Sworn to Fly (Sworn Sisters #3)

Ten-year veteran nurse Alyssa Beckman avoids stepping out of her comfort zone as much as possible. She doesn’t like change, but it’s inevitable now, thanks to her poor decision making. She’s booked a weekend at a secluded mountain resort to rethink life and determine her next move. She’s surprised when she learns her vacation is less relaxation and more adventure, distinctly far from her comfortable norm. Alyssa also hadn’t planned on meeting Gabriel Sutton, a handsome globe-trotting high fashion photographer who needs to get his perfectionism in check before it damages his career. As they spend time together, bonding during team challenges, the connection between them becomes apparent, as does the fact that their lives are far too divergent for a future together to be possible.

Readers who gravitate more toward the women’s fiction side of romance will be certain to enjoy this book. The nearly instant bond that springs up between Alyssa and Gabe will appeal to those who are here for the romance while their individual journeys of self-discovery and career change will intrigue those looking to spend more time delving into each character’s unique motivations. The rapid development of the romance feels appropriate to the plot, but some depth is lost in the time the main characters spend apart. While they did have several factors working against them, the hero is very obviously more willing to sacrifice and bend to make a relationship work, while the heroine is more stubbornly determined to cling to her safe zone. Their eventual compromise is charming but would have been more so with more flexibility from Alyssa to create a more satisfyingly even dynamic.

Niki Price