Darcy comes first (for a change) by Lilliana Anderson

This is a Great read. With a captial G.

It’s about 40-year old Darcy who is abandoned by her husband of 20 years, tricked out of her home and totally destitute, and her struggle to start a new life for herself and her two kids. It doesn’t sound particularly romantic, but it is. Only a more realistic and mature romance where attraction and love aren’t the only ingredients needed for a happily ever after.

Darcy ends up taking her kids to live at her Nana’s nice, but small, beach condo, forcing her 8-year old and sullen 14-year old to share a room. Darcy – while heartbroken and betrayed – tries to get their life in order and at the same time handle the outbursts of her distraught teenage daughter.

Meeting a new man is not even on her list. But then there’s the sexy neighbour Leo…

Darcy and Leo hit it off immediately, but with the emotional upheaval going on in her family, the timing couldn’t be worse.

It’s a wonderful story by a talented author. You get just about everything a good romance needs. You feel what Darcy feels whether it be anger, betrayal, sorrow, vulnerability or happiness and lust. This story has it all.

But it’s not merely romance and family drama. It’s witty and funny and the characters are beuatifully depicted. And it feels so real, especially the portrayal of parenthood and a family in the middle of a crisis.

This is the first time I read something by Lilliana Anderson. And I’m awestruck by her ability to write a story with so many opposing feelings. Just like real life. The story sucked me in and wouldn’t let go. I laughed and cried and got all the warm fuzzies in the end. I also really enjoyed the fact that the main characters were more mature than in a typical romance. That Darcy and Leo both had their own baggage and struggles. And the very accurate description of your kids always being your number one priority.

Simply put, this is a gem. Read it.