Series:
Madaris Family (Book 23)
Ninety-something Mama Laverne is determined to find all
of her great-grandchildren their perfect match before going home to glory. So
far, her success rate is 100 percent -- and she intends to keep it that way.
After sustaining injuries in Iraq, Chancellor Madaris was
told he'd never walk again. Chance credits his great-grandmother Mama Laverne
with giving him the will to heal and prove the doctors wrong. He has a healthy
respect for her meddling ways and knows he'll eventually end up next on her
matchmaking list.
When Zoey Pritchard was eight, she survived a car
accident that took the lives of her mother and father, and was sent to live
with her great-aunt who refused to speak about her parents. Zoey has no memory
from before the crash, but she's been having the same dream over and over…
Searching for answers, Zoey travels to Houston, where she
uncovers a scandal involving her parents and the wealthy and powerful Madaris
family. Her trail leads her straight to Chance's door. The dislike and intense
attraction are instant and simultaneous. But to help Zoey restore her memory,
he grudgingly introduces her to his great-grandmother…
Was it chance, or Mama Laverne's plan, that threw this
pair together?
Terrific book. I have read a few of the Madaris family
books, but I need to read the others. Mama Laverne, matriarch of the family,
vowed to find perfect matches for all her great-grandchildren. She has a 100
percent success rate so far, but some of the guys are determined to foil her
efforts. The prologue of this book opens with Chance and his cousin, Corbin,
discussing the problem. Corbin's precautions are over-the-top, while Chance
accepts that he will eventually end up on her list.
Thanks to a broken engagement, Chance is in no hurry as
he has trust issues. He served in the military, and when he came home in a
wheelchair, unable to walk, his fiancée walked away. He credits Mama Laverne
with motivating him to prove the doctors wrong. He's back to normal,
physically, but limits himself to one-night stands.
We also meet Zoey. Injured in a car accident that killed
her parents when she was eight, she has no memory of her life before the
accident. Zoey was raised by her aunt, who refused to discuss her parents. She
is now an orthopedic surgeon and professor at Johns Hopkins. When her aunt
dies, Zoey finds some information about her parents that sends her to a ranch
near Houston, looking for answers.
The first meeting between Chance and Zoey doesn't go
well. Chance jumps to conclusions about Zoey, which angered her. I enjoyed
watching her tear into him and call him out on it. Once he learns what she is
looking for, Chance introduces her to Mama Laverne.
The book is a terrific mix of present and past, as
Laverne remembers the events that happened between the two families. The past
is rife with tragedy, lies, and heartbreak, and I ached for these ancestors of
the present-day characters. Laverne kept these secrets for many years, but it
may be time to lay the past to rest.
I loved watching Zoey learn about her past. For the past
several months, she's had flashes of what might be memories of her parents.
Those flashes occur more frequently now; she believes they are actual memories,
not wishful thinking. Zoey receives family photo albums and diaries that her
mother's best friend saved. These items play a critical role in Zoey's
discoveries.
I enjoyed seeing Chance and Zoey's relationship develop.
Underneath their initial antagonism were intense sparks of attraction. But
Chance doesn't do relationships, and Zoey doesn't do meaningless flings, so
they try to bury their feelings. However, they spend a lot of time together,
and as friendship grows, so do their feelings. It was amusing to see Chance
work so hard at denying what he felt when everyone around him could see he was
falling for her. Zoey recognizes her feelings sooner. Things start to look up
for them until Chance's ex-fiancée shows up, determined to take him back.
As more of the past comes to light, Laverne must decide
how many secrets she will divulge. Matters become complicated when a surprise
connection turns dangerous to Laverne and Zoey. That confrontation was intense
and unexpected, and I was on the edge of my seat until it was over. The ending
was sweet and emotional. I loved seeing Zoey and Chance overcome the obstacles
of their pasts. The epilogue was fantastic. I loved the conversation between
Zoey and Laverne.
The author writes about wonderful family relationships.
The relationship dynamics of the past were fascinating, with love, jealousy,
honor, and stubborn pride playing a role. The current family illustrates its
close ties with how they support each other, look out for each other, and
occasionally call each other out when needed. Throughout it all, it is clear
that Mama Laverne is the glue that holds them together.
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