Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

The rom-com staple of girl moves back to town and falls in love with the reformed bad boy who most still consider nothing but trouble but she sees more is in full force for this book. This is a great read and very hard to put down, even if you know that this is a rom-com so Georgie and Levi will have a happy ending. Georgie lost her job in LA and her best friend, Bel, is about to give birth and is asking her to come home and help her. Not sure what to do next and trying to figure out the advice of her former employer to focus on what Georgie wants, Georgie drives from LA to a small town along the Chesapeake. Through some miscommunications her parents allowed their friend, Levi Fanning, and their daughter to both crash out their empty house for a few weeks while they are traveling but do not manage to tell Georgie or Levi. While trying to figure out alternate arrangements Levi’s dog, Hank (the real star of the book), is attached at daycare and that makes Georgie force Levi to stay at her parent’s house and the two of them start to interact with each other and realize how wonderful the other is. Levi feels he is not worthy of Georgie and Georgie while figuring out what she wants for herself realizes that a life with Levi is one of them. While helping Bel, Georgie finds a notebook of fictional stories that she and Bel wrote about what they thought high school would be like and included in their stories was Georgie’s high school crush Evan (Levi’s younger brother). The story almost has a happily ever after around chapter 16, but the rest of the book more than makes up for the false hope of this is it their happily ending.

Character List/Book Summary:

Georgie Mulcahy – had been a personal assistant to Nadia, who decided to change her life and no longer needed a personal assistant. Georgie realizes she has been making other people’s lives a priority and making them comfortable and happy for so long she is not sure what she wants for herself. Talks to Hank like the two of them are having an actual conversation and recognizes what a great dog he is. Realizes that while Levi does not think he is worthy of all that he has accomplished in his life he is really great and cares a lot about people and the environment.

Levi Fanning- the black sheep of the Fanning family that owns a resort, The Shoreline, on the river one town over. After getting in trouble at home his father sent him to reform school and after he graduated, Levi was still spiteful towards his father and when he went home he brought along a friend who was worse behaved than he was, which lead to Levi’s father kicking him out of the family and telling him to never contact his siblings and turn them away if they reach out to him. That lead to him falling asleep on Carlos’s property and Carlos taking him in and helping Levi get his life in order. Levi ended up buying the dock business from Carlos, and the house Carlos owned. After being upset that Georgie had Evan’s name in her notebook he caused a fight between the two of them and said some hurtful things. Starts to expand his world by asking his brother, sister, and Georgie’s parents for help when he figures out how to tell Georgie what he wants is her and that he will love her know matter what.

Bel – Georgie’s best friend, who is pregnant and moved out of DC back home to raise her baby. Wants to do as much of the notebook with Georgie as possible because she is not sure why the two of them never did those things they wanted to. Is happy that Georgie is figuring out what she wants, is surprised that it is Levi but is happy for Georgie. After a scare is put on bed rest until delivery and Georgie helps her and realizes that the little fights Bel and her husband were having is because Bel missing being in DC. Tells Georgie that what other people see as flaky and being able to adjust in the moment is a strength and not a weakness.

Evan – Levi’s younger brother and manager of The Shoreline. Getting a divorce, in part because he is following his father’s plan for his life and does not argue with his father. Looked up to Levi when he was younger. Comes to Levi’s house to tell him that and that he is stupid for messing things up with Georgie who is not smiling right since their fight.

Olivia – Levi’s younger sister, runs the day spa at the The Shoreline. After learning that Georgie is with Levi asks her some questions about Levi and is happy that Levi has someone like Georgie to love him. Tells Georgie that no one will fire her for being with Levi and hopes that she will stay, because she is a good team player and has made The Shoreline a better place while she has been there.