Starting Over on Blackberry Lane: My Quick Review

Starting Over on Blackberry Lane

About the Book:

Stefanie Stahl has a husband with renovation ADD. He can't seem to finish anything he starts and her house is littered with his "projects." If he doesn't smarten up, she swears she's going to murder him and bury him under the pile of scrounged lumber in the backyard.  

Her friend Griffin James is suddenly single and thinking maybe she needs to sell her fixer-upper and follow her career bliss up the ladder of success, even if that scary ladder is clear across the country. Getting her place ready to sell proves harder than she originally thought. She needs help.  

She's not the only one. Cass Wilkes, their neighbor, has an empty nest—with a leaking roof. When her ceiling crashes in, she knows it's time to do something. When Grant Masters offers his handyman services at a fund-raiser auction, the three women go in together to outbid the competition and win their man. (Cass's friends think she should win Grant in a different way, too!) Now it's time to make some improvements…in their houses and their lives.

My Comments:

If the blurb above sounds a little like a soap opera, that's because this book is a little like a soap opera with characters from other books making appearances so we can keep up with them (if we can remember them) and with the main characters going though all sorts contortions before true love can happen.  

If what you want is a light afternoon read with no deeper meaning, this fits the bill. 

Thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary copy via NetGalley. Grade:  B-

Home on Apple Blossom Road: My Review

About the Book

Colin Wright and Mia Blair grew up in Icicle Falls, but they left years ago—and not on good terms. Now Colin's grandmother, Justine, has died, and they've come home to honor this woman they both loved. That's when they get some unexpected news. They're about to inherit something. Jointly. They just have no idea what. It turns out that Justine's designed a treasure hunt for them, like the ones they enjoyed when they were kids and best friends. 

But they're not kids anymore, and they sure aren't best friends. As for that young love they once shared? Well…it's complicated.  

On the trail of Justine's treasure, they follow a series of clues that take them down memory lane—ending up at the orchard on Apple Blossom Road. What will they find there? And what did Justine know that they didn't?

My Comments

I've read several of the Icicle Falls books.  Set in a picturesque town in Idaho, they are filled with the charm you would expect in a small town romance.  As is common with series romances, characters from past books make appearances in this one.  Out of all the books in this series, Home on Apple Blossom Road is my favorite.  In some ways the plot line is trite--two people who used to be in love (and who are still carrying a flame for each other) are forced to work together if they want to inherit something valuable.  Their search for treasure brings them back to a happier time in life and reminds each of them how different their current lives are from the lives they wanted when they were younger and in love.

The book was two trips down memory lane--the trip Justine planned for Colin and Mia--and Justine's memories of life in Icicle Falls as told through letters to her mother and her sister, who are in Pittsburgh.  

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.  Grade:  B+

Quick Review: Christmas on Candy Cane Lane

Christmas on Candy Cane Lane (Life in Icicle Falls)

About the Book:

Everyone's getting ready for Christmas in Icicle Falls, especially on Candy Cane Lane, where holiday decorating is taken very seriously. Tilda Morrison, town cop, is looking forward to celebrating Christmas in her first house…until she discovers that she's expected to "keep up" with the neighbors, including Maddy Donaldson, the inspiration behind the whole extravaganza. But this year, someone's destroying Maddie's precious candy canes! Thank goodness for the cop in their neighborhood. 

Tilda already has her hands full trying to sort out her love life and fix up her fixer-upper. Oh, and won't it be fun to have the family over for Christmas dinner? Not really… Then there's her neighbor, Ivy Bohn. As a newly single mom, Ivy can sum up the holiday in two words: Bah, humbug. But she's determined to give her kids a perfect Christmas. 

Despite family disasters, irritating ex-husbands and kitchen catastrophes, these three women are going to find out that Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year!

My Comments:

I think most Christmas romances are very sweet and very predictable, and this one fits that bill perfectly.  Honestly, sometimes I had a little trouble keeping track of who was who, but in the end it really didn't matter because everyone ended up living happily ever after.  Ho-Ho-Ho.  

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade:  B-.

The Cottage on Juniper Ridge: My Review

The Cottage on Juniper Ridge (Life in Icicle Falls)

About the Book:

How to Change Your Life… 

Can a book change your life? Yes, when it's Simplicity, Muriel Sterling's guide to plain living. In fact, it inspires Jen Heath to leave her stressful, overcommitted life in Seattle and move to Icicle Falls, where she rents a lovely little cottage on Juniper Ridge. And where she can enjoy simple pleasures—like joining the local book club—and complicated ones, like falling in love with her sexy landlord, Garrett Armstrong. 

Her sister Toni is ready for a change, too. She has a teenage daughter who's constantly texting her friends, a husband who's more involved with his computer than he is with her, and a son who's consumed by video games. Toni wants her family to grow closer—to return to a simpler way of life. 

Other women in town, like Stacy Thomas, are also inspired to unload their excess stuff and some of the extra responsibilities they've taken on. 

But as they all discover, sometimes life simply happens. It doesn't always happen simply!

My Comments:

In today's world it is so easy to become over-committed or to spend too much time on things that, in the end, just don't matter.  Email and VPNs allow us to work without going to the office--but they also make us available all the time.  Cell phones make it possible for teens to reach parents instantly, and vice-versa, but they also make it tempting to tune out people you are with in favor of the latest text message or phone call.  Video games can be a fun pastime, or consuming addiction.  Most people  have paid jobs; those who have the time and willingness to volunteer can find themselves with the equivalent of a full time unpaid job.  There is more stuff to buy than at any time in history, but is it worth the effort that we have to expend to acquire it--and then to store it?  

