all the feels

I loved how these two people who are always taking care of everyone else find their way together and I especially LOVED that there was no “black moment.” Even with the antagonists working against them, nothing got in the way of this happily ever after. Will definitely be reading more from this author. ( )

3.5 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Could she be herself...with everyone?

Yardley was raised by her mom and aunt and still lives with them in a Victorian house that she has lovingly renovated. She also has an office in the home for her wedding planning business. At thirty-one, she's starting to feel the constraints as a single woman living with family, especially since her mom and aunt never pass up a chance to deliver a cutting blow to her and can't even fend for themselves when it comes to cooking and cleaning. Her childhood bestfriend Mimi has been on her forever to stand-up for herself against the two and put herself out there more in the dating world but small town Cemetery, Indiana doesn't have a lot of prospects. When a new potential client shows up and her gorgeous older brother is with her, Yardley is suddenly wanting to forget all about her rules and dating clients.

The way romance publishing has been going lately, I was prepared for The Honeymoon Cottage to be mostly women's fiction with a little bit of romance but I was pleasantly surprised at how much and how central the romance plot was in this. There is some women's fiction to the plot with povs mostly from Yardley and how she's always felt like the black sheep in her family and how that has lead to her mom and aunt breaking down her self-esteem and taking advantage of her. We also get povs from Yardley's bestfriend Mimi who is there to prop Yardley up and push her to peruse something with Travis (the gorgeous older brother) but Mimi also has her little side plot of being a new self-conscious mother who doesn't feel sexy enough for her husband and wishing he would spend less time doing the dishes for her and more getting hot and heavy with her. There was also some povs from Travis, which I miss a lot in women's fiction, that I thought helped bolster the romance aspect of this immensely.

She made him feel everything, all at once, in a giant bombardment on his senses.
He knew right then, he wanted her in his life. Hell, given how she leveled him, he needed her in his life.

If you're a frequent reader of Foster, you'll enjoy her quality writing and general ease of writing enjoyable characters and character relationships. Since this does have some women's fiction elements, the sexiness of her usual romances is toned down; there are some sex scenes but not as many or as involved as her typical romances. Her caring alpha male heroes still make a good showing with Travis and Mimi's husband Kevin but they're more soft than, say, her UFC inspired series heroes.

Soft is probably how I would describe this story, which would fit the slow, languid summer reading seasonal vibe right now. Yardley and Travis like each other but neither wants to get too close at first because of the ramifications it could have since Yardley is the wedding planner for Travis' sister's wedding. They start off trying to keep it friends but the chemistry and attraction becomes too much and while they plan to just date, platonic goes out the window around the 80% mark. There's a lot of dealing with Yardley's mom and aunt and how horrible they are to Yardley. Yardley has to deal with her mom never telling her who her father was, how she's allowed her mom and aunt to become dependent on her, understanding for her mom and aunt's own emotional pain, and, around 60%, how she's not going to be a doormat anymore. I thought the mom and aunt horribleness got a little repetitive, some could have been cut out here to shorten up the story because it does drag a little towards the end. There were some scenes of Yardley and Travis doing things together that I would have liked added instead of those mom and aunt scenes.

This looks like it's going to be a series and Foster has laid the groundwork in this to introduce and get the reader liking the town and it's people. The town matriarch is maybe not as scary as everyone thought, the women of the town look to be setting up a weekly tea date to keep the women's fiction vibe and keep characters involved in the story, the mannequin Kathleen adds some of that small town zaniness, and I think I spotted a possible future couple between the florist and bbq restaurant owner. This was a soft story with some women's fiction vibes, a solid romance, characters and relationships that you'll care about, and those trademark caring Foster heroes that you make your heart beat just a little harder and faster. ( )

The Honeymoon Cottage by Lori Foster
Cemetery, Indiana #1

Small-town romance that introduces a new romance series based on community, friendship, and the potential for love. This book has more than one loving couple, a community issue to be solved, a woman who has much to learn about herself and the women that raised her, a wedding to be planned, a married couple dealing with issues that need to be resolved, and a whole lot more.

