A new neighbor was not part of her plan
Is there room for one more in her carefully guarded world?
Jillian Coleman has carefully constructed a haven for herself, complete with therapy dog Sophie to ease her anxiety and panic attacks. But when intriguing developer Matt Danzer shows up asking for access to a road that runs through her land, Jillie finds her stand-alone resolve starting to crumble. Up till now, a predictable life was all she could hope for. But Matt made her realize playing it safe was not all it was cracked up to be…
Good book. Jillie is a reclusive author of a popular series of horror novels. Due to her anxiety, panic attacks, and agoraphobia, she spends little time outside of her comfortable mountain home. She has a few close friends in town who know about her issues and help Jillie cope when she visits them. As a general rule, Privacy is her middle name, so she isn't happy when she learns that the abandoned ski resort next to her property has been sold.
Matt is the manager of his younger brother's ski career. While Bryce heals from a ski injury, Matt plans to renovate and flip the abandoned ski resort. He started his business as a way to make money and stay busy while Bryce trains. His plans hit a roadblock when the only access to the property runs through his reclusive neighbor's property.
The first meeting between Matt and Jillie got their relationship off to a rocky start. Matt went exploring his new property (still in his suit!) and ended up on the wrong side of the property line. He was treed by a very protective Sophie and threatened with bear spray by a very wary Jillie. There are some tense encounters between them as Matt makes his plea for access to the road until he receives some advice from her friends. I liked the meeting he set up and how he was willing to work out a compromise that suited them both.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Matt and Jillie. It begins slowly, with the exchange of texts regarding the road, during which Jillie becomes accustomed to the intrusions. A few encounters make Jillie realize that she feels safe with Matt, which hasn't happened for a very long time. I liked watching them get to know each other, especially as Jillie opens up about her mental health issues. I appreciated Matt's desire to understand. There is a beautiful scene when he takes Jillie on a date and has to handle one of her attacks. At the same time, Matt freaks out a bit at his growing feelings for her. They don't fit in with his future plans, but he can't imagine that future without her.
I liked seeing the changes in Jillie, also. Her issues with anxiety and panic attacks are still there, but she becomes more willing to step a little outside her comfort zone. She's honest with Matt about her fears and how they affect her life. When his need to travel runs up against her inability to leave home, harsh words erupt between them. I ached for them both as each one faced the possibility that love wasn't enough. I liked the self-examination that motivated them each to make changes. The ending was fantastic. Matt's actions showed that he finally understood her, and Jillie found the strength to take some chances. I'm looking forward to future books and seeing how their relationship progresses.
I haven't read the earlier books in the series, but this worked easily as a stand-alone. It did whet my appetite to go back and read the previous books, as I am intrigued by the hints dropped about the other couples' romances.
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