Unexpectedly Yours by Toni Logan is a lightly dramatic and spiritual romance between two women who should have never met.
She doesn’t want to do it, but Allie’s mother insists she go to the coordinates her father had tattooed on his chest before he died. Their restaurant is dying and they can’t really afford it, but she flies from L.A. to the Bahamas to bury his ashes in the ocean. If it’s just off the shore of a women-only resort, who’s to say she can’t have a vacation after carrying out her familial duty?
Kate – aka Bad Girl Bennett – owns the island and fears Allie is a treasure hunter who will bring hordes of people to the waters just off shore. The billionaire in hiding doesn’t want throngs of tourists, probably followed by paparazzi, that close to her home.
The two get off to a rocky start, but can’t resist getting closer as an attraction builds. Everyone urges Kate to let go of her grief enough to find happiness again, especially her deceased wife Brooke.
Writing
There is ample opportunity to become maudlin, with an unhappy father/daughter relationship and the death of a soulmate. But overall, the angst level never became overwhelming for either Allie’s or Kate’s story. It’s tough to leave a bad relationship unresolved due to death, so Allie does what she feels is her duty to her father, for her mother’s sake. Even more moving is the continuing relationship Kate has with her deceased wife Brooke. Again, that part of the story could have gone a much sadder route, but the author chooses a middle ground that fits the tone of the story beautifully and gives the book a spiritual and mildly humorous quality.
Pros And My Favourite Parts
It might seem a little odd, but one of the things I liked was ambiguity about the women’s age. There are clues that they are obviously not young adults but it’s never made clear. A reader can decide for themself how they want to relate to Allie and Kate, which I found intriguing and reader friendly.
The island setting is super romantic and despite Kate’s privileged upbringing and rough history, she’s an awesome character. It was fun following her turmoil over being instantly smitten with Allie and being lectured to by her wife’s ghost about moving ahead from her death. Spirituality is a strong theme that struck a nice note for me, and I liked how Allie and Kate both eventually listened to the introspective voice in their head that leads to both finding new happiness in life.
There aren’t a lot of characters in the book, but several of them are unforgettable, like Miri the super grouchy cook and Gizmo the kleptomaniac pig. Miri wields a mean spoon, and not just for cooking, and Gizmo is the most loved and loving pet pig ever. There is no villain to overcome, just life’s tragedies.
Heads Up
Grief due the death of a spouse.
The Conclusion
Kate, the reclusive billionaire and Allie the small L.A. restaurant owner should have never met. After her father’s death Allie reluctantly travels to the Bahamas to stay at a women-only retreat on Kate’s island so she can bury his ashes in the ocean. Once they do meet, both are very attracted to the other, but lingering grief and distrust about motives plague a growing romance.
The story has some intriguing aspects, like how Allie ends up thousands of miles from home doing something unexpected and finding love somewhere impossible, and Kate’s continuing relationship with her deceased wife. There is angst, but I never felt overwhelmed by it. I did get a little misty at one point, but not from their relationship.
Excerpt from Unexpectedly Yours by Toni Logan
“I know that look.” Brooke pointed a playful finger in Kate’s face as she walked backward in front of her. “You’re happy,” she said as she turned and positioned herself next to her.
“I am.” Kate nodded. “But I’m also conflicted.”
“Why? She seems wonderful.”
“She is, but she’s not you.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Don’t compare us. It’s not fair to put that on her. You have to let her be her own person to you, Kate. She deserves that, and you deserve to share the next chapter of your life with someone special.”
“I’m doing fine.” Kate brushed off her thoughts.
“No, babe, you’re not. You’re stuck. Just like you were when I first met you. You were scared to get clean and sober because life was so much easier when you didn’t have to deal with your feelings. To just stay in a state of numbness.”
“Stop.” Kate turned to Brooke. “It’s not the same.”
“Yes, it is. You grew the moment you finally allowed yourself to feel vulnerable. To trust that I wasn’t going to hurt or abandon you.”
“But you did abandon me. You died,” Kate spat.
“And you didn’t,” Brooke snapped back. “Don’t use my death as an excuse to numb out again. Allow yourself to be happy once more and embrace the feeling.”
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 978-1-63679-161-6
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
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