Book Review: The Golden Hour by Jenny Hale

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
🌶 (0/5)
🎚(1/5)

💫 Powerful and heartwarming in the freshest way. 💫

Josie leaves Julian behind when duty, in the form of her autistic brother, calls her away from college and back to her mountain hometown after her father's untimely death. Lonely but loyal, Josie takes an uncharacteristic leap of faith for her brother Nick by moving temporarily down to Rosemary Beach for a competition that's right up his alley.

Ahhh but Julian. He loved the beach, too, thanks to Josie's suggestion that they visit it while in college, a trip she never got to make. And guess what, when she travels there, she runs into him––he moved there and he's still as dreamy as ever.

The will-they-won't-they throughout this book is delicious, as are the vivid descriptions of the gulf coast. I want to go! I cried throughout the beginning of this book, and I felt so seen through all of Josie's struggles as someone who has in the past been low-income. Those frugal/scarcity mindsets don't easily leave us. I was so proud of Josie for taking off those shackles and following her heart and letting "love guide [her]", as her trusty compass suggested.

This is a tale of found family (some entirely new, and some that had been there all along, though Josie didn't realize it) with a genuine surprise twist that I did not see coming. You think the author is setting you up for one thing--and you're not wrong about it--but then another thing comes entirely out of left field and fits in so very nicely.

All in all, an inspiring and emotional read that I recommend to all sweet romance fans.
Link: ​https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Hour-Powerful-Heartwarming-Summer/dp/B0D2T5T9QQ