The Aftermath

Amy Matayo has done it again with The Aftermath, the second in her Love in Chaos series.

Riley Mae likes what she's doing. She gets the chance to spread a little sunshine with her cupcakes and goodies in Springfield, Missouri. She likes adding personal touches for each of her customers, and she faces the world with a smile on her face and her hair dyed bubble-gum pink. All that changes in an instant when her town is devastated by a tornado.

Chad Gamble is the insurance adjuster who comes into town to take stock of the damages. He's used to living in his brother Liam's shadow and seeing good things happen...to other people. He never gets the girl or wins the prize, he just tries to do the right thing.

Neither of them know it, but they both carry a lot of hurt due to their life experiences. The tornado and its aftermath bring them together, and as sometimes happens, sparks fly in unexpected places. Can they work through the baggage of the past, pain inflicted on them by others, to find their own happy ending?

This book, y'all. Romance is not my normal jam. I'm a sci-fi/fantasy/mystery girl. But I enjoyed The Waves so much, I jumped at the chance to read an early copy of The Aftermath. And it does not disappoint. Ms. Matayo writes real, relatable characters that seem like people you could know in real life. They aren't perfect, they don't always say and do the right thing. They mess up, and they struggle to redeem themselves. You want to hug them, and you cheer for them, and you want to smack them. Ms. Matayo's words create a world that you become part of when you read her books.

And I can so relate to Riley Mae. When she says, “So many are hurt, and all I want to do is bake something”? YES, girl. I understand that desire to provide comfort through food. I love Riley Mae. I also like that we get to see more of Chad in this book. We first met him in The Waves, and he was kind of a whiny prat, not really very likable. If you've read The Waves, I think you'll understand (and like ) Chad a lot more after reading The Aftermath.

The Aftermath is a quick read, and a worthwhile one. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in this series!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from the author. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.