A high tempo tale of falling in love and new beginnings, of family drama, the past catching up to mess the present when a one-time blessing turns into a hindrance to happiness in the future.
When everything happens at once and your emotions are high and intense - especially when children are involved - things have a chance to turn a bit horrendously comical. And Delores Fossen surely knows how to create those scenes where you do not know if you laugh until you have tears in your eyes or just cry cause all the feels, but at least you swoon cause all the hot cowboys. I enjoyed this story immensely, it pulled me into the swirling world of intriguing characters, insane happenings, and profound emotions. I adored Austin Jameson and his twin girls, he is such a great father, caring, fun, considerate, and protective. I loved that to build a new relationship with McCall Dalton there was no need to make his former wife and his love for her any less than it was (often happens in romance novels). But it was celebrated, her memory was cherished, and the adorable girls told stories about her. So much happens in a short time, it seems like a tornado of events toss everything up in the air and changes everyone's lives in one swift sweep. And as the ending came a bit abruptly, I am excited to know this book was part of a series, and more mayhem and romance are to come. So hold on to your stetsons cause there's a new western romance series to be followed, and knowing Fossen's style, it is going to be one with passion, sensation, drama, and humor. ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
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Raw emotions, true connections, fragile future plans, turmoil in the soul from the past, and growing faith and trust in God's guidance... All the feels hit home in this heartfelt story of reunited teenage sweethearts who have faced more hardship than most in their lifetimes.
A secret baby is not my favorite type of tale yet here it is done in a delicate, different way with a twist that I came to respect the decisions as the story unfolded. I admired the maturity of Addie Ricci and Evan Hawke, as they are reunited and working together to fix the B&B. Evan's relationship with Addie's little boy was adorable, that cute little kid stealing my heart as well. There is so much both Addie and Evan have had to deal with. The struggles are real, the pain at times palpable, the growth and development of their hearts, minds, faith, and souls is a beautiful journey to be witnessing. The way the author has imbedded the faith the protagonists have in God is done in a natural, lifelike matter, it was easy to relate to. It is only after everything else from the past is resolved that Addie and Evan can have a chance for a future together, and the heartache of the road to peace of mind and joy of the soul brought tears to my eyes. An adorable, deeply-felt tale of love, life, faith, and family ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
From Harlequin Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.
Colorado Grooms
I love K-9 stories, the connection between the handler and their partners are fascinating, and this True Blue Brooklyn series has proven to be a hit with me.
Belle Montera and Emmett Gage's meet was filled with adrenaline and danger setting the story into a high-speed track towards the constant peril brought by their jobs, and the sweet romance brought by their attraction to each other. Emmett is in a tough spot when his family and job get twisted together in a negative light. I admired how he kept his cool, and how level-headed he was about the whole process. Belle is part of a big, loving, supportive yet protective family. Her latest case and past personal life have brought the danger into their home and some of her family members seem to be involved in the mayhem. This story is a sweet yet a bit wild ride. I loved how Emmett meshed so well with the family of Belle, I liked how sensible they both were with their attraction to each other. The spot they are on with their relatives involved is a hazardous one, yet they hold their professionalism and calm as long as it is possible. Deadly Connection was a one-evening read with me, the momentum building up so that I needed to reach the end before I could put it down. It was entertaining, beguile, and satisfying, a solid read for Love Inspired Romantic Suspense readers! ~ Four Spoons True Blue K-9 Unit: Brooklyn:
An appealing and enjoyable tale of two quiet souls finding each other at an unexpected place and time in their lives. Both Sam and Ian were appealing, likable, and relatable characters. They had dealt with pain and loss in their lives, they had lived and survived heartbreak, and had built successful, fulfilling lives that they on most parts enjoyed. From the meet-cute the attraction was obvious, they had shared interests yet physically their everyday lives were miles apart. But they had this one summer month on Lake Haven... The time Ian and Sam live as neighbors is filled with adorable kids, cute puppies, small-town living, and meddling friends and family, some serious conversations on the deck, and ardent kisses in the dark. Sam is overcoming the death of her domineering mother, trying to find her own footing in life. Ian is facing family responsibilities at the end of the summer and trying to accept the loss of his brother and the consequences of it. Summer at Lake Haven was a perfect escape-reading experience for me, with minimum angst and turmoil, yet lots of love and sun and bliss and happiness, it was a soothing story that brought a smile on my face and induced lots of joyful thoughts. RaeAnne Thayne knows how to entertain and please her readers, and this one didn't disappoint, either. ~ Four Spoons
A heartfelt and wholesome journey to find your true north, both spiritually and romantically, against the odds and circumstances.
