Riverbend Gap by Denise Hunter

Riverbend Gap by Denise Hunter

I’ve long been a fan of Denise Hunter and her work! How exciting to find this first book in her new series. Isn't that a lovely cover?

Let’s begin with the summary:

She came in search of the family she’d always wanted—and found the kind of love she’d never dared imagine.

When Katelyn Loveland’s car veered off a winding Appalachian Mountain road, she thought she was done for. That is until Cooper Robinson, local sheriff’s deputy, came to her rescue. And though Katie narrowly escaped her brush with death, she still fell. Hard.

She wasn’t the only one. But soon Cooper learns that the woman he’s more attracted to than any he’s ever met is his brother’s new girlfriend—and therefore unquestionably off limits. Yet, despite their best efforts, Cooper and Katie can’t seem to avoid running into each other. Or ignore the undeniable chemistry between them.

As they grow closer, Katie shares secrets from her past and the real reason she moved to their small North Carolina town. She also wins over Cooper’s welcoming and bighearted family. But they don’t know that her feelings for Cooper keep growing—all while she’s dating his brother. Soon the stakes of their emotional connection become higher than either could have imagined.

Katie stands to lose the first family she’s ever had, and a scandal could doom Cooper’s campaign for sheriff. Suddenly they find themselves on the edge of another precipice—and they’re forced to make a decision that could change their lives forever.

And now, my review:

Denise is a master storyteller.

From the opening pages of this story, I was hooked by the peril and the main characters’ chemistry. Very compelling opening scene! We learn of the hero’s competence, career, and nobility right away. The heroine’s strength and courage help us root for her, caring for her immediately.

These two had great banter. He’s not a talker, but when he needs to save someone’s life, he rises and even cracks jokes, helping to calm the other person.

I loved that the hero was a sheriff’s deputy. His goal is to overcome his father’s sins, to shine in his own right, to redeem his family’s reputation. A lofty goal for someone in this fictional small town where everyone’s memories prevail almost as assuredly as their commitment to rumors and gossip.

Deputy Cooper Robinson came alive on the page. I loved his courage and will, his determination to help. He’s fiercely loyal to his family, especially wanting to see his brother Gavin thrive after a devastating loss. This element made me respect Cooper’s why-not in this romance.

Kate Loveland wants a family. She’s on a search for answers and longs for a chance to make amends. She’s also suffering from a loss and could use a support system to help her through. She finds that in this small town, with the Robinson family.

I loved the secondary characters, especially Cooper’s step-dad. His two cents method of letting his step-kids choose whether they wanted his input or not was clever.

Some themes include: discovering your own identity, beyond your family of origin; overcoming the past; loss of family members; overcoming addiction; chasing one's dreams; family devotion. 

This was one of my favorite reads this year. Very enjoyable. Compelling issues and relatable emotional conflicts, but not too heavy. I highlighted phrases in my e-reader as I went, and at some points my notes read simply: magic. Such great dialogue!

We also get to learn more about the Appalachian Trail through this novel. As a northerner who has only ever heard about it, I loved this element. I look forward to reading Gavin’s story at some point in this Riverbend Romance series.

Highly recommended!

Do You Know What I Know by Becky Melby

Do You Know What I Know by Becky Melby

I enjoy Becky’s books, so I was excited to pick this one up over the holidays for $0.99 on Kindle.

Let’s begin with the summary:

When a phone call from the obstetrician’s office goes to the wrong person . . . Elizabeth Schmidt can’t figure out why her husband doesn’t seem excited about the news she’s sure he heard. Is he unhappy? Or is James cheating on her? Pastor Jay Davidson is in shock. Bethany Schmidt, the woman he’s in love with, is pregnant. Should he walk away, or is God asking him to play the part of Joseph in real life and not just in the church Christmas program? Bethany can’t figure out why Jay is acting so weird. Has he figured out one of the two secrets she’s keeping until after Christmas? Can a ponytailed itinerant carpenter with a pet chicken help unravel the confusion?

And now, my review:

What a fun novella! Becky spins strong romantic full of romance.

I had a little trouble with this one. First, I was confused in the opening “screens” because of the various characters. I had to reread to solve the confusion. Second, though there were plenty of modern references (like a cell phone streaming current Christmas music from one’s pocket during their holiday prep) the premise of this book was a misunderstanding based on an outdated way of notifying a family of a pregnancy. The miscommunication was based on a phone call from an OB’s office. The caller was vague and would probably have broken HIPAA laws.The author addressed this but I didn't feel like it was dealt with believably.

