Interesting romance with an unexpected ending. ( )

Every once in a while I come across a women's fiction novel that simply takes my breath away, and right now that novel is Always With You by author Andrea Hurst.

Always With You is a beautifully written story about friendship, soulmates, choices, and true love. Set in the picturesque Sonoma / Napa Valley wine country of California, the reader is transported back to the Summer of 1977 when a man and woman unexpectedly meet and feel the pull of attraction that transcends time, as if they were soul mates. But there is just one major problem that stands in the way of their love, the man is married to the woman's friend and has a four year old daughter. So what does one do when you have an affair of the heart that has strings of marriage and friendship attached to it? What choices do you make when you know the decision you make is going to affect the ones you love? So prepare yourself for the unfolding of Cathy and Jamie's love story, it is one that will pull at your heart strings and stir your soul.

Always With You is a poignant and timeless love story that easily captivated me from beginning to end. The author weaves an enchanting tale that begins with a prologue set in the present - the Summer of 2007, and then she transports the reader thirty years in the past to the Summer of 1977 where Cathy and Jamie's story unfolds like fine wine from the Sonoma / Napa Valley wine country. An unexpected chance meeting leaves Cathy and Jamie with a sense of deja vu ... only to have them meet once again a week later when Cathy hosts her old high school friend Pam and her family at her house while Pam's husband interviews for an executive chef's position at various wine country establishments. Cathy is surprised to find that Pam's husband is Jamie, the man who has been on her mind and in her dreams since their chance meeting. Both feel the pull of attraction, but an obligation of marriage and a little four year old daughter stand in the way, what do you do when you have a forbidden love for someone who is unattainable? Their poignant journey takes the reader on a roller coaster ride where they experience the full gamut of emotions ... from joy to pain, love and loss, it is a story of the complexities and power of true love that withstands the test of time.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the author's wonderfully rich descriptions of the time period and setting. She easily transports the reader back to sights and sounds of the Summer of 1977 in the picturesque Sonoma / Napa Valley wine country. Her vivid descriptions of the wine country locales and landmarks is stunning, it reads like a travel guide that entices the reader to want to take a vacation in California's wine country. And if that isn't enough, the author provides the reader with yummy food references throughout the story that will simply make your mouth water. With food, wine, and love interwoven within a compelling storyline, is there anything else that a reader could ask for?

Always With You is a beautiful story about love, friendship, and difficult life choices. It is a story that takes the reader on an emotional journey that spans thirty years, and will stay with them long after the last word has been read.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2014/11/always-with-you-by-andrea-hurs... ( )