Crawling Over the Pages: Had To Be You by Juliet Chatham

After college, Rory Finn left behind the familiarity of her quiet, picturesque hometown to pursue a professional career in the city. With her sights firmly on the future, Rory pressed on in hopes of forgetting the past until a jarring bit of unwelcome news forces her to confront it.

Her first love, the one she'd tried so hard to forget, is about to marry someone else. That pang Rory feels isn't envy, it's not even regret. It's love. But Rory can't be that girl. She won't. But if she doesn't, she'll never know what could have been. She'll never have another chance to tell him how she feels.

As she embarks on an impulsive, desperate bid to win him back, her mission turns into an unexpected and emotional journey of rediscovery. HAD TO BE YOU explores a history of love from its tentative beginnings to what may just turn out to be its final bittersweet end, as Rory ignores her head and follows her heart.

Matt O’Shea lived in a loving and very supportive household. He has 3 siblings – Kevin, Danny, and Maura. He loves the small town life. He doesn’t aspire to have the greatest career but he wants to have a successful business to prove that he can offer something for his future wife. He doesn’t have a problem expressing his emotions. In short, he was a catch.

Rory Finn, on the other hand, grew up from a good and affluent family but all changed when her father left them for another family he apparently had. Her trust was severed. She grew up unsure of herself and fearing that the people she loved will just have a moment of realization before they leave her again. Her issues will soon threaten to destroy the only chance she had for a future with the man she absolutely loves.

Rory and Matt grew up together. They may have other friends but they always come first before the others. Matt had always been open about his feelings for her. They became a couple for two years before Rory came to New York to pursue her dreams but whenever she comes home they always treat each other like nothing bad happened before. They were in an on and off relationship but it eventually took its toll when Rory realized that Matt is serious in marrying his fiancée.

As Rory goes home to somehow impede the wedding, all their inner conflict will resurface. How will she prove that she won’t run this time? How will he prove that he was not her dad? How will they work on their relationship? Is Matt’s wedding doomed to fail or will he still push through with it?

What Rory failed to realize was that people have limitations. You wouldn’t find a guy nowadays who’s willing to wait for years and would patiently understand you knowing that he’s not secure in the assurances you gave him. Rory was so lucky to have someone like Matt. On the other hand, I think every woman wants assurance too. She wants to know that a man is ready to fight tooth and nail just to show her that he is determined to win her. It’s a proof of loyalty and a proof that he is as in love with her as she is with him.

Matt and Rory will learn the concept of communication in the end. They will learn to say what they really want and explain why things went bad. And in their struggle to come to terms with the person they had become, they still start to see each other in a new light and as a result they will be both emotionally ready to grab their chance at love the second time around.

A lifelong New Englander, I divide my time between the North Shore and Cape Cod. My favorite things are beaches, boats, books, bars, the Boston Red Sox and boys, but not necessarily in that order. Consequently, you’ll probably find that these are the things I write about, too.

Had To Be You by Juliet Chatham - Blog Tour, Book Review & Giveaway