The Choices I've Made by J.L. Berg

 I'm super pleased with the Choice I Made to read this book!  

The Choices I've Made by J.L. Berg  (#1 in the By The Bay series)

The official blurb:

Death has a way of changing you...

After my mom passed, I couldn't seem to stand still. I couldn't be me anymore. So, with nothing more than a few boxes and a beat up truck, I left behind my old life at the tender age of eighteen.

And I never looked back.

Twelve years later, I find myself traveling back to the sandy shores of that North Carolina town where my late father has left me his medical practice. Coming here means facing my past... My memories... And her--Molly McIntyre.

Growing up, Molly had been my entire world, first as a childhood friend and then so much more. We'd made promises to each other back then. Promises I broke when I walked away. And now that I'm back? Well, let's just say she's not exactly the head of my welcoming committee. But even she can't deny the undeniable spark that still burns so brightly between us and soon, we're tumbling fast and hard into the past.

But I need to keep my eyes set to the future, because mine isn't here in this dead end town. Not anymore.

All Molly has ever known is here, on this small island. Could I really ask her to give it all up? For me? If I walk away again, will she follow?

My Review: 

💗💗💗💗

Twelve years ago, Jake left the small town where he grew up, leaving Molly behind.   So much has changed in those twelve years and his father's funeral makes it a necessary trip back 'home'.     When he runs into his old friend Dean, he certainly doesn't imagine his coming back home is going to happen anything like it did.     But funny how even though so much has changed, the most important thing hasn't changed at all. 

I LOVED this book - I devoured it in one day.  It had a surprising twist right out of the gate which sent the story on a path that you wouldn't have imagined just from reading the blurb.    So much emotion as Jake realizes that his feelings for Molly never went away, despite of the path that her life has taken in those twelve years.   

The Choices I've Made is the first book in J.L. Berg's By the Bay series, but there's no cliffhanger, which is always my favorite way to end a book.  But I do plan on continuing on with the series!!!