Book Review – Here Comes the Best Man

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Angela Britnell, Book Review, Here Comes the Best Man

What happens when a southern gentleman meets a British lady … love, of course.

*****

Here Comes the Best Man

Nashville Connections

by Angela Britnell

Blurb:

Being the best man is a lot to live up to …

When troubled army veteran and musician Josh Robertson returns home to Nashville to be the best man at his younger brother Chad’s wedding he’s just sure that he’s going to mess it all up somehow.

But when it becomes clear that the wedding might not be going to plan, it’s up to Josh and fellow guest Louise Giles to make sure that Chad and his wife-to-be Maggie get their perfect day.

Can Josh be the best man his brother needs? And is there somebody else who is beginning to realise that Josh could be her ‘best man’ too?

Amazon UK | Amazon US

*****

Review:

This is one of those fast & quirky reads, with insta-love and humorous drama.  Pretty typical for a British novella romance, I think.

We follow Josh & Louise as they are in Nashville for Chad & Maggie’s wedding and are roped into helping the bride make sure that things go smoothly.  Louise has a history (with a guy and her childhood) that has made trusting a bit difficult.  And thanks to Josh’s time in the military, as well as some left over bad feelings from his own childhood, he’s not so comfortable coming back home but he’ll do it for his brother.  Time together has them thinking that they might be able to let the other in … if they can let go of their pasts.

While it is pretty low on angst, there is still wedding disasters to avert, family issues to address, and falling in love to do.  It’s a fast read, and a fast romance, but because of the maturity of the couple and the straightforward way they handle their attraction it isn’t unbelievable.  There’s humor, heart, and hijinks all rolled together to make for a fun summer read.

(This book does follow The Wedding Reject Table, butI found that it can completely stand on its own.)

Author Info:

Angela grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee. A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. After more than three decades of marriage to her American husband she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after. Over the last twelve years she’s published over 20 novels and several short stories for women’s magazines. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers.

www.angelabritnellromance.com

www.facebook.com/angelabritnell

www.twitter.com/angelabritnell

https://www.instagram.com/angelagolleybritnell/

*****

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Book Review – Whiskey Sharp: Torn

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Book Review, Lauren Dane, Whiskey Sharp series, Whiskey Sharp: Torn

A sexy red-head who knows his way around a kitchen … I’ve found my new book boyfriend!

*****

Whiskey Sharp: Torn

by Lauren Dane

Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: HQN (June 26, 2018)

Blurb:

Sometimes what you find isn’t what you were searching for

Beau Petty has been searching his whole life. Searching for a place that fills all the empty spaces in him. Searching for a way to tame the restlessness. Searching for answers to the secret he’s never stopped trying to solve. What he wasn’t searching for was a woman to claim all of him, but when Cora Silvera walks back into his life, he’s ready to search out all the ways he can make her his.

Cora has spent her life as the family nurturer, taking care of others. But now she’s ready to pass that job on to someone else. It’s time to make some changes and live for herself. It’s in that moment that her former teenage crush reappears and the draw and the heat of their instant connection is like nothing either of them has experienced. He craves being around her. She accepts him, dark corners and all.

Beau thinks Cora’s had enough drama in her life. He wants to protect her from the secrets of his past, even if it means holding back the last pieces of himself. But Cora is no pushover and she means to claim all those pieces.

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

*****

Review:

(minor spoilers ahead, maybe, I don’t know – details aren’t in the blurb but I think they are told pretty early on)

I started this series here (no surprise!) so I came into it with no preconceived notion of the characters.  And I really enjoyed myself.  Beau and Cora together are cute and sexy and pretty much melodrama free.  But that doesn’t apply to the rest of their lives.

Cora has spent the last who-knows-how-many years being at her mom’s beck & call and she’s done.  She’s ready to stay in one place and create a life for herself, something that fulfills her and isn’t just being minder to her diva mother.  And the timing is perfect as it brings her back in time to connect with Beau again.

Beau was raised in cult as the son of its leader.  He got out when his dad started doing things that Beau didn’t agree with and worked with the authorities … which sent the others on the run.  He’s managed to make a good life for himself and was a very successful model before becoming a chef.  He’s in Seattle spending time with friends and is surprised to see Cora again.

