Gravity Beach

Jolie Baker had a perfect life.  She was in love with Ethan - an amazing man who loved her back - good friends, family and a career she loved. Then Ethan was killed and her world crashed around her. Three years later she moves to Gravity Beach in order to take control of her life.  That orderly life gets a little messy when she meets David, the father of one of her students. Suddenly, she is feeling things she thought she had no business feeling, ones she had experienced only with Ethan. Luckily for her, David is a patient man, willing to fight for the enchanting woman with sadness in her eyes.

"Courageous Dare" is a feel-good story about a woman learning to love after a loss. Jolie is deeply scarred by the loss of Ethan, but she finds the strength to take a chance on David. David had his bad experiences with love and women, especially with Madison’s mother, but he knows that this thing he has with Jolie is worth holding on to, worth fighting for. Madison is a jewel, she’s just a delight to read about. While the book has some great ingredients, there is something missing in order for it to truly shine. Maybe it’s the writing, or the somewhat unnecessary drama at the end of the book, but a problem does exist. Nonetheless, it is still a pleasing read about overcoming loss, learning to love again, or simply - learning to live fully. Well worth reading!

Ana Smith