyed that the characters went on normal dates, had family drama, and continued going on with their lives in normal ways. It wasn't just about the relationship between two people, but the relationship with those in the community as well. The secondary characters brought a lot more to the story than you'd expect and I find myself wanting to check in with them and what they are doing.

Unfortunately, I never got a real picture in my head of what Ben or Meg really looked like. There's a mention of height and a beard, but I got pretty confused when Meg described herself as figure-less and on the next chapter Ben described her as petite and curvy. I never developed a real connection to either of them, because I just couldn't see them. On the other hand, I can see Sam and Lukas clear as day. The last chapter wrapped up everything very quickly and I could have easily read a few more chapters on their romance blossoming finally.

I think this is the kind of book that makes for a great relaxing read and can be enjoyed by those who like series and standalone novels.