REVIEW: Our Now and Forever by Terri Osburn

In Our Now and Forever (Ardent Springs #2) by Terri Osburn, Snow Cameron knew the day would come when her husband discovered her whereabouts, considering she left without a word. Due to her in-laws disapproval of their marriage, and eavesdropping on a conversation that left her distraught because of her husband’s side of the exchange. Living the small town life and running her own store has done wonders for Snow. She’s not about to give it all up just for him, so she proposes a deal.

“I’ll make you a deal,” she said, marching backward until she was out of his reach. “I’ll give you one month.”
Caleb’s lips were still puckered as he blinked her way. “What?”
Snow brushed a curl out of her face, then quickly tucked the shaking hand behind her back. “You can live here with me, in Ardent Springs, until November thirtieth. That gives you exactly a month to prove that we should stay married.”
Rising to the challenge, as she knew he would, Caleb said, “I doubt it’ll take a month, but I’ll agree to that.”
“There’s a condition,” she added, certain he would never agree to what she was about to propose.
Wearing a smile of premature victory, he said “What’s that?”
With a deep breath, Snow blurted, “There will be no sex.”

Finding his wife has been Caleb McGraw’s top priority since the day she left him, as he desperately seeks answers for her disappearing act. Discovering her whereabouts in the small town of Ardent Springs, he confronts her to learn the truth and hopefully get her to return home with him. What he doesn’t expect is her resistance, and when she offers him a deal, it’s clear he’ll have to agree if he has any hope of winning her back.

What an enjoyable, heartwarming second chance romance this author has delivered, encompassing a heroine that’s deserted her marriage due to a simple misunderstanding, and a hero determined to win her back. The plot was fast-paced right from the beginning with a dialogue that’s intense due to the secret that Snow is keeping, the moment she confesses her reasons for running away, a mother-in-law that will do anything to keep Snow out of Caleb’s life, and Caleb’s decision about their future. However, it was also filled with plenty of light, humorous moments between the two main characters.

I really liked both characters, except Snow did frustrate me at times. The history between them is very compelling, and I could understand her need for leaving and not wanting to go back to her life with Caleb. Yet, at the same time, she loves Caleb so much, so I couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t fight for the relationship by revealing her secret to Caleb before it was revealed by someone else. Someone determined to tear them apart. While Caleb, he’s determined to win Snow back, and rises to the challenge she presents him, which comes from her being very independent and stubborn. This scene where Caleb is determined to convince Snow for a goodnight kiss had me wondering how she could resist him.

Snow and Caleb have really intense chemistry, which spilled over onto the pages in some nicely-detailed sex scenes that had me cheering for this couple. Caleb loves Snow, and would do anything to prove just how much by staying in Ardent Springs, using his knowledge to help her find the right items for her shop, and allowing a sweet old lady to manipulate him.

Overall, Our Now and Forever by Terri Osburn was a really good book, and I was so pleased by how it ended. The way Caleb stands up to his mother certainly makes Snow know that she’ll always come first to him. I would recommend this book, if you enjoy the second chance romance trope.

Book Info:

Publication: November 10th, 2015 | Montlake Romance | Ardent Springs #2

When Caleb McGraw sweeps Snow Cameron off her feet, she never expects their whirlwind romance to lead to a Vegas wedding chapel. Before she can catch her breath, Caleb starts talking kids and college funds while his wealthy parents make their disapproval painfully clear. Convinced she was blinded by lust, not love, Snow takes off for Ardent Springs, Tennessee, two months into the marriage.

Heir to a media conglomerate, Caleb never experienced struggle or rejection, until Snow sends him on a wild hunt for his runaway bride. When he finally finds her—managing a curiosity shop beloved by the quirky locals—she agrees to give the marriage another chance, but on one condition: no sex for a month. Can their love stand the test, or will they give in to their attraction?

In this humorous and heartwarming Ardent Springs romance, two lost hearts start over in a town where everyone deserves a second chance and love always wins in the end.