Autumn Skies by Denise Hunter

 

Autumn Skies by Denise Hunter

Autumn Skies is book three and final installment in the Bluebell Inn romance series.

Let’s begin with the summary:

When a mysterious man turns up at Grace’s family-run inn, there's instant attraction. But she’s already got a lot on her plate: running the Bluebell Inn by herself now that her siblings and co-owners have moved on, getting her new store Blue Ridge Outfitters off the ground, and coping with a childhood event she’d thought was long past.

A gunshot wound has resurrected the past for secret service agent Wyatt Jennings, and a mandatory leave of absence lands him in Bluebell, North Carolina. There he must try and come to grips with the crisis that altered his life forever.

Grace needs experience for her new outfitters business, so when Wyatt needs a mountain guide, she’s more than happy to help. As their journey progresses, Wyatt begins opening up to Grace, and he finds himself drawn to Grace’s fresh outlook and sense of humor.

There’s no doubt the two have formed a special bond, but will Wyatt’s secrets bring Grace’s world crashing down? Or will those secrets end up healing them both?

And now, my review:

This series is based on both a location and sibling group. Grace is the youngest sister, and she has watched her older siblings find romance as potential love interests visit the inn. Now, it’s her turn.

I enjoyed the location, so picturesque and homey—their inn on the lake. Again, the same overarching noble quest remains—keep their late parents’ dream alive. Each sibling uses their specific gifts to benefit the family business. Grace dreams of venturing out, as a businesswoman and as the youngest, leaving the nest.

We root for her from the beginning. Denise is a masterful storyteller who creates likable heroines and heroes.

Both Grace and Wyatt need healing from severe past wounds. I like how the past issues weaved into the present, demanding attention and pushing the hero and heroine toward healing—a journey they’d end up taking together as the story plays out.

The heroine is a competent, strong heroine with a caring manner. We want to see things turn out well for her. As the youngest, she has to tolerate her older siblings seeing her as a child but readers will respect her.

The hero’s occupation and nobility elicit readers’ respect as well. We want him to succeed, to be able to move past his previous pain and find freedom.

One of the novel's themes is misplaced guilt. Readers may relate to this because sometimes we blame ourselves when past incidents aren’t our fault, especially if we were children and did not have agency, resources, maturity, strength, wisdom, or opportunities.

I read this book about 2.5 years after its release, and I’m so glad I got to revisit this series, this location, and these great characters. 

A satisfying end to the Bluebell Inn series.

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!

Memory Lane by Becky Wade

 

Memory Lane by Becky Wade

Book one in the Sons of Scandal series.

This is an indie-pubbed book by a fantastic author of contemporaries. I really enjoy Becky’s work.

Let’s begin with the summary:

After surviving a trauma several years back, Remy Reed relocated to a cottage on one of Maine’s most remote islands. She’s arranged her life just the way she wants it, spending her time working on her wood sculptures and soaking in the beauty of nature. It’s quiet and solitary—until the day she spots something bobbing in the ocean.

Her binoculars reveal the “something” to be a man, and he’s struggling to keep his head above water. She races out to save him and brings him into her home. He’s injured, which doesn’t detract from his handsomeness nor make him any easier to bear. He acts like a duke who’s misplaced his dukedom . . . expensive tastes, lazy charm, bossy ideas.

Remy would love nothing more than to return him to his people, but he has no recollection of his life prior to the moment she rescued him. Though she’s not interested in relationships other than the safe ones she’s already established, she begins to realize that he’s coming to depend on her.

Who is he? What happened that landed him in the Atlantic Ocean? And why is she drawn to him more and more as time goes by?

There’s no way to discover those answers except to walk beside him down memory lane.

Travel to the rocky coast of Maine for "opposites attract" banter, witty humor, a fascinating mystery, and destiny-changing love. This sweet contemporary romance kicks off Becky Wade's new Sons of Scandal series!

And now, my review:

I love the setting of this novel. Our heroine is in hiding-out mode, living on an island off the coast of Maine. She’s content in the safe life she’s built for herself. In her hideaway, she can craft her art and avoid dealing with the challenges that led to her decision to hibernate. But not for long.

We see a strong heroine and a role reversal from the beginning as she rescues the hero from drowning. Then, she cares for him as he recovers physically. His memory recovery will take a bit longer.

The whole time he's healing, she struggles with his presence in her world, how he upsets her routine. There’s obvious chemistry and attraction between them, which was delicious in this “sweet”* romance.