The connection between the two is instantaneous and works for me.  They get along very well and make for a believable (and steamy) couple.  I also like the bond between the two of them and their friends.  They have created a support group from themselves that is quite awesome and those interactions are fabulous to see.

There are some weaker moments – mainly Cora & her mom and Beau & his past.  While Beau’s does have a bit more resolution by the end, there is still a little bit of an open-ended feel to it.  Maybe Dane plans on it being a tie-in to a future book?  It definitely feels like it could lead to more.  And Cora & her mom definitely didn’t have the resolution that some will feel they need.  Cora does stand up for herself and works to make the situation the best it can be, but her mom is just not very likable.  Reading it you’re not sure why everyone is OK with her attitude and the way she treats people, especially family.  They maneuver her well and there is a subtle addressing of things, but I think that it isn’t going to be enough for some readers.

Overall, as my first book by Dane, I found it to be a good read – enjoyable characters all around and a hot romance.  I couldn’t ask for more in a summer read.

*****

Author Info:

The story goes like this – While on pregnancy bed rest, Lauren Dane had plenty of down time so her husband took her comments about “giving that writing thing a serious go” to heart and brought home a secondhand laptop. She wrote her first book on it before it gave up the ghost. Even better, she sold that book and never looked back.

Today Lauren is a New York Times bestselling author of over fifty novels and novellas across several genres.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

*****

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Book Review – The Last Rodeo

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Book Review, Delores Fossen, The Last Rodeo, Wrangler's Creek series

Sexy, stubborn, looks good in a hat & boots …

*****

The Last Rodeo

A Wrangler’s Creek Novel (Book 9)

by Delores Fossen

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: HQN (June 26, 2018)

Blurb:

The most important two words for this Wrangler’s Creek rodeo cowboy? I do…

Lucian Granger isn’t winning any Mr. Cowboy Congeniality awards. Known in his small Texas town as “Lucifer” thanks to his surly nature and knack for scaring people away from getting too close, the handsome rancher has no trouble ignoring the gossip. But when he’s in danger of losing the land he’s put his blood, sweat and tears into maintaining, Lucian sets out to prove he’s a changed man—by claiming he’s about to settle down with his invaluable assistant, Karlee O’Malley.

Their pending nuptials may be just for show, but from the moment they kiss, the proverbial fireworks start going off in his head—and in his heart. Before long, the man who’s usually as emotional as a brick wall is tired of pretending and wants to share a real future with Karlee. With his world suddenly turned upside down, Lucian will risk losing the business and the ranch if it means holding on to the one woman worth becoming a better man for…

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

*****

Review:

As a new Fossen reader, I have no idea what her particular style is but I feel like I should give a few warnings for other newbies.  There isn’t a TON of romance here, so if that’s your main focus you may be disappointed (I’ve seen a few of those on Goodreads).  Instead, Fossen delivers an interesting mix of a couple coming to terms with their feelings, a oh-so-dysfunctional family, and some business shenanigans.  It melded together really well for me, but may not work for others.

Lucian is the one that stepped in when his dad stepped out and he’s done amazing things to make the family business a success.  Unfortunately, his dad is now back in the picture and threatening everything that Lucian has worked so hard for.  The big question is why and that plays out through a decent part of the book.  It also leads Lucian to making a few realizations – about himself, his life, and his heart.

Karlee has been there by Lucian’s side for years, loving him silently, but she’s finally reached the point where her heart can’t take any more.  She’s starting to move on when the bad dad drama hits and her feelings means that she can’t abandon Lucian or his family.  But being in a fake relationship with him means that some things come to light that she hadn’t planned on.

Fossen has a fun, quirky style – filling her story with humor, hijinxs, and hilarious secondary characters.  And because she writes with dual POV, we are there with Lucian while his blinders are taken away and he has to face not only Karlee’s feelings but his own.  We also get to see the toll that everything has on her.  And my heart went out to her all the way to the end.

