Always chase your dreams, big or small

Synopsis

Amber Fitzpatrick is about to hit thirty and has achieved none of the things she hoped to have done by now. Her dreams of owning her own business seem out of reach. Her boyfriend has just dumped her and now her biological clock is clanging in her head.

But maybe Amber doesn’t need a man for the next stage of her life? Maybe as an independent woman she can have a baby all by herself?

There’s only one problem. Handsome but excruciatingly annoying best friend Tyler Williams. Tyler thinks Amber’s motherhood plans are plain crazy! She just needs to wait for Mr. Right to come along…and maybe he’s closer than she thinks?

But with Amber hellbent on doing it alone, Tyler sets out to prove to her that being her best friend could also come with excellent benefits…if only she’s brave enough to take the chance.

A grumpy sunshine, best friends to lovers romance, perfect for fans of Portia MacIntosh, Laura Carter and Phoebe MacLeod.

My review

Amber Fitzpatrick has one big dream, to own her own business. And not just any kind of business, she wants to own the pub that once was in her gran’s hands. But her business plan has been on hold for a while, as she wanted to support her boyfriend Brad to achieve his own big dream. Amber knows that at the moment, Brad is stressed, but when he disappoints her once again, she wants him to commit to her more and stop neglecting her. However, Amber didn’t expect that conversation ending up in her being single again… Despite her new situation, Amber realizes that it’s time to fulfil her biggest dream, to have a child. So even if there is no significant other in her life, why shouldn’t she pursue her dream? When her best friend and Amber’s bar chef Tyler Williams hears about her plan, he isn’t so sure that her plans are that great at all. On the contrary, he thinks it’s totally crazy! Because what is wrong with waiting for Mr. Right? Or is Mr. Right closer than Amber may think?

There are books with plots that for sure sound close to home. Not that my life matches a lot with Amber’s, but her state of mind for sure resounded with mine in several occasions.

I understood that in this book, Amber was initially the most supporting person, girlfriend she could be. She has big dreams of her own, but seeing as her boyfriend Brad is closer to achieve them, she gives him the biggest support possible. And I admired her for that, even if it’s clear that Amber’s support, understanding and love weren’t 100% reciprocated. On the contrary…

And that angered me, because yes, I could comprehend Brad being stressed. But failing on being there for Amber on so many occasions? It could happen once, even twice, but so often? Just huge big red flags!

Amber shows real maturity, having had enough and choosing herself for perhaps once. It is not an easy decision to make, as she had many plans, which involved also Brad. But we see here how Amber realizes that it takes two to tango, it takes two to make a relationship work. You cannot do it on your own, it has to be a team effort. And when one taps out, well, there isn’t much you can do…

I have to say, just like her friends, I was a bit shocked when Amber decides to have a baby on her own. Of course, from the blurb it didn’t come as a total surprise, but how it seemed to me, it looked like it was a decision she made on the spur of the moment. But slowly, I and everyone around Amber, realized that this is something that Amber has been thinking for a while and not a drunk decision at all.

It was in a way sweet to see how worried her best friends, and especially Tyler, are. Just like real friends, they all saw already that Brad wasn’t the right person for Amber, but we also all know that warning someone doesn’t always have the right effect.

Tyler perhaps doesn’t express himself correctly, about his dislike for Amber’s plans. But I could understand where he was coming from. Being a parent isn’t easy, even when there are two. But being a single parent, and having a big dream too, for sure adds more difficulty to the whole bigger picture.

It won’t come as a big surprise when sparks start to fly around between Amber and Tyler, even if they have different visions on Amber’s decision. But it was also so sweet to learn how Tyler always a-held a torch for Amber, and how, despite them clashing heads, still protects her and stands up for her.

Obviously there is some clashing between them, but this book is also filled with so much love, care and worry for and about each other. Although I have to say that perhaps the confrontation in the second act was kind of the silly way. Because it was the both of them wanting only the best for each other. And yes, perhaps the final revelation didn’t come as a total surprise.

In this book we see that some dreams mean to take matter in own hands (although perhaps don’t do as Amber and trust the internet too much? 😊). And we see that being in a supportive relationship doesn’t mean to put your own dream in the freezer. But that perhaps what we are actually looking for can be found closer than we may think. And we just have to find the courage to go after the dreams, the old ones, the new ones, and the ones we didn’t know we had…

Perhaps this wasn’t the too big laugh – out – loud book that I was expecting, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy reading it. Because we see so much strength, courage, determination but also so much friendship and love in it!