Holding Out For Special

 

K.T. RAINE

Stats for my copy: Kindle Edition, 9/15/21.

How acquired: Via BookSirens for review.

First line: Emory Dockins navigated the busy onramp onto Interstate 270 outside of Baltimore, her eyes blurred with tears.

(Goodreads synopsis below.)

My thoughts: This was an absolute delight. When you pick a random book from an author you’ve never heard of, you never know for sure what you’ll get. Sometimes you get a dud, and sometimes you get a gem.

It’s billed as a “Clean and sweet contemporary romance with a dollop of suspense”. It is sweet, and it is clean, with just some kissing between the hero and heroine, but there is also some heat and palpable chemistry. I love a law enforcement hero, and I think this is the first romance I’ve read where the hero was a Secret Service agent. Emory and Vince both have some baggage, and I wouldn’t have been surprised to get a lot of angst, but it was light in that department. What we do get a lot of is amusing banter. I smiled a lot, and I laughed out loud, and then suddenly I was crying, real tears running down my face. And I was only at the 50% mark!

The narrative alternates between Emory’s and Vince’s POV, and I loved both of them. Emory is a teacher, and I really liked how Vince was very respectful of her profession, describing her as “An underpaid, self-sacrificing teacher…”. When she asks how does he know she’s underpaid, he responds “All teachers are underpaid in my book”.

There’s also a cute little girl named Macy, whose mother, a politician, has been receiving threats. Vince’s current assignment is protection detail for the child, and the relationship that he develops with her was just adorable.

This is a breezy, fun and heartwarming story, with well written characters, including the child and her dog, that I probably would’ve finished in just a couple of days if I didn’t have a freakin job to go to. From what I read about the author, this is her first adult book, with her previous books being for young readers, but she has more coming, and now that she’s on my radar I’m eager for more from her!

Synopsis from Goodreads: After 32 years of no luck in the true love department, sweet, unassuming school teacher, Emory Dockins, has pretty much given up on ever finding the right guy. Never in a million years does she expect to catch the eye of the intimidating, but swoon-worthy Secret Service agent, Vince Murano, who comes to question her about death threats against an aunt she never knew existed. Yep, life's funny like that. And maybe Emory shouldn't give up on her happy ever after just yet.

Hot Chocolate on a Cold Day

 

ROZ DENNY FOX

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Harlequin Signature Sagas, 2006.

How acquired: Bought.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: We first met Megan Benton (or at least, I did) in ANYTHING YOU CAN DO…, which was an absolutely delightful book. Megan was a teenager, and the hero and heroine of that book were her mother Emily, and her now stepfather, Camp. That book was followed up with THE BOSS NEXT DOOR, which starred Camp’s sister, Sherry, and which I just loved. So when I finally found a copy of this book, I was eager to revisit the characters.

Megan is an adult now, and working for the Coast Guard in Michigan. Her brother Mark has graduated from college, and Emily and Camp are expecting him to take a job in the child psychology field in their tight knit community. But he’s decided he wants to try his hand at photography and he’s come to Michigan to stay with Megan and take some pictures around the island where she lives.

I loved Emily and Camp in their book, but it was a little disconcerting to now see them heaping expectations on Mark and belittling his love of photography and his desire to pursue that. And then Megan and Mark’s grandmother, Mona, also comes to visit. Megan is not happy about that at first, as Mona and Emily have never gotten along. In fact, the whole point of Emily taking Mark and Megan on the wagon train trip in the first book was because she felt her deceased husband’s parents were interfering in their lives too much and constantly trying to buy the kids. She hoped to spend some time with them and try to ground them in reality, and when I read the book I agreed that they needed it. They started out as spoiled, coddled kids who looked down their noses at their mother and couldn’t stop talking about their grandparents’ money. Since then, Megan has come to realize her mother was right, and she’s pretty much cut off ties with Mona, but Mark has stayed close to her, and Mona provided Mark the money to launch his photography efforts.

Megan quickly comes to realize that Mona has changed, and now that she’s no longer under her late husband’s thumb, she’s sold her huge house, is planning a trip around the country, and has become a softer, nicer person, who has some regrets about the past. Unfortunately, every time Megan tries to tell Emily and Camp that, or talks about Mona at all, they get angry and yell at her on the phone, and it just really gave me bad vibes.

