WHEN LEAST EXPECTED

WHEN LEAST EXPECTED                   ALLISON B. HANSON

Whispering breezes, clear mountain lakes—and her ex.

Alexis Montgomery thought her marriage was fine. Sure, they were going through hard times, struggling to get pregnant—but she and Ian had chemistry, friendship, and love. Or so she thought, until she found the separation agreement waiting for her on the countertop.

Ian Montgomery feels like life is spinning out of his control. He’s got a new girlfriend, even if he can’t remember why he’s supposed to want one. His family clearly likes his ex-wife more than they like him. And then he inherits the romantic family cabin in the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains, where he and Alexis honeymooned. Or rather, they both inherit it. Together.

A weekend alone with fresh air and fresh wounds seems like the worst thing that could happen to an ex-couple trying to keep it civil. But life is full of surprises—and Ian and Alexis are in for a big one…

MY REVIEW:

     Love hurts is right.  But it doesn’t mean you bail when times get tough, or you can’t get your wife pregnant and she’s depressed already.  Yet that is exactly what Ian Montgomery does.  Not because he didn’t love her he said but because he did.  He couldn’t stand to disappoint her anymore and seeing it daily.  Especially, each time she took a pregnancy test.

     Alexis on the other hand had started to figure out she had gone to baby crazy mode in their excitement to have a child since Ian said he didn’t want to adopt.  Then they had to take it clinical which took the fun out of it, she was getting ready to tell Ian when he snuck out while she was at work.  He worked from home.

     Then he kept promising they would go to counseling when he knew all along this was not a trial separation at all.  He one day called with a heads up to say his lawyer would be serving her with divorce papers.  The divorce went quick because he gave her everything because he couldn’t stand to take anything else away from her, like he did a family.

     Little did he know that just about the whole Montgomery family was behind Alexis and not him.  His sisters weren’t afraid to tell him so either.  His favorite Uncle still had her over for dinner where she cooked for him every Thursday.

His eldest sister and Alexis were best friends his goose was cooked.

     So, it killed him when he had to make the call to tell Lex that the favorite Uncle Jimmy had passed away that morning.  He realized that he couldn’t go to her and tell her because if he held her he wouldn’t be able to let her go.  He hoped she would meet someone who one day could give her that family she so wanted.  It would kill him but he loved her enough to want it for her.  It would be a slow death.

     Uncle Jimmy left Alexis and Ian his cabin.  It was written in his will that the two of them had to visit it one time before they decided what to do with it.  This was the cabin he asked Lex to marry him, the cabin they honeymooned in, and their vacation place.  All I can say is what happens at the cabin that long weekend did not stay at the cabin.  Which is a shock to them since she was told no babies.  Ian couldn’t take it seeing her disappointment every day and now he failed her.  So instead of working it out he walked out.  Three and a half years have passed as has Jimmy.  From the grave he was bestowing his wisdom and gift to them.  He had nagged Ian all the time after the divorce to fix it.  When soon after leaving Ian got a crazy girlfriend who was way younger than himself that he brought to visit Jimmy he told him never bring her back again.  Staying away from his favorite uncle was not an option.  Out of shame Jimmy would only show up at Ian’s place to guilt him there for his actions.

     See how this couple deals with the after effects of Ian’s selfish decision and how Uncle Jimmy works his magic from the grave.  Can there be real solution or will Ian feel his family sold him out?

     This was such a good story of a couple who were madly in love but allowed a process to show that love overpowered them.  They lost communication and passion but never their love at the end.  What a great storyline.  I give this 5 stars.  Provided by netgalley.com 

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