While I found the love story to be satisfying, it also doesn’t play center stage.  Those looking for a pure romance may be a little thrown by the family and business drama.  It’s important for the characters and does help lead to the HEA, leading to growth and helping to put some old ghosts to bed, but it does make up a decent part of the plot causing the relationship portion to be downplayed a little.  Not a bad thing, in my opinion as I enjoyed seeing how everything worked out, but also not everyone’s cup of tea 🙂

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestselling author, Delores Fossen, has sold over 70 novels with millions of copies of her books in print worldwide. She’s received the Booksellers’ Best Award, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and was a finalist for the prestigious Rita ®. In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

*****

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Book Review – Taking Chase

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Book Review, Chase Brothers series, Lauren Dane, Taking Chase

Taking Chase

Chase Brothers series

by Lauren Dane

Previously published; newly refreshed by author

The Chase boys. Ridiculously hot and notoriously single.

Sheriff Shane Chase is drawn to the new girl in town from the moment he lays eyes on her. Not only is she gorgeous, but years on the job have taught him to know when someone is hiding something. And Cassie Gambol is hiding something big. He’s willing to take it slow to find out her secrets, no matter how much he burns to make her his.

Cassie Gambol needs a fresh start, and she gets it by reinventing herself in the small town of Petal, Georgia—a far cry from her life as a surgeon back in LA. A new romance is the last thing on Cassie’s mind, but the impossibly hot town sheriff has her reconsidering her priorities.

But when Cassie and Shane come face-to-face with the reason Cassie’s on the run, only her determination and his instincts can keep her safe from the past—and keep their future from ending before it can even begin. 

The Chase is on. One small town. Four hot brothers. And enough heat to burn up anyone who dares to get close. Don’t miss the other books: Giving Chase, Chased and Making Chase.

We met Shane in Giving Chase and I knew that Dane was going to have to give him a bit of an attitude adjustment to make him appealing as a hero … I just didn’t expect it to be an immediate about face.  In the first book he was pretty much an ass – a jerk to women & completely commitment-phobic, thanks to a previous relationship gone bad.  So I expected that Cassie would have to work some kind of magic and slowly get him to change.  Nope, pretty much from the beginning he’s over himself and ready to get involved.  It would have been great, if it wasn’t for his portrayal in the first story.  And I will give Dane credit that she does have his baggage still there, but it is on simmer and not out in front like when we first met him.  That aside, though, Shane as a character was great (as long as you forgot that he ever had more jerk-ish moments).  He’s caring and, although he stumbles a couple of times, does his best to be sensitive to Cassie’s feelings.

And Cassie definitely has her own baggage!  Pretty fresh out of a horrifically abusive relationship, she’s trying to have a fresh start.  What she isn’t looking for is attracting the interest of a cop.  Luckily for Shane, he’s pretty hard to resist.  But it is going to take a lot of patience to work through the scars Cassie past left her with.  She’s got a lot of triggers and it might get a bit old for some readers.  She’s pretty set on doing things herself and has a hard time separating someone offering help from people trying to manage her.  Her ex did a number on her so it’s understandable but it happens a lot.  Good thing new Shane is willing to go all in and help her find a balance that can work for them both.

This is a slow burn romance as the two work their way around Cassie’s issues and having to deal with the fact that her ex is still out there in the world.  There are a lot of emotional ups and downs as she struggles to figure out what a healthy relationship looks like and Shane tries his best to help without taking over.  It’s not easy for him to ignore the cop in him that wants to do everything he can to protect her.  Instead he needs to support her as she stands on her own two feet.  There is a bit of excitement at the end but overall this is all about the feels, with just a bit of suspense thrown in.

Book Review – A Hot Montana Summer

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A Hot Montana Summer, Book Review, Glacier Creek series, Karen Foley

A Hot Montana Summer

A Glacier Creek Novel

by Karen Foley

Jamie Colter is a combat-hardened Marine who’s back in Glacier Creek recuperating from a mortar attack that left him with a busted leg and a serious case of cabin fever. He just wants to get back on his feet and rejoin his unit, until the one woman he’s never been able to forget walks back into his life. The last time she saw him, he was a scrawny teenager. Now he has just two weeks to make her see him as the only man who is perfect for her.

With her marriage in ruins, Rachel McCafferty returns to Glacier Creek to nurse her wounds and make a fresh start—one that doesn’t involve someone who will eventually abandon her, the way her ex-husband did. When Rachel catches sight of Jamie, she’s dumbstruck by his good looks and brash confidence. He’s no longer a boy—he’s a man, and when he makes it clear he’s hers for the taking, she finds herself rethinking all her rules about younger guys.