Ok, so getting past that. Sterling moves into the apartment below Megan’s, with his four year old son, Tyler, and his late wife’s younger sister and brother, who he is guardian of. They are sullen and angry about Sterling moving them away from New York. Sterling’s wife was a police officer, and he recoils from Megan initially because of her job, putting her life on the line. It didn’t make him very likable to begin with, but he grew on me quickly, and I knew he’d get past it eventually. And of course it provided some conflict for them to overcome, which I always like.

Megan is constantly making hot chocolate, and it inspired me to do the same, so I bought some Hershey’s Cocoa and followed the recipe printed on the label, and oh my god, it was soooo good. And my three year old granddaughter loved it also, although her mama added milk to hers because she thought it was too sweet. But back to the book.

There were some tense scenes towards the end, a couple of scary rescues at sea, and of course Sterling, and then Megan, realizing they love each other and a great happy ending. Although I never did warm back up to Emily and Camp. I definitely recommend reading the first two books, and I also recommend reading TROUBLE AT LONE SPUR, which is my favorite of Ms. Fox’s books, followed closely by ROMANTIC NOTIONS, which was my introduction to the author.

Synopsis from Goodreads: After a family tragedy, Captain Sterling Dodge and his kids move into the apartment below Coast Guard Lieutenant Meagan Benton. Soon they all learn to love and care again--together.

Lights Out (The SNAP Agency, Book 1)

 

NATALIE WALTERS

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2021.

How acquired: Revell Reads

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: I’ve only read two of Natalie Walter’s books, the first and second book in her Harbored Secrets series, and loved both of them, so I was excited to get this first book in her new The SNAP Agency series. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with it. The author’s writing is wonderful, as always, and I loved the scenes where it was just Brynn and Jack interacting, or when they were apart and being angsty about each other. But the international terrorist/cyber terrorist plot just did not appeal to me, and I had trouble staying interested in it. The characters are all richly drawn, and the action is non-stop. I’m not sure if I’ll want to read the next book, but I do still want to read the rest of the Harbored Secrets series, and whatever I can find from the author’s backlist.

Synopsis from Goodreads: CIA analyst Brynn Taylor developed a new program to combat terrorism, and she invited members of foreign intelligence agencies to America to foster cooperation between countries. Now one of them, Egyptian spy Remon Riad, is missing.

Jack Hudson has been working for the Strategic Neutralization and Protection Agency (SNAP) for almost nine years and takes the lead in hunting down the missing spy. But he isn't at all pleased to find out Brynn is involved. It's hard to trust a woman who's already betrayed you.

Every lead they follow draws them dangerously deeper into an international plot. Kidnapping, murder, explosions, poisoning--the terrorists will do anything to accomplish their goal of causing a digital blackout that will blind a strategic US military communications center and throw the world into chaos.

Can Brynn surrender control to a man who doesn't trust her? And can Jack ever get over what she did to him? The fate of the world--and their hearts--hangs in the balance.

Celebration at Christmas Cove

 

My review of Celebration at Christmas Cove, by Carrie Jansen, is live on the Fresh Fiction website! 

You can see it here.

Love Chronicles (Silhouette Romance No. 1749)

 

LISSA MANLEY

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Silhouette Romance, 2004.

How acquired: Bought.

First line: Connor Forbes glanced up from the medical journal he was reading at the receptionist’s counter and looked at the office window.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: I needed something light and quick to read in between a couple of review books and pulled this off the shelf at random. This is my first time reading this author.

It started out pretty great, with Sunny’s Great Dane getting away from her and rushing up to the window of Connor’s office, barking at him through the glass, then racing away again with Sunny giving chase. Connor is unimpressed with Sunny’s attempts to control the dog, and the first thing he says to her is “What’s up with your dog?”. He then sorta lectures her about how her dog needs obedience training, insulting and embarrassing her, and that was their meet cute. I love having a dog involved in a book, so I was pleased. Unfortunately the dog, whose name I can’t even remember now, ended up basically just being a plot device. There was one more cute scene with him at the park, after which Sunny struggles to put him in her van. And then for the rest of the book I think he was only mentioned three times! In passing! So that was very disappointing.

