One Perfect Moment

Good book. Gage and Ava met when she hired him to be a consultant on a television show. The story opened as filming for the show finished. For the entire time the show was filming, Ava and Gage behaved with perfect professionalism, even though the attraction between them grew stronger by the day. On the last day, they gave in to the sparks, “just this once.”

Three weeks later, Gage is back to his full-time gig as a doctor, and Ava is back in Los Angeles. Gage is ready to hear that he’s been selected for a big promotion, thanks to his work in infertility and research. So he is stunned to find out that he was passed over for someone he feels is less qualified. I must say that I was impressed with Gage’s ability to keep calm and to think on the fly. I loved his split-second decision to take a vacation and go back to Temptation to visit Gray and Morgan (One Mistletoe Wish). I could already see the wheels turning as he contemplated his future.

Ava is back in LA, where she is working up a proposal for another show. She also has to deal with an obnoxious mother whose vision for Ava’s life doesn’t match her own. After one of those conversations, Ava is more than ready to pitch her proposal to her bosses. She doesn’t expect to be put off on that show with a demand that she prepare a script for a reality show called The Taylors of Temptation: Remember the Times. Ava is horrified but feels that she has no choice. She plans to go to Temptation, scope out the town, and get to know the family before she tells them why she is there.

At that point, the potential for disaster is crystal clear. Ava has no idea that Gage is there when she manages to get invited to Gray and Morgan’s for dinner. The mutual shock was obvious, but so were the sparks. Ava has to think fast to keep from blowing her cover, especially since Gage appears to be somewhat suspicious of how she ended up in his hometown. One thing neither can deny is the strength of their chemistry, and their “just this once” becomes more.

Like his brothers before him, Gage has a love-hate relationship with the town, thanks to the memories from their years in front of the camera. Being around Ava, showing her around, and spending time with her, starts to heal some of those feelings. I enjoyed seeing them both get caught up in the small town activities, from wine festivals to pumpkin contests. The more time they spent with each other, the deeper their feelings grew. Neither wanted to admit it. Ava feels guiltier by the day about keeping her real reason for being there from Gage. Gage has too many bad memories of the failure of his parents’ marriage to want to go there himself. There are a few funny scenes involving his denials and Gray’s reactions to them, a “been there, done that, but believe what you want” attitude. I liked the changes that both Gage and Ava experienced, thanks to the time they spent together. I especially enjoyed seeing him get involved with Gray’s work at the hospital. I also liked the support that Gage gave Ava during one of her bouts with her mother. His words gave her the ability to stand up to Eleanor’s words and actions.

I knew the ax was going to fall sooner or later. I hurt for both Ava and Gage when it did. Gage was blindsided, and his feelings of betrayal were devastating. I wanted to shake him when he wouldn’t let her explain. I ached for Ava because she had fallen hard for Gage. Her time spent with him had changed her and her plans, but she couldn’t get him to listen. Both Ava and Gage had a lot to think about and decisions to make. I loved the ending and seeing what those decisions were. Gage’s big moment at the end was sweet and heartfelt.