Review: Love's Bright Tomorrow by Naomi Rawlings

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Aileen Brogan wants a place to call home. After leaving Ireland for America and losing her father and brother within a year of each other, she feels lost and alone. No matter how hard she tries, she just doesn’t seem to belong in the quaint town of Eagle Harbor. However, Sheriff Isaac Cummings is determined to help her fit in—into town and into his arms—if only she'll say yes to his courtship. But if he knew her secrets, he'd surely rescind his offer.

Isaac is determined to serve the people of Eagle Harbor in a way that will do his family proud, but he’s haunted by past mistakes. When a band of criminals threatens his beloved town’s safety, he doesn’t want to fail the people he loves like he did four years earlier. But if he doesn't turn out to be the hero the town needs, what chance does he have of winning Aileen's resistant heart?

When old wounds reopen, can Isaac and Aileen figure out how to move past their brokenness and find the promise of a bright tomorrow?

My Review

I've fallen in love with Eagle Harbor and the Cummings family over the course of this series! Each book can be read on its own or out of order, but I recommend reading them all and in order if you can for max enjoyment ;) Isaac has been haunted and hurting and ornery since the beginning of the series, so I was especially looking forward to seeing him get a happy ending. He comes into his own as the new sheriff of Eagle Harbor and experiences a level of danger that matches his brother Elijah's rescue missions during the storms. I loved seeing him and Elijah come to terms with the risks each other takes in order to protect the members of the community. There is plenty of suspense and intrigue as he hunts down the dangerous smugglers.

Aileen is another wounded character that we meet earlier in the series, and I was just as happy to see her find love- even though she didn't want to! Isaac's patience and caring pays off as she learns to trust him and slowly allows herself to begin to hope. She has a tragic background and Isaac and his loving family support her and encourage her to find true healing through the Lord. The spiritual thread was inspiring and Isaac also benefits from relying on God to help him through his fears and sorrows. The romance is sweet and while not without some bumps in the road, they have a lovely relationship that develops a strong foundation.

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

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Come visit the rugged yet beautiful coast of Lake Superior and the remote historical town of Eagle Harbor that readers can’t get enough of.

Eagle Harbor Series--Where Love Finds Its Anchor 

Book 1: Love's Unfading Light (Mac and Tressa)
Book 2: Love's Every Whisper (Elijah and Victoria)
Book 3: Love's Sure Dawn (Gilbert and Rebekah)
Book 4: Love's Eternal Breath (Seth and Lindy)
Book 5: Love's Winter Hope (Thomas and Jessalyn)
Book 6: Love's Bright Tomorrow (Isaac and Aileen)
Prequel Novella: Love's Violet Sunrise (Hiram and Mabel)
Short Story: Love's Beginning (Elijah and Victoria)

Romance is in the Air: Author Cindy Roland Anderson & Giveaway!

     

Blue Moon Kisses by Cindy Roland Anderson 

At age twelve, Ashlee Nichols fell in love with her brother’s best friend, Beau Jacobsen. Everyone thought she was cute and that her crush was simply that…a crush. But her young heart had known he was the one, and she had planned on marrying him as soon as she was old enough. Unfortunately, when she confessed her feelings to Beau, he’d laughed, patted her on the head and told her he was flattered. Sure, Beau had been twenty-two at the time, but she knew she wouldn't always be a little girl. Just when she turned eighteen and was finally old enough to date him, Beau joined the Army and was deployed to Afghanistan. Now, six years later, Beau is back in Mitchel Creek, Georgia for a few weeks. He’s hotter than ever…and still ten years older, something he can’t seem to get past. He still sees Ashlee as a glorified little sister…or does he?

       

Blue Moon Kisses was well worth the wait. I anxiously awaited this sweet clean romance and was not disappointed. I was engaged from the first line and didn't want the story to end. The author has a fun writing style and I loved getting to know this couple as they navigated the obstacles in their relationship. There are some funny and heartwarming moments you will enjoy. - Diane, Amazon Reader 

This book had me laughing, smiling, and wanting to read it all over again! - Jessie C, Amazon Reader 

This was the perfect ending to The Georgia Moon books. I've been waiting for Ashlee and Beau's story for a while now. I was NOT disappointed! I loved it. It perfectly captured their romance. If you haven't read this series you need to. - Sarah, Amazon Reader  

         

  

