5⭐️/ 3-4🌶️

*Check Trigger warnings before reading.

Been a while since I’ve read a book by, Jennifer Hartman, and I’m glad I picked up this book by her. Not only was it nice to read a story written by, Jennifer, but it was also an interesting storyline involving the loss of a loved one, but with a twist. When she lost the love of her life, Melody lost a part of herself, lost that sunshine aura she always had around her. After the tragic death of her husband, Melody dealt with grief, sadness, and a darkness that led to her life almost ending. At a counseling support group, Melody went after her attempt to end her life, and there she met, Parker. Parker was a grumpy, rude, reserved man who didn’t like people, and didn’t participate at all in the group sessions, but only went for the sake of his foster sister. Both, Parker and Melody had faced something dark in their lives, but somehow felt a gravitational pull towards one another. This story was emotional, sad, heavy, and by no means a lighthearted romance. Jennifer Hartman wrote a unique story that hit the heartbreaking moments in both Melody and Parker’s story. 

From beginning, middle, and end, this story had me hooked and literally getting that five star feeling while I read! Parker and Melody were two different people, from different backgrounds, and the opposites of each other, and yet they shared a deep connection that grew more intimate and significant over the course of this book. Melody and Parker met under unique circumstances, but unbeknownst to them in the beginning half was that, Parker was the recipient of Melody’s husband heart after he died. Melody and Parker were pen pals of sorts after Melody sent Parker a message wanting to talk to him. Keeping things private and not disclosing personal information, Melody and Parker’s messages were anonymous, and little by little started finding a sense of joy in talking to each other. Ironically enough, Melody and Parker were in the same support group and were face to face with each other without realizing they were each other’s anonymous pen pals! Needless to say, between the messaging, and being in the same support group, Parker and Melody started to form a unique connection in person as well. 

I love the grumpy/sunshine trope, and the way Jennifer Hartman writes it just hits the spot in a way that I don’t mind when the male leads are being a bit too rude lol. What I mean by that is, Parker wasn’t always the nicest…ahem well he wasn’t all sunshine and kindness to most, and preferred his solitude compared to being surrounded by people and talking to them. The beginning half of the book showed Parker being distance, grumpy, basically being a bit of an A-hole to others including, Melody. Even as Melody was dealing with her grief, and the aftermath of suicide attempt(s) she still tried to befriend Parker despite his surly and rude behavior. Parker had his own issues that went back as far as his childhood and when it was revealed in his chapters what he went through, it made me empathize with his character and realize he wasn’t rude just for the sake of it, it was more so a sense of protection from others. I would say that don’t be quick to judge Parker was a mean, stand-offish character, just remember that he had his reasoning for acting and responding the way that he did. Once I got to learn more about Parker’s backstory, I could understand how his past affected his connection with Melody. As much as Parker was a grump, there were moments that endeared me to him, and I wanted to hug him and let him know he was safe. (Sigh) I loved him even with all his grumpiness and loved seeing him unravel over Melody. 

Melody was also a character I really loved through out this book. Melody was always known as being a sunshine person who smiled a lot, and her personality naturally attracted others to her, but with the tragic loss of her husband, her brightness dimmed. Through grief, and her darkness points of almost leaving the world, Melody went on a journey of finding herself in the new world she was in as a widow. Obviously grief isn’t something that happens over night, and while Melody made small strides to go about living her life, she would occasionally still think of her husband, and the plans they had for their future. The one thing that I wasn’t expecting but was an interesting concept to this book was the whole messaging her husband’s heart recipient. Sounds a bit unusual and maybe not the best idea when trying to move on, but it turned out to be something more when it made Melody feel excited when messaging back and forth with her anonymous friend. 

This story took a turn I was not expecting AT ALL! I was minding my own business when out of nowhere a plot twist happened and I suddenly remembered why some people were flabbergasted when they read this book! In some ways, I can see the dramatic appeal with the plot twist and ironically enough it kind of plays into the whole concept of the title, but I wasn’t sure how I felt afterwards when I read it. Regardless, I still very much loved the characters, their stories, and how the romance occurred.

Overall, this was an emotionally packed romance that was unique, immersive, heartbreaking, and ultimately worth the read. Melody and Parker were interesting characters whose journeys over the course of this book changed and grew with the things they experienced and moved forward in their lives. Parker was a man who initially wasn’t the nicest of people, but his backstory revealed a lot about why the way he was, and it really made me feel protective and endeared to him. Melody was a sunshine, even when she momentarily lost her shine, she managed to find a new way to happiness, and moving forward in her life after the loss of her husband. Parker and Melody’s romance was emotionally charged, tension filled, and healing. I genuinely felt like Parker and Melody together were perfect even with all the bumps they faced along the way. Now, would I say I was a fan of the plot twist?…mmm…ummm…not entirely but I could kind of see the appeal for others. As a whole, I was more happy once things settled down, and ultimately Parker and Melody got their happily ever after together. The ending and epilogue really illustrated a happy beginning and future in Parker and Melody’s lives as they enjoyed their marriage, children, and family and friends around them. Also, the EPILOGUE WAS SO EMOTIONAL AND SENTIMENTAL AND UGH I HAD TO HOLD BACK MY SOBS BECAUSE IT WAS BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN! I really enjoyed this book, and loved Parker and Melody. I couldn’t not give this book five stars, even with my initial mixed feelings on the plot twist, I still adored this book, and it deserves the five stars for bringing Parker and Melody to life within these pages.