Maria Rose's Reviews > Madly

Madly by Ruthie Knox is the second book in her New York series, and one I’ve been anticipating for a while. The two main characters have been introduced previously in other stories by the author and are not a pairing I would have ever guessed would happen, but the result is a delightful mix of British charm and American bravado in an emotional and sexy romance.

Winston Chamberlain doesn’t quite know how he ended up where he is now – in New York, divorced, barely keeping up with his college-attending daughter whom he followed to America. Long workaholic days keep him from thinking overly much about where his decidedly dismal life is headed. Stepping into a pub one day changes all that in one fell swoop.

Allie Fredericks is on a mission. She’s followed her midwestern mother from Wisconsin all the way to New York and is determined to discover once and for all where her mother disappears to periodically for weeks at a time, and why. Her worst fears are that she’s having a long term affair, a belief reinforced by the knowledge that she’s not the biological child of her father but of an artist known as Justice. With a little ingenuity (and inappropriate password use) she’s tracked her mom and Justice to a bar and is keeping a covert eye on them out of sight until the tall, handsome Brit walks into the bar and impedes her view. Just like that, Winston is drawn into Allie’s spy game. One thing leads to another and a sexy fling ensues while Allie tries to find out what her mom is up to. But New York isn’t home for either of them. When the adventure is over, is their time together destined to become just a bittersweet memory?

I loved this story! Allie’s impetuous decision to follow her mother to New York has real life consequences. Having previously left a groom at the altar, a man who continues to insinuate himself into her life back home to her dismay (he’s a nice guy, everyone says so!), and now planning a wedding anniversary party for her parents that might not happen, she’s in a bit of panic. Winston, drawn into her spy game, becomes a steadying influence for her. She ends up staying at the apartment he’d gotten for his daughter Bea (who insists on living at her college dorm). Two strangers, they have a surprisingly easy camaraderie that results in sharing some intimate secrets, and this leads to a list – yes, that kind of list (wink, wink). With no vested interest in the outcome of each others lives (at least at first), they can confide anything to each other without fear of reprisal or condemnation. I really enjoyed watching them open up to each other, both sexually and emotionally.

While Winston and Allie are growing closer, there are significant happenings going on in their family relationships. Winston’s struggles to be a worthy father to Bea and a better brother to Nev (whose relationship to his partner Cath he almost destroyed) are noteworthy. He really wasn’t that nice of a guy before, and only since his divorce and move to New York has he come to grips with the mistakes he’s made. Allie is not at all a woman he would have ever considered dating before, but her refreshing candor and zest for life draw him in.

Allie has her own challenges, her relationship with her sister May fraught with tension and resulting in several emotional scenes. Her confusion and worry over her mother’s actions, and the knowledge that her father is not related to her biologically lead her to make several decisions that aren’t necessarily the right ones, though it’s only in her trying to fix everything and make everyone else happy that she realizes how miserable she is. The author has a wonderful way of drawing you into her characters and making you feel invested in the outcome of everyone’s lives, not just the main couple.

There are some surprising twists and turns in the second half of this delightful story, and some tears, laughter, and joy when all’s said and done. Everyone gets a happy ending, including Winston and Allie. Madly is a delightful romp exploring family and friendship and love in Ruthie Knox’s unmatched style.

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A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.