cover image The Gate to Everything

The Gate to Everything

Ava Miles. Ava Miles, $4.99 mass market (326p) ISBN 978-1-940565-47-7

Media attention complicates life for two lovers in this inviting contemporary romance. Chef Grace Kincaid and NFL star Jordan Dean broke up due to Jordan’s hectic schedule and excessive media pressure. But the separation is short-lived when Grace discovers she’s pregnant. Jordan offers to move her into a replica of her dream house, which he built as a surprise for her; after she left him, he started building another home for himself right next door. Will their love for each other and the baby make them a family, or are they destined to be amicable neighbors, separated by the garden gate? The prologue neatly summarizes Jordan and Grace’s backstory and sets up the conflicts that led to their breakup. Naturally flowing dialogue captures the closeness between the two protagonists. Their interactions with Grace’s mother showcase their history and emotional turmoil, as well as Grace’s love for Jordan and dislike of the social expectations and media attention around his personal life. Jordan’s and Grace’s alternating perspectives give the story momentum and effectively reveal Jordan’s past as well as his fears when he realizes he will be a father. The constant love, and the tasteful sexual interludes, bring a sensual, dynamic tension to this appealing story. (BookLife)