by Heidi Sprouse
Lou Callahan knows cars—how to get them running, fix them up, make them right. Dealing with people is another story. He’s reeling from a tragedy that has rocked his entire family’s world. He’s barely picking himself up off the floor. Handling anyone else’s problems is too much right now.
Until a beautiful stranger shows up at his auto shop and begs him to help her to restore the wreckage of a piece from her past.
Sue Piper’s heart has been torn apart. She’s not sure anything can help it heal. Bringing back a family heirloom that may be beyond repair is her only hope. She needs to place it in the right hands.
She has no idea walking into Callahan and Son Auto Repair can fix so much more than a car.
Will two wounded souls be able to let the light of love shine through the cracks and make them whole again? (Summary via Amazon)
Blue Jeans Lou and Flip Flop Sue by Heidi Sprouse is more than a love story. Sprouse is known for her romantic, emotional love stories and this is exactly what that is….and so much more.
In Blue Jeans Lou and Flip Flop Sue readers are introduced to the Callahan family, Lou, his older brother Logan, their sister Lizzie, their mother Laura and their grandmother Maggie. They are all still dealing with the loss of their father, Lee. Lou has taken over the garage that their father built and he taught the boys their way around any vehicle. It is there where Lou meets Sue when she and her car are towed in. The ’69 Camaro which belonged to Sue’s deceased brother, Tucker, is the most important thing to Sue and when it is damaged in an accident, the tow truck driver takes it to Lou.
Lou is mesmerized by Sue and the car and vows to fix the car and bring it back to life. While Lou takes his time working on the car, Sue stops by daily to check it’s progress as well as keep an eye on Lou. During these visits the two develop feelings for each other, strong feelings but are afraid to act on them.
Lou, who is working in his father’s garage and living in the upstairs that he converted into living space, is still struggling with the loss of his father, the backbone of the family and afraid to allow anyone into his heart. And Sue, even though it seems she is more open with her heart, is still dealing with the loss and emptiness of lossing her brother.
Not only is this a love story but the family dynamics of the Callahan family and how they look after each other is inspiring. Readers will want to be a part of this stong family. Lou and Logan have a difficult bond that is hard to break but a misunderstanding between Lou and Logan and Sue will destroy them all. It wouldn’t be a true Heidi Sprouse love story if there wasn’t some drama, misunderstanding and a love to fight for !!
Having lost my mom just over a year ago and reading Blue Jean Lou and Flip Flop Sue I feel I was able to appreciate this story better. I could feel the love, loss and emptiness that the Callahan’s felt after losing their father. I could especially relate with Logan when he says that he sees his father every time he looks in the mirror because I see my mother every time I look in the mirror. Losing a parent is one of the hardest things a child must go through and it doesn’t matter how old you are when it happens. It still knocks you down ! And Sprouse paints the story beautifully.
And Sprouse leaves the door wide open for future books if she wants to turn this into a series or a trilogy…. the path that Logan is about to embark on and the journey he will be taking is another story that she can tell. And Lizzie and Matt have another love story brewing and I can imagine the sparks and fights they will have getting to their happily ever after. And maybe it will be time for their mother to dip her toes in the dating pool again…..or maybe being a grandma will be her destination. Oh the possibilities that can come out of this simple love story…….
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