Review: Love in Due Time by L.B. Dunbar

Love in Due Time by L.B. Dunbar
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has some unique characters. They are both older, and by that I mean late 30’s so they are more mature in their decision making, have jobs, and are generally more responsible. We have Nathan who in his youth toyed with joining the Wraiths but now he’s a single dad who has moved back to Green Valley to be closer to family and raise his two daughters. Our female lead, Naomi is a librarian who also happens to be Wiccan. She is shunned from the locals because they don’t understand her and think she’s a “witch”. She has a lot of guilt and pent up trauma from her very strict religious childhood.

Nathan and Naomi met years ago and had a one night stand. They had an instant connection but life happened and they went their separate ways. When they run into each other at the library, that old connection flares once again.

Throughout the book Naomi says something to the effect of “I’m going to be bad at this” or “I’m so bad at this”. She’s supposed to be this independent woman who doesn’t care what other people think, tied to nature and a goddess who empowers women. The constant self-deprecation got old and really detracted from the romance element. I wanted her to heal from her past trauma and become empowered by her relationship and get over the guilt and shame she felt, but it was always present in almost every scene. I just found it distracting.

Once you get past that, it really was a good story. If you like slow burn, second chance romances with a bit of an edge give this a read. Nathan does a really great job being patient with Naomi as she comes to terms with who she is and what she wants. She eventually realizes that it truly is OK to want things and that she needs to let go of the past. He accepts her quirks and never asks her to change. He is sweet and makes every attempt to get to know her. Naomi has a lot to figure out, but so does Nathan. At almost 40 Naomi is finally able to figure out that is OK to want a companion in her life and that doesn’t take away from the person she has become. Nathan comes to the conclusion that he wants Naomi in his life a little quicker, but he is up for the challenge of convincing her. They make a good couple. The element with the Wraiths adds a darker element to the story that keeps things interesting because they are so unpredictable.

I'm looking forward to more from this series and getting to know some of the side characters, like Naomi's sister and the other librarians.

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