I’m gonna have to agree with a few other reviewers – the prologue to this one is just about the cutest every.  It beats out a meet cute by far!

I’m a big fan of the friends to lovers, although this one is a bit of a stretch.  While Rachel & Jamie knew each other they weren’t really close – the age difference was a bit too much.  It’s still a good read, though, as they reconnect as adults and discover a very mature attraction.

Some might get a little tired of Rachel’s issues with the age difference between the two.  I get that it is probably a difficult thing to let go of, especially when you watched him grow up, but it is pretty hard to deny that Jamie is all man now 🙂  And there is that one scene (you gotta have at least one) where you just want to smack Rachel for doing something stupid.  But she did just end a pretty toxic relationship so she’s not quite got her mojo back.  It’s a lot to take on all at once.

I will admit that Jamie drove this book for me.  Rachel’s treatment of him was OK at best and awful at its worst (see above) but he was willing to wait it out and hope for good things to come – not sure why, but you gotta admire his stick-to-it-ness.

It was an enjoyable read as long as you don’t mind the push/pull from Rachel and a decent amount of angst throughout.  I think that the book would have benefited from more positive interactions between the two, just to emphasize his attraction to her, but overall definitely worth the time.

Book Review – Navy SEAL’s Match

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Amber Leigh Williams, Fairhope Alabama series, Navy SEAL's Match

Scars inside and out, from more than just his time as a SEAL, Gavin Savitt has a lot to face before he can make a life for himself in Fairhope.

*****

Navy SEAL’s Match

Fairhope, Alabama series

by Amber Williams

Publisher: Harlequin

Pages: 384

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

He believes he can’t be saved—she’ll prove him wrong!

Former SEAL Gavin Savitt always knew who he was—until his last deployment ended tragically. Now he’s home, his mind hijacked by trauma and the shadow of his once-perfect sight. Yet in this new hazy, unclear world, one person stands out—Mavis Bracken.

There are a million reasons why Gavin shouldn’t be with Mavis, including that she’s his best friend’s little sister. Yet he longs for her touch, her freckles and her special way with wild, skittish beasts like him. He just needs the courage to take his life back. And Mavis won’t let him give up without a fight.

ORDER YOUR COPY: Amazon

*****

Excerpt:

“I know it’d be better for you if I left.”

“You let me be the judge of that,” she advised.

“The moment you’re burdened by me,” he said, slowly, “I’m out of here.”

She didn’t agree. No. Instead, she raised herself onto her toes.

Gavin’s eyes closed and his breath hitched as her kiss washed breathily over his lips and blew him away. Answers cropped up inside him, bright like candles. His hand moved to the back of her head, no more able to snuff them out than he was to convince her to walk away.

*****

Review:

This is the first in this series I’ve read and unfortunately I feel like I missed some undercurrents because of it.  Williams does her best to explain why Gavin doesn’t feel like he belongs (thanks to his witch of a mother), but I’m not sure exactly what he did as a kid to give him such a bad rep.  Also, apparently there is some history between him and Kyle, Mavis’s brother, that goes beyond the fact that Kyle is now in a relationship with Gavin’s sister.  They used to be friends … or at least close, but maybe with some complex feelings involved?  I don’t know and that’s part of the problem.  I felt just a little lost with some of the dynamics between the secondary characters.

But I didn’t have a problem  grasping the connection between him & Mavis.  She’s one of those walks to her own drummer kind of people and is really good at observing.  And she observes a lot about Gavin, doing her best to help steer him so he can find his way.  She doesn’t push too hard but she’s there as a guide.  Both of them understand that this is something he has to do but she can help with some of the tricks to keep him together.

Gavin’s got a lot of baggage that he needs to address.  Not just his blindness and guilt over things that happened while he was overseas, but his mother is a real beast who did quite a number on him.  It’s caused him to put up some barrier between him and those who want to get close to him, but luckily for him Mavis is made of pretty stern stuff.

While I enjoyed the pacing of the story, the characters, and how everything gets resolved, I did have just a little trouble with some of the writing.  Mavis is in to some woo-woo stuff (paranormal activity & such), which is fine and works with her as a character.  But some of the writing, especially early on, threw me a bit.  Williams shows Mavis’s ability to see things about Gavin that others don’t with descriptions that are a little … flowery, I guess, is the only way I know how to say it.  It’s kinda poetic but was awkward for me because I’m more of a straightforward person.  It was pretty to read but also hard to understand and not something I’m used to in this type of romance.  I got used to it though worked with it until the story moved on.

