A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter

 

A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter

Books and a beach? Yum!

Let’s begin with the summary:

When Western novelist Sadie Goodwin must pen a romance novel to rescue her lackluster sales, there’s only one tiny problem: she’s never been in love. 

Desperate to salvage her career, Sadie accepts an invitation to hole up at her friend’s beach duplex for the summer and devote herself to this confounding genre. After all, where better to witness love than on the beautiful South Carolina shore?

But Sadie soon finds many ways to procrastinate the dreaded task—like getting to know the beach regulars and installing a Little Free Library on the property. She even attempts conversation with Sam Ford, the frustratingly stubborn neighbor on the other side of the duplex. But things take an unexpected turn when Sadie finds inside her library an abandoned novel with a secret compartment—and a beautiful engagement ring tucked inside.

Suddenly, locating the ring’s owner becomes the perfect way to put off writing that romance. Sadie draws a reluctant Sam into her mission. And as the two close in on an answer to the mysterious proposal, she discovers a tender side to him. She begins to wonder if he just might make the perfect hero for her romance novel—or maybe even her heart.

And now, my review:

I love the setting of this book. As you can see from the cover and summary, it’s beach front and there’s a free library involved! Bookish fun!

The setup is that an experienced author must pen a full novel in a new-to-her genre, quickly. She’s a people person who’s never been in love, so it’s just a matter of time. That’s when Sam appears in her life.

These two engage in the fake-relationship trope—one of my favorites. And the heroine uses the neighbor in this story as the inspiration for the hero of her novel. They team up to solve a romantic mystery, which was an interesting layer.

The heroine is full of words, and they gush from her. This wasn’t my favorite element, and I had to skim her long speeches. I think it’s believable a character can be over-the-top in this way, and it did make her unique, but reading her dialogue was a chore at times.

The heroine makes friends easily, trusts readily, and engages with the community instantly. She seemed a little naïve, but she also drew people to herself, an extrovert who never a stranger.

In perfect contrast, the hero was introverted, less verbal, and closed off. He’s cautious, world wise, and perceptive of dangers Sadie doesn’t always see. A very strong mirror for comparison. He’s also a little jealous at times, which motivated him to reconsider his lonely life.

There are romance-writing tips at the beginning of each chapter, which are fun. They also provide hints of what’s coming in the following scenes.

Denise mentions a few fellow authors, which is enjoyable: Colleen Coble, Debbie Macomber, Jenny Hale. Sadie’s free library makes for some cool encounters.

It was a bit unbelievable to me that anyone could write a novel in a new-to-them genre in five weeks. From experience, I know it takes years to master any genre.

Full disclosure, I found a lot of similar elements to the bookish novella I’d written prior to reading this book for review. I know those coincidences happen. It was interesting to see the parallels.

Readers who love bookish fiction, beachy romances, and who may themselves be aspiring writers will enjoy this story. Denise shares from her own experience as a best-selling author, both by example and by sharing tips. I applaud that fun approach!

Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh

Just Look Up by Courtney Walsh

Let’s take a little trip back to 2017 for today’s review. I’m enjoying getting caught up with Courtney’s backlist. Just Look Up is book one in her Harbor Pointe series, set in Michigan.

Here’s the summary:

After tirelessly climbing the ranks of her Chicago-based interior design firm, Lane Kelley is about to land her dream promotion when devastating news about her brother draws her back home—a quaint tourist town full of memories she’d just as soon forget. With her cell phone and laptop always within reach, Lane aims to check on her brother while staying focused on work—something her eclectic family doesn’t understand.

Ryan Brooks never expected to settle down in Harbor Pointe, Michigan, but after his final tour of duty, it was the only place that felt like home. Now knee-deep in a renovation project that could boost tourism for the struggling town, he is thrilled to see Lane, the girl he secretly once loved, even if the circumstances of her homecoming aren’t ideal.

Their reunion gets off to a rocky start, however, when Ryan can’t find a trace of the girl he once knew in the woman she is today. As he slowly chips away at the walls Lane has built, secrets from his past collide with a terrible truth even he is reluctant to believe. Facing a crossroads that could define his future with Lane and jeopardize his relationship with the surrogate family he’s found in the Kelleys, Ryan hopes Lane can see that maybe what really matters has been right in front of her all along—if only she’d just look up.

And now, my review:

I love reunion romances, even more so when we learn that one of the two had a crush on the other person earlier in their lives. It’s like a built-in chemistry boost, especially if the object of affection had no idea.

Our heroine struggles with insecurities, and she has never felt she belonged, even with her family. When her family members favor forgiveness for the sake of unity, she’s left out. She’ll either have to choose forgiveness too or continue to be an outsider.

