Barefoot in White (Barefoot Bay Brides Trilogy, #1) by Roxanne St. Claire

Title: Barefoot in White (Barefoot Bay Brides) (Volume 1)

Classification: Adult Fiction

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Barefoot Bay Brides
Format: Paperback; 336 pages
Publisher: South Street Publishing (May 3, 2014)
ISBN-10: 098837367X
ISBN-13: 978-0988373679

Author's Website: http://www.roxannestclaire.com/

Notes: I was given an eARC by the publisher, but I also bought it because I wanted a print copy for my keeper collection.

We've all experienced moments in our lives when we've wished there was a do over option. A part of our own history we wish we could rewrite or erase. For Willow Ambrose the time period she'd like to forget includes the majority of her life. Fighting a life long battle of the bulge, she's finally won the good fight and now sees the world in terms of 'The Before' and 'The After'. Anyone whom she'd known from 'The Before' time period she's broken ties with leaving them to lie buried like the life she's put to rest and never wishes to remember. Unfortunately, the past has a way of coming back to haunt us and when a guy from her past finds his way into a wedding party being held at Barefoot Bay, she's forced to deal with her inner demons. Sometimes the best way to deal with the past is to face it dead on, see it for what it is, accept it and move on because our pasts are a part of us that make us who we are.

I always love Roxanne's books and this one's no exception. I was a little leery at the beginning because Nick Hershey, a gorgeous Navy Seal on medical discharge with the nickname Kiss (get it--hershey's kiss?), was a guy Willow had once propositioned to be her first lover. At the time Willow had been twice her present size and the humiliating answer had been a definite 'No'. I couldn't help but wonder if Willow's weight hadn't been the part of the equation that had tilted the balance towards Nick's answer of no. Luckily, that did not end up being the case.

Willow is strong, smart, brave, and more forgiving than I am. Granted, as she walked in on the man as he was butt naked (along with other things) she didn't have much of a choice but to face him in that moment of  mayhem and confusion. Over the past several years, she's taken control of her life and managed to lose a lot of weight which is admirable because it takes a lot of self control and will power. She's realized she can't rewrite her past so she's opted to erase it.

Nick is a sweet, sexy, nice guy who always tries to do the right thing. He's gorgeous and has a tendency to wander around his rental naked. He's been nicknamed by the majority of the women at the resort "the man of dishonor" because they all want to do dishonorable things with him. He has things in his past he'd also like to rewrite. In fact, he's literally attempting to do just that by writing a semi autobiographical book where he rewrites events the way he'd wished they'd turned out. He's suffering from an overwhelming sense of guilt about events that were pretty much out of his control. He's agreed to step in for one of his best friend's sister's, as man of honor, because his friend is out on active duty and won't be able to fill the position himself. He's hoping that by coming to Barefoot Bay he'll be able to find his creative muse and finally write the ending of his true life story his way. 

What I adored about the story was the repeated theme that you can't rewrite history. It is what it is and can't be changed. That is so true and I love how Willow and Nick are each other's trigger for coming to that realization. I also loved the way Nick handles things this time around. You may not be able to rewrite history, but you can definitely learn from it. 

I gave this one 4 1/2 roses. It's a great uplifting light read that will leave you with a smile on your face and an extra step to your walk. A funny, lighthearted, and sweet combination perfect for reading this summer on the beach or by the pool. Granted, it may make the temperature seem a little hotter than it truly is and make you sigh once or twice, but you can probably get away with blaming it (if someone should chance to notice) on the sun. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.