ROOM FOR US by L.M. HALLORAN

“Love doesn’t care about timing or whether we’re ready for it. It shows up when it wants, where it wants and asks only one thing of us – to be brave. And if you’re brave, no matter what happens, you’ll know that you chose love, and you won’t have any regrets.”

We’ve missed L.M. Halloran’s stories, and it’s wonderful to have her back, delivering an emotional and heartbreaking story, which, as avid readers of this authors work, we could feel, came from straight from her heart.

Room for Us is a story of trust, love and second chances, and as we hung on every word, we experienced the hope, despair, laughter, tears, happiness and heartbreak and the turmoil and growth of the characters in this very moving story.

As his pseudonym, E.M. Hart, 36-year-old Ethan Hart is a famous, much-loved author, lacking the inspiration to write a final book in his world-famous fantasy series. Feeling the pressure from his publisher and readership for the final instalment, Ethan heads to Sun River, Idaho to decompress and hopefully get the writing juices flowing.

‘I see everything in his eyes – the deep schisms of pain, the sweet desire.’

Zoey Humphries is the new owner of Rose House in Sun River. A quaint B&B left to her by her Aunt Barb who had recently passed. Zoey has fled New York, leaving behind a failed seven-year marriage, which has left her full of self-doubt.

The grouchy author and the eager to please Zoey bash heads, attempt to fight off ever-growing chemistry and passion, and deal with baggage from their past. Ethan’s eight-year-old daughter Daphne provides the moments where we realise the heart beneath the crotchety Ethan.

‘I came to her wrapped in the chains of self-delusion and lifelong angst, and each day in her presence broke another of my bonds.’

Room for Us was at times a little maudlin, especially Zoey which did get a little tiresome at times, however, the occupants of Sun River and little Daphne provided the respite when needed. The passion and chemistry were sizzling, the writing was almost poetic, and the characters showed a lot of growth, strength and vulnerability.

‘I’ve never met anyone who thinks like him, talks like him. Makes love like him – with a whole-being intensity that gives back just as much as it consumes.’