Everything I Desire (Lupine Valley #3) - J. Hutchison

Book Synopsis: He’s worthy of love as I am worthy to be loved.

Adelaide

Porter Jackson is the one that got away. He ran, leaving behind his family’s reputation, and disappeared from my life for ten long years.

When his sister runs off without warning, he returns to our small town as if nothing has changed and takes guardianship of his niece, reminding me of the caring person I used to love.

Now with him next door and my close relationship with his niece, I can’t shake the feeling that this is where we are supposed to be, despite our pasts and the heartache that still lingers.

Porter

Adelaide Harper is the girl I left behind. She deserved so much more than a boy like me, one filled with too much darkness and no future ahead of him.

Her bright light was everything that I wanted, but I refused to be selfish. Even now, a decade later, nothing has changed, not my family, not my past, not the pang I feel at the thought of her.

With Kayla safe and the chaos simmering down, there’s nowhere left to hide, and I can no longer pretend nothing ever happened. Even so, I stand by the choice I made and won’t risk her happiness for my own.

Will Adelaide and Porter find everything they desire in Lupine Valley, or will the heartbreaks of the past be too much to overcome?

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This was the first book that I've read by J. Hutchison, and it has opened me up into the quaint fictional small town of Lupine Valley. Of course, after finishing this one, I had to read the rest of the series and it did not disappoint! If you're looking for a book series that gives you Hallmark vibes with a bit of spice, look no further than the Lupine Valley series. First off, what I really loved about this book was the fact that Adelaide and Porter's love story really withstood the test of time and distance. I also admired the close family dynamic and strong sisterhood bond of the Harper family and the wholesome community of this small town.

I believe in the adage that absence does make the heart grow fonder and this book definitely reflected that. There were certain topics that this story's author did handle very well. Some of the themes that were touched upon are child neglect, drug use/abuse, and child abandonment, mentions of past death of a parent. Those are not topics that come up usually in a romance novel, and they did not detract from my overall enjoyment of my reading experience, nor do I believe that it will hinder other people from reading. Just be aware of the trigger/content warnings before diving into this book.

This book releases on March 7th, 2024. If you're looking for your newest small town romance series, look no further than Lupine Valley. You'll fall in love with this cast of characters and wish that Lupine Valley was real.

Rating: 5/5 Stars ★★★★★