North Star by M.E. Montgomery

 Everyone who knew her wanted Mikayla Matthews as their friend. But in her love life, she never seemed to be good enough. After one betrayal too many, she packed up her shattered heart and moved across the state to start over. Losing herself in a new job, she is convinced no man will ever truly want her, not that she was willing to trust another to find out anyway.
Alex North found himself in the one role he never wanted - guardian of his nephew after his sister and best friend are killed. On unfamiliar territory as a dad, Alex gave up his bachelor lifestyle and worked to create a nurturing environment for five year old Aiden. Attempting to hold his new life together, he masked his pain and threw himself into being the rock for his family.
Brought together by fate on several occasions, Alex decides Mikayla is the key to heal not only Aiden, but himself. He recognizes that only she can offer him the kind of love he never thought he would find. Mikayla discovers she has the strength to give love a second chance as well as the courage to fight for it. Together they heal each other and begin to create a future together.
But not everyone supports them, and outside forces threaten to destroy all the happiness they have worked for. Will Alex and Mikayla be strong enough to hold together the fledgling family they are building? Or will the past and the present work together to rip them apart?

M. E. Montgomery has started her career with a first novel that invites the reader to the world of Alex and Kayla.  She created characters in this story that both have to overcome hardships that life placed in their way.  Finding their way through the darkness isn’t easy but when they find each other at a bar one night, they could have never realized that fate had just lit a flame that no one will be able to put out. 

Alex is a sexy man who has focused his attention on his career of designing homes.  Going through life making others dreams come true he finds himself at a cross roads in his own direction.  While standing at the graves of his sister and best friend he looks into the eyes of his nephew who has now become his son.  The fear of becoming responsible for any child is daunting, but when you haven’t even given any thought as to how to be a partner in a marriage, this idea of fatherhood left him drowning in the sea of fear and insecurity. 

Kayla had just moved her life to a new city to be closer to her best friend.  With her heart shattered by the actions of her ex-boyfriend and her self-esteem taking a long term vacation, she settles in as a substitute teacher at a prestigious elementary school.  Knowing she wasn’t ready to open her heart up to another man yet she threw herself into the young children she was teaching and the rare nights of socializing with her girlfriends on their girl’s only nights. 

When Alex and Kayla’s paths crossed, there was something that sparked but their fear and denial kept them apart.  It wasn’t till a late pick up at school and a less than graceful moment that they came face to face once again.  When she realized what that little boy had gone through and what his uncle had given up to give him a safe home, how could she not offer to help out?  What started out as friendship could become a family, if they would allow their hearts to be vulnerable.

The author took us on a journey with these three that will open your heart up to the miracle of the North Star.  Where events in life that shattered their hopes and all they knew to be real, could actually be the things that brought them to one another and will guide them to where they are meant to be.  It won’t be an easy road for them as some people from the past will want to challenge Alex’s right to raise his nephew and some will go to any lengths to make sure Kayla isn’t involved. 

I give major credit to this author for not only starting out her writing career with such a soul searching story but she went out of her way to make sure we understood the characters fears and personality.  If such attention to detail hadn’t been done I think I would have wanted to smack Kayla a few times for not jumping on that sexy man at the first chance.  It was clear they would benefit each other in life and both could fill a void for the little boy, but the author took the time for them to learn about each other and not rush into a relationship for the sake of the child and I highly respect that. 

Make sure you get your copy of this book and be ready for the next one.  This does end in a cliff hanger that will have your heart racing and your mind spinning but not to the point you want to throw your kindle across the room.  

I have to say this book totally surprised me.  I wasn't "in love" with the prolog because it was very different from what I had ever read before but after reading the first chapter it made sense.   Each author has their own writing technique and this one is definitely unique. To me personally, it was a nice change.  Everything I was sure I "figured out" early was proven wrong, which isn't easy to do with me usually!  I love the characters and the smooth way it flowed from chapter to chapter.  The end...

OMG the end!!!!!!!!!!!  That was the most surprising part of the story to me and I definitely am not happy that I have to wait for the next book to find out what happens next.  If there are any cruel moments of this book, the end would be it for me.

This is a book that I would consider a good present for my mother as well as my 16 year old daughter!

If you prefer the infamous rude, crude, and socially unacceptable stories then this book is definitely not for you, but if you are a "Hallmark Movie" fan, I say go buy it as soon as you can! 

Oh and Hallmark, if you are reading this, you may wanna consider making this book into a movie, I think it would be a huge success.

Kudos to the author, for her first book, I must say she has great talent and I can't wait to see what comes out next!

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