Romance

Maybe I'm at the point where I've read too many Macomber novels, but this one just didn't quite sit right with me. I expect to be completely absorbed by her books, but instead I found myself rolling my eyes.
 
The conflicts between Sam and Beth felt really juvenile. I never had any doubt about whether they'd stay together. Sam acts like a grumpy bear and Beth takes it all in stride. And, spoiler alert, he has another woman's name tattooed across his chest. He is portrayed as kind of a playboy, but hadn't explained that to anyone until Beth. I don't buy it. He holds double standards to her and is passive aggressive when he has a problem. Sure, I'd buy their relationship long term, but they needed to work on it and grow together.
 
I couldn't help agreeing with Beth's mother when she commented on how Beth's spreading her wings led her straight into the arms of another saviour. I wish we had seen more of Beth moving to start with, about her getting her own job and teaching. There was a pair of students mentioned twice that I would have loved to see more of that would have given Beth more of her own personality.
 
And maybe I'm not the romantic I was, but I found it terribly challenging to believe the Sunshine subplot, of two very smart and capable people holding flames for thirty years over a relationship that lasted less than a year.
 
I wasn't a big fan of Macomber in a city setting. Her writing thrives with small communities where everyone knows each other. Here, she writes about Portland and Chicago but it feels like it could be absolutely anywhere else. Though I appreciate her branching out, I wish she had done more research into the feel of the cities to really capture the environment.
 
The role of the female in this book was another issue I had. There was very much the sentiment of thinking that a woman cannot be fulfilled unless she has children or love, preferably both. And that just drives me up the wall. There's talk about the independence of having a job, but the general sentiment is that a woman must have a man to be happy, and that really bothers me.
 
If you generally like Macomber, you'll probably enjoy this. I absolutely adored her last book and was really excited for this one, but I found it falling into the typical tropes of her older books.
 
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Debbie Macomber knows how to write a romance. Even though If Not for You is very predictable; it is one of those comfort romance reads that you just find yourself immersed in their world. This novel is a standalone but the third book in the New Beginnings series.

Beth Prudhomme has always been controlled by her mother and when she turned 25 she decided enough was enough. She moves to Portland, Oregon to be closer to her Aunt Sunshine. When she is there, her new friend from work, Nichole, invites her husband's best friend, Sam Carney, to dinner with Beth. From the beginning, Sam and Beth know they have absolutely nothing in common barely talking the whole time. They both leave Nichole's as soon as possible. On the way home, a teen driver hits Beth, where Beth is seriously injured. Luckily, Sam was at the accident scene and keeps her comfortable until she can get help. Over the course of a few weeks, they get closer to one another. Can they overcome Beth's overbearing mother? Can they move past their differences?

This book was nothing earth shattering but if you are looking for a comforting romance read If Not for You is a good choice. In fact most of Debbie Macomber's book will do the trick for you.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. ( )

“If Not For You” is the sort of book where the characters just grow on you. It’s perfect for cuddling up with on a day when you’re not feeling your best and just want to rest with a warm cup of tea and have comfort reading and be told a story that will make you feel good.

Debbie Macomber’s characters are delightful in the way that they start off set into very firm types. We have Sam, the long-haired mechanic and Beth, the proper teacher who have nothing in common. Ellie, the meddling mother, and Sunshine the fun aunt. But as the story evolves and we learn more about the history of each of these characters, the narrative digs deeper into what becomes a delightful unknotting of past mistakes and the hope of a better future. This was absolutely a delightful read from start to finish.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author. ( )

4.5 stars

If Not for You by Debbie Macomber is a delightfully charming novel of new beginnings, healing and love. Although this latest installment is the third in the wonderfully heartwarming New Beginnings series, it can be read as a standalone.

Beth Prudhomme is fighting hard to reclaim her life from her overbearing mother and relocating to Portland, OR and a new job as a high school music teacher is a great start to her new life. She is very hesitant to accept her friend Nichole's invitation to meet her and her husband's friend, Sam Carney, but Beth's Aunt Sunshine convinces her to stretch her wings a little further. Unfortunately, the introduction is as uncomfortable as she feared and although Sam is a nice enough man, she knows the rough around the edges mechanic is not the man for her. Which makes it all the more surprising when Sam proves to be Beth's biggest comfort and source of support after she is involved in a serious car accident the same night as their blind date.

Sam is just as wary as Beth when his friend Rocco invites him to dinner to meet Beth. After having his heart broken years earlier, he does not have any interest in relationships or love. He has no interest in seeing her again but after witnessing the horrible collision, Sam just cannot seem to stay away from Beth's bedside.

Despite their inauspicious first meeting and their mutual conviction they have nothing in common, Sam and Beth are both amazed by how much they enjoy each other's company during Beth's rehabilitation from the car accident. They each look forward to spending time together and they are astonished by how easily conversation flows between them. Beth and Sam's relationship runs deeper than friendship but given Sam's aversion to dating, they do not discuss or think too deeply about what comes next for them.

In spite of the ease in which Sam and Beth fall into a relationship, not everything is roses and sunshine between them. Beth is still struggling to overcome her need to please her mother and avoidance of these issues only takes her so far in resolving their strained relationship. Beth also makes a mistake when she refuses to stand up to her domineering mother. Her mom is also quite insulting when she meets face to face with Sam, but fortunately, he does not allow her disparaging comments and haughty attitude affect their relationship. Instead, Sam's doubts and insecurities lead him to make an ill-thought out decision that has the potential to backfire on him. Beth is also guilty of putting together well-intentioned schemes that sometimes end with painful consequences for the people she loves the most.

If Not for You by Debbie Macomber is a sweet, clean romance that is the perfect example of the old adage, “don’t judge a book by its cover”. Despite the odds being against the very proper music teacher and the blue-collar mechanic, Beth and Sam are a surprisingly well-suited couple with plenty of chemistry. This lovely addition to the uplifting New Beginnings series is a mostly conflict-free love story with a great cast of characters, a couple of heartfelt reconciliations and a touching conclusion. ( )