What I liked:
* The small town community and how they interacted
* Kathleen: an integral part of the community that showed up in a variety of places
* Yardley: wedding planner, daughter, friend, community leader, frugal, there for friends and family, saver of dogs, and ready for romance when she meets Travis
* Travis: older brother, contractor, caring, kind, handsome, giving, and perfect for Yardley
* Mimi: best friend of Yardley, protective, mother of Samantha, wife of Kevin, has postpartum issues to deal with
* Kevin: there for his wife but also dealing with issues after the baby arrived
* Sheena and Todd: perfect for one another and fun to watch through the book
* Betty: a person that becomes more interesting as the book progresses
* Getting to know Aurora and Lilith – first hated them – they grew on me
* The other people in town that my show up in future books
* Dodger: an abandoned dog that brings a whole lot to the story
* Knowing that there will be another book in the series

What I didn’t like:
* The way Lilith and Aurora picked at one another and Yardley
* The way both Yardley and Mimi sometimes put themselves down

Comment: This is a feel-good happily-ever-after romance that at times made me feel the characters were younger than the age they claimed…Mimi and Yardley seemed more teenagers than early thirties.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Probably

Thank you to NetGalley and HQN for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars ( )

The Honeymoon Cottage by Lori Foster is first book in the Cemetery, Indiana series. Yardley Belanger is a wedding planner is Cemetery, Indiana. The town’s unfortunate name comes from its founder. The funny part is that the town does not have a cemetery. Yardley is a plucky, smart woman who lives with her frustrating mother and aunt. Yardley resurrected the business and has been slowly restoring the beautiful Victorian home where the three women live. Yardley’s mother and aunt have made it difficult with their shopping for expensive clothing and eating out way too often. I liked Yardley who has yet to come into her own. She just needs a little help. The town is full of friendly (and an unfriendly one) and quirky residents. Of course, the town is unique as well. I had to laugh at the slogans Yardley came up with for the t-shirts. Kathleen, the town mannequin, was another amusing item. You never knew where she would show up or how she would be dressed (or what her sign would say). Dodger was a scene stealer. I loved the exuberant pup. There are some scenes that are cringe worthy. I did not like how Yardley’s mother and aunt treated her. They took advantage of Yardley’s good nature. It was a shame that this is how Yardley expected to be treated. I liked seeing the characters grow over the course of the story. I was not a fan of the foul language, the sexual innuendoes, and the intimate situations. I prefer books without these aspects (there is enough of it in the world especially on television). The Honeymoon Cottage is easy to read with steady pacing. It is a lighthearted romance with charming scenes. The book had a sweet ending that will leave readers smiling. I do not want to say too much about The Honeymoon Cottage and spoil it for readers. The Honeymoon Cottage is a happily ever after novel with a vibrant Victorian, a fun friend, an eye-catching client, a beautiful baby, an artful Dodger, and a gabby Yardley. ( )

Welcome to the small town of Cemetery, um, home of a wedding planner, and one you are not going to want to leave.
Would you go on a honeymoon at a town named Cemetery? I think not! Well, Yardley Belanger, had me laughing out loud with her play on the towns name and local businesses!
Her job leads her to a new client and a life changer for her. Her new clients brother, and this fellow knocks her socks off, but as her mother and aunt tell her, beware, look at what happened to them!
There are so many great characters in this read, including Dodger and Kathleen, and also the sister relationship between Mimi and Yardley, not by blood but by choice!
The pages flew for me, and I never wanted this book to end! When life throws a curve ball, throw it back! We judge some people, and then have to recant what we think, good thing people can’t hear our thoughts!
Surprise ending? Well, yes, but it was all I hoped for!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin, and was not required to give a positive review. ( )