My Bookshelf: The Goodbye Bride by Denise Hunter

She only remembers loving him. But he can’t forget the way she left.

        Following a concussion, Lucy Lovett can’t remember the last seven months of her life. She doesn’t remember leaving her fiancé Zac Callahan weeks before their wedding or moving to Portland, Maine. And she sure doesn’t remember getting engaged to another man. All she remembers is loving Zac more than life itself.

        It’s taken Zac months to move on after Lucy left him with no explanation. He’s thrown himself into his family’s farm and his restaurant business in Summer Harbor. Now Lucy’s back, vulnerable, homeless, and still in love with him. She needs his help putting the pieces together, but letting her back into his life is a risk—and the stakes are high. If he follows his heart he’ll win back the love of his life. But if her memory returns he’ll lose her all over again.

        The Goodbye Bride is the second book in Denise Hunter’s Summer Harbor series, coming after Falling Like Snowflakes. I am a huge fan of Denise’s work, and this series, so I had no doubt that I would absolutely love this book. Plus, I fell in love with the story the first time I read the description, so believe me when I say I have been absolutely dying to read this book for the longest time. No matter the fact that it just came out last week. Anyway, I’ve been planning on preordering it for as long as I’ve known about it, so I did and devoured it less than 24 hours after it arrived at my doorstep. But then, I expected that I would, since Denise is such a fabulous author.

        Lucy Lovett is such a sweet, vulnerable character. Her memory loss make her that way, but so does the pain and circumstances from her past. That vulnerability is just one of the many reasons why I love her. Although it took me a little while to get over my anger at her for leaving Zac, whom I absolutely love, I couldn’t help but love her just like Zac did. Obviously in a different way, but still. She got under my skin in a way that made it impossible for me not to like her, and by the end of the book, I was completely and utterly rooting for her and Zac.

        Zac has such a big heart it’s not even funny. He has more compassion in his little finger than I do in my whole body, and that is evident in the way he treats Lucy even though she put him through so much pain and doesn’t really deserve any of his kindness. Time and time again he puts her needs above his own, and above his own heartbreak, which makes him a wonderful example of what true love is. He truly loves Lucy, that is for certain.

        This story was perfectly weaved together, perfectly written, and perfectly captivating in ways I still can’t stop thinking about. If I’m honest, I think it already had a place on my all-time favorites list by the time I had read the description on the back, so it definitely has a permanent place on that list by now. I am so, so glad I ordered this book, and I already cannot wait to read it again. By now, you’ve probably already guessed that I am going to give this book all five bookshelves, and you’re right. Also, I highly recommend this book; I’ve even already lent my copy to one of my family members.

        Happy reading!

To see where I’m linking up, check out my Where I Party page.

Photo credits go to my extremely talented sister Allie, whose blog you can visit here.

All credit for the italicized synopsis goes to Denise Hunter and Thomas Nelson Publishing.