Widowed dad Sebastian Dorner has spent two years using the simple checklist his son's kindergarten teacher gave him, a list necessitated by the painful realization he was begin to neglect his child in his grief. Settling in to their new reality including a school change and a new career, Sebastian is ready to start dating again.

Sebastian, in his early 40s, is aghast to discover he has the biggest crush on his son's former teacher, who is now a new guidance counselor at his son's school. Via DeRosa is in her mid-20s and cannot possibly be interested in dating an old dad like him, right?

Just a Heartbeat Away is one of those slow-burning romances that make you want to yell JUST KISS ALREADY but totally pays off in the end. I admit this one was really starting to drag by the middle. Via really needed to dump her boyfriend and I wish more of her interaction with him had been left off the page. He was blah, bye boy. But that said, Via and Sebastian's slow dance to finally smashing their faces together was paid off in glorious heat.

Bastone has a way with words and emotions that will have me coming back for more! The secondary characters are also well drawn, the kid is not just a plot moppet, and difficulties of grief and Via's complicated emotions surrounding her childhood after being placed in the foster system are handled with care and add to the story. There is a dog, but it kind of came in and out of the story. Set in NYC, this felt like a small-town contemporary at times. I am glad I gave this one a chance!

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy!