Failure to Thrive

by Katharine Sweet

Russell Hulston really knows how to screw up. Five years ago, he landed in prison after beating up the wrong guy in a bar fight. Recently paroled and on house arrest, he starts a new job at the local hospital cafeteria, searching for a fresh start. Sitting in his car in the summer sun, waiting for his first shift to start, Russ notices a single mom in distress. Despite her feisty son's best efforts, Russ intervenes and carries the woman into the hospital, having no clue how much this one decision will alter his life.

Aster Reign desperately wants to start over. She finally left her emotionally abusive husband with her son in tow, and the last thing she needs is to end up in the hospital. But when the sarcastic, soft-spoken tattooed man from the cafeteria offers her safety and shelter for the summer, she jumps at the chance to find some stability for herself and her son.

If anyone doesn't belong in a trailer park, it's Aster. Yet, somehow, she and her son seem to fit right in, building treehouses, learning to cook, and making friends. Russ starts thinking that maybe he can do something truly meaningful for once, that maybe he finally found where he belongs.

Can this trailer park be safe harbor that allows them to overcome the ghosts of their pasts?

If you love found family, forced proximity, and watching two characters find their way to each other in spite of the utter blindness to what's right in front of them...this cozy romance is for you.

Genres: Contemporary

281 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 12, 2024

Reviews

[Ashley Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this book, and I’m in love! 🩷 The way the mom’s strength shines through as she fights to build a better life is so inspiring. Watching the characters form a beautiful bond, especially with a sweet, spirited kid at the heart of it all, completely warmed my heart. It’s a story of finding safety, trust, and a new sense of family. If you love found family, second chances, and strong single moms, this one’s a must-read!

[Danielle Renno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Russ is a parolee. Aster is a single mom with an abusive husband that she is looking to escape. Throw in the mix of an 8 year old child trying to find their way in life, what could go wrong?

I thoroughly enjoyed this dual POV story. Getting to see how Russ grew after his prison sentence was just.....chefs kiss! I also really enjoyed the growth that the author had Aster explore in both friendships, work environments, familiar relationships, and....best of all....dealing with the (ex) husband!

Please be mindful to check trigger warnings. However, if you like dual POV, slow burn, open door spice, forced proximity, and a healthy dose of starting over - this would be the perfect book for you to pick up!

[Jess VandenBoom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Russ is trying to find his footing after being paroled, moving into a new place under house arrest, and starting a new job in a hospital kitchen. Aster, recently divorced with few resources and no support, briefly stays at the hospital as a patient with her protective young son Liam. Russ asks his grandmother to help Aster and Liam get comfortable in the hospital, and when Aster is discharged, she encourages them to move in with Russ while they find their own footing. This dual-POV story follows Russ as he learns how to better manage his emotions, and Aster and Liam as they recover from years of emotional abuse.

This is definitely a cozy, slow romance, though the characters are each recovering from challenging histories. Russ and Liam’s interactions are delightful, especially as they begin to trust each other. Liam needles at Russ to test boundaries and Russ teaches Liam to cook to prevent his trailer from burning down. Aster learns to be comfortable in her own skin, and all three of them become something like family, make new friends, and build a community around themselves.

“See, I’m not above fighting a nine-year-old. He better watch his back.”
“Noted. I’ll make a fight poster for his birthday.” She posed like a boxer with her fist up. “It’ll be a match for the ages.”
Russ stifled his laughter so he wouldn’t wake Liam. “You are sneakily funny.”
“Laughter jumpscares.”

My rating gives a little grace. This book isn’t published traditionally and would benefit from a bit more editing. There are some spelling and grammar errors and missing words, especially frequent in the last quarter of the book. At a few points, the characters’ responses to a situation seem out of step with how they have been characterized. And I did get a bit of the ick every time Russ calls Liam “Pup”. If you can approach this book with a little patience for some editing opportunities, you should enjoy a sweet romance with a cute found family and lovely friendships.

[Brigid Auclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a fun read, though the typos throughout it were a bit annoying. The start of the book felt a bit overwhelming as you're immediately dropped into the story, but I quickly settled into the book and found myself loving the characters more and more as each chapter went by. It was really interesting to learn about each character, their past, and watch their journey moving forward. I loved the way the book slowly revealed more to us about the characters over time and that there were a couple surprises towards the end of the book.

The main characters had a really sweet dynamic with each other. Their relationship felt like it moved at a realistic pace and I loved watching them trust and depend on each other more over time. Also, all of the food descriptions in this book were great! Made me want to try each recipe too. Overall this book was really sweet and I enjoyed my time reading it. Definitely looking forward to see what this author creates next especially if it has some of the same characters from this book.

[Stormy Shadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

Set in 2004, grumpy/sunshine, cozy slow burn romance with spice, small town, second chance romance. I personally love how Russ is just his whole vibe I love! He’s a nurse and yes his life isn’t perfect and he’s made mistakes but he is such a caring person! I love how he connects with Aster which is just so romantic how he wants the best for her and even she is connected to Russ. I disliked how Aster’s son acted throughout most of the book like he is forbidding their love, it was just kinda annoying but I know Liam has good intentions. Liam comes to enjoy Russ as the story develops and it’s just so cute! The story is pretty deep and so are the characters. This story has very flawed characters which I absolutely love. The story is cute and I’m just happy that Russ and Aster find their love.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable book.
Russ is on parole and gets a job at the local hospital where he meets Aster and her son Liam. Through a chain of events, they all end up living in Russ's trailer.
There are several storylines that keep the reader invested. Aster and Russ's relationship, Liam and Russ's relationship, Aster's mental health journey and the meaning of family. Characters are all lovable and experience growth, and there is even a twist towards the end of the book.
I very much enjoyed it.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I needed tissues at page 30 when we met Grandma Marilyn. Tender, sweet and slow burn, this book was a perfect sweet spot for me. the right writing style, the right demographic, the right balance of secondary characters and mundane routines vs big events and it has earned a spot on my keeper shelf. normally I like a book and immediately hand it to a friend who will also love it but I won't be sharing my copy so they will have to get their own. loved it to bits and I see myself heading for the author's backlist.

[Aussie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am inlove with this book as the way the mom has strength that  just shines through was she fight to build a better  life that was soo very inspiring... I love  how the characters  that just form a bond soo amazing and beautiful especially with a spirited kid at heart of it all .. Just completely  melts my heart...

[Tiffany Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. I loved the bond between Russ and Liam. I also really liked how the book pointed out that you don’t have to be hit to be abused. Poor Aster! The middle felt a little long, but the ending felt a little rushed. Other than that, it was a great love story with really good friendships and bonds.

[Patricia Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice sweet story. Russell and Aster both have a past to overcome, learning to trust again, lean and depend on someone, making friends, learning be really happy.

[Ashley Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hit me right in the feels. Loved all the characters, the story line and the little bit of spice. I will absolutely be checking out more books from this author.

[Sarah Klages · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a relatable read! It had me feeling all of the emotions. It is a sweet story with a touch of spice. I’m excited to read more of this author’s work!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing second chance romance 😍. If you are looking to read something cozy and full of love this is the book for you.

[UhhManDuhhPlz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a cute story.



The spelling and grammar errors were difficult for me lol

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for the plot, 2 stars for the writing/editing.