I have heard so much about Sarah Hogle because of You Deserve Each Other (which is on my TBR). So when I saw Twice Shy on Netgalley I knew I had to try my luck. And it was my lucky day! This heart warming romance is about seeing past our expectations and opening up our heart. Keep reading this book review to see my full thoughts.
Summary
Maybell Parish has always been a dreamer and a hopeless romantic. But living in her own world has long been preferable to dealing with the disappointments of real life. So when Maybell inherits a charming house in the Smokies from her Great-Aunt Violet, she seizes the opportunity to make a fresh start.
Yet when she arrives, it seems her troubles have only just begun. Not only is the house falling apart around her, but she isn’t the only inheritor: she has to share everything with Wesley Koehler, the groundskeeper who’s as grouchy as he is gorgeous—and it turns out he has very different vision for the property’s future.
Convincing the taciturn Wesley to stop avoiding her and compromise is a task more formidable than the other dying wishes Great-Aunt Violet left behind. But when Maybell uncovers something unexpectedly sweet beneath Wesley’s scowls, and as the two slowly begin to let their guard down, they might learn that sometimes the smallest steps outside one’s comfort zone can lead to the greatest rewards.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: panic attack, social anxiety
Twice Shy is a book that took me a while to get into, but once I was, I was hooked. What started off as a book about Maybell and how quirky, charming, and vulnerable she is, turned into my fan club membership for Wesley. He’s gruff, a little grumpy, and with a heart of gold. As soon as Wesley entered the picture, I began to get into Twice Shy even more than before. Maybell is a person who lives in her dreams and can get caught in her hopes. While these passages were sometimes difficult to initially sort out from the story, I loved seeing this side of Maybell.
Twice Shy is like opposites attracting and recognizing these core passions and values in each other. The way compassion, empathy, and care translate to each other. Their vulnerability, childhood memories, and dreams. Until about 2/3 of the way, I was having trouble pinning down what lay at the ‘core’ of Maybell. I could see her dreams, her fancies, and her quirks but wasn’t sure of the essence of Maybell. In her interactions with Wesley, I began to see these pieces of Maybell. Her yearning, smothered ambitions, and struggling passions.
Whereas I pretty much loved Wesley from the beginning. I think it mostly stems from the fact that I’m more like Wesley than Maybell. Even though I’m a sucker for a good vintage clothing find as well as being a bit scatterbrained. For me, it was easier to get a handle on Wesley. Even though the beginning pacing had me wondering when things would pick up, I was much more invested by the end of Twice Shy. Find Twice Shy on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.