That was all Beau needed to hear. He excused himself and made his way back to the buffet table. Several desserts were available to guests, but the pecan pie must have been popular. There was only one slice left. Just as he reached for the plate, someone else snatched the pie out from under him.
“Sorry, but I got it first.”
Recognizing the voice, he turned around and found Ashlee Nichols standing behind him. “That was my piece of pie,” he said, trying to sound annoyed.
“Not anymore.” She took a bite and made a big production of how good it tasted.
Beau watched her with amusement while taking his first real look at her in six years. He’d expected her to look exactly like Taylin, but there were subtle differences he’d never noticed before. Like the color of her eyes. They were a shade lighter, reminding him of a cove in the Mediterranean Sea he’d once vacationed at during his time abroad. Her mouth curved up, creating a slight dimple in her right cheek. Funny, Beau didn’t remember her having a dimple before.
Realizing he’d been staring, he gently cleared his throat. “You better hope they have more in the kitchen.”
“They don’t.” She used her fork to cut another bite and held it out toward him. “But I’m willing to share.”
Beau wasn’t sure why the comment made the back of his neck feel on fire. This was Ashlee—his eyes swept over her aqua-blue colored dress that accentuated curves he didn’t remember her having—just not a teenage version of Ashlee.
Whoa. Had he just checked out Chase’s little sister? Warmth flooded his chest, and he took a step away from her. “Thanks, but I need to cut back on carbs.”
“Right.” She twirled the fork around and made a slow perusal of him.
“What?” he said, feeling slightly off-balance under her scrutiny.
“I’m just imaginin’ what it would be like to run my fingers through your hair.”
Beau was grateful he had hair. He was positive the heat flushing his face would’ve made his scalp turn red too.
“Leave the poor guy alone,” Chase said, coming up beside his little sister.
“Where’s the fun in that?”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Beau glanced at Chase and tried to regain some normalcy. “Can you believe she stole the last piece of pecan pie?”
“Yes.”
“Hey,” she said with a laugh, “I offered to share.”
Beau watched her take another bite, an act that shouldn’t make his pulse kick up a notch.
    

 

  

Author Cindy Roland Anderson 

Cindy Roland Anderson writes clean, contemporary romance with a combination of humor, romantic tension and some pretty great kissing scenes. She and her husband, John, live in northern Utah, and have five amazing children. Their family has expanded by adding a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, and six adorable grandchildren. She is a registered nurse and has worked in the NICU as well as the newborn nursery. She loves to read, almost as much as she loves writing. And she loves chocolate, probably a little too much. 

    

Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 3/3/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Check Me Out by Becca Wilhite

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Greta loves her job as assistant librarian. She loves her best friend, Will, the high school civics teacher and debate coach. She even loves her mother despite her obvious disappointment that Greta is still single.

Then she meets Mac in the poetry section of the library, and she is smitten. Mac is heart-stoppingly gorgeous and showers her with affection, poetic text messages, and free hot chocolate at the local café where he works. The only problem is that he seems to be a different person in his texts than in his face-to-face conversation.

When the Franklin Library is threatened with closure, Greta leaps into action. She arranges for a "battle of the bands" book jam, hosts a book signing by a famous author, and finally, stages a protest that raises more than a few eyebrows.

Through it all, she slowly realizes that it is Will, not Mac, who she turns to for support and encouragement. Mac has the looks; Will has the heart. How can she choose between them?

Check Me Out is a contemporary romance--with just a hint of Cyrano de Bergerac--that reminds us that it is what's on the inside that matters most.

My Review

I'm glad I kept reading to the end, because the beginning was a bit rough. I loved the aged library setting and Greta's passion for her job as a librarian. Being in her head however, was a bit of a trip. There was a lot of random information passing through her narrative that showed her personality and life and seemed like they were supposed to be sassy/snarky/quirky, but I have to admit it was rather annoying and I began skimming. Her thoughts about Mac and his hotness were so shallow... and she completely embraced that shallowness in her own thoughts on more than one occasion. Flawed and totally frustrating.

Greta has an amazing friend in Will, but because he's fat, he's stuck in the friends-only zone. She laments about how others don't give him a fair shot or the attention he deserves because of his appearance, and is self-righteously defensive of him. Hypocrite, much? Other thoughts of hers come across as judgemental, but right when I get fed up, other redeeming qualities come forth- her work in bringing local history to light by organizing and digitizing forgotten scraps, letters, and photos. Her focus on fundraising to save the library from budget cuts. Her activism in standing up for the library on social media and in other... attention-grabbing ways. Her SLOW realization that Will is supportive in all the right ways, and Mac is coming up short.

By the last third of the book I was invested in the outcome- it's obvious that Will is the words behind Mac, but the way Greta finds out was a little belated, and then it's Will who is the villain. But honestly, as much as Will is a good friend to her- is she a good friend to him? I wish the author would have made Greta more likeable by showing the ways she supports Will and is there for him in his life, besides letting him be her friend. Maybe because it's written in first person, it comes across as "the Greta show" but I don't think that's just it. The way it's written, I think she comes across as self-centered and selfish, but would never see herself that way. Even in the end, when she forgives Will and decides to "try" a romantic relationship, it's about the words he tells her, not what she feels for him.

Some other secondary characters were interesting and I think the book would have benefited from exploring them a bit more, or at least making them a bit more three-dimensional- Greta's mother, Marigold- the young hippie, Mr. Greenwood- the neighborhood hoarder, and the other librarians- Julie, Bonita, and Kevin.

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