FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN?
The future looks promising for Rose Walker, until at the age of 24, her life is shattered by an unexpected tragedy. Married to her childhood sweetheart Lucas, she is emotionally fulfilled and deservedly gaining recognition as an artist. However, when Lucas is killed in a road accident Rose has no choice but to carry on without him. As she rebuilds her life, she puts aside any thoughts of meeting someone new and it’s a resolve that generally holds good…until handsome stranger Robert Green arrives in the coastal town where she lives!
Although they like each other, there is an undercurrent of anxiety running through their relationship. Is Rose betraying Lucas’ memory by getting involved with another man? Should she allow herself to fall in love again after losing the big love of her life? Robert has his own issues and even though Rose can sense he might be hiding something, she has no idea what it could be. How will she react when she discovers the painful truth and can Robert win her back?
Initially I was wary of this book as I am not a big fan of romantic literature, however Victoria Walters has restored my faith in the genre with a novel that is sensitive, descriptive, and extremely thought provoking. The self-reproach that comes from falling in love after living through a bereavement is not uncommon, and Walters does a splendid job capturing the uncertainty and joy of Rose’s emotions. Although she will never stop loving Lucas, she must learn to balance her feelings for him against her right to love somebody new. However, Rose’s friendship with Lucas’ parents makes the guilt even more difficult to handle, especially when Robert’s secret is finally uncovered.
The Second Love of My Life is an excellent read with a nicely structured plot and believable characters. Thankfully, it avoids all the usual romantic novel clichés (love at first sight; bad guy made good by the love of a decent woman; evil other person) and is a confident debut from a writer who developed her book from a short story.
Reviewed by Juliette Foster
