Many years have passed since high school, but librarian Ellie Stepp is still the short, dumpy "ugly Stepp sister" -- at least in her own mind. So when her former -- only -- crush Mason starts to get interested in her, it's like a dream come true. But there's a dark side to Ellie's fairy tale: not only is Mason wary of committing to her, but it becomes increasingly clear that his biggest commitment is to alcohol.This was a very good, very readable contemporary romance, one that's realistic without being too painfully gritty. It skirted close to the edge of genuinely scary for me a few times, because Mason does some freaky things that are undoubtedly on the "how to tell if your lover is an abusive fruitcake" list, like breaking into Ellie's house. And Ellie is such a humble and giving character, I was afraid Mason would walk all over her, and she would always be shortchanged in their relationship. She shows that she can be strong when it counts, though, and they end on a satisfyingly equal footing.
