My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it
Synopsis
When her grandmother injures herself sliding into third base, Riley McAllister must return to her small hometown to help run the family yarn store in this sweet, lighthearted romantic comedy.
Riley McAllister left the small Arkansas town of Maple Falls after graduating high school, hoping to make it big in New York as a mixed media artist. She’s still pursuing her dream when her grandmother begs her to come home and help her manage the store while she recovers from a broken leg she got after sliding into third base during a church softball game (she was safe, by the way). Riley agrees, planning to convince her grandmother to sell the old shop and retire so Riley can get back to the big city. New York is where she belongs, not some hick town that doesn’t even have a decent coffee shop.
Hayden Price’s life hasn’t turned out as he expected either. He still works in the hardware store his family has owned for several generations after his chance to make it out of Maple Falls ended when he blew out his pitching arm during a minor league game. Stuck with debt from college and a broken engagement, he decides to make the best of things when he comes back to Maple Falls and puts together the town’s first church softball team--with him as coach, of course.
Riley and Hayden went to high school together but ran in totally different circles. In fact, it’s safe to say they hated each other. Will that change when the softball team unexpectedly brings them together? Or will the pain and disappointment of their past failures keep them from discovering love in Maple Falls?
My Review
Kathleen Fuller is one of my favorite authors of Amish romance, so I was so excited to read a contemporary romance series from her. She's skilled at bringing depth to her characters- making them come alive with their strengths and flaws, struggles and triumphs. Riley and Hayden don’t hate each other- they actually have been interested in each other surreptitiously since high school, but life got in the way of them becoming more than acquaintances. Riley copes with her traumatic past and dysfunctional childhood by closing herself off from people, which is incredibly frustrating to Hayden. He has overcome personal disappointments and injuries, and I loved how that put him in a unique position to understand Riley and support her. Boy, they do not have an easy road as Riley begins to recognize how her coping mechanisms are no longer helping her, but preventing her from pursuing the happiness that is just within reach. I enjoyed the sense of community and we are introduced to friends and neighbors that I looked forward to get to know more in the coming books.
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it
Synopsis
She’s loved him for years, but now he’s her biggest competition. Is this town big enough for two coffee shops?
The Sunshine Diner has been Tanner Castillo’s home away from home for years, and his place behind the counter is a fixture in the small town of Maple Falls. After years of working there and saving every penny, he is able to purchase the diner and make the necessary renovations to bring it into the 21st century. Growing up poor, Tanner's always felt like he’s needed something to his name before he could ask out Anita Bedford.
Due to some savvy business investments, Anita’s parents have been able to provide her and her siblings with everything they’ve ever needed or wanted. But Anita doesn’t have the same ambitions as her doctor brother and lawyer sister. She’s always been happy to work as a waitress at the diner, especially since it kept her close to Tanner, whom she’s been crushing on since middle school.
When her father decides to open a coffee shop and bakery, he puts Anita in charge, making her the direct competition to Tanner’s Sunshine Diner. After working side-by-side for years, can working against each other finally be the thing that brings these two lovebirds together?
My Review
Unrequited love can be brutal! Anita has it bad for Tanner, and has for a long time, but never pursued a relationship with him. It was awesome to see both Anita and Tanner following their dreams and putting in the hard work to make them happen. Unfortunately, while they are friendly coworkers at the diner, they are not close enough to confide their palms with each other, which creates the conflict when they become unexpected competitors. It was a fun dynamic as Anita fights her attraction to Tanner while Tanner wakes up to the chemistry he finds with her. He can be a bit of an idiot, so he’s lucky that Anita is forgiving ;) A subplot with Tanner’s mother experiencing health problems broke up the momentum when it turned to her point of view. I appreciated that the story was more well rounded with multi-generational perspectives in their cozy community, but I found myself skimming her chapters to get back to Tanner and Anita. The theme of accepting the help of her support group when Anita found herself in over her head was especially touching. I loved the ending and the solution they found for their future together in Maple Falls.
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it
Synopsis
She’s a high-fashion realtor; he’s a low-maintenance mechanic. What on earth could they have in common?
Dressed in designer labels and cruising around town in her red Mercedes, workaholic realtor Harper Wilson presents the picture of success in charming Maple Falls. But Harper’s carefully cultivated image is resting on a shaky foundation. With a sudden drought in sales, she’s starting to see her professional dreams—along with her posh lifestyle—slipping away.
Car trouble brings her to mechanic Rusty Jenkins, and their unlikely friendship is taken to the next level when the laid-back Rusty allows her to give him a makeover for a charity bachelor auction. Harper soon discovers that beneath the town mechanic’s wild beard and grease-stained clothing lies a true Southern gentleman—someone with a kind heart and dreams of his own. Their chemistry is undeniable, but as they get closer, past fears and relationships start to creep in, reminding them of just how much is at stake when carefully constructed facades fall apart.
Maybe their worlds aren’t so separate after all. And maybe covering up who you really are keeps you from discovering what was always meant to be.
My Review
Opposites attract can be such a fun dynamic, and Harper and Rusty are definitely lifestyle opposites! I think what makes them work is the values they have in common. It was a pleasure watching them get to know each other on a deeper level and the respect they developed for each other. It can be a bit tricky when a makeover is involved- but because Harper didn’t judge Rusty before he got a haircut and new clothes, it didn’t make her seem shallow when she also appreciated him after. I liked that we learn why maintaining her image has been important to her, and see her progression as she allows herself to relax, slow down, and take time to accept herself when she’s not top of the game. I thought the author handled the topic rather well. Harper’s lessons also involve letting herself lean on her friends, confide in them, and make time for relationships, rather than getting caught up in the rat race. We get to know more Maple Falls residents in this third book and I love how they give the story more depth. The subplot with Harper’s parents added to the story, but I felt like the chapters with her mother’s perspective were a little angsty and long for my taste and stalled the main story with Rusty and Harper. I hope we get a book or novella telling the story of the fourth member of this group of friends, especially since there were hints of foreshadowing woven in.
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for your comment!