A few minutes later she tripped over a root and he caught her.
“Thank you.” She swallowed against her dry mouth and strode next to him, wondering if she should tell him she was in love with him. He probably knew already, but they hadn’t actually said the words. She hadn’t felt this way about anyone before, and navigating her feelings was proving difficult.
The Golden Hour is an uplifting and heartwarming romance that I could not put down.
After the loss of her single father, Josie Wills is forced to give up her dreams and return home to take care of her autistic teenage brother Nick. But she doesn’t just leave her dreams behind; she has to leave her first real love Julian Russell.
Having been the mother figure for Nick his entire life, stepping into the role of parent comes easily for Josie. She adores Nick, and taking care of him makes her feel closer to her mother who never had the chance to see them grow up. For the last three years, Josie has gladly carried the torch and picked up where her mother left off. Although supporting Nick in their small mountain town on a waitress’s salary isn’t as easy.
Willing to put all her faith in her brother’s incredible skills, Josie sells everything they have, to enroll him in a mathematics competition. The two make the journey from their Tennessee town to the upscale world of Rosemary Beach. The stunning, serene coastal town along the Gulf Coast is full of cafés, bicycles, and cobbled streets. What she doesn’t expect is to find Julian.
But Julian isn’t the only surprise that summer. Josie will soon find out exactly how far love can stretch when she uncovers a mystery that will change her life and the lives of those around her forever.
I have a new favourite Jenny Hale book! The Golden Hour just sucked me in and would not let go. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it. I just became so obsessed with the story and characters Jenny has created. For those new to Jenny’s storytelling, her books are always bursting with charm, heartfelt moments, and a love story that will surely sweep you off your feet. Even though there is this light fluffiness to her books (this one included), they also often deal with some tough and real topics. I often find myself tearing up once or twice in Jenny’s books. In this book, we are transported to the luscious coastal city of Rosemary Beach, located in Florida. Jenny uses vivid and lush descriptions to bring this coastal city to life. I felt like I could feel the sun on my face and the sand between my toes. I wanted to pack my bags and drive down to Florida.
In The Golden Hour, Josie loses both of her parents and finds herself taking care of her teenage brother, Nick, who is autistic. Both Josie and Nick are grieving the loss of their parents in their own way. Josie learns to cope by focusing on caring for Nick, and Nick deals with his grief by losing himself in numbers or math equations. I thought Jenny did an amazing job at thoughtfully approaching the topic of grief and showing how everyone deals with grief in their own way and that there is no set timeline for when a person’s grief will disappear. Jenny’s books will always transport her to gorgeous and unforgettable locations.
I adored the sibling relationship between Josie and Nick. These two are so close, and I love their interactions throughout this book. Josie has always had this more motherly role in Nick’s life because their mother had passed away when Nick was born. In this book, these two are at a point in their relationship where things are changing. Nick seems to be becoming more independent, and if he wins this math competition, he will have the opportunity to go to college, which means that he will not depend on Josie as much. Josie realizes that she needs to start thinking of what she will do with her own life. Both characters are wonderfully developed and have such amazing depth.
The romance in this book is a sweet second chance, a friend-to-lovers love story. Jenny’s books are always closed-door romances, so there is very little spice. Instead, what you get is this charming romance that just puts a smile on your face. I loved Josie and Julian as a couple. There was just something so right about these two. Julian is such a sweet guy, and I loved how he adored Josie. His quest to show Josie how much she means to him has my heart pitter-pattering a little faster.
The Golden Hour is a breathtaking and spectacular love story that I will be reading again and again.
Thank you, Harpeth Road Press, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
