This sweet book demonstrates all the emotions of a woman travelling around the world, by herself, to meet a man she barely knows but is desperate to have a “and they lived happily ever after” ending.
They are both highly motivated for this to be love. The story is a roller-coaster of personal emotional baggage, misunderstandings, sweet ‘together’ interludes, meeting new people in the local community and getting to know each other. 
The mill house is the idyllic environment for the backdrop to this story, with the river either softly flowing past their house or thundering in dramatic eddies.  
Life happens. Maria remembers that you cannot make something happen, purely by force of will, no matter how hard you want it. 
I love her courage and her attitude. Her honesty in the story telling about her confidence, her fears and her pride make her very human and relatable. I wondered if she and Alistair had met in a time different time of their lives or different circumstances if it would have been different. 
Life’s a funny old thing isn’t it. Whilst trying to demonstrate to her adult daughters that your life does not have to follow anybody’s trajectory, Maria nearly lost herself. 
The story moved at a good pace, slowing down in times of self-reflection and quickening with emotion or movement. 
Well written and authentic. Viva La Maria – I take my hat off to your honesty and courage.