The world the author has created is delightful, engaging, and just so charmingly accepting I wanted to linger in. I started this book rather late in the evening, thinking I read just a bit - one could think I am a rookie reader - and couldn't put it down. I love the strong leader type women who know what they want and are willing to work hard to get it. Rose Allgyer is a great example of that, the fact that she is Amish just added to her charm and wit. How she runs the campground in the absence of her uncle and aunt, how she deals with the help, with the community, and with the Englischers, she has strength, sharpness, kindness, forgiveness, and flexibility as much as drive. Even though Caleb Miller was only pretending to be Amish for his brother's sake, he fit into the community, with the customs and culture well. His journey to open his heart to faith and God again was touching, his struggles with honoring the community and honoring his brother's wish mark his growth as a man of faith and dignity. Caleb and Rose weight each other's worth as their first meet, the banter and bond between them made me smile as they tackle the needs of their guests. The quest for the coins to clear Caleb's brother's name and the secret Caleb is guarding add intrigue and tension to the storyline, spicing it up. A warm, sweet, and clean faith-based romance that inspired, entertained and captivated. Such a lovely story, a perfect read full of sunshiny memories of the warm summer days for the rainy autumn eves. ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
Discover this heartfelt Amish romance by Carrie Lighte, part of the uplifting Amish of Serenity Ridge series
Like the Amish characters she writes about, Carrie Lighte is very camera shy. She also enjoys making bread (by hand), tends to shun technology, and is blessed with a "wunderbaar" family and a strong faith in God. In addition to writing, reading and researching, Carrie enjoys hiking, kayaking and spending time at the beach.
An enjoyable, dynamic, and intense tale of riveting suspense and secret, ardent, sweep-you-off-your-feet-kind of romance.
The friction, chemistry, connection, attraction - whatever you want to call the sizzling - between Detective Emmanuel Iglesias and Pippa Colton is so well done; the secrecy, the escalation of emotions, the development of the suspense and how it mirrored into their relationship, I treasured every moment as I devoured the book. I have not read the other books in the Colton 911 series yet that didn't hinder the pleasure of my reading experience. The suspense is intriguing, bringing constant accelerating tension and potentially deadly moments to the pages. I liked how it was nearly the backdrop of the platform for Pippa and Emmanuel's destinies to entwine, as in the middle of all the danger and mayhem their relationship was still the main focus. Thus the fact that the conclusion to the attacks towards Pippa was - what felt like - a bit an easy solution wasn't a big deal to me. A potent, compelling tale of love and family, law and order, justice and objectivity, that I read at one sitting cause I couldn't put it down. ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side Colton 911: Grand Rapids
A lovely, engaging tale of new starts in life, of forgiveness, trust, and daring to take the leap of faith to open your heart to love. From the very beginning, I was pulled into the story. The main characters are charming and likable, they are easy to relate to, they have their issues and challenges, their secrets, yet they are brave, kind, giving, smart, and hard-working.
I adored Rachel and her story, her tough military career, her survival spirit, her eagerness to serve, her loving spirit, and her delightful daughters. She has such a big heart, open mind, and clever wit. And Isaac was just the perfect mate to her. Isaac was known for his perfectionist tendencies, and for him to realize the difference between perfect and perfect for him, to learn to trust his heart to love and feel instead of just being practical was a beautiful journey to witness. The chemistry between Rachel and Isaac was intense. Yes, it was sweet, clean, and adorable as well, but in a cleaver way, the author showed the attraction burning in between them without making it awkward. A quaint and timely tale of volunteers working to rebuild a town after flooding damaged homes, only to be faced with another hurricane. In the midst of the mayhem, a widowed mother of two cute girls meets the leader of volunteers who captures her mind and heart, as they both heal from old wounds and broken childhoods. A beautifully written, inspiring, and entertaining story that warmed my heart and lingers in my mind. ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
Discover this heartfelt Amish romance part of the Green Mountain Blessings series by Jo Ann Brown.
An intense, energetic, action-filled, engaging, fast-paced whodunit that I inhaled at one sitting. Wow, what an ending to an explosive series! And it is written so brilliantly, given just enough background information, that even if you haven't read the previous books, you can easily follow along and get what's going on - or as much as it is possible in the midst of the chaotic life or death situation.