Sunny grew up in a commune, with parents who never married. Sunny spent her whole childhood terrified that her parents would split up and one of them would just leave, because to her, not being married meant they were not committed. As a result, Sunny and a childhood friend made a pact that they would marry someone and have a family and a happy life by the time they were thirty, and if neither was married by then they would marry each other. Now that friend is happily married, but Sunny is determined to still fulfill that pact, and frankly I got tired of hearing about it and tired of her internal angsty whining about her parents being unable to commit. I liked Connor a bit better than I liked Sunny, though he too had angsty issues. He’s given up on love because he’s a “failure” at it, in that every relationship he had ended in a break up. But he was a really good guy and his angst didn’t bother me as much as Sunny’s.

There was a very funny scene at a square dance, with Connor dancing for the first time in his life, and very badly. I actually laughed out loud. But other than that, the book is pretty standard category romance fare. Rufus! I just remembered, the dog’s name is Rufus.

Happily, the ending of the book was very satisfying, thanks to Connor’s realization that he loved Sunny, and finding a wonderful way to show her that. So, an okay book but with a great resolution.

Synopsis from Goodreads: SHE GOT UNDER HIS SKIN…

And besides, Dr. Connor Forbes didn't want a partner. Even if Sunny Williams was the most beautiful blonde he'd ever seen, the uptight physician knew Sunny's crazy New Age ideas -- and her irresistible lips -- would only wreak havoc on his practical, well-ordered life.

But with her sweet smile and luxurious deep tissue massages, the spunky siren had made it impossible for him to turn her away without risking the wrath of the entire town of Oak Valley...and his traitorous heart.

Maybe having Sunny as a partner was just what the doctor ordered...

Deadly Target (Rocky Mountain Courage, Book 2)

ELIZABETH GODDARD

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2021.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program for review.

First line: For a few hours every Saturday morning, Erin Larson could forget that evil existed.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: Another winner from Elizabeth Goddard! I don’t think she could write a bad book if she tried! This is the second book in her Rocky Mountain Courage series. We met Erin briefly in the first book, as she’s a close friend with that book’s heroine. However, Erin, a criminal psychologist, lives in Washington state. Like the previous book, the action starts almost immediately, while Erin and a friend are kayaking and nearly killed. And then she gets a phone call telling her that her mother is in the hospital after a suicide attempt. So off to Montana Erin goes. Nathan is a detective in Big Rapids, Montana. His part of the story starts in chapter two, when one minute he’s fishing with his father, who’s about to tell him some big secret, and the next minute his father’s been shot. From there the action never stops!

Nathan and Erin have history, and Nathan still smarts over Erin breaking up with him and moving away. There is a lot of internal monologuing – Ms. Goddard’s books, regardless of the plot and/or action involved, are wonderful character studies, and we really get to know both Erin and Nathan. We learn that Erin has a secret in her past that was instrumental in her decision to break it off with Nathan, but we don’t learn what that secret is until the last part of the book.

I feel like anything I say about this book is just repeating myself about the first book in the series, or any of the books in Ms. Goddard’s Uncommon Justice series. I love her writing, I love her descriptions of scenery, I love her characterization. There is a lot going on in this book, with both Nathan’s and Erin’s lives in danger every time they turn around. It seems like Nathan is a target because of whatever his father was investigating, and Erin gets pulled into it, and then suddenly it appears that Erin may be a target on her own, unrelated to Nathan and his father. In fact, the plot/subplots are a bit convoluted, and yet I had no trouble keeping up with the action and what was going on. Or rather, no more than Nathan and Erin had, because it was confusing at times, they were confused, and so we are confused along with them.

There’s plenty of suspense, and the last part of the book had me sitting up past my bedtime, eyes glued to the turning pages, happy with the resolution, but sorry to leave Nathan and Erin behind.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Criminal psychologist Erin Larson's dreams of a successful career come to a screeching halt when she nearly loses her own life in a boating accident on Puget Sound and then learns that her mother tried to commit suicide. She leaves her job as a criminal psychologist to care for her mother in Montana. At least she is able to produce her podcast, which focuses on solving missing persons cold cases.

