Wait For It
Women’s Fiction/Romance
Setting – Arizona
Publisher : Berkley (August 10, 2021)
Paperback : 352 pages
ISBN-10 : 0593101375
ISBN-13 : 978-0593101377
Kindle ASIN : B08N6TVVPL
A woman looking for a new lease on life moves to Arizona where she rents a guest house on a gorgeous property with a mysterious owner—a man who teaches her about resilience, courage, and ultimately true love, in this funny, big-hearted novel about hope and healing from New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay.
Stuck in a dreary Boston winter, Annabelle Martin would like nothing more than to run away from her current life. She’s not even thirty years old, twice-divorced, and has just dodged a marriage proposal… from her ex-husband. When she’s offered her dream job as creative director at a cutting-edge graphic design studio in Phoenix, she jumps at the opportunity to start over.
When she arrives in the Valley of the Sun, Annabelle is instantly intrigued by her anonymous landlord. Based on the cranky, handwritten notes Nick Daire leaves her, she assumes he is an old, rich curmudgeon. Annabelle is shocked when she finally meets Nick and discovers that he’s her age and uses a wheelchair. Nick suffered from a stroke a year ago, and while there’s no physical reason for him not to recover, he is struggling to overcome the paralyzing fear that has kept him a prisoner in his own home.
Despite her promise to herself not to get involved, Annabelle finds herself irresistibly drawn to Nick. And soon she wonders if she and Nick might help each other find the courage to embrace life, happiness, and true love.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Annabelle Martin is a graphic designer working freelance. She has been married and divorced twice, and is sick of the Boston winters. Receiving a marriage proposal from one of her exes tips to scale for her to accept a job offer in sunny Arizona.
Nick Daire is a wealthy businessman who has become a recluse in his palatial home following a stroke. He is in a wheelchair and receives daily physical therapy even though there is no physical reason for his recovery delay.
When Annabelle rents Nick’s guest house with firm instructions to keep her distance from her landlord she looks at it as more than a challenge than a rule especially after she receives his list of rules and his numerous notes taped to her door. As the days go by she knows her sunny personality could win the old man over. She is blown away when she finds out Nick is closer to her age than the old man she imagined and feels she could be the one to help him face his fears and maybe he could help her get over hers.
I loved the way Ms. McKinlay told this story. The chapters alternating between Nick and Annabelle’s point of view allowed the reader to get to know each character and their backstories. They were both relatable and easy to root for. Annabelle faces some conflict at her new job that she has to deal with. Nick’s sister comes back into his life after 20 years and he needs to handle that while keeping his disability a secret. You have Annabelle’s bosses and friends, Sophia and Miquel urging Annabelle to stay away from her landlord and Jackson, Nick’s physical trainer and his groundskeeper, Juan and his wife Lupita, his housekeeper and chef hoping that she finds a way into his life. I found all the characters to be cleverly written and easy to identify with.
Annabelle is a determined woman and we share the trait of not getting places on time no matter how good our intentions are. Nick’s health journey really grabbed me. Life in a wheelchair sucks and I was so happy with the way his journey played out. Their romance evolved at a comfortable pace for me but once they came together it amped up to a breakneck speed with just a few bumps. I appreciated the way mental health issues were addressed. The workplace drama and the way Annabelle handled it also pulled me in. I also enjoyed the special place Annabelle took Nick where the title of this book really was met.
While Jenn McKinlay is better known to me for her cozy mysteries I am thrilled she has penned several romantic stories. She brings strong complex characters to the scene and envelopes them in emotional stories. Wait For It
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About Jenn McKiinlay
Jenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewer’s Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with kids, pets, and her husband’s guitars.
Also by Jenn McKinlay
The Hat Shop Mysteries
Cupcake Bakery Mysteries
Library Lover’s Mysteries
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
