This book was so not a typical kiss and ride off into the sunset kind of story. Carolyn and Stephan spent a lifetime together before the story even begins. Their story is about hurdles and hardships and bad choices and in the end building a real relationship. The coolest thing about this book is it literally spans over 40 years!! From the beginning to the end is really only 14 years but the flashbacks take us way back to their childhoods.