Five years after their break-up, Eve still hasn’t found a reason to believe in true love. But when Foster has an accident and she discovers she’s still listed as his next of kin, Eve knows she can’t let him wake up in hospital with no one by his side. After all, those devilishly blue eyes have always been hard to say no to…
Foster isn’t sure if his poor battered brain is playing tricks on him when he sees the only woman he’s ever loved sitting next to his bedside. Maybe Eve never got over him like he never got over her? And when Eve agrees to him moving into her one-bedroom apartment to recover, it’s clear these exes have unfinished business.
Will weeks in close quarters be the making or breaking of this smouldering second chance love story? Up close and personal, old habits can be hard to break. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)
There is a lot to love about Still The One, starting with where this story takes place–any time I have an opportunity to read a great book by a great author, and it takes place in Oregon, I’m even more excited! I appreciated the Portland nuances and various locales (like Voodoo Doughnut) that showed up and really made the plot pop. It made Foster’s occupation as a freestyle motocross rider (FMX) even more believable, given the terrain, especially when he finds himself in the hospital after his stunts have gone horribly awry.
What are the chances that he’d end up in the trauma ward, where Eve works? And it is very telling that Foster still has her listed as his emergency contact, despite living apart for half a decade. The premise behind Foster ending up at Eve’s apartment was really clever, too, considering there really is no one else who can devote as much time and care to him while he’s recovering from his accident. It was pretty apparent that a lot could come from the two of them living in such close quarters, even with Eve’s self-imposed “no flirting” rule that she has created in order to ensure the two of them don’t go down any romantic roads ever again.
It’s no surprise that Eve feels that way. Through a present timeline as well as a timeline shown to the reader from five years ago, we learn that priorities were never properly in place for this fledgling couple. Foster’s star was rising in the FMX world, and he didn’t want to compromise what was most important to him, and Eve wanted to pursue a nursing career in Oregon, which meant she had to set permanent roots there, no matter what. When Foster would travel, she felt left behind, and when Foster was around, he felt as though she didn’t understand his ultimate goal of achieving as much as he could in his career. Slowly, as Foster heals, both characters let their guards down, but there is still a lot of uncertainty. Could they ever start again, and if they do, are they doomed to end up in the same place they were five years ago?
What seemed to be lacking the most and led to their demise was a lack of communication. Eve’s true feelings were never expressed to Foster, and he had an expectation that she would follow him anywhere but never really asked Eve if that was her intent. The author really fleshed out who Eve and Foster are at their very cores, so I really felt like I knew them inside and out, which made it even more worthwhile when I witnessed the steps they take to try to figure out their pasts and potential future. It was a really well written, sweet experience, a definite five-star read!
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.
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Aimee Brown is the bestselling romantic comedy author of several books including The Lucky Dress. She’s an Oregon native, now living in a tiny town in cold Montana and sets her books in Portland. Previously published by Aria, her new series for Boldwood is full of love and laughter and real-life issues. The first book was published in January 2023.
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