Review: Return to Me by Kelly Moran

Title: Return to Me by Kelly Moran
Covington Cove Series Book One
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Summary:

A Covington Cove Novel—First in a new contemporary romance series from an award-winning author featuring “two characters you’ll never forget.” (Carly Phillips, New York Times bestselling author)

With every beat of the heart comes a memory of what could have been…

Ten years ago, Cole Covington was just another rich kid who got everything he wanted—including young and trusting Mia Galdon. Then one night everything changed, and two hearts were shattered. Cole buried his guilt in the military, where love was just part of the past. Now Cole has come back home, emotionally damaged, guarded, and unprepared for what’s waiting for him…

At the urging of Cole’s sister, Mia has returned to the Covington family’s coastal home in Wilmington as a private nurse to help Cole recover. With her uncertain personal life at a crossroad, Mia doesn’t have the luxury of saying no to the job. And she soon finds out that the attraction is still alive. So are memories of betrayal. But Mia will discover more than the power of resilience. She’ll discover a secret Cole has held for years, one that will force them to confront the past and give new meaning to letting go, forgiveness, and a future worth fighting for.

Pre-order Links (Available March 3, 2015): Amazon * B&N

The Review:

Return to Me by Kelly Moran is an enchanting second chance at love romance that tugs at the heartstrings as Cole Covington and Mia Galdon heal the wounds of the past. This first installment in the Covington Cove series is an emotional, poignant and uplifting novel that I highly recommend to fans of contemporary romances.

Mia has worked hard to escape the poverty of her childhood. In the ten years since the terrible break up with Cole, she achieved her goal of attending college to become a registered nurse. Currently unemployed after her position was eliminated, she is struggling to pay the bills when Lacey Covington offers her a job as Cole’s private nurse. Despite the heartache of their past, Mia accepts the position and hopes that by helping Cole, she will find answers to her lingering questions about the abrupt end to the their relationship.

Mia is a warm and caring woman and it is impossible not to like her. She is a little shocked at Cole’s condition but she takes a tough love approach to his care. Mia is pragmatic, resourceful and refuses to back down no matter how much Cole fights her.

Cole is stubborn and he has refused to do anything to aid his recovery from his injuries. In addition to his physical injures, he is suffering from post traumatic stress and he has isolated himself from friends and family. Mia leaves him no choice but to comply with her treatment plan, and he slowly begins to heal. Although Cole is beginning to recover from his battle injuries, he continues to be haunted by the unresolved issues in his past.

Events from the past are revealed through brief flashbacks that detail Cole and Mia’s relationship from their first meetings through their disastrous breakup. In spite of their vastly different backgrounds, they formed a close friendship that eventually turned to love.  Although the odds were against them, their romance was flourishing right up until Cole inexplicably broke up with Mia.

In the present, Mia and Cole’s relationship is at first professional, but they quickly resume their previous friendship. Once Cole confesses why he broke things off, he and Mia are finally free to explore their continued attraction to one another. But once again, interference from outside sources threatens their burgeoning romance.

Return to Me is an engaging novel with an appealing cast of characters and a unique storyline. Kelly Moran expertly weaves past and present into a compelling story of love and healing that is realistic and quite moving. It is an absolutely delightful beginning to the Covington Cove series that will leave readers impatiently awaiting the next installment.