Nathan Campbell's father was investigating such a case when he was shot, and now Nathan needs to enlist Erin's help to solve the case. She's good at what she does. The only problem? She's his ex.

As the two dig deeper, it becomes clear that they, too, are being targeted--and that the answers to their questions are buried deep within the past Erin struggles to explain and longs to forget.

The race is on for the truth in this gripping and complex tale of suspense, intrigue, and murder from USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard.

It Isn't Cheating If He's Dead

 

JULIE FRAYN

Stats for my copy: Kindle edition, 2013.

How acquired: I don’t remember, but most likely it was a free download.

First line: Not every knock brings opportunity.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: When I left my current book at home one day and needed something to read on my break at work, I turned to my Kindle app and decided to read the book that had been on it the longest. I don’t read a lot of digital books as I prefer holding an actual book in my hands, but this book just reminded me of why I should turn to my Kindle app more often!

For four years Jem has been living in stasis, ever since her fiancé walked out of the house one day and disappeared. I don’t mean she’s just lying around her house doing nothing, she’s an attorney and does go to work every day. But she’s also waiting. Waiting for Gerald to come home, or be found, or something. Until the waiting is over, and the mourning can begin.

Finn is the detective who has been investigating Gerald’s disappearance for the past four years. Once a week, Finn comes to Jem’s home for an update meeting, where they talk about Gerald and the case. I thought it was a bit unusual for a detective to put that much time into a missing person case, especially four years down the road. But later, I understood Finn’s motivation.

Gerald had schizophrenia, and while Jem deals with the aftermath of Gerald’s death – and his mother, who refused to believe he had schizophrenia – we learn more and more about him and how that affected both their lives. Jem actually saw him at a park one day, where a lot of homeless people hung out, and he ran from her. After that she began making sandwiches every morning and taking them to the park to hand out to the homeless population, some of whom became treasuredfriends. Their situation isn’t glorified, the narrative mentions occasionally how bad they smell, for instance, but since Jem only sees and interacts with them for an hour or so in the morning, the narrative doesn’t go into much detail about what their lives are like. It does, however, dwell quite a bit on the schizophrenia aspect, as Jem muses about past incidents and memories of life with Gerald, and it was a bit fascinating.

When a new fellow shows up at the park, sitting against a tree, refusing to talk, Jem is drawn to him. He becomes her mission. To find out who he is, what brought him to the streets, who might be looking for him. Slowly, slowly, she begins to break through his barriers, and form a friendship. Finally learns his story, and schemes to reunite him with his family. The resolution to that story line had me in tears.

As Jem embarks on a relationship with Finn, she begins to look at her past life with Gerald differently, realizing how much she became wrapped up in his life, and not living her own life. She still loves Gerald, still cries occasionally. But Finn helps bring her back to herself. I gotta tell you, I adored Finn. So much.

For all that the subject matter is deep, the narrative is still a bit lighthearted. The writing is easy, almost simplistic, but engaging. I really enjoyed this book.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Jemima Stone waited four long years for her missing fiancé, Gerald, to come home, burying herself in her job and feeding the homeless in a local park. When Gerald is found dead halfway across the country, she drowns herself in guilt and wine. And can’t deny an attraction to the cop on the case.

Finn Wight is one hot detective. How soon after informing Jemima of Gerald’s death is too soon to confess his love?

When a mute man shows up in the park, Jemima and Finn join forces to learn his identity. While they uncover the secret that sent him running from home, will they discover that new love can mend a broken heart?

The Marshal'sMission

 

ANNA ZOGG

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Love Inspired Historical, 2017.

How acquired: Received from a BookCrossing member.

First lines: Who is that?

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: My first time reading Anna Zogg, and I very much enjoyed this book. Lenora is a widow, struggling to keep her ranch going with just her ten-year-old son, Toby, to help her. Cole is a US Marshal, undercover and investigating a gang of outlaws who robbed a bank, killing two people in the process. A gang that included Lenora’s deceased husband.