She feels most secure at work, where she hides from everything else. Some readers may relate. She also hides behind her phone, and I liked the double entendre of looking up from her phone as well as looking up toward God. Great themes.

We got to know Ryan a little, not nearly like we dove into Lane’s psyche. But I was glad. Given he was a war vet, his contribution to the story could have been violent or heavier. What we do learn of him is his nobility. He’s an excellent big brother, and he fits right into the community the heroine left behind. He knows how to accept grace, despite his rough childhood.

Because the heroine’s entire strength lies in her work, she lets it rule her. She doesn’t set boundaries. She works too many hours, never has downtime. But the beachy setting of Harbor Pointe interferes with that, along with her family and Ryan who can clearly see how unhealthy her compulsions are.

She rebuilt herself from her childhood years. This was relatable and made her respectable, even as we watched her struggle to change, to let go. I felt the story needed a little smoothing over, and the last quarter felt rushed. But generally, I enjoyed the novel. And I recommend it! Courtney has a way of inserting profound statements that are relatable and poignant like few authors I’ve read lately. I’m working my way through all her books!

Blog Tour: Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter

Barefoot Summer by Denise Hunter

Welcome to the Barefoot Summer book tour! From the get-go, I have to admit, Denise Hunter is one of my favorite authors. I was thrilled to read this first book in the Chapel Springs series. See the end of the post for information about a contest!

Let’s begin with the summary:

Madison’s heart has been closed for years. But one summer can change everything.

In the years since her twin brother’s drowning, Madison McKinley has struggled to put it behind her. Despite the support of her close-knit family and her gratifying job as a veterinarian in their riverside town, the loss still haunts her.

To find closure, Madison sets out to fulfill her brother’s dream of winning the town’s annual regatta. But first she has to learn to sail, and fast.

Beckett O’Reilly knows Madison is out of his league, but someone neglected to tell his heart. Now she needs his help—and he’ll give it, because he owes her far more than she’ll ever know.

Madison will do anything—even work with the infamous Beckett O’Reilly—to reach her goal. And as much as she’d like to deny it, the chemistry between them is electrifying. As summer wanes, her feelings for him grow and a fledgling faith takes root in her heart.

But Beckett harbors a secret that will test the limits of their new love. Can their romance survive summer’s challenges? And will achieving her brother’s dream give Madison the peace she desperately seeks?

And now, my review:

Madison has a fear of water, yet she’s compelled to learn to sail so she can win the annual regatta and somehow make up for the loss of her brother. Enter Beckett—sailor and expert swimmer. Well, strong enough to teach her, anyway. The perfect balance of (her) need and (his) skills to draw these two together for a summer of truly getting to know each other.

This story’s setting let us spend lots of time on the water, which I loved. That, and learning more about sailing.

And we had some relatable issues—regret, toxic shame, risk, fears. I’ve seen a bit of Denise’s treatment of toxic shame before (in Surrender Bay), and I loved that she dealt with it here. Poor Beckett really believes he isn’t worth much and doesn’t deserve Maddie’s love. The author also tackled tough issues like alcoholism, nightmares, and death, without skirting around them. This made the story more realistic and helped highlight her redemptive message.
  

Each character had to grow up and stand up for the right thing—to find their inner heroism. They had to face their fears and scrounge up courage, sometimes doing something afraid, rather than not doing it at all. I liked the hero’s nobility, how he protected Maddy’s sister’s feelings. And I liked Maddy’s courage and heroism in facing down her fears.

I was surprised by the path of this story, expecting certain events to happen in different places, but the story didn’t suffer for the placement. And by ordering things as she did, the author was able to tie up more loose ends.

As always, Denise is an expert when it comes to romance. Genre readers will eat this romance up. Her prose and characterization shine, making for an even more enjoyable experience.

Highly recommended! I’m watching anxiously for book two in this series: Dancing with Fireflies, due out in April, 2014.

(print)            (e-book)  

~~~~~ CONTEST INFO!~~~~

Denise Hunter is celebrating her new Chapel Springs Romance series with a Summer Fun Giveaway. The first book, Barefoot Summer, is already a favorite with readers. “Hold-your-breath romance, heartache, and laugh-out-loud moments. It’s more than a good read. It’s a delight.” -- Lisa T. Bergren
 
Summer: it’s all about sunny skies, star-gazing, swimming, spending time with loved ones, and living as if a small part of the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders.

Get ready for some serious summer fun with Denise’s 12-Day Summer Sun giveaway. From June 10-21, keep your computer near as you head to the lake or your friend’s barbecue because Denise will be giving away a summer essential each day!