Maisy Gallagher has her own dreams, but when her father passes away, she selflessly sets them aside to help her family. Despite knowing it was the right thing to do, she can’t help but wish for the road not taken.

Chase Furst, the hardened heir to a financial empire, is, on the other hand, primarily focused on his own life and on his work as a bank executive. His childhood was marred by his mother’s struggle with addiction, which left him cynical and emotionally distant.

But then Chase meets Maisy, a beautiful woman full of optimism and kindness who can see past his defenses. To his surprise and annoyance, she offers to help him during a time of need and declines his offer of payment. Instead, she asks him to pay it forward—and not with money or a quick fix, but through an act of true selflessness. At a loss, Chase doesn’t know where to begin.

~Standalone~

This is a no-spice romance, perhaps with closed-door or fade-to-black scenes. Tension and kisses might be involved.

Title: Chasing the Clouds Away
Series:  Standalone
Author:  Debbie Macomber
Published:  April 28, 2026
Publisher:  Ballantine Books
My Rating:  4.5 stars

In my opinion, no one does Grumpy/Sunshine quite as well as Debbie Macomber… and Chase is most definitely “grumpy”, while Maisey is “sunshine” personified.  Chasing the Clouds Away will bring two totally opposite mindsets together for a romance that is not only wholesome and sweet but complex and life-changing for them both.

To be frank, when Chase first appears in this story, it is very easy to dislike him.  He’s arrogant, entitled, and will put his own needs far above those of any other lesser human.  Yeah, it was very easy to write him off as an entitled jerk.  Maisey, on the other hand, is everything good in life; she’s empathetic and sympathetic, and she sees the good in any person or situation.  Yet, neither is as mean and entitled nor as sweet and caring as they appear on the surface; they are both human, with flaws and emotions like anyone else.  Watching the changes they each brought to the other’s life was an emotional journey throughout their romance.

Their story is well-written and emotional, with laughter and tears, some hard looks at themselves, and some changes.  No one is perfect; anyone can change their attitudes, and everyone can learn a few new lessons in life.  Those realities plus an engaging romance will be found within the pages of Chasing the Clouds Away.  I enjoyed every moment in this story and would definitely recommend it.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

 

This title is available at Amazon