The romance played out very, very slowly, which I liked, as it was also very realistic. Cole and Lenora have secrets they keep from each other. Cole’s secret didn’t bother me, he’s undercover law enforcement, so of course he has to keep his true identity a secret. Lenora’s secret worried me. Before he died, Amos gave her a satchel full of money, and not wanting to use any of it, Lenora buried it in his grave. Was that the right thing to do? Maybe, maybe not. But Cole of course is looking for that money, and both I and Lenora worried about his reaction when he learned she’d kept that secret from him.

I loved Cole and Lenora, and young Toby, who was fiercely protective of his mother. The relationship that built up between Cole and Toby was heartwarming. And of course I hated the villain, Jeb, who keeps coming around, harassing Lenora, and telling her he’s going to marry her. He, too, is looking for that money, and some of the scenes with him were tense indeed.

And then towards the end, the tension really ramped up, and even though I knew it would have a happy ending – it’s a category romance, after all – I was still on the edge of my seat and totally engrossed way past my bedtime.

Also, I love the cover.

Synopsis from Goodreads: Hiding his true identity is the only way for US Marshal Jesse Cole to bring bank robbers to justice. But the lovely widow whose Wyoming ranch he stumbles onto reminds him of everything he's sacrificed for the law. When his job is done, he's resolved to leave Lenora Pritchard behind--until she and her son are threatened. Now the only way to protect them is to make her his wife.

To conceal her late husband's guilt, Lenora hid his stolen haul. And with a ruthless gang leader determined to retrieve it, she needs Cole's protection for herself and her son. It's a marriage in name only, founded on dangerous secrets...but could it possibly lead to a true and loving family?

A Christmas in the Alps

 

MELODY CARLSON

Stats for my copy: Hardback, Revell, 2021.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program.

First lines: Simone Winthrop knew all about loss.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: I’ve previously read three of Melody Carlson’s Christmas books, and loved all of them, but this one just didn’t quite live up to those others for me.

While cleaning out her deceased grandmother’s home, Simone finds a letter addressed to her, from her great-grandmother, who shared her name. The letter tells Simone that her great-grandmother left a treasure behind when she fled France, and beseeches Simone to retrieve it, but does not say what the treasure is. After some pushing from her best friend, Simone, who is terrified of flying, finds herself on a plane to France.

I did enjoy the first part of the book. Kyle is Simone’s seatmate on the plane, and when she starts to have a panic attack he talks her down and helps her get over the worst of it. I liked Simone and Kyle well enough, though I didn’t really feel any chemistry between them. I loved their conversations and how thoughtful Kyle was, and when Simone learned that they had different destinations and would be parting company at a layover, I was just as disappointed as she was. But they make tentative plans to meet again in Paris, and Simone continues her journey alone.

Once Simone arrives in Avre, the little town where her great-grand-mother grew up, I became less enchanted. I think a part of that was due to the fact that Simone was not very fluent in French, and from that point on there was much less actual dialogue. Instead, it was the author telling us that, for instance, Tante Estelle spoke very rapidly in French, to fast for Simone to follow along, and then Noel, who was acting as an interpreter for her, explained to her that the older woman said this or that. It was just narration.

Speaking of Noel, I really liked him. He and his mother owned the inn where Simone was staying. He obviously had a little crush on Simone, and went out of his way to help her get around and meet people and interpret for her when she was unable to keep up with a conversation. I knew from the synopsis that Kyle was the male protagonist, but I wouldn’t have minded at all if Simone had fallen for Noel instead.

Unfortunately, the story just lagged a bit for me from that point on. I enjoyed the scenes where Simone was just spending time with Noel or Kyle, but her search for the unknown treasure and her interactions with her French relatives weren’t as engaging to me. Despite that, I did still love the author’s writing, and her descriptions of Paris through Simone’s eyes, and of the little town of Avre and the home where Simone’s great-aunt still lived. And I’m still keeping an eye out for books from the author’s backlist and looking forward to more of her Christmas novels.

