Worth the Risk (2018)

Worth the Risk (2018) by Heather B. Moore is the first book in her Pine Valley series. This book is set to release on February 14, 2018 by Mirror Press. This book will come in all forms including eBook, and is 230 pages in length. With a full-time job and a precocious five-year old, this book took me less than one day to read. I pre-ordered this book through Amazon, and received a review copy in eBook form from the publisher, Mirror Press. In no way has this influenced my opinion. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I give this novel 4 STARS. Worth the Risk is a Contemporary Clean Read perfect for Valentine’s Day!

About the Book

When Alicia moves back to Pine Valley to help her mom through a serious addiction, the last person she wants to see is her teenage crush, Jeff Finch, who destroyed their friendship in one single disastrous night. But Alicia is determined to not let anything about Jeff affect her, especially since she hasn’t seen him in ten years. All she knows is that he’s living a successful and charmed life, and she is more than happy to keep anything between them in the past. But when he shows up with a date at the restaurant where she works, Alicia realizes she’s still not over her feelings, and Jeff is definitely looking at her in a way he never has before.

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My Thoughts

Worth the Risk is a really sweet story. The characters are well written and believable, and the plot line is highly engaging. And, there are a couple of very swoon-worthy moments that left me smiling and my heart aflutter. This is the perfect book to read this Valentine season.

Alicia and Jeff grew up together and were the best of friends. But, in high school Jeff did something stupid and hurt Alicia badly. Ten years pass and Alicia moves back home to Pine Valley to care for her mentally ill mother. Jeff sees Alicia one night while he is out to dinner and realizes that his feelings for Alicia have not changed. He feels lame for not having asked for forgiveness ten years ago, but decides to man up and apologize now. The redemption story is endearing, but what I really love about this book is that it feels very realistic. The nerves one feels when he/she knows an apology needs to be made but are unsure how to do that after ten years. The anxiety and trust issues you have when the boy you really liked in high school comes back after so long to make amends and asks to be friends. It all felt so realistic and believable that I felt like I could relate to the characters and the feelings they were going through. I also really like how Jeff steps up to the plate and helps Alicia and her mother regardless of the cost to himself. That, more than anything, really made me love his character. Jeff is a really good hero!

The chemistry between the main characters is intense. As a reader you can feel sparks from the very first page. The first kiss is pretty amazing! What I really like about Alicia is that she sticks to her guns and sets limits for herself and Jeff. At one point, Alicia does have to find a new place to live and Jeff offers a room in his house. While a very sweet offer, Alicia refuses him because they are not a married couple. I admire Alicia for being strong even when emotions can make one extremely weak in the knees.

Worth the Risk is a cute romance. It definitely left me with a smile on my face, and I cannot wait for book two in the series, Where I Belong (April 2018). If you are looking for a fast-paced, realistic, charming clean read to get you into the Valentine’s Day spirit, then I cannot recommend Worth the Risk enough. When it releases on Valentine’s Day, run to your nearest bookstore to pick up a copy of this romantic read!