I read this book via an Amazon-US KINDLE download.

While this book fits this genre quite well, I feel it also might be suitable for the more mature YA reader as well.

Young lovers who seemed to be smitten by each other from time to time make errors, errors which can and will have a profound effect on their lives. The biggest of these is when the young woman and high school senior winds getting pregnant by the guy she’s apparently in love with. In this book by the author, Eichin Chang-Lim, Kayla O’Neill is the young woman and Russell Mancini is the guy.

Given his age, I loved the fact he accepted his responsibility for having given into temptation, violating his Catholic faith in causing Kayla to become pregnant because of the premarital sex they had engaged in.

Fate as a way of making things happen, which is how Russell wound being in the wrong place and at the wrong time, and winds up being incarcerated in federal prison for seven years. Seven years is not bad when you consider it might have been much longer. He had gotten the shorter sentence because of the saving factors which came out during the trial, which the judge had thoughtfully taken into when he pronounced Russell’s sentence:

“Mr. Mancini, although you have been found guilty on all charges, in light of the fact that you are a first-time offender, your gainful employment, and your apparently sincere remorse, the court has decided not to sentence you to maximum term proposed by the prosecution.”

Kayla had a hard time in staying committed to her marriage, but due to her love for Russell, and her desire to keep their family together, she succeeded.
As would be expected, Russell had an extremely difficult time in finding work so he could be the husband and father he’s determined to be.

Love might be a splendid thing, but being a child of the 1950’s, the song “Young Love, First Love” by Sonny James came to mind my mind as I read this book:

They say for every boy and girl
There's just one love in this whole world
And I know I've found mine
The heavenly touch of your embrace
Tells me no one could take your place
Ever in my heart

Young love (young love), first love (first love)
Filled with true devotion
Young love (young love), our love (our love)
We share with deep emotion……..

Fate had thrown Russell a curve ball which landed him in federal prison for the past seven years. Did fate have an ultimate reason for allowing this to happen? Will fate now come back and set things for Russell and his reunited family, so he can provide them with everything a good husband and father should? I’m not saying. But I am giving Ms. Chang-Lim the 5 STARS this book deserves. ( )