Synopsis from Goodreads: After a time of heartache and loss, Simone Winthrop discovers a tantalizing letter from her French great-grandmother, which seems to suggest that she is heir to a family treasure. Ever practical, Simone assumes the claim is baseless, but her best friend encourages her to find out for sure. Despite her deep-rooted fear of flying, Simone boards a jet to travel to Paris at Christmastime to uncover the truth.

During the long flight, Simone meets the charming Kyle Larsson, who's on his way to France to become an apprentice clockmaker. Though they abruptly part ways, an unexpected rendezvous in the French Alps at Simone's family's clock factory may lead to the discovery of the family treasure . . . and so much more.

For anyone who is wearying of staying home, Melody Carlson invites you to spend Christmas with her in the beautiful French Alps this year. So pull on your mittens, tie your scarf tight, and prepare yourself for a magical mountain holiday.

A Secret Splendor

 

SANDRA BROWN

Stats for my copy: Mass market paperback, Mira, 1983. Previously published under the pseudonym Erin St. Claire.

How acquired: Received from a BookCrossing member.

My thoughts: First off, this review will be full of spoilers.

Second, I generally love everything Sandra Brown writes, though I am partial to her mystery/thrillers. Of all her books I’ve read since being on Goodreads, I’ve given them either four or five stars, with the exception of STING, which I disliked so much I only gave it one star. So this is my first time giving her three stars.

Third, I work in the adoption and surrogacy fields. I’m always a little leery of reading a book with an adoption plotline, for fear it will be shown in a negative or unrealistic way. But A SECRET SPLENDOR is the first book I’ve come across with a surrogacy plotline. And that’s where all my issues lie.

Arden was in a bad marriage to an OB/GYN. After running his practice into the ground and going into debt, her husband agreed to find a woman to be a surrogate for a rich couple, who were paying him $100,000.00. The woman he finds? His wife, Arden. She’s reluctant, but then agrees on the condition that after the baby is born, she gets half the money, a divorce, and custody of their son, Joey, who was ill. I can’t for the life of me remember what was wrong with him, cancer or something. So her husband takes her to his clinic and inseminates her with the client’s sperm.

Arden would be what is now referred to as a traditional surrogate, in that she is the biological mother of the child. Traditional surrogacy is not practiced very often these days. In fact, in the state where I live, traditional surrogacy is not legally recognized, and is treated by the court as an adoption. But at the time this book was written, there probably weren’t many laws regarding surrogacy. Although even if there were laws, the way Arden’s husband handled this situation was probably illegal anyway. My state did not have any laws on the books until 2019.

Fast forward to after the divorce, and Joey dies. Distraught, Arden begins thinking about the other child she gave birth to, and decides she needs to find him or her. She never met the rich couple, and did not see the baby after it was born. She doesn’t even know if it’s a boy or girl. Well, by chance she sees a famous tennis player on TV who looks familiar, and then suddenly remembers a couple she saw when leaving the hospital, who were surrounded by paparazzi, and she realizes that the tennis player is the father. I kept hoping that when she got to know him she would learn that he was not in fact the father, but no, her instincts are correct. He’s now a widower, and the child, a boy, is 22 months old. Every time Arden thought about needing to see her child, I wanted to say he’s not your child, he’s their child.

Anyway, she finally manages to meet the tennis player, Drew, and starts dating him. And of course they fall in love with each other. Pretty soon she’s married to him and “step-mother” to the child, Matt. And she keeps thinking she needs to come clean and tell Drew who she is, but she puts it off because she doesn’t want him to think she only married him to be with the child. Also because she’s a cowardly liar.

And then the ex shows up, and blackmails her, and at first she gives him money, but then she finally gets a backbone and tells him she’s not paying anymore and she’s going to tell Drew the truth, but she goes shopping first, which gives the ex time to go to Drew and spill the beans himself. And of course Drew is furious, and storms out to go do his tennis stuff, and Arden gets angry that Drew is angry, even though he has every right to be angry, and just before he comes home a week later she packs up and leaves.

Of course, in the end, Drew tracks her down and they talk it out and profess their love and get their happy ever after, while I’m just frustrated, because the synopsis doesn’t say anything about surrogacy, just that there are “half-truths, secrets and unspeakable lies” surrounding Matt’s birth, so when I started this book I had no idea what I was in for.