Overall, Navy SEAL’s Match was a thoroughly enjoyable read, with moments of humor, heat, and heart.  I really liked the special connection between Gavin & Mavis and the way they went about deepening it into something lasting was a treat to read.

*****

Author Info:

Amber Leigh Williams is a romance writer who lives on the US Gulf Coast. She lives for beach days, the smell of real books and spending time with her husband and their two young children. When she’s not keeping up with rambunctious little ones (and two large dogs), she can usually be found reading a good book or indulging her inner foodie. Amber is represented by the D4EO Literary Agency.

Amber’s latest book is the contemporary romance, Navy SEAL’S Match.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

*****

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Book Review – Herons Landing

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Book Review, Heron's Landing, Honeymoon Harbor series, JoAnn Ross

Herons Landing

Honeymoon Harbor #1

A Small-Town Romance

by JoAnn Ross

There’s no place to fall in love like the place you left your heart 

Welcome to Honeymoon Harbor, the brand-new, long-awaited series by beloved New York Times bestselling author JoAnn Ross, where unforgettable characters come face-to-face with the kind of love that grabs your heart and never lets go.

Working as a Las Vegas concierge, Brianna Mannion is an expert at making other people’s wishes come true. It’s satisfying work, but a visit home to scenic Honeymoon Harbor turns into a permanent stay when she’s reminded of everything she’s missing: the idyllic small-town charm; the old Victorian house she’d always coveted; and Seth Harper, her best friend’s widower and the neighborhood boy she once crushed on—hard. After years spent serving others, maybe Brianna’s finally ready to chase dreams of her own.

Since losing his wife, Seth has kept busy running the Harper family’s renovation business and flying way under the social radar. But when Brianna hires him to convert her aging dream home into a romantic B and B, working together presents a heart-stopping temptation Seth never saw coming. With guilt and grief his only companions for so long, he’ll have to step out of the past long enough to recognize the beautiful life Brianna and he could build together.

I love contemporary romances where it is all about the people.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m an equal opportunity reader and enjoy a love story with a little paranormal twist, historical setting, or a bit of a whodunit.  But there’s just something special about a book that just lets you live the character’s life with them for a bit.

Brianna has come home after years away, ready to make her old dream come true and become the owner of a B&B.  It brings her back to family … and the man she’s always loved.

Seth and Brianna have been friends forever, but never anything more.  He had found the love of his life at 15 and never looked at anyone else.  Now a widower, Seth has cut himself off from a lot in life, basically going through the motions … until Brianna comes back.

A slow build romance, Herons Landing is all about second chances.  While Brianna is starting a new chapter in her life, she’s also realizing that her feelings for Seth are still strong.  And Seth may have been grieving his wife for the last couple of years but time spent with Brianna shows him that there is a whole life still before him if he’s willing to take a chance.

As the start of a new series, there are some extra characters to introduce but I didn’t feel like Ross spent too much time here.  Just enough to be relevant to the story and maybe get you a little curious about what comes next.  There’s also a decent bit of history among these people so it makes sense to spend some time looking at them a bit more.

There’s also a side story with Seth’s parents that adds a little extra to an already heart-tugging story.  And as they have to take a look at themselves and where their relationship may be going, it also causes Seth to realize that he’s got to do some evaluation of his own.

Angsty but not full of drama, Herons Landing is one of those character driven pieces that you need to just sit back and enjoy.

 

Book Review – Sit, Stay, Love

Tags

Book Review, Debbie Burns, Rescue Me series, Sit Stay Love

Sit, Stay, Love 

Rescue Me #2

by Debbie Burns

These dogs aren’t the only ones in need of rescue

For devoted no-kill shelter worker Kelsey Sutton, rehabbing a group of rescue dogs is a welcome challenge. Working with a sexy ex-military dog handler who needs some TLC himself? That’s a different story.

