Book Review: Renovation by Leslie Abner

Reviewed by Addison Ciuchta

A heartwarming slow-burn romance about choosing the best for yourself

Renovation opens with Skylar, happily married to her husband Neil and working as an assistant at an interior design firm. Her boss, though, seems insistent to keep her out of real work. And after one too many instances of disrespect, Skylar quits. 

Now with a job offer from a boss who values her expertise, Skylar starts dreaming of opening her own firm. But her stable husband expresses his concern about her grand dreams, encouraging her to stay where she’s stable and stress-free. Then Skylar meets Matthew, a client of hers, who doesn’t think her dreams are irrational after all. Now caught between her dreams and her stability, Skylar must find confidence in herself and choose her own future.

If you’re in the market for a sweet romance, this is sure to please. Skylar’s struggles are relatable ones as she tries to decide between what she dreams of for her life and staying realistic about what she can achieve. A tragedy in her history gives insight into why she’s hesitant to jump into something unstable, too, making her thoughts and feelings completely understandable. Her backstory explains why she’s with her husband as he became a steady presence in her life when it fell apart with grief.

Skylar’s struggles with self-esteem are sometimes frustrating. I often wanted to yell at her to believe in herself. However, with Neil’s insistence that her job be stress-free and not to dream too big, her doubt makes total sense. It’s tough to see Neil encourage her not to aim so high time after time.

But that’s what makes it so exciting when Matthew enters the picture. Not only is he supportive, he’s also attractive and successful in his own right. Their relationship might be slowly burning, but their attraction is not. The tension grows steadily as the pair discusses Matthew’s apartment and gets to know each other gradually. Together, despite their forbidden and not-acted-upon attraction to each other, they make a heartwarming pair of friends who encourage each other to achieve anything they set their minds to. Matthew is a true gentleman, always offering Skylar a kind word or a ride home. The pacing does feel a little slow at times with Matthew’s late arrival into the story and with the repetition of some scenes.

All in all, Renovation is a gentle, sweet romance that will encourage you to follow your dreams right along with Skylar.

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