The fact that the characters could have cleared up the misunderstanding in a conversation was a bit annoying. I read the author letter, and she said that she usually doesn’t build stories on misunderstandings that could be cleared up in one conversation, but this time that was at the center of the story. Made things a little frustrating as I waited to see the story get worked out.

But, I was hooked and read straight through to the end. So, that’s a win for any author. (grin)

Overall, this is a fun Christmas read.

You’re the One that I Want by Susan May Warren

You're the One that I Want by Susan May Warren

This series is one of my favorites! 

Let’s begin with the summary:

Owen Christiansen has been in a downward spiral since an injury ended his NHL career. But a job on an Alaskan crabbing boat offers a fresh start . . . maybe even a shot at romance with Elise “Scotty” McFlynn, the captain’s daughter.

Used to being one of the guys, to never relying on anyone, Scotty doesn’t believe in happily ever after—especially with someone like Owen. Her instinct is confirmed when Casper Christiansen arrives to drag his prodigal brother home, bringing with him a truckload of family drama—and even worse, the news that Casper is wanted for questioning in connection to a crime back in Minnesota.

But Owen is more than the sum of his mistakes, a truth both he and Scotty discover when she escorts both brothers to Deep Haven as part of her new job on the Anchorage police force. Thrust into an unfamiliar world of family, faith, and fresh starts, Scotty begins to see potential for a happy ending . . . if she’s brave enough to embrace it.

And now, my review:

I loved this book! Susan’s research was obvious, and she hooked me immediately. I was up reading late into the night repeatedly with this one so I’d have uninterrupted time.

Our hero is so stuck. He’s the bad boy from earlier books in this series, yet here we get to experience his thoughts, fears, feelings. I loved going into his POV, in a believable way. He’s spontaneous, but not always wise. Ironically, he’s eager to please. We get a completely different picture of him than from the earlier books. But he mostly believes the worst about himself, and his family tends to agree with his assessment. So, it will take an outsider to show him his better qualities. 

The heroine doesn’t see herself as wife material, or even girlfriend material. She’s only had her stoic, captain father, and he taught her how to be a man. She has a male-sounding name, and all of her shipmates call her “sir.” I got confused a few times with her name. She’s all about rules because those are her safety idol. She avoids dreaming in life because dreams are outside the realm of rules. As brave as she is, she’s afraid to risk. The hero will have to show her a different side of herself. 

The prodigal son and brother are symbols and themes throughout. I liked the setting—Alaska’s Bering Sea, Seattle, and of course, Minnesota. 

One of my favorite quotes and takeaways from this book came from the author’s letter. I’ll let you read the novel to find it.

I’ve been reading this author's books from the first full-length novel. Love her work. But this was one of my all-time favorites!

Highly recommended.

A Gentleman's Kiss: A Romance Collection

A Gentleman's Kiss

When I saw the authors listed in this group, I was excited to read their latest novellas.

Let’s begin with the summary:

Are you ready for some good old-fashioned romance in a contemporary setting? Then you’ll enjoy these nine stories of modern women who are forced to slow down and take a new look at dating and romance when new men enter their lives. For some it will take vacation time, others will discover [it] through music, while some need the gentle nudges from both God and Grandma. Delight in discovering how chivalry is not dead despite the stresses of today’s world.

And now, my review:

As I mentioned, I was excited to read these authors’ latest novellas. I’ve long been a fan of Barbour novella collections. But as soon as I received it I saw the story’s individual copyright dates were 2003 and before. Why wasn’t this made plain? Either way, I wanted to see if the writing was as strong as I’d expect from these accomplished authors. I began with the first story and was soon disappointed. There were a slew of characters to track in the opening pages and no hook. I flipped to another one and got a little further into the story before the writing bogged down. So, I tried a bit later in the collection. This one fizzled out. Another felt like a repeat of the first novella, opening in almost exactly the same way—was this a mistake for the ARC version? One of the stories was set in Paris, and I wanted to love it, but the romance didn't progress believably. The final one I attempted to read (there are nine in all; I didn’t attempt all of them) was chock full of reader feeding, which makes for dull reading. All of these rookie mistakes can mostly be explained away by the timing. This was over ten years ago, after all. Writing and editing trends have changed since these novellas came out. I'm sure the writing skills of these authors has as well. As an editor I see writing at all levels. I was hoping to see high level writing here in my "leisure" reading. I choose recent and upcoming releases for that reason.

Overall, I was disappointed in this collection. I understand re-releasing titles, hoping to find a new life for them. I even respect that. But to not let readers know that it’s a re-release feels like a betrayal. Even on Amazon’s page for this title, there isn’t an easily spotted list of copyright dates for the original titles, only author bios. I wish these authors and this publisher the best, but I'll be more cautious in the future.