In a light-hearted way, The Cottage on Juniper Ridge (Life in Icicle Falls) looks at today's overly busy lifestyle, its consequences in people's lives and how we can use out power of choice to decide what to keep in our lives and what to discard.  

As noted in the summary, a book titled "Simplicity" encourages Jen to leave a life that she has grown to hate.  She moves to the small town of Icicle Falls (you can search my archives for other books about it) and while there she joins a book club that is reading the same book.  We watch how the other members of the group put the principals of the book to work in their lives.

While Jen's romance with her landlord is an important part of the story, the book goes beyond just a simple romance.  It is also squeaky clean--no bedroom scenes or mention of anyone engaging in intimate activity. 

I'd like the thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.  Grade:  B.

Kindle Freebie: Good Neighbors

Good Neighbors (Harlequin More Than Words)

About the Book:

Each year, the Harlequin More Than Words award is given to three women who have worked hard to change people's lives for the better. Inspired by their accomplishments, three bestselling authors have written stories to honor these real-life heroines.

In Good Neighbors, Meredith Lange hopes that she and her son can start over in Icicle Falls, Washington. Her family's cabin is the only thing she's got left after settling her late husband's gambling debts. But on the first night in her new home, Jed Banks shows up, claiming to be the cabin's rightful owner. Then her son, Leo, starts getting into trouble at school.

Jed offers to help Leo adjust to life in Icicle Falls. His charitable organization, Youth Power, pairs up troubled kids with a responsible teen mentor. But how can Meredith accept Jed's help? He may be a devoted advocate for young people and a very attractive man, but he's also trying to take away her home...

Look for all three ebooks inspired by real-life heroines: Good Neighbors by Sheila Roberts, Just Joe by Carla Cassidy and Light This Candle by Cindy Dees. Visit the Harlequin More Than Words website at www.HarlequinMoreThanWords.com or your favorite ebook retailer to download these free novellas today.

My Comments:

Another sweet read which pays homage to a charity, in this case, Youth Assisting Youth.  It is a clean read and if you are a fan of the Icicle Falls series, you'll see a few old friends mentioned.  Grade:  B-. 

Merry Ex-Mas

Merry Ex-Mas (Life in Icicle Falls)

About the Book:

Between Yuletide traditions, winter sports and mistletoe hanging everywhere, Christmas is the best time of year in Icicle Falls, Washington. But this year it's not so merry-for three of its residents, anyway. 

Cass Wilkes, owner of the Gingerbread Haus bakery, was looking forward to her daughter, Danielle's, wedding...until Dani announced that she wants her father, Cass's ex, to walk her down the aisle. Seriously? And, since every B and B is full, it looks like he, his trophy wife and their yappy little dog will be staying with Cass. 

Her friend Charlene Albach arrives at their weekly chick-flick night in shock. She's just seen the ghost of Christmas past: her ex-husband, Richard, who left her a year ago, running off with the hostess from her restaurant, Zelda's, to start a new life (and restaurant) in Seattle. Now the hostess is history and he wants to kiss and make up. Hide the mistletoe! 

And bring out the hot buttered rum, because the holidays aren't so easy for Ella O'Brien, either. Ella, who's newly divorced, is still sharing the house with her ex while they wait for the place to sell, and they are still fighting over all the things they fought over when they were married. The love is gone. Isn't it? 

But Christmas has a way of working its magic. One of these women is about to rediscover love, another is going to remember what's important in life and the third will find a new dream in the new year. Merry Ex-mas, ladies!

Between Yuletide traditions, winter sports and mistletoe hanging everywhere, Christmas is the best time of year in Icicle Falls, Washington. But this year it's not so merry-for three of its residents, anyway. 

My Comments:

This is the second book in a series about a ski resort town.  I have to say that one thing I'm glad I don't have is an ex-husband but I found it interesting to look at how these three women deal with their ex-husbands.  Honestly, I read the book some time ago, and must have forgotten to finish the review, since it published with just the Amazon blurb.  I remember it was a good, but not exceptional read, but not a whole lot else about it.  Therefore, I'll give it a B.  

Better Than Chocolate

Better Than Chocolate (Life in Icicle Falls)

About the Book:

Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations, ever since Great-Grandma Rose literally dreamed up her first fabulous recipe. But now it looks as if they're about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank—and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it?

After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes. They'll have a chocolate festival! Time's running out, but the Sterling women are determined and the town's behind them, so everything's bound to go smoothly….

Or not. Events seem to be conspiring against Samantha, and her mother's attempts to help aren't helping. To make matters worse, the fate of her company is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It's enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake's also enough to convince her that (believe it or not) there's something even better than chocolate.

My Comments:

After looking at the cover and reading the summary, do you really think the evil banker is going to repo the chocolate company and make off with some cute bimbo?  

This appears to be the first in what I'm guessing Sheila Roberts hopes will be a long and profitable series of books set in a small ski town in Washington state.  We meet a large ensemble of characters who flit across the screen and then are seen no more (at least in this book, but I have a feeling...)  Still, the story is sweet as good chocolate and is a clean read too.  No one in this book ends up in bed with anyone else.  

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.  Grade:  B.