A cute romance for the Hallmark fans…
When You Returned is a sweet, simple romance for when you just want to sit back and enjoy a book over a nice cup of coffee.
SYNOPSIS
Is their love strong enough to heal the wounds of the past?
Once a renowned skater, Jaclyn is now a single mother, working at the beloved skating rink in a small town in Colorado that has been in her family for generations. When the rink is at risk of being lost, she looks for help from professionals.
The last person she expects to help them get back on their feet is Lavern, an old flame from high school.
After running from grief over the loss of his brother eight years ago, Lavern is back in town on assignment from a company that helps struggling businesses. Assigned to help the rink recover, he now must face the girl he once loved and left behind.
Together, Lavern and Jaclyn are the only hope to save her family’s rink. But confronting the pain of the past might be more than they can imagine.
A Simple Premise…
When looking for a quick way to describe this book, I would say it reminds me of the Hallmark and Netflix Christmas movies, the sweet small town romances. It’s the kind of story that you’ll likely enjoy if you’re just looking for a sweet romance.
The premise for when you returned is that Jaclyn’s family skating rink is in danger after a foreclosure notice from the bank, and Lavern is the representative for his company sent to help them get the business back on it’s feet. I would describe this more as a small subplot. The issue with the rink is mentioned at the start, but doesn’t play a very important role in the story. There’s not much time spent discussing it. The true story is the one about Jaclyn and Lavern. There are a few things made clear from the start, one is that Jaclyn and Lavern haven’t spoken in years and the other is that Lavern left abruptly after the death of his brother. And those things are why this story is more about the two character’s reconnecting, and facing their feelings for each other.
A Quick Read…
The story is told quickly so there isn’t much room for questions, but it does have its sweet moments. I would say the parts I enjoyed more were the flashbacks, some between Jaclyn and Lavern and others between Lavern and his brother.
MORE DETAILS
Word Count (rounded)~ ?
Page Count: 256
Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Character’s I Wish I Got to Know More…
There are of course two main character’s, Jaclyn and Lavern. Jaclyn’s backstory gets explored a little more. Her ambitions, her lost dreams, and her inspiration. Lavern on the other hand has his history told slowly primarily in flashbacks. But while I was given somewhat of an idea as to who these people were, I did wish I was given more.
While the technical details are shared: their family situation, their careers, the ghosts of their past. Their personalities are what needed more. I wanted to know what they enjoy, what makes them smile.
I wanted to know how Jaclyn likes spending time with her daughter and how her and her friend’s spend their time when she isn’t working or being a mother.
It was the same with Lavern. I wondered if he was a workaholic, or if he had hobbies. I wondered if he thought of Jaclyn beyond the simple nostalgic memories and if he ever felt guilt for leaving. I especially wondered what the two character’s were like in high school not as a couple, but as individuals.
My Rating…
I rate books with a five star system from would never read it again to loved it and can’t wait to reread it. I don’t really believe in calling a book bad because each person’s interests are different and a book I hated could be loved by someone else and vice versa. Everyone has different deal breakers.
I gave this book two stars because I enjoyed some sections of the book, but heartwarming romance just isn’t something I read often. I would recommend this to the Hallmark and Netflix Christmas movie fans.
The next book I’ll be reading is “The Girl in the Storm” which is another Indie Novel. I’m trying to read a lot of Indie author novel’s which is why I plan to read a new book every week. If you’re an author, let me know a little about your book in the comments!
Jasmin De Anda 