Day Dreaming by Carrie Thorne

A charming and emotional addition to her cozy mountain romance series, Day Dreaming (A Foothills Romance Novel, Book 7) by Carrie Thorne explores our capacity to gracefully grow and embrace second chances.

When Reed brings his two kids to Foothills for a summer of outdoor adventures, he never expects to fall for a hunky new neighbor, nor for that curious desire to be returned so wholeheartedly. Expanding on the Foothills series, Thorne’s novel centers on LGBT love in all its complexity and depth, without tokenizing the relationship or falling back on superficial stereotypes. Refreshingly, the story also depicts parenthood later in life, which is rarely a focus in literature or popular media, offering representation to those uniquely challenging and not uncommon experiences.

Through it all, Reed is a believable and admirable modern dad, endeavoring to raise a family and protect them from emotional baggage, without betraying his own desires and happiness. He has playful, almost childlike instincts, along with a level of intimacy and openness that is both refreshing and endearing. Evan is the perfect complement – bashful, earnest, and sensitive – and their chemistry on the page is palpable without being predictable.

On the technical front, there are scattered typos and the occasional line of awkward prose, but most of the writing echoes with authenticity. Balanced tidily between dreamy and steamy, the story begins as a summer fling, but ends as a reminder that great love often appears in unexpected and irrefutable ways.