Book Review: Always Been Yours: A Best Friends to Lovers Single Dad Romantic Suspense (Destiny Falls Book 2) by Alexa Rivers
Have you ever found yourself pondering just how complicated love can be, especially when intertwined with friendship? If so, you’re not alone! I was immediately drawn to Always Been Yours by Alexa Rivers, not just for its compelling title but also due to its promise of a small-town romance brimming with suspense. When love and danger collide, the stakes couldn’t be higher for the charming characters I was about to meet in Destiny Falls.
From the moment Grace Smith returns to Destiny Falls after a decade away, I felt her conflicting emotions resonate. She’s always pined for her best friend, Nate Braddock, a local police chief who’s now a single dad. Ah, the "best friends to lovers" trope—a classic that never fails to tug at the heartstrings! Grace’s internal struggle to transition from friend to something more serves as the backbone of the narrative, peppered with the potential for danger as shadows from her past creep back into her life.
Rivers deftly explores themes of love, secrets, and the complexities of family in this story. The character of Grace is multifaceted; she is both resilient and vulnerable, grappling with fears that threaten her newfound stability. I admired her courage while also wanting to shake her for keeping her secrets, which felt like a balancing act between survival and the pursuit of happiness. Nate, too, evolves in surprising ways. His protective instincts over Grace and his daughter, Tess, clash beautifully with his gradual realization of his deeper feelings for her.
One standout aspect of Rivers’ writing is her knack for creating tension, both romantic and suspenseful. The pacing felt just right as I journeyed through the highs and lows of the protagonists’ tumultuous relationship, and the suspense surrounding Grace’s past kept me on the edge of my seat. There were moments that made me gasp and plenty of plot twists that had me questioning everything—exactly what I crave in a good romantic suspense!
In addition, I appreciated the engaging side characters that rounded out the story. From Nate’s daughter to the mysterious new tenant, Ezra, each played a role in enriching the world of Destiny Falls. One quote that particularly struck me, “If he knew…he’d turn his back on me forever,” encapsulates the weight of Grace’s secrets while highlighting the fragility that underpins their friendship.
Always Been Yours is an inviting blend of romance and suspense, perfect for readers who enjoy stories where the heart and danger coexist. Fans of small-town dynamics, childhood crushes, and gripping suspense will find this book hard to resist. Whether you adore tender love stories with a good dash of thrill or have ever grappled with the ambiguity of friendship and romance, this book will resonate deeply.
After finishing this heartfelt tale, I found myself longing for the next installment in the Destiny Falls series. Rivers has a unique gift for drawing you into her characters’ lives, making you care about their joys and sorrows. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next, and I highly recommend diving into Always Been Yours. You might just find a piece of your own story reflected in Grace and Nate’s journey!