Jane and Ethan were best friends for years. Jane wanted it to be something more but Ethan never seemed receptive so Jane never found the courage to tell him how she really felt. Then Ethan got engaged to another woman. Jane knew that the woman was all wrong for him but she also know that if she said anything she would just come across as jealous. She couldn't bear to stand by and watch Ethan with someone else, especially when the relationship was a huge mistake, so she drifted out of Ethan's life. Even after Ethan broke the engagement Jane didn't renew the friendship because she couldn't continue to be “just friends”.
Four years pass with no contact between them, but Jane is never able to completely let go of her feelings for Ethan. The rest of her life is going well. She has friends and her stationery business is a success, but something is missing. She wants to marry and have children, but she can't get interested in other men because she still is still dreaming of Ethan. She realizes that she has to find a way to tell him her feelings and find out once and for all if there's any hope for a relationship. She can't bring herself to simply approach him out of the blue after so many years so she needs to find a way to introduce the idea more gradually. The fact that Valentine's Day is coming up gives Jane an idea. She decides that in the weeks leading up to the holiday she will send Ethan a series of anonymous cards expressing her feelings. Then on Valentine's Day she'll reveal herself as the author and hope that Ethan is intrigued enough to give them a chance.
Unfortunately after she sends the first card her store is vandalized. Ethan is the assistant police chief so it's his job to investigate. Being thrown back together renews their friendship, but there is also the spark of something more. Jane finds herself torn between continuing with her plan and trying a more direct approach.
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I liked both Jane and Ethan and I felt that their story made sense. I could understand why their relationship had been platonic in the past. Ethan was comfortable with the friendship and focused on his career. He had no interest in doing anything that would disrupt his routine. Like most other people, Jane was afraid of rejection. They live in a small town and she knows that if Ethan doesn't return her feelings she won't be able to stand living in such close proximity to him and will have to move. I also understood how a four year separation could cause Ethan to see Jane in a different light, even without the help of the Valentines.
Grade: B
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