Title:  Snow Prints
Series:  Michigan Moonlight #2
Author:  May Williams
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  July 13, 2015
Publisher:
My Rating:  5 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

With a successful career, and his dream house under construction, the only thing missing from Adrien Peterson’s life is love. Since high school, Adrien’s heart has belonged to the irresistible Gracie Sinclair. If only he could make the her see it…

Single mother Gracie’s worked hard for everything she’s got. Between her son, her nursing job, and violin playing, she’s built a life that, if not a dream, is something she can be proud of. She’s had enough lovers and family walk out on her to know not to want more. But then Adrien moves next door while his house is being built, bringing with him a tempting charm she remembers all too well.

Adrien is determined to break down the walls around Gracie’s heart. When she reluctantly agrees to a six-week trial relationship, he has one shot to show her just what a dream love can be.

Read on for my thoughts on Snow Prints.  No true spoilers, promise.

Abandonment is an issue that most of us deal with at some point in our lives.  We usually get past the initial feeling and move on.  Yet there are times in our lives, whether it’s the formative years or during a particularly difficult time period that those abandonment issues grow into something we can no longer control.  The determination to never experience that feeling again can cloud our thoughts and actions for years, if not the rest of our lives.  Many will adopt the attitude of always being the one to leave first because after all, the person we love will leave us anyway so why not get out before it hurts too much to bear.

Adrien has loved Gracie, well forever it seems.  Certainly since high school, and even when she returned to town pregnant with her son and no man in sight.  It was then that Adrien first took a chance to declare his love and ask Gracie to marry him – she shot him down in no uncertain terms.  It didn’t stop him from loving her, but it did separate them from a friendship that was important to them both for a time.

Adrien is a grown man now.  With a firm mind about what he wants – and he wants Gracie and her son Brett back in his life, for good this time.  And he will do everything possible to make that dream come true.  The house he’s building is the start, oh sure, for now he’ll let Gracie think it’s only for him but he knows what he’s building out there and it is his future, their future he’s gambling on now.

Gracie has worked hard for years to build a good life for herself and her son.  Yes, she turned Adrien down years ago and while she regrets the loss of friendship it was the right thing to do.  Wasn’t it?  Of course it was.  Then why was he being so nice to her and Brett.  What was his angle?  She’d vowed to never trust her life to anyone else ever again, but he was slowly wearing her down.  Yes, she loved him but she knew the differences in their families, the risk she’d be taking if she actually believed in the love he proclaimed.  It was too risky.  Everyone leaves – right?

Snow Prints was a very enjoyable story, a journey actually of one stubborn man’s love and an equally stubborn woman’s natural instinct to not trust in that love.  Watching Adrien pursue Gracie was such a romantic, fun time.  And he loves his lady and her son, if only she’d be brave and take a chance on him.  Gracie wavers between believing in possibilities and fearing the risks.  It’s not an easy choice for her and watching her make those decisions are at times simply heartbreaking.  I wanted to reach through the pages and comfort Gracie, whisper in her ear that she could trust this guy… but of course, we readers can’t and must watch the painful moments play out hoping for the ending we want to appear.

As in  Animal Prints, the first story in this series, Ms. Williams gives us a completely probable situation, with everyday people who need to deal with real life the best they can.  The road to happiness is never smooth as a calm lake, the choppy waters are going to be stirred up but when the couple is lucky they learn how to sail through those rough waters to the calm beyond.  I would not hesitate to recommend this novel to any reader who enjoys a realistic story, full of engaging, real people who work hard to gain their happy ever after.  This one is well worth the investment of time and money.  Pick up Snow Prints and indulge in a truly romantic love story with very real people involved.

*I received an e-ARC of Snow Prints from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

Snow Prints is available for the Kindle