Who knew fate could twist a tragedy into a second chance at love? Samantha Winters lives her life the way a good accountant should–measured, deliberate, and safe. After watching her father die in a tragic skiing accident, she decided never to allow risk into her life again. But she didn’t count on falling for Nick Chastain, who embodies everything she doesn’t want in her safely constructed world. constructed world.
Against Samantha’s warnings, Nick plans a dangerous kayaking trip over spring break. Furious that he’s so careless with his life, she ends their fledgling relationship with harsh words.
Two years later, Samantha is desperately in need of a change. When she learns her grandmother has had an accident and is in need of a caretaker, Samantha quickly packs her bags and heads to Thunder Creek, Idaho. But nothing could prepare her for the surprise awaiting her in her grandmother’s hospital room . . . Nick.
With the charming backdrop of small-town friends, beloved cousins, and a whole church congregation rooting for them, can they set aside the disastrous ending of their first try at love? Has Nick changed enough to meet Samantha in the middle–and can she realize that a risk in love might be worth taking?
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Samantha Winters broke up with Nick Chastain because he was a professional daredevil, a college professor whose out-of-class adventures mean he’s an adrenaline-seeking modern Indiana Jones. Two years later, she’s back in her home town of Thunder Creek for three months, to help her grandmother recover from a riding accident. Nick is there, working on her brother’s farm. Why?
Nick was injured in a white-water rafting accident not long after he and Sam broke up. He suffers from memory loss, which means he can no longer teach, and he’s been told to stay away from the daredevil activities, as another accident could kill him. So he’s installing irrigation systems in Idaho. On Sam’s brother’s organic farm.
It doesn’t take long for the two to reconnect. It also doesn’t take long for the sparks to fly, as the two realise their old problems are still bubbling under the surface. I found Samantha frustrating. I could understand her fear that something might happen to Nick as he’s off doing all these dangerous things, but people choke to death on vegetables. We can’t live our lives in fear, or we’d never leave the house.
We’re made in the image of God and God is the creator. Thus, we are all called to create.But that is Sam’s problem: she wants to feel safe. That’s why she’s stuck in a job she doesn’t really enjoy, because that’s easier than looking for another job. I can relate to that. If the current job allows you the time, money, and mental headspace to pursue hobbies, why change?
But I also found Nick frustrating, for not telling Samantha about his accident, and for not telling her the extent of his injuries. Especially for not telling her he was no longer the adventuring daredevil she’d broken up with.
I guess the plus part of these character quirks is it made them feel like real people. The opposites-attract plot isn’t original. It’s a romance so we all know how it’s going to end (if you weren’t sure, the clue is in the title). But the author manages to take what could be a cookie-cutter romance up a level with well-developed characters who are anything but cliche. Even though I knew what was going to happen, I wanted to see it play out on the page.
I especially liked the way the Christian faith was woven into the plot. It gave an added depth to the plot and to the characters, but it didn’t provide an “easy out”. The characters couldn’t just pray and have everything be fixed. That’s not real life, and it’s not good fiction either.
You’re Gonna Love Me is the sequel to You’ll Think of Me (Derek and Brooklyn’s story), but can easily be read as a standalone. Personally, I’d recommend starting at the beginning of the series—while You’re Gonna Love Me was good, I thought You’ll Think of Me was better. I’ll be interested to see whose story we get in the next visit to Thunder Creek.
Recommended for fans of family-based contemporary Christian romance stories.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
Well, that was so sweet!
Learning to let go and trust. Life and love are risks worth taking. Another great read by a talented author.
I was asked to read this paperback and to give my honest opinion.
I enjoy second chance stories and this is an wonderful story of not only recognizing a second chance but trusting in God to make known to you what His will is in the circumstances. The story was well written, modern day and believable. I enjoyed the characters and their strengths and their quirks. Both Samantha and Nick had their struggles. I liked watching their faith in God work thru their individual issues and their past. Gran was a hoot! You’re Gonna Love Me is a delightful, well written story.
I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild, I was not required to give a favorable review. Another wonderful story of love and God’s help in everyday things from Robin. Nick and Sam knew each other in Oregon and broke up over her fears and his need for the exciting until the trip she feared the most caused him damage and he gave up in college teaching job and now is working in Thunder Creek and has found a greater understanding of faith. He ends up help rescue Sam’s grandmother after she fell off her horse while riding with her great-granddaughter. Sam has come to help take care of her grandmother and is surprised to find Nick there. She didn’t know about his injury and they have to find their way to being friends again and maybe more. This was a wonderfully written story. I would recommend it highly.
I love to read Robin’s books!
Just finished this book and it’s great loved it .
A return to Thunder Creek Idaho and delightful hints, if you haven’t read You’ll Think of Me, and clues for those that haven’t, but for me I love this place the word pictures offered by the author make it breath taking.
Can two broken people that had a relationship put it back together, they end up states away from where they began, and now they end up in the same place at the same time, coincidence?
Both characters in this new book need to trust God, and we hope that as the story progress they are able to let go of their fears and see what God has placed before them!
I received this book through the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.