Time doesn’t heal all wounds. Sometimes they just scab over.
Haunted by memories of a failed marriage, trauma surgeon Barbie Anderson escapes to her hometown for a fresh start. But the quaint community of Pumpkin Rest has memories and failures of its own that should stay buried.
When Barbie runs into ex-con biker Jake Chambers, he stirs up anger and resentment in her that she doesn’t want to face. He reminds her of the one man she’s never gotten over and dredges up decades-old heartache. With his rugged criminal exterior and gentlemanly demeanor, the silver fox may have the other women in Pumpkin Rest falling at his feet, but not Barbie.
She refuses to let her guard down and have her heart broken again. When a series of revelations come tumbling forth, Barbie is forced to confront her past and trust Pumpkin Rest’s most sought-after bachelor where she’ll soon learn that love wears many faces.
Will secrets from the past destroy their future or will old wounds finally heal, allowing her to love again?
Better Than This is different than any of Beth Flynn's other books. It's not quite as raw and gritty, but it still has that addictive quality and writing that pulls you in. It's also got just enough suspense/twists and turns that comes from Beth's brilliant mind to keep you fully engaged and wow you by the end.
Barbie is a 52 year old doctor who has just moved back to her childhood home. After a divorce (that included her sister seducing/sleeping with her husband) Barbie needed a fresh start. Home doesn't always bring the best memories, but Barbie is determined to start fresh and move past the past.
Barbie is doing pretty well, until she runs into a new orderly at the facility near her home. Jake is a dead-ringer for her first love, Kenny, who passed away in prison after getting into some trouble in his youth. Barbie never truly got over Kenny and seeing someone who could be his twin is hard for her at first. It brings back a lot of memories and revelations.
Jake had the appearance and self-assuredness of a criminal, but the manners of a gentleman. He was an enigma, a puzzle. And I'd yet to find the missing piece. The questions was, would that piece complete us or destroy us.
The more time Barbie spends with Jake, the more she likes him. It takes her a while to warm up to him, but he slowly starts to steal her heart. Jake has a rough exterior, an even rougher past, but he's a reformed bad boy. He's kind, giving, and truly cares a lot about Barbie. I loved the two of them together and rooted for them from the start. But I knew. I knew there was a secret, a twist. And I thought I had it figured out, but I was surprised when it came to.
I love that the characters in this story are more mature. I love a good YA/NA read, but variety is the spice of life and sometimes it's nice to read about different age groups. My favorite thing about reading a book by Beth Flynn is you never know what you're going to get. But she ties every faucet of the story in so effortlessly by the end, gah! Her writing is just spectacular and I can't get enough.
If you're looking for a sweet, small town romance with a bit of suspense and lots of heart, pick this one up. I truly enjoyed it and read it in one night, it was that good.
"Can you love somebody like me, Barbie doll?" His mouth was set in a hard line as he waited for my answer. "It's too late, Jake. I already do.”
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