To her credit, I really liked Drew. Sandra Brown has an uncanny ability to write wonderful heroes and I always fall in love with them (except the hero of STING, who I just could not feel any sympathy or empathy for). And I do like her writing. So the book still gets three stars from me.

Beyond the Tides (Prince Edward Island Shores, Book 1)

 LIZ JOHNSON

Stats for my copy: Trade paperback, Revell, 2021.

How acquired: Revell Reads Blogger Program.

First lines: Morning had a terrible habit of arriving too early, at least as far as Meg Whitaker was concerned.

(For Goodreads synopsis, scroll down.)

My thoughts: My first time reading Liz Johnson, and I’m so glad I “discovered” her! I love the enemies to lovers trope, and forced proximity. This is from Revell, a Christian publishing house, so there’s not actually any lovemaking, other than some kissing (which actually got a little steamy), but it still qualifies.

Meg is a schoolteacher, but when her father announces he’s selling his lobster-fishing business to Oliver, she basically has a little fit and tells her father she wants the business. Even though she’s never had any interest in the business before. But Oliver is her sworn enemy, ever since he destroyed her science fair project back when they were in high school, ruining her chance at a scholarship. She insists the business is her legacy and should stay in the family, but more than that, she doesn’t want Oliver to have it. So dad’s idea – they can work the business together while he takes the season off to care for Meg’s ailing mother, and then at the end of the season he’ll decide who gets it.

I can honestly tell you that if I were in Meg’s place, I think I would gladly let Oliver have the business rather than try to work it myself. But she is determined, no matter how hard it is, how early she has to get up, or how exhausted and sore she is at the end of the day. Despite not being able to relate to Meg and her drive to keep Oliver from buying the business, I really liked her. She’s strong, resilient, not to mention good at holding a grudge! And I loved Oliver. He’s worked so hard to overcome his absent father’s reputation as a thief, which some of the other lobstermen are quick to remind him of. Despite his actions as a teen and Meg’s subsequent hatred of him, Meg’s parents were always good to him, and Whitaker, as he calls her father, pretty much took Oliver under his wing, teaching him the lobster business.

Emotions and tempers run high as Meg and Oliver squabble, and learn to work together, and slowly, reluctantly, come to respect each other and form the beginnings of friendship. Oliver is more responsible for that than Meg, making the greater effort in his desire to make her forgive him and like him.

Meanwhile, Meg and her father are also dealing with her mother’s declining health, as they desperately search for a diagnosis and the hope of a cure. And here is one of the places where Oliver shone. He’s fond of Meg’s mother, and becomes instrumental in helping Meg cope, and helping her see the path she needs to take with her mother. While Meg and Oliver struggle to keep the business going on their own (with help from Kyle, the deckhand, who’d I like to know more about), they deal with some sabotage, such as lines being cut and traps lost. The resolution to that plotline, the culprit, was quite a surprise, that actually made me laugh when they finally figured it out.

The author’s descriptions of the boat and being on the water and toiling long days with the traps and the lobsters were vivid. I learned more about lobster fishing than I ever thought I’d want to know. I actually got curious about the traps and had to google lobster traps to see what they look like and learn more about how they work.

All in all, this is a delightful story about perseverance, forgiveness, family and friendship, and of course, lobsters.

Goodreads synopsis: When Meg Whitaker's father decides to sell the family's lobster-fishing business to her high school nemesis, she sets out to prove she should inherit it instead. Though she's never had any interest in running the small fleet--or even getting on a boat due to her persistent seasickness--she can't stand to see Oliver Ross take over. Not when he ruined her dreams for a science scholarship and an Ivy League education ten years ago.

Oliver isn't proud of what he did back then. Angry and broken by his father walking out on his family, he lashed out at Meg--an innocent bystander. But owning a respected fishing fleet on Prince Edward Island is the opportunity of a lifetime, and he's not about to walk away just because Meg wants him to.

Meg's father has the perfect solution: Oliver and Meg must work the business together, and at the end of the season, he'll decide who gets it. Along the way, they may discover that their stories are more similar than they thought . . . and their dreams aren't what they expected.