As an sculptor, the heroine artist escapes through story into her fantasy worlds. It’s a coping mechanism that fosters her escape from reality, and that dissociation keeps her productive. But the fatal flaw’s time runs out, forcing her to face reality. 

Fellow artists, and perhaps especially authors, will relate with one delicious element—she invents stories via a vivid imagination.

There are some fringe elements in this novel, namely a telepathic character with "powers" in the artist’s imagination, and the use of hypnotherapy to recover memory in an amnesiac. I think the story would have worked without those elements, and as a Christian reader, I wonder how those elements would be received by CBA readership. That said, they are easily overlooked in light of the enjoyment of the rest of the book.

One of the Christian elements includes the fact our hero wants to attend church. He has experienced God’s presence, and even before he gets his memories back, he craves God.

One of the ingredients Becky always includes, that I’m sure readers will love, is chemistry and swoon-worthy moments. She’s a master at this and lovers of sweet romances will enjoy watching these characters explore their attraction in a “clean” way. This was my favorite part of the book as we get realism and intensity, while remaining wholesome. 

Check out this fantastic setup: The heroine must test the waters to recover from her past trauma. The hero volunteers himself. 'Nuff said.

I enjoyed this book, overall. Definitely looking forward to more novels in this series! 

*Sweet romance is a genre of wholesome romance.

Is It Any Wonder by Courtney Walsh

 

Is It Any Wonder by Courtney Walsh

Courtney is an excellent writer! As you can see here at my blog, I've been on a kick lately, reading her work. This is book two in her Nantucket Love Story series.

Let’s begin with the summary:

Can a promise made as kids bring them back together as adults? In this Nantucket-set beach read, “master of the genre” (Midwest Book Review) Courtney Walsh delivers a sparkling inspirational romance about first love and second chances.

Twelve years ago, Cody Boggs and Louisa Chambers made a pact that no matter where their lives took them, they’d return to Nantucket Island’s Brant Point Lighthouse on July 30, their shared golden birthday, and continue their tradition of exchanging birthday wishes. But that was before a tragic accident upended both of their lives, irrevocably pulling them apart.

Their worlds collide just months before that particular day when Louisa’s fledgling event planning company is hired by the local Coast Guard station, where she discovers Cody has recently returned to the island as the second in command. As they plan a regatta fundraiser, hoping to promote positive PR in the community, neither can deny the fireworks each encounter ignites. But working together also brings up memories of the day Cody’s father died, revealing secrets that have Cody and Louisa questioning everything they thought they knew and felt about their families and each other.

And now, my review:

I really enjoyed book one of the Nantucket Love Story series, which is called If for Any Reason. See my review here. It’s no wonder (ha!) that Courtney is known as a “master of the genre.” She writes an excellent romance, book after book.

Our hero is quiet, but feels things deeply. He carries huge regrets. The heroine’s conflict intersects  because she carries the same regret. I loved that the hero is a Coastguardsman. He’s courageous and strong and noble as he faces the force that took his father.

I admired the heroine’s strength. She’s a competent business owner who knows her niche and pursues her dreams. But not without insecurities. She’s a people person, so she wants to see folks get along, especially her favorite folks—even if they’re all carrying the same burden from the past. Every character in the story is layered and flawed, and I rooted for most of them. The author kept me hooked the whole time, though this is a long book. So worth it.

I loved that this was a reunion romance—one of my favorite types. The hero and heroine share a birthdate and their golden birthday (the birthday that matches the day of the month they were born—the 30th) carries extra weight. I liked this original aspect. It was also very interesting to see two intuitive main characters (Myers-Briggs personality category). I haven't seen that element often enough. 

Courtney uses sarcasm and humor to keep things from getting to heavy. So well done.

One of the themes was how truth impacts lives—whether kept or shared. Truth can set you free, but it can also hurt. I felt for these characters.

Beaches are my favorite setting, so that aspect really appealed to me. The way Courtney wrote this story, I could see it playing out as a movie. It’s very cinematic. I could not only see the scenes unfolding, but they felt "big"—movie worthy. Courtney's A Match Made at Christmas, which came out last fall, is being made into a movie and I really hope her Nantucket books get the same opportunity. (Read my review for that Christmas novella here.)

(A side note: I noticed several similarities to my 2017 Friday Harbor novel, which I’m sure is a coincidence. There were multiple differences as well, of course.)

