Heidi Reads...: Review & Giveaway: Love Remains by Sarah M. Eden

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Review & Giveaway: Love Remains by Sarah M. Eden

Heidi Reads... Love Remains by Sarah M. Eden

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

From the USA Today Bestselling author of the Longing for Home series, LOVE REMAINS is a new romance novel set in the beloved world of Hope Springs.

For nearly a year, Tavish O’Connor has carried the crushing weight of his family’s future on his shoulders. He has taken on the care of his youngest brother, Finbarr, who lost his eyesight in a terrible accident. But the lad needs more than Tavish can provide. Finbarr needs hope.

Cecily Attwater specializes in hope. As a tutor to the newly blind, she has dedicated her life to helping others overcome the obstacles she herself has conquered. Her new assignment in a remote corner of Wyoming proves trickier than usual: Finbarr refuses to learn. To make matters worse, his family—and the other Irish townspeople—are less than thrilled to discover an Englishwoman in their haven.

Cecily’s only hope lies in securing the cooperation of her pupil’s brother, Tavish, who happens to be her harshest critic and quite possibly the most frustrating man she’s ever known.

For Finbarr’s sake, Tavish and Cecily forge an uneasy alliance that, as the weeks pass, tiptoes toward something deeper than either dares admit or face, and toward a future they know to be impossible. There can be no hope of a happy outcome for an Irish man and an English woman amongst a people reeling from violence and centuries of hatred between their two homelands.

My Review

Okay, in order to prep for reading this book I read the first two in the series (I had read the first book back when it was released, and hadn't read the second book yet) and then read Love Remains... all in two days. It was pretty awesome so be so immersed in Hope Springs, Wyoming for three books in a row! As much I I love Katie from Longing for Home, there was so much anxiety and almost a feeling of hopelessness in the circumstances of the feuding town. Love Remains takes place after the feud is resolved so I didn't feel so heavy reading it and was more focused on Tavish and Cecily. It's definitely my favorite of the series and can be read well as a stand-alone, although reading the series in order gives you a better sense of the town and all the characters in the O'Connor family and community, as well as the history there.

I loved that this third book delves into the deeper layers of Tavish and his struggles. He is so charming and ready to make the people around him laugh and smile, but he's not as light-hearted as he seems. Cecily is straight-forward and blunt, the nature of her job has her telling things as she sees them. She has so much confidence, and yet has hidden vulnerabilities that surface during her time in Hope Springs with the O'Connors. There has been so much loss and heartbreak, and dealing with grief is a major theme of the book. I was brought to tears no less than three times, and was touched by the emotion that permeates from the characters and story. But don't worry, there is plenty of humor and sweetness in this love story between two people who are initially frustrated with each other, then align purposes and form a friendship that develops into more as their attraction grows and they provide support in each other's most heart-wrenching moments.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

About the Author

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today Bestselling author of witty and charming historical romances, including AML's "2013 Novel of the Year" and Foreword Review’s 2013 “IndieFab Book of the Year” gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, as well as 2014 Whitney Award winner for "Best Romance" and "Best Novel of the Year," Longing for Home: Hope Springs. Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a Bachelor's degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski.

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