Return to Me (Covington Cove, #1) by Kelly Moran
Romance Contemporary
Paperback
March 3, 2015
Berkley

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “You were worth losing everything for.”

The first in the Covington Cove series, Return To Me is a poignant romantic contemporary of lost love and second chances. A classic trope of star-crossed lovers who tried to overcome their social/economic barriers only to be forced apart by the manipulations of family, misunderstandings, and lies. Simmering chemistry and heartbreaking reveals will leave you smiling and sniffling as you watch two former lovers try to find away to forgive each other and themselves for decisions made in the past. Engaging dialogue keeps the story flowing along at a steady pace as a young woman braves her demons to help her first love come to grips with his pain and guilt over the past.

Heavily character driven, the story places a majority of its focus on Cole Covington. Mia fell in love with Cole as a teenager. Her mother was his family’s maid and even though she was repeatedly warned not to engage with the Covington’s, Cole in particular, she was powerless to stay away from him and soon their attraction blossomed to love. When Cole and Mia make plans to run away, Cole’s family interferes and threats are made to Mia. Cole uses lies to push her away in an effort to save her and in a series of tragic circumstances, Cole not only loses Mia but also his older brother. Cole’s guilt pushes him to join the military; not to return until he is injured and receives a medical discharge. In an effort to avoid his family and the world, he purchases the family estate at Covington Cove and disappears inside, refusing to speak or see anyone. Cole’s sister Lacey is determined to bring him back into the world and calls on the one person who may be able to break through the shell Cole has erected.

When Cole sent Mia away, she did everything possible to forget the boy she loved and heal the heart he shattered. When his sister calls her for help, she can’t resist the money she is offered or the chance to see Cole again. Even if for only a little while. But Cole is different. Angry, bitter, and riddled with guilt. Scarred from an IAD and suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, Cole is not the boy she knew from the past. Seeing Cole again causing cracks in her own shell, bringing back all the pain, sorrow, and anger,  especially when new information comes to light and Mia realizes just how much she and Cole lost that fateful night.

Though touted as a romance, there is much more involved than simply rediscovering a lost love. Moran juggles quite a few popular tropes, expertly blending them into the story with hardly a blip. A journey of self discovery, sacrifice, and revelations as Cole learns to forgive himself for the difficult choices he made and the consequences that resulted.  Emotionally structured with a strong vein of realism and dry humor, it’s easy to submerge yourself into Cole’s story and feel for everything he has had to deal with then and now. His parents not only took away his choice, they tried to take away his life and replace it with a version of their own. When Mia appears back in his life, Cole is at a loss. His walls start crumbling and no amount of shoring will bring them back to their previous strength. He never thought to see her again and he can’t help but remember how she left…and why.

Moran does a fabulous job of revealing the layers of Cole and Mia, presenting their story in the past and present and letting us see the changes that have been wrought. As I stated earlier, I do feel this is more Cole’s story and the bulk of the flashbacks and emotional catharsis is on his part. I enjoyed Mia and Cole as individuals and as a couple. Mia is a pragmatic, compassionate woman who uses humor and some tough love approach to help Cole through his recovery. Cole has years of self loathing and conditioning to overcome. Though he is initially resistant, he eventually opens up and allows for the changes Mia brings into his life. The friendship and love that was apparent in their past never left and slowly begins to resurface, deepening and maturing due to the time that has passed.

Moran doesn’t give us an easy fix to Cole and Mia’s relationship. The characters have to work hard to repair the damage to their lives and hearts. You can feel the anger, resentment, confusion, and hurt rolling off both of them. Moran slowly addresses what happened in their past though she does so in a way that moves them forward. It’s painful as you watch these two struggle to cope with being in each others space again; especially when certain events come to light.

The main conflict resolves in a predictable fashion though the path is an intriguing journey as we watch Cole and Mia reacquaint themselves with the adults they have become. Various subplots also wrap up, giving Cole the closure he desperately needed.

Return To Me is an emotionally moving contemporary that addresses life, love, loss and the power of forgiveness. While this was my first time reading Moran, it won’t be my last. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, All Of Me, which is set to release September 1, 2015 through Berkley.

RATING: B

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