Thursday, August 25, 2016

All About You by Natalie Ann

All About You is the latest and the last in the All series by Natalie Ann and if you love a happily-ever-after falling-in-love story about normal (albeit gorgeous) people, you can't go wrong with this author. Each of these books is a stand-alone story with characters from the previous books showing up at a family picnic, party, wedding, or to offer good advice. The first book about these characters is Road to Recovery (there are four books in the Road series and six in the All series).

All About You is the story of Finn, a single father raising four year old Trey, after his wife walked out on them when Trey was an infant and Olivia.  Olivia is a jewelry designer and is in the process of opening a high end shop, Finn is a fireman who works for Harper's Construction on his days off.  They meet because Finn is working of the remodel of Olivia's shop.

Of course there are challenges; Trey is very shy, Olivia is very rich, and Finn has a very evil ex-wife, but these are the plot twists that keep the reader reading.

I have truly enjoyed the books is these series and look forward to what the author comes up with next.

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

The House on Honeysuckle Lane

The House on Honeysuckle Lane is, in my opinion, the story of how three flawed people deal with the deaths of both their parents and the resulting grief.  Anyone who has siblings and has lost a parent knows that everyone deals with grief in their own way and time.

Danny is the youngest child and the only son.  He is also the only child who remained in the hometown and he took on the responsibility of his mother's care after his father died. He also took on the entire care of the house on Honeysuckle and the estate.

Emma is a successful investment advisor, who chose to strike out on her own instead of joining her father in his firm.  She is the sibling who has it the most together, having ended a ten year relationship before coming home for Christmas.

Andie is a well known self help author and speaker.  After suffering with debilitating postpartum depression, she left her ex-husband and toddler daughter to strike out on her own and become successful.  Her daughter is very angry at her for missing her 20th birthday and is grieving the loss of her grandmother.  Also, the mother named the daughter after the philosopher, Rumi, and that was confusing as Andie quoted them both.

Fourteen months have passed since the funeral and Danny asks his two older sisters to come home and make decisions on what to do with the estate and spend Christmas together as a family.

I liked the story, the small town, and the secondary characters very much.  Bob, Andie's ex-husband and best friend, is great, as is Emma new love interest.  Danny is hard to like throughout most of the story, but he really is suffering the most and just trying to keep it all together.

It took me awhile to get into the book, but about half way through I started to really want to know where they would end up. I think anyone who has lost a beloved parent will find themselves in each of these siblings. It can be cathartic.

Friday, August 12, 2016

On The Market by Rachel Herron

This is, in my opinion, going to be another great series for Rachel Herron. She writes interesting characters, in unusual circumstances and makes the reader hope for a happy ending.

In On The Market, Felicia is the on set producer for a reality television company.  Liam is one of the three Ballard brothers the company wants to star in a dating/real estate-construction show. In other words, three hunky and handy brothers plus three women who want to buy houses and have them fixed up and hopefully love happens during the process.

Liam is a real estate broker/agent and Felicia arrives in town in order to check out three properties and get the brothers to sign their appearance contracts.  She falls in love with one of the houses and decides to be the buyer/possible bride.

Then the fun begins.

On the Market is as good Ms. Herron's Cypress Hollow series, which I read several years ago and enjoyed very much.   I can't wait for the other two Ballard brothers get their chance at love.  And by the way, any book with a Star's Hallow comparison is going to win me over.

I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Friday, August 5, 2016

Vacation Bride by Vicky Loebel

Thoroughly enjoyable story.

For the reader who enjoys The Bachelor and other reality television shows, this is the love story for you. Of course, the winner's prize in this story is you get to marry a billionaire or you get $25,000.

Chris was the poor relation in the extended Anderson family until his rich uncle's family dies in a helicopter crash and Chris inherits the family fortune.  Although Chris buys the island resort his parents owned until his father died when Chris was very young, he continues to work as the maintenance man and ignore his fortune.

When Chris' cousin approaches Chris with the idea of the reality show, Chris reluctantly goes along with the plan to get help fixing up the resort and for the publicity.  The cousin will be the billionaire bachelor.

Anna's friend signed her up for the show and she is chosen. She agrees to go because her father has been very ill and could use a vacation in the sun.  Not to mention the medical bills and having to close their bakery because of lack of funds.  Anna doesn't want the husband, but she's happy to compete for the money.

Vacation Bride is a fun read, with well written characters and nice scenery.  The twelve bridacudas (well several are nice women) have to compete to stay on the show and the audience gets to vote for their favorites.  The competitions are funny because some of the women have the win at all cost attitude.

I was given a copy of Vacation Bride from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Saving Sara by Nicola Marsh

When Sara's daughter, Lucy, died, Sara withdrew from everything and eventually moved to her recently deceased grandmother's house in Redemption.  When five-year old Olly's mom went into rehab for alcoholism, her brother, Jake, took Olly in,  Fortunately for Olly, Jake had no idea what to do with a five-year old, so Jake called his aunt, Cilla in Redemption and asks if they can come for a visit.

This is their story of how they all begin to heal from tragedy and circumstances beyond their control.

Olly is smart as a whip and you can't help but fall in love with him.  All he wants is his mom and a family of his own.  Sara, on the other hand, wants nothing to do with Olly or any child for that matter.  She also does not want to get involved with Jake, who is maybe the most damaged of all of them after an accident he feels is his fault.

The author draws the reader into their lives by making them so real.  I could feel Sara's pain from the very first page and could cheer for her as she took each step forward through the process of healing and beginning to live again.  Olly bring all of the adults together as they try to help him deal with the temporary loss of the mother he adores, and as Jake learns to help Olly he begins to heal himself.

Great characters, several interesting plot lines, and a surprise ending.  I highly recommend this book.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.