My TBR (to-be-read) pile is overflowing, but I could definitely read this novel again. Very enjoyable!

Highly recommended!

Carolina Breeze by Denise Hunter

Carolina Breeze

I enjoyed the first book in Denise’s Bluebell Inn Romance series, so I was grateful to read this book about the second of three adult siblings running an inn in North Carolina.

Let’s begin with the summary:

A jilted bride. A struggling innkeeper. And a romantic mountain getaway that changes everything.

Rising Hollywood star Mia Emerson is looking for a safe place to land in the wake of a public breakup and celebrity scandal, and she finds it in the lake town of Bluebell, North Carolina—the location of her canceled honeymoon. She wants nothing more than to hide and wait for the tabloids to die down.

Soon after her arrival at the Bluebell Inn, Mia meets Levi Bennett, who runs the inn along with his two younger sisters. Drawn to one another from the start, Mia trusts Levi to keep her location from the press, and Levi confides in Mia about the precarious financial state of the inn—a secret he’s been keeping from his sisters.

When Mia and Levi discover an old journal that hints at a rare diamond necklace hidden in the inn, they set off on a treasure hunt to find the long-lost heirloom. What they don’t expect to surface are feelings they thought were safely locked away. Mia and Levi must decide if falling in love again is too big a risk—or if it will uncover a treasure of its own instead.

And now, my review:

I love the setting and revisiting characters I’ve come to care about. Levi is a by-the-rules kind of big brother, shouldering the responsibilities of the family’s inn, at least financially, on his own. He’s keeping secrets from his sisters. He's also against dating any of their guests.

Our heroine is an actress, which was a fun profession to follow. Denise does a great job naming male motives, which I appreciated. I liked that they had to fake a relationship for the sake of her PR, but it wasn’t as romantic as it could have been, perhaps due to missed opportunities.

There were a few places where the males didn’t sound like males, and I’m not referring to Alpha versus Beta male POVs. They just sounded syrupy. Overall, the book felt an effort to avoid any type of conflict or danger or trouble. Conflicts were resolved quickly. The characters got over their problems quickly.

Also, unusual for her writing was a lack of well-written romantic scenes. Many of those scenes felt contrived rather than natural. We also had some head-hopping, but that was likely worked out in the later version. There were several clichés in the narrative and/or dialogue that made her characters seem older, in terms of their generation, than they were supposed to be. Some of the conflicts and character reactions also felt contrived and dull, juvenile.

Unfortunately, I also found some redundancies at least in the ARC. The story lost me when the romance seemed to resolve too early. We lost touch with the why-not—why they cannot be together. The external conflicts regarding the inn didn’t keep me hooked. I gave up at about 70 percent.

I'm looking forward to the next book in this series since I enjoyed the first one so much. I wish the author and publisher well. 

Storm Front by Susan May Warren

Storm Front by Susan May Warren

This spring has been fun for reading some of my favorite authors, Susie May among them!

Let’s begin with the summary:

A tornado has destroyed a small Minnesota community and among the missing are not only a group of students but PEAK Rescue team leader Chet King. Ty Remington will stop at nothing to rescue his mentor, not even when the girl he loved—and lost—walks back into his life. But Brette needs his help more than he knows, despite her stubborn determination to push him away. And when he gets a second chance, loving her just might cost him more than he can imagine.

A blogger for Vortex Storm Chasers, Brette Arnold didn't expect her adventures to land her in the same place as Ty, the guy who she walked—no, ran—from over a year ago. She had her reasons—good ones. The kind that tell her that falling for him again would only lead to heartache. But Ty isn't the kind of man to give up—not on the missing students, or on her.

Life and love hang in the balance in Susan May Warren's breathless story of holding on to hope during a deadly summer of storms.

And now, my review:

I liked seeing the PEAK Rescue team leave the mountains of their usual setting and loved how Susie made this believable—if the problem centers on one team member, the whole team will come help.

Brette is a likable character in this novel. She’s courageous and doesn’t seem to be about to sell out the PEAK team, like she seemed about to do in an earlier Montana Rescue series book. I rooted for her after learning more of her story and seeing her try to be noble. 

Ty is one lovable character! He’s all heart. He follows his gut instincts, and he is often misunderstood because of it. But he’s the ideal guy to have on a rescue team because he will not give up. He cares about everyone the same. He can’t see that he’s a hero, but instead he zeroes in on his past dark moment and calls himself a failure. Really, that’s a lie and it’s all about his perspective. 

