In My Best Friend's Arms by C. C. Hollins

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Finding What Was Always There
Emma and Jack’s story is a second-chance novella that explores the friction between long-standing friendship and latent romance. It’s a lighthearted read, but it carries a grounded undertone for anyone who has ever overlooked the person right in front of them.
While Jack has known Emma was "the one" for years, Emma only hits that realization when a hurricane forces them back together. Jack’s secrets add a layer of complexity that challenges Emma’s perspective, yet they don't waver her underlying feelings. The narrative focuses on whether these two can stop looking at the past and start moving forward into a shared future. It is a solid, direct look at the risk required to turn a friendship into something permanent.
The pacing matches the urgency of the storm, stripping away the distractions that kept them apart for so long. It is a refreshing take on the "blind spot" trope, proving that sometimes you have to weather a literal disaster to finally see the truth.