Resurrecting Phoenix by Isabel Lucero

Anniversaries are usually occasions worth celebrating, but when your fourth wedding anniversary is also the first anniversary of your husband’s death, you’ll only want to drink your sorrows away. And that’s exactly what Phoenix Nightingale does. 

In the small town of Breckshire Wyoming, everybody knows everybody, so when Evan Tyler walks into the same bar she’s drowning her grief in, Phoenix knows that he’s new in town. What she doesn’t know is that he’s just moved in a few houses down from her and is about to try his hardest to break through the wall she’s had up for a year. 

Phoenix has experienced a tragedy that nobody ever wants to experience. In the year following her husband’s death, she’s had what her parent’s considered embarrassing public meltdowns, and lost some friends along with her career. Just as she feels she’s at her very lowest, Evan barges into her life, forcing her to get out of the house and look at life a little differently. 

He vows to help her, encouraging her to rise from the ashes and live once again. Evan doesn’t know that just by being in her life, he’s bound to send her into a tailspin, because both of them are keeping things from each other, and Phoenix may not be strong enough to handle what she finds out. 

Will she pull him into the dark with her, or will he be able to resurrect Phoenix, freeing her from the depths of her depression, and show her that surviving isn’t the same as living?

This is one where I actually read the blurb! (I usually don't)

 I had read one of Isabel's books before and absolutely loved it! 

Mix her writing with tragedy, loss, and tears and I was in!!

Well, this definitely had the tragedy, it had the loss, but unfortunately for me, my tears didn't come. 

Phoenix has quite the sad story. She copes with it the only way she feels she can.

Evan is the sexy new guy in town. He's attentive, caring, funny and charming. I loved him!

I did enjoy this story. It was a really nice read, pretty easy going with bouts of laughter and sweetness to balance out the loss and sadness.

But, I did feel like it was a little too perfect and put together.

Yes there were hardships and hurdles, but they all seemed to be easily overcome. 

Certain things fell right into place, making it a little too convenient and 'after school special' for me.

I was longing for a little more grit and little more gut wrenching.