Book: Trying Not to Love You by Kaylee Ryan
Reviewed by Maggie Hayes
Rating: 4/5
ARC REVIEW
Trying Not to Love You by Kaylee Ryan
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
What an emotional and beautifully written second-chance romance.
Ellison and Copeland were the high school sweethearts everyone thought would be together forever. And they probably would have been... until Copeland enlisted in the Marines. Fifteen years later, they're both still carrying the weight of that heartbreak. Now Copeland is back in Magnolia Ridge for good, and he's determined to prove to Ellison that this time, he's not going anywhere.
I really felt for Ellison. First she lost the future she thought she'd have with Copeland, and then life dealt her another devastating blow when her parents unexpectedly passed away, leaving her to raise her three younger sisters while keeping the family inn running. Despite everything she's been through, she never lets herself become bitter. She simply keeps putting one foot in front of the other and doing what's best for the people she loves.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the relationships between the women. Ellison, her sisters, and her best friend, Kinzie, genuinely support and encourage one another. In a genre where female characters are sometimes pitted against each other, I always appreciate seeing healthy, loving friendships instead.
And Copeland? I am obsessed. He may have made the wrong decision all those years ago, but he made it for reasons that made complete sense to me, even if his younger self didn't know how to communicate them. Once he's back in Magnolia Ridge, there's never any doubt that Ellison is it for him. Watching him patiently work to earn her trust again absolutely melted my heart. He's all in on building a future with her, and I ate up every second of it. I also loved the relationship he has with his mom and brother. Their family is so full of love that I couldn't help but smile whenever they were together.
Ellison and Copeland don't fall back into each other's arms overnight. They have fifteen years of hurt to work through first, which made their reconciliation feel earned. Beneath all that pain is a foundation of friendship and first love that never really disappeared, and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way.
I can't wait to see where the Moran Sisters series goes next.
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC!