Haley Ames is not a girlie-girl. Raised in a house full of brothers, she realized at an early age what it means to be tough and independent. Now, three months after her husband, Sam, was killed in the line of duty, she is determined to be strong. Inwardly, she grieves for Sam, but the greatest emotion she feels is regret that she didn’t tell him she was pregnant before he died. Nevertheless, Haley refuses to feel sorry for herself and instead focuses on doing what she has to do for herself and the arrival of her baby.

Stephen Ames has been estranged from his identical twin brother for years. When Stephen learns of Sam’s death, he is filled with remorse that he never had a chance to make things right between them. He decides to visit Sam’s widow, not only to offer his condolences, but also to find out everything he can about his brother and the life he led before he died.

"SOMEBODY LIKE YOU is a wonderful contemporary romance with a fresh twist. While the premise of a woman falling in love with her late husband’s identical twin brother might seem impossible, or at least highly unlikely, this story is written in a very plausible way."

Haley is shocked to come home one day to find “her husband” standing on her doorstep. Stephen quickly explains who he is and why he is there, but Haley sends him away. Sam had never told her about having a twin, and she is angry and confused, not to mention in shock at seeing an exact replica of the husband she lost. At the prompting of her best friend, however, Haley contacts Stephen and agrees to meet him to answer the questions he has about Sam.

Over the next few months, as Haley’s pregnancy progresses, Stephen becomes a part of her life as he offers his hand at much-needed home repairs and goes out of his way to help in any way he can. Haley initially remains cold and indifferent towards him, refusing to allow herself to feel anything for this man who looks, talks and walks like Sam but is nothing like her late husband. Still, she can’t help but realize that the qualities Stephen possesses are the ones she longed for in Sam.

As both Haley and Stephen work through their emotions of sadness and regret over Sam’s death, the question becomes whether or not they will eventually recognize the real possibility that God does, indeed, bring beauty out of ashes.

SOMEBODY LIKE YOU is a wonderful contemporary romance with a fresh twist. While the premise of a woman falling in love with her late husband’s identical twin brother might seem impossible, or at least highly unlikely, this story is written in a very plausible way. Author Beth K. Vogt does a fantastic job of transforming Haley from hard-headed and independent to emotionally vulnerable. The emotions she experiences are gritty and raw, the dialogue is top-notch, and I personally loved Haley’s sarcasm and wit, even if it did come across as rude at times. But that’s what makes the story so real. Stephen’s character development is just as satisfying, as he struggles with the loss and lack of relationship with his twin and tries to come to peace with the past.

The overriding take-away of SOMEBODY LIKE YOU is to make the most of every moment we have, and to do everything we can to make things right with the people we love. Wasting time being angry, resentful and obstinate has only one result: pain and regret. It also reminds us, as quoted in the back cover copy, “While we can’t change the past, we have the choice to change the future and start anew.”

Vogt is a gifted author with great insight into human motivation and emotion. Contemporary romance fans will enjoy the story and the characters, and will appreciate the messages conveyed.