Caroline Moser might be Marshal Jack Slater's ex, but there is nothing ex about his feelings towards her. The love and passion he feels for her are palpable. Yet he is doing everything he can to keep his feels in check and to stay focused, not to compromise Caroline's safety or the case they are working on. Caroline is weary to trust anyone after everything she has gone through, but her heart remembers Jack, and her instinct says she can rely on him. Maybe. I adored Jack and Caroline and how their story was told. There are no pretenses or games, they are honest, straightforward with their intentions, and their emotions. The only things that could possibly keep them apart are amnesia and/or death, and someone is working hard to make that happen. The thrillingly intense momentum builds up throughout the tale, every twist in the plot dangerous and potentially deadly, followed by fierce action and riveting passion, making the book unputdownable. I have read many of Fossen's romantic suspense stories before but this just might be my favorite... ~ Five Spoons
A heartfelt, warm, and sweet tale of an urban city woman escaping a dire situation in LA to the Amish community where she learns new ways to look at life, about faith in God, and falls so adorably in love with the neighbor. This story had such a welcoming inclusive vibe, it was truly a pleasure to read and experience. The community was helpful, kind, and considerate, they embraced Leah Porte, took her in, and taught her their ways, as she requested and wanted to learn more. I loved Leah's development in this story as she gains an understanding of Amish ways she learns about her self as well. For the first time, she truly hears about God and is intrigued, wanting more. Leah is easy to like, she is smart and kind and considerate and assimilates so easily into the new culture and ways of the Amish. She yearns to know more, to understand, and as she does she accepts the simple ways herself. The romance with Isaac is a delightfully precious slow process, yet the feels they have for each other are real, believable, and on a strong foundation. A solid, admirable tale of searching for meaning, learning to trust, to have faith, to love, and live your life's purpose. ~ Four Spoons Living on a remote self-sufficient homestead in North Idaho, Patrice Lewis is a Christian wife, mother, author, blogger, columnist and speaker. She has practiced and written about rural subjects for almost thirty years. When she isn’t writing, Patrice enjoys self-sufficiency projects, such as animal husbandry, small-scale dairy production, gardening, food preservation and canning, and homeschooling. She and her husband have been married since 1990 and have two daughters.
A perfect story to escape into. A smooth and sweet romance of two adults who have seen life, experienced pain and loss, and success and are open and willing to see the possibilities that the future might hold. I enjoyed this story, it felt so natural, so calm and peaceful, and beautiful. There are sorrow and pain regarding the loss, an aspect that gives the tale great depth, yet mainly there are all the gleeful days of summer on a lakeside that shines like sunrays. I could hear the windchimes making a racket, the birds singing, see the kid with her dog in a hammock enjoying the summer days... Cam Maguire and Meredith Price have a connection, the attraction might be instant but the relationship takes time to develop. I liked how they interacted with the people in town and with each other. There were respect and maturity, it felt real, with true emotions, and their drama but it was created by the situations in life and solved with real solutions without dwelling in angst. More Than Neighbors is just what the world needs right now, it's uplifting, cheerful, joy-filled tale. And as a book one in a new series it delivers a great platform to build on, promising there's more to come and I can't wait! ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
An emotional and touching love story of two friends in a crossroads of life, struggling with their past tragedies, with the losses they have faced and with the passion they feel for each other. It is easy to adore and admire Ryder Daniels, the head of a family, who put everything else aside as a young man, to take care of the family when needed. He is loyal, kind, considerate, stubborn, strong, and generous, he would do anything to protect his family. His best friend of 17 years, the light of his life, the sun on his sky, Sammy Marshall, thought him how to smile again, and now she is showing him how to feel again... While Ryder was so easy to love and admire, Sammy took some effort to understand. The place of trauma Sammy comes from, where she grew up in, the physical, mental, and emotional abuse she had faced, it is unimaginable and thus hard to grasp. As the story unfolds and the damage to Sammy's soul is unveiled, it is heartwrenching to feel an ouch of the immeasurable pain she has had to carry with her most of her life. This story went directly to my feels. At first, it was all fun and banter and cute and ardent. And then it got real and raw, there were heartache and agony, and the angst was high even when everything seemed so lovely and tender and sweet cause there were still major pieces of the puzzle missing. This beautiful story of love and life, friendship, and family, finding your true north and daring to take the journey towards it was an intense, fervent, spirited tale that took me for a wild ride and pulled all the feels to the surface. A book hangover? Oh yes, in the best possible way. I think part of Sammy and Ryder will live in my heart from now on... ~ Five Spoons!