As usual, Susie’s research is impeccable. We learn about mesocyclones and other storm terms. My inner science nerd loved this! The storms made for an adventurous element.

I’m enjoying this series, but a word to the reader: please, read these books in order. You may be a little bit lost if you read them as stand-alones.  

Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Troubled Waters by Susan May Warren

Troubled Waters by Susan May Warren

I love these characters! In this story, (Montana Rescue series, book four), we get to see the PEAK team travel, putting their resources to use away from the usual Montana setting. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Let’s begin with the summary:

Billionaire Ian Shaw can have everything he wants—except a happy ending. Or at least that's what it feels like with his fortune recently liquidated, his niece, Esme, still missing, and the woman he loves refusing to speak to him. In fact, he doubts she would date him even if they were stranded on a deserted island.

Despite her love for Ian, Sierra Rose knows he has no room in his life for her as long as the mystery of his missing niece goes unsolved. The only problem is, Sierra has solved it, but a promise to Esme to keep her whereabouts secret has made it impossible to be around Ian.

When the PEAK chopper is damaged, and Sierra lacks the funds to repair it, Ian offers a fundraising junket for large donors on his yacht in the Caribbean. But the three-day excursion turns into a nightmare when a rogue wave cripples the yacht and sends the passengers overboard. Shaken up and soaked to the bone, Ian finally has a chance to test his theory when he and Sierra do indeed find themselves washed up on a strange, empty shore.

It will take guts and gumption for the PEAK team to rescue the duo. But it will take a miracle to rescue Ian and Sierra's relationship.

And now, my review:

From this series's prequel (which is a Kindle FREEBIE), entitled If Ever I Would Leave You, I’ve been hoping we would get back to Ian and Sierra's story. This book takes us there. Please, if you haven't yet, read this free prequel. Then, you'll have the background for Troubled Waters, and really, for the rest of the series.

We also get to follow Jess and Pete’s story, which is another reason I love this series—the threads of secondary characters keep us hooked. It’s also a good reason to read these novels in order, which I highly recommend doing. Here’s the list:

Montana Rescue series, titles and release dates:

Prequel: If Ever I Would Leave You (9/15/16)

Book One: Wild Montana Skies (10/18/16)

Book Two: Rescue Me (1/31/17)

Book Three: A Matter of Trust (7/2017)

Book Four: Troubled Waters (1/2/18)

[Note: These links are for the Kindle versions. You’ll find my reviews of these books on this blog (Net’s Book Notes).]

Now, back to my thoughts. 

 

There are so many good things to like about this book! I loved the dynamic between brothers Pete and Sam. I loved the characterization, overall, but especially Susie’s male POVs. (points of view) At difficult points, we see their brokenness, in believable ways. So well done. Though the novel’s level of peril got to me a little bit (because there is a lot of it here), I enjoyed the ride. And oh, the romance! Every couple we focused on had their own romance going, which was so much fun.

Ian is a once-wealthy man who has trusted in his wealth and his own ability to control life, he thinks, to get him through. That’s why the loss of his niece eats him up, I think. (see the prequel) He tried his best to control her future, and his efforts didn’t work. Readers may relate with trying to control their lives out of a sense of fear. Ian has skid marks from past relationships, feeling abandoned, and he’s got a fatal flaw (this control issue) that needs to go. But his persistence and drive make him respectable, and I rooted for his success. He’s also broken, especially as his journey gets rough, and I felt for him.

Sierra sees herself as second rate. She’s interpreted her life’s events as evidence for that belief. She’s stronger than she thinks and her adventures in this story, including her romance with Ian, will unravel her lie. I loved rooting for her and watching her bravely take on the challenges in her path.

I loved that Susie included herself in this story, incognito! (Read the book to find her.) And I loved the escape of sailing and revisiting summer weather this January while I read. Jesus is present in this story in a way I don’t recall in Susie’s earlier books, and I loved that!

One of the novel’s themes was how life is not easy. Trusting God is hard and even when you do, bad things happen. But how we respond to those times is what counts. That’s a relatable theme. Susie encourages readers to choose faith, another theme.

Troubles hit these characters over and over on their way to the book’s conclusion. I held my breath and cheered and cried. Every emotion. I laughed aloud a few times and delighted in this journey.

Looking back at my highlighted in the Kindle ARC version, I think I’m going to want to read this one again. So much to enjoy!  

I loved this novel and highly recommend it.