Summit of Desire: A Relationship in Trouble Small Town Romance

3.75 stars. I received this book for an honest review. I should start off by saying that this book is a first in a trilogy, however, it's actually the 5th in a series. While it can be read as a stand-alone, it would be much more enjoyable and informative to have read the others in the series first so one would be more familiar with the back story of various supporting characters. It's a sweet love story that shows that love is rarely simple. The main character, Kylie, knows she loves Malcolm, but finds herself not only dealing with issues from her past, but needing to figure out who she is as an individual. Malcolm just wants to take care of Kylie, the love of his life, but tends to present this in an over-bearing, controlling manner. It's a bit cliche, and yet something many couples struggle with and must grapple with in order to move forward. The need for clear communication, the fact that it often takes awhile to figure out what is wrong, who we are, and what we want, is very real and applicable to most of us. It's a sweet, easy-to-read story that many of us can relate to. I love that the story ends where a side character's story takes off. I am eager to pick up the next book right away and continue on with these likable and relatable characters.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm a new reader to Elena Aitken, but I enjoyed this novel. I can't wait to read about Seth and Cynthia. I enjoyed this novel because it showed that a waitress, who doesn't really know what she wants to do with her life, and a successful businessman can have a HEA. Although I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, I did find it slow. Kylie was so slow in figuring out her life. I thought she'd never "find" herself! I liked her as a character and I understood her doubts in regards to her relationship with Malcolm, but it took her forever to figure out what she wanted in life. She had dreams to become a nurse, but wouldn't pursue them until she was "pushed" to. She felt she wasn't good enough for Malcolm, but wouldn't talk to him about her issues and fears. They were a couple who didn't communicate!!! Malcolm was totally clueless as well. He wanted to take care of Kylie, but she didn't want him to. She wanted to take care of herself. In her anger, she hurts Malcolm in a way that she knows will probably be the end of them. She kisses his twin brother Marcus and Malcolm sees the kiss. So, there's a bit of a triangle issue too. While I truly enjoyed this novel and can't wait to read Seth's story, I do wish Kylie would've been a stronger woman--more decisive! This novel ends with a HEA and is not a cliffhanger! Yay!

I enjoyed the book overall, it was well written with the perfect blend of drama and romance. The only issue that I had though was with Kylie. I didn't like how indecisive she was and that she did what she did on New Years Eve (no spoilers from me). There's no way that I could do that and expect my significant other to just stand there and be okay with it. There was very little communication between Kylie and Malcolm, which was frustrating because that's very important in any kind of relationship. I really didn't see the two of them staying together because of the lack of communication (among other things) and was very surprised at the ending. Even though Kylie wasn't sure what she wanted, Malcolm kept pushing into her life and kept showing how much he loved her and wanted to be with her. In the end, you do get the HEA.