An amazingly beautiful love story in a heart-wrenching situation, an emotionally wild ride from devastation and distress to filling my mind, my heart, and uplifting my spirit. Redwood Ridge is one of my favorite romance series. I fell head over the heels in love with the townfolks, the characters, the battleaxes, the matchmaking, and mostly - with the love stories. And this admiration towards the series has just grown with each new book. The sheriff of Redwood Ridge, Parker Maloney, has been on the sidelines of the stories, and I am so glad he got his own HEA. Parker is such a cool guy, tough yet gentle, he is thoughtful, kind, considerate, generous, he is loyal to his friends, openminded, and just everything Madeline Freemont needs, even if that is not obvious at the beginning. Madeline's backstory and current situation broke my heart in two. And to know that it is the reality to too many people, left a little ache in it as well in the matter of 'take action to prevent that happening'. It was all so real and raw, yet at the same time wonderfully ardent and marvelous. A beautiful story of forgiveness, redemption, acceptance, and most of all, learning to trust and daring to take that leap of faith to open your heart to love. ~ Five Spoons!
A twisted, action-packed tale with charming characters in the middle of perilous, potentially lethal situations delivers a captivating story that I couldn't put down. It is no secret that I love Laura Scott's style of writing. Her ability to tell a story where intense suspense and heartwarming romance enchant the mind, endearing characters win the hearts over, and their unwavering faith in God inspires. It has been a few books ago when I read the first book in the series, yet as soon as I started to read this one, the previous events came rushing to my mind, and I was eager to find out what's going on. The connection between Ryker Tillman and Olivia Habush was sweet, believable, and natural, so tender - fragile even - as she is pregnant with her late husband's baby, I got all the warm and snuggly feels from them. How Ryker interacted with Olivia's kid, how the bond and trust was formed, it was all a testament to Ryker's good character, to his distinction and decency despite his doubts. A fabulous faith-based romantic suspense story that easily could be read as a standalone book, yet is volume two in a series that I can highly recommend! ~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
This story has it all, the deep feels, the angst, the passion, the cute kids, friends for life, the family drama, and falling in love against all the odds. And all of that is wrapped in a smoothly flowing, riveting tale that made me smile, and sigh, and swoon, and even tear up but they were happy tears cause it was just so beautifully brought together. The connection between Mara and Parker was tangible on so many different layers. Their past brought in the painful conflict, their present was sizzling with attraction, and the future didn't seem like a realistic possibility because of the emotional baggage both of them had. Yet all the fears and doubts and hassles in the protagonist's minds are balanced with the little joys in life, with the support of family and friends. And through those reservations and skepticism, the characters grow and learn to trust and to open up, to dare to take the ultimate leap of faith. I admire and adore Major's writing and her style to tell a story so that it wraps around your heart and mind and imagination like you are part of the townfolks witnessing the events happen in real-time. The Last Man She Expected delivered beyond all my expectations! ~ Five Spoons
From the eruptive start to the very last scene the fast-paced tale of action and intrigue is a wild ride of survival; to stay alive, to find out who is behind the attacks and to deal with the combustible attraction still simmering between Texas Ranger Eli Slater and his ex, Ashlyn Darrow. A lot is going on in this story, the non-stop action, the deadly attacks, and the multiple suspects, the tension between the exes, the efforts to keep the baby safe... I took a deep breath and jumped right in the middle of a tale that kept going forward like a high-speed race that left very little room for anything else than to fight back and hope for the best. Eli and Ashlyn had known each other since childhood and they have a romantic history from their high school years. Now in the mids of the mayhem brought to their doorsteps, facing a potentially deadly situation, the realization that the attraction still burns piping hot seems like a lifeline for both of them. There is no chance to deal with what happened before or develop a relationship while guns are blazing and madmen are lurking around every corner, yet the emotional connection is like a fierce, strong, palpable pull towards the other. I loved the premises of the story. I liked the characters, the tale itself was intense and frenzied, the suspense, the whodunit was filled with intensity. What I wished would have gotten more attention was the ardent second chance love story between Eli and Ashlyn. ~ Three Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
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