Facial Recognition by Jennifer Peel

Synopsis:

For her, it was love at first sight. For him, love wasn't an option.

Twenty years ago, Gracie Cartwright became the first prom queen in the history of Pecan Orchard High School to be stood up. Now, she's on a mission to plan the ultimate high school reunion and get the prom night she always envisioned. All she has to do is find the perfect date. But after going on thirty-five blind dates, she's losing hope that she'll find Mr. Right--or at least Mr. Right Now. Then Brooks Hamilton, the man she knew she was meant to marry, walks into her spa for a facial massage. Too bad she's never forgiven him for standing her up at prom all those years ago. If that isn't enough, she finds out he's dating her nemesis and he's a divorce lawyer who doesn't believe in marriage. And what's worse is, he doesn't recognize her.

However, when Brooks's estranged father falls ill, the pair are thrown together and sparks fly when the old friends butt heads about almost everything. But despite the tension, it doesn't take long for Brooks to recognize that maybe he made a huge mistake letting Gracie go all those years ago. But is it enough for him to let his guard down and admit he was wrong about relationships and give Gracie the prom night she always dreamed of? Or will they miss out on the love that's been right in front of their faces the entire time?

My Review: 5 Stars

I feel like I've been saying this a lot lately but, where do I start with this review?!

One of the best feelings in the world is seeing one of your favorite authors release their newest book baby. I'm not going to lie, this girl right here did all kinds of squealing and happy dancing around her bedroom while cancelling any and all plans that would take away from reading this book. I knew the moment I picked it up, I would not be putting it down until I finished it. Somewhere between the beginning and ending of chapter one, I was transported to Pecan Orchard where I was able to immerse myself in all things Gracie and Brooks.

I felt an instant connection to Gracie. She and I could bond over bad first dates. One of my bad dates involved Disneyland, chicken and my little purse. Long story. But I still remember driving away from his house, waving goodbye and smiling at him while saying under my breath... no wonder you're divorced. You're poor ex-wife. And don't even get me started on the guy who's divorce wasn't final (he slipped and mentioned it) who tried to order my food for me because what I chose wasn't "healthy" enough for him. The jerk wouldn't even let me get dessert. How rude is that?! Buuuuuut... I digress. Gracie is one of the best heroines ever. It should come as no surprise that she quickly became one of my favorites. We could all use a Gracie in our lives!

While I loved Gracie instantly, Brooks was a different story. It took a little while for me to warm up to him. I lost count of how many times I wanted to Gibbs slap the man upside the head with a cast iron skillet. To say he knew how to push my buttons is an understatement. But once he stopped being a putz and started opening up, I found myself slowly falling in love with him as well. Even though I really dislike everything he did, I understood his reasons why. Love, patience and forgiveness play a huge role for both Brooks and Gracie. Their story is heartachingly beautiful and I loved every minute of it.

The thing that made this already amazing book even better is the side characters. Y'all they had me busting out laughing at times. They said and did all the right things when it came to Gracie. They were hilarious and so fun! I'm glad we have two more books in this series. I'm nowhere near ready to say goodbye to my new best friends!

Y'all, I can always count on Ms. Peel to deliver a phenomenal book. She really knows how to write a good love story that will have you feeling all the feels and thinking about all the characters long after you close the book. I don't know about you, but I look forward to reading her books over and over and over again. It's no wonder she's one of my favorite authors. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!

And of course I can't forget my casting. Y'all... I'm in love with these two! What do you think?