Kurt Crawford keeps his heart locked away from everyone. Well, everyone except the dogs who need his help…and always have his back. But as Kurt gets to know the compassionate, beautiful woman he’s been assigned to work with, he can’t help but feel a little puppy love…

Kurt is fresh out of the military and dealing with a few personal issues.  At first he wasn’t sure that he wanted anything to do with dogs but one look at the rescues (and Kelsey) and somehow he finds himself right in the middle of the rescue efforts.

Kelsey is one of those good souls that really wants to do good things and that comes through in her work with the dogs.  She’s not exactly Snow White but she’s pretty darn close and Kurt finds that her magic works on him too.  While exploring his growing attraction to her and helping the dogs get ready for a better life, he also finds himself working through his past.

This is one of those slow burn love stories.  There isn’t a lot of conflict, just a couple of people who slowly get to know each other and explore their growing feelings.  Sometimes you are looking for something with a little more fireworks and sometimes you just want to have people who can behave in an adult manner with very little drama.  It’s a more subtle and gentle story, but no less enjoyable.

Book Review – From Your Heart

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For Your Love series, From Your Heart, Shannyn Schroeder

From Your Heart

A For Your Love Novel

by Shannyn Schroeder

SOMETHING OLD?. . .
 
Kathy “Play it Safe” Hendricks isn’t used to taking risks, or fighting for what she wants. But as Maid of Honor in her best friend’s wedding, Kathy will do anything to make sure it all goes smooth as bridal silk. She didn’t plan on the Best Man being Kevin O’Malley, the hotter-than-flames, can’t-commit bad boy who broke her heart five years ago. 
 
 SOMETHING NEW . . .
 
Kevin has never forgotten Kathy, the sweet, sexy brunette who ghosted him just when he was starting to think he was ready for something more. Kathy was different from the other girls Kevin dated, and five years later it’s truer than ever. Only now he senses a new strength in the shy girl who left him hanging all those years ago. And this time, he’s not going to let her get away . . . 
 
Sometimes first love needs a second chance. 

This is the first in the series I’ve read so I’m not sure how much knowledge of these characters I’m supposed to have going into this story or h ow that affected my perception. Usually I’m not huge fan of man-whores, reformed or not, but I felt that Kevin was very genuine in his feelings, the fact that he was ready for more stability, and his efforts for a second chance with Kathy. However, the back and forth with her feelings got a little old. I understand that she has issues with confrontation and trust, but her treatment of Kevin really wasn’t fair. She needed to go all in if she’s going to give him another chance and instead he gets treated poorly. Luckily for him, he’s got more patience than I would and is will to keep trying. Worth reading for him, for some I think the ping ponging emotions might make this one a difficult read.

Book Review – Come Home to Me

Tags

Book Review, Come Home to Me, Liz Talley

Come Home to Me

by Liz Talley

Healing the wounds of the past doesn’t come easy in this novel of friendship and forgiveness from award-winning author Liz Talley.

Summer Valentine has returned to Moonlight, South Carolina, a very different woman from the naive wallflower who left years before. These days she’s straightforward and savvy, determined to do right by her son, David—even if that means cashing in her struggling music career in Nashville and returning to the town that drove her away. Sure, she took a fall. But at least she now knows where she stands…

Despite her anger over the past, Summer believes David deserves a relationship with his father, Hunter “Hunt” McCroy. Though Hunt’s illustrious career has faded, privilege still protects him from his worst mistakes.

Someone else is back in Moonlight too: Rhett Bryan, the golden boy of Hollywood, who’s taking stock of his own life after a tragic accident. As his rekindled friendship with Summer quickly deepens, she must reconcile the painful history that ties her to both men—one she’s finally forgiven, one she’s afraid to love—to claim healing and happiness.

I don’t usually like books that has flashbacks but it worked a bit better here.  There aren’t that many of them and Talley does a good job of making them relevant to the happenings in the now.  They cover a very important couple of weeks in Summer’s senior year of high school and with her return to Moonlight those happenings directly impact her relationships now.

Both in the past & now, Talley does a fantastic job of giving her readers characters that are believable.  The teenage versions are exactly as I remember them at that age – maneuvering through the social quagmire of high school, dealing with runaway emotions, and the ability to only really see to about the end of your nose.  As adults, they are flawed but trying their best to do what they think is right.  Unfortunately there are a few hard truths and life lessons that need to be learned before they can truly move forward.  It’s not going to be an easy reunion for any of them but with care they might come out the other side with a little peace.