REVIEW: When The Stars Come Out by Laura Trentham

In When The Stars Come Out by Laura Trentham, Willa Brown is working as a mechanic at the garage owned by the Abbott brothers. On the run from her past, it wasn’t her intention to stay in Cottombloom, but she quickly fell in love with the town. She also developed feelings for Jackson Abbott, but is convinced he only sees her as a co-worker. Jackson, however, is a quiet man better with cars than with woman. Still, he senses Willa is hiding something from him and his brothers. And while he wants to protect her and make her feel safe, will Willa be able to open herself up and trust him?

I enjoyed watching Willa and Jackson’s relationship develop from co-workers, to friends, then on to lovers. Their relationship isn’t rushed and builds itself up at a steady pace. Willa has a hard time opening up about her past but Jackson never pushes her. I liked how Jackson’s brothers accepted Willa and were willing to stand up for her, even knowing she was keeping secrets.

I was a little disappointed with how quickly Ford’s desire to sell his share of the garage was wrapped up, along with his reasoning. I felt if he just confided in his brothers, they could have worked together to figure something out instead of him going about it the way he did.

I was also somewhat disappointed with how quickly Willa’s issue was resolved and with the reunion with her father and stepmother. I would have liked to have gotten a better feel of how her stepmother felt about her return, considering things were strained between them when Willa left years earlier. Instead, the reunion was more focused on Willa and her father, which was understandable, but I still would have liked to have known how she was feeling. Overall, I felt Willa’s secret wasn’t something she should have run from; she should have confided in her father and let him help her. Instead, they lost years in their relationship.

Despite my issues with the book, I liked it. I thought it set up the next book nicely, and I’m looking forward to seeing how that story plays out.

Fans of the Cottonbloom series will enjoy this one, and I recommend it to those that enjoy small town romances mixed with a bit of mystery. While this is the fifth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
 

Book Info:

Publication: January 30, 2018 | St. Martin’s Paperbacks | Cottonbloom #5

Willa Brown never planned to stay in Cottonbloom. She was on the way to somewhere else when she landed there and found work at the Abbot brothers’ garage. . .and a sense of comfort and safety that she had never known. The same holds true for Jackson Abbott himself. With one glance in her direction, he can make Willa’s heart melt. But what begins as an unrequited crush turns into something far more powerful than Willa could have ever imagined. . .

Jackson’s most meaningful relationship has always been with his car—and he’s not afraid to admit it. Still, he can’t help but become emotionally entangled with his new star mechanic Willa, who is definitely hiding some dark secrets of her own beneath the hood. Jackson desperately wants Willa to trust him, and to seek protection in his arms. But even as the two slowly surrender to their shared attraction, the danger lurking in Willa’s past remains a stubborn obstacle. Can she open up enough to give them both a chance at having real and lasting love?