The Family You Make by Jill Shalvis @JillShalvis @ErinMallon @HarperAudio

the setup…

RN Jane Parks and Levi Cutler, a data scientist consultant, find themselves stranded on a gondola in the middle of a snowstorm at the top of a mountain in Tahoe. They were the last two to be evacuated because of the snowstorm but the snow lift is bouncing around perilously. Levi gets injured and while Jane is tending to him, things look grim as the gondola threatens to plummet to the ground far below. So, Levi calls his family but before he can get a word in edgewise, his mother gets excited when she hears Jane’s voice. Long story short, Levi tells her she is his girlfriend, thinking if these are his last words, at least his mother will be happy that he was in a relationship. Did I mention that Levi and Jane only met in the gondola? Oh, and they both survive. Now Levi has to convince Jane to be his fake girlfriend, at least for a while.

the heart of the story…

The fun begins following Jane and Levi’s rescue. She’s fine but he suffered some head trauma and has an extended stay. Sunrise Cove is Levi’s hometown but he’s only recently returned for a temporary visit and his family is all over them. They provide many hilarious moments as they try to surreptitiously get to know Jane before his parents’ upcoming anniversary celebration, which she has to attend and deliver a command performance. Meanwhile, Levi shortly realizes that there’s a lot to like about Jane and he’s shifting from fake to real feelings. Jane comes from a trouble family background and doesn’t do relationships but is struggling to resist him. I loved how Levi got past her barriers and his family inadvertently helped because of their nosiness. It’s not all lightness, though, as Jane has to come to terms with her grandfather and their fractured relationship, overwhelmed by all that entails.

the narration…

I’m used to witty banter and humor in any Shalvis novel and the narrator nailed it! The pacing was perfect and I particularly loved her interpretation of Levi, capturing his wry humor that’s touched with warmth and kindness. It was a wonderful performance.

the bottom line…

It’s been a while since I read the author but it didn’t take long for me to be reminded why she’s one of my favorites and an auto read. Jane and Levi have a lot of depth to balance the humor and airiness of the story. I also loved the secondary storyline involving Charlotte Dixon and Mateo Moreno, both doctors and she with a history that is crippling her ability to be in a committed relationship. Both are connected to Jane and Levi so it all felt intimate. I really enjoyed my time in Sunrise Cove and am eager to continue the series. It’s good to be back in Shalvis land.

Book Info

• Release Date: January 11, 2022
• Series: Sunrise Cove #1
• Narrator: Erin Mallon
• Audio Length: 9 hours, 33 minutes
• Publisher: HarperAudio

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(Thanks to HarperAudio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)