Holiday in the Hamptons (From Manhattan With Love) by Sarah Morgan on September 1st 2017
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The perfect summer escape?
Professional dog-walker Felicity Knight loves everything about New York...until her ex-husband starts working at her local vet clinic. She hasn't seen Seth Carlyle in ten years, but one glimpse of him--too gorgeous, and still too good for her--and Fliss's heart hurts like their whirlwind marriage ended yesterday. So when her grandmother in the Hamptons needs help for the summer, it seems the ideal way to escape her past.
Their relationship might have lasted only a few scorching months, but vet Seth knows Fliss--if she's run away to the Hamptons, it's because she still feels their connection and it terrifies her. He let her go once before, when he didn't know any better, but not this summer! With the help of his adorable dog, Lulu, and a sprinkling of beachside magic, Seth is determined to make Fliss see that he's never stopped loving her...
Sarah Morgan delights with more love and laughter in her acclaimed series From Manhattan with Love, which
Publishers Weekly
calls "engaging...[a] classic sweep-you-off-your-feet romantic experience."
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~~Reviewed by Bonnie~~
Felicia “Fliss” Knight, along with her twin sister, her brother, and her mother, would escape their abusive father/husband in the summer by visiting their relative’s house in the Hamptons. The tension and fear would literally flow off all of them as soon as they were in the car and driving away. Occasionally, their father still had to intrude into their peace and ruin their happiness, as he did on Fliss and Harriet’s eighteenth birthday. The lovely celebration turned sour when he starts berating Fliss, as he usually does, as she’s the one who stands up to him the most. Finally, Fliss runs out before he can see her tears. She’s followed by her brother’s friend, Seth Carlyle, who comforts her and gives her a lovely necklace. Fliss has noticed Seth since she was fourteen but never imagined he’d have any interest in her. Their young love leads to a quick marriage in Vegas, then tragedy, then a divorce – all in a matter of a few short months.
Ten years have passed, and Fliss and Harriet are running a successful dog walking business and sharing an apartment in New York. Fliss has continued her role of being the “strong” twin, taking on the difficult tasks that terrify Harriet, and protecting her shy younger sister. Fliss has bottled up all her emotions and built walls around herself, a protective action that’s a carryover from her abusive father and her short-lived romance. There have been a few men she’s dated, but no one ever gets close. When Fliss learns that Seth is in town, and working at a veterinarian clinic they utilize, she panics. Despite her toughness and bravado, she feels unable to face her ex-husband. When her grandmother is injured and requires care at her home in the Hamptons, Fliss is quick to leave town and postpone coming face to face with Seth. Little does she realize that Seth’s stay in the city was temporary, and he is now heading to his permanent job in the Hamptons, and that she would encounter him on her first day back. She also has no clue that Seth has deliberately moved back to this area with the intention of confronting Fliss and having the conversation she denied him ten years ago.
Slowly, we learn the details of Fliss and Seth’s failed relationship. The wounds that Fliss’ father inflicted have affected her whole personality and beliefs about herself. Though she appears confident and is very successful, on the inside, she feels that she is the “bad” twin and that she’ll never amount to anything. She believes that Seth could never have really loved her and that she ruined his life years ago. I have to admit that while there is a lot to admire about Fliss, her inability to share her feelings and emotions made me want to shake her at times. On the other hand, Seth seems like perfection come to life. He’s generous, kind, honest, and not afraid of his emotions. Neither he nor Fliss have truly been able to move on with their lives, and they have to confront their past. Their journey as they reconnect is sometimes painful, sometimes joyful, and sometimes tear inducing. HOLIDAY IN THE HAMPTONS is a warm, emotional story about getting a second chance at love and being strong enough to face your own demons for a chance at happy ever after.
Rating:
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I’ve read a few Morgan books and really enjoyed them. I’m not sure if this one is for me, though. I do struggle with second chance love stories, plus, I think I would get a little frustrated with Fliss, too.