D. E. Haggerty

I absolutely loved the comedy in this book! And I loved this book enough that I plan on going back and reading the other series by D.E. Haggerty that are about Winter Falls. I loved Gabrielle and Phoenix and even though I haven't read the rest of the books about Winter Falls yet, I'm kind of glad I got to start my adventure there with these two. They had great chemistry and it was heartwarming and sweet to read about their road to love.

I also liked that there was a little bit of a twist and some drama added in with Gabrielle's ex. I'm all about strong female characters, and Gabby isn't meek by any means. She is just a bit more soft spoken than many of the female characters I read about. I was a little nervous about this at first but as the book went on, Gabby was just so sweet and genuine that it was easy to love her character. She wasn't a pushover by any means. She just wasn't as much of an alpha female as I expected when I went into this book. And it actually ended up being one of the things I loved about the book. She brought out Phoenix's soft and gentle side while also being able to see his passionate side.

There were a few moments in the book where the other people in Winter Falls got on my nerves a bit. But I could also understand that their hearts were in the right place and they were just trying to help. Plus, I live in a small-town and I can attest that there are most certainly some community members who exhibit these exact types of behaviors. Especially the older women in the community. It's all with love, even when it feels like it's driving you crazy. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.… (mehr)

If you're looking for yet another book recommended by me where I say I couldn't put it down, look no further than this one. I'm pretty sure the main character, Hailey, is as sarcastic as I am. Possibly even more sarcastic than me! Which means Hailey is one of my favorite characters ever. And Aiden isn't too far behind her because WOW! Talk about making a girl swoon!

One of the best things about Hailey though, is that she doesn't swoon easily. She's no damsel in distress and she can more than take care of herself. Being a PI means that she has taught herself a lot, including how to work alone. As a detective, Aiden understands investigating though, so it's easy to see how these two end up teaming up.

The conversations and the sparks between Aiden and Hailey genuinely had me cracking up and at times just full-on cackling loudly. The chemistry was palpable, there was humor, romance, and of course action. The secondary characters were also pretty fabulous. All this to say, I absolutely recommend this book and will be eagerly awaiting the next one!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.… (mehr)

Molly is on the fast track to success and if she has given up on her childhood dreams she has a nice home, a great job in New York City and solid marriage or so she thought until she came home in the middle of the day to find her husband and his secretary. Needing to fly home to Wisconsin to help her ill father, she finds that she needs to re-evaluate her life. She suddenly realizes that her dreams may not be something she has moved on from and if that isn’t enough. She finds out the boy next door that she spent her childhood crushing on is once again living next door and is still completely crushable.

I use the word fun a lot on this blog, but rarely does a book personify a term as completely as this one. Hilarious, Humorous, and Witty also leap to mind. Told in first person and as series of quirky Facebook updates and witty blog posts, this story had me laughing quite literally until I cried. In going back home, her goal is to get her dad situated with a home nurse and get back to her life as soon as possible and move on from her suddenly disastrous marriage. Her plan is complicated by the fact that her obnoxious dad has a reputation with home health care services and hiring a private nurse is not as easy as it would seem. It is complicated further by a pushy, but well meaning, best friend who has decided that the best thing for a broken heart is to get right back in the saddle, as she sets Molly on course that leads to several hilarious dating fiascoes. She also sets Molly up with a blog and a blogging class as she sees an opportunity to convince Molly that what she really wants is what she has always wanted, to be a writer. Muddying up the waters more, is the really hot guy next door and his adorable daughter, who seem to really want to be a part of her life. As Molly reels from one hilarious disaster to the next, she finds that her life may not be what she thought it was and that she has options she never dreamed of.

The characters and relationships in this story are incredible. From the ease at which Molly reconnects with the boy next door to dealing with the strained relationship with her mother, the characters jump off the page and become real to the reader. Everyone knows or should know an irascible group of ‘mature’ ladies like Molly’s blogging class. Everyone has or needs a best friend like Dianne, a polar opposite who still has your back after all the years years. Every girl wants the boy next door.

Molly’s story is a how to on how to meet life’s “little” challenges head on with laughter and introspection. Also if you want to start a blog this is a great place to get advice.

5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review… (mehr)