Tag: Sweet Romance

ECONOGAL > Sweet Romance
Posted on by Econogal

Sweet Romance

Cover of novel Snow Kissed by Rae Anne Thayne with a snow covered scene depicting a couple walking toward a home flanked by snow laden evergreensSnow Kissed by Rae Anne Thane is a newly released Christmas romance. The sweet love story is perfect reading for the holidays. The book is part of the Shelter Springs series yet works well as a stand-alone novel.

Holly Moore and Ryan Caldwell cross paths during a hectic December. Each living a life too full for relationships. Then romance catches them by surprise.

Single Mom Holly Moore

Holly is a divorcee, a small business owner and most important of all, single mom to Lydia. Five-year-old Lydia is a bubbling, outgoing special needs child surrounded by loving family and friends.

Holly harbors no ill will towards her ex. She just wishes he would take a bigger role in his daughter’s life. The rest of her family is not as magnanimous.

Ryan Caldwell

Ryan is a career military helicopter pilot. And a confirmed bachelor.  He is in Shelter Springs to care for his thirteen-year-old niece Audrey, while her mom Kim is in rehab after an accident. His loyalty to Kim stems from the loss of their mother when they were both young teens.

However, he must also interact with his estranged father who lives in nearby Haven Point with his second wife Diane, who broke both an arm and leg in the accident. Ryan genuinely likes Diane but has no desire to be around his father. Most importantly, he must care for Audrey.

Snow Kissed Romance

Holly and Ryan make a deal to help each other. Holly needs a date to a wedding she must attend since Lydia is the flower girl in her dad’s sister’s wedding. And Ryan needs help making Christmas bright for his niece and sister.

Idaho weather makes a romantic backdrop for the growing attraction between the pair. Snow kissed nights of family-oriented outings allow the attraction to grow. Naturally, both fight their feelings because a long-distance relationship is not easy.

Recommendation for Snow Kissed

I really enjoyed this sweet romance. This is the first Rae Anne Thayne novel I have read. The story is uplifting, the characters all show growth and the writing is suitable for teenagers to grandmothers. Furthermore, the book would be perfect in a Christmas stocking. Find a copy and enjoy!

Fun Fact: I Love You Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

YA Offering

Gina Lynn Larsen debuts as an author of Young Adult (YA) fiction with the release of Fun Fact: I Love You. The novel follows many themes of the genre such as first kisses, unrequited love and difficult parent/child relationships. However, Larsen throws in much more angst and grief. Fun Fact: I Love You is a tearjerker along the way to the happy ending.

Nellie and Jensen

The leading pair have been friends forever. However, their friendship took a backseat to high school. Nellie and Jensen run in the same social circle. But she is unaware of how he feels about her. Then a high school prank goes awry, quickly followed by real life tragedy, and the pair are thrown together again.

Nellie is the school valedictorian with a five-year plan. She will graduate with an associate’s degree and a high school diploma and looks forward to leaving home for UNLV. She is close to her dad and at odds with her mom. Occasionally she forgets her studies to crush on school heart throb Sterling. Until he pranks her. Also unsettling for Nellie is the prankster’s cohort in crime is her best friend, Britta.

Jensen is on a different path. No college in the immediate future. Instead, he plans to continue his current (secret) work.  Unbeknownst to his classmates and teachers, Jensen Nichols is writing sci-fi/fantasy under the pen name Jen Dimes. Only a few people know of his secret life including his mom, and Nellie’s dad.

Fun Fact: Real Life is Difficult

Relationships change over time. This is one of the key themes to Larsen’s story. Furthermore, life throws out hardship at different times. For Jensen, the timing was very early on. For Nellie, just before high school graduation. How one handles the difficulties of life is the true test of growth as a person. Much of Fun Fact: I Love You explores this tenet.

Recommendation

Gina Lynn Larsen is outstanding in her debut novel. Perhaps there were a few weaknesses. (How on Earth could Nellie and Britta be BFF all the way through High School?) Yet, I found Fun Fact: I Love You to resonate with realism with respect to Nellie. And Jensen? I am sure there are many teen writers out there with various levels of success. So, I found the story stirring with emotion, satisfying on a plot level and over the top with respect to the growth of the characters. I highly recommend for teens and above. I really need to start reading more YA! Closing the book yielded satisfaction from a really good story.

Fake Famous Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Young Adult

Fake Famous by Dana L. Davis is a delightful novel. A blend between a sweet romance and a coming-of-age novel, the story will appeal to a wide range of readers. Even though the concept of strangers switching identities is not new, Ms. Davis offers a fresh, contemporary take.

This selection is a library check-out. The back cover described a prior Davis novel as a YA or Young Adult. Since I am trying to expand genres in my reviews, I quickly picked up Fake Famous. I am happy I did.

Red Morgan-Star of Fake Famous

Red Morgan is a hard-working Iowa farm girl. Her ginger hair is passed down through a Creole ancestor. The opening scenes depict her loyalty to her family and their farm. Additionally, the author provides glimpses of the difficulties farm families have in making ends meet.

The protagonist hits her 15 minutes of fame when her younger sister’s video goes viral. Red is singing when a fence gives out and she falls into a large pile of manure. She doesn’t miss a beat and poses like the famous diva Zay-Zay Waters. Unbeknownst to Red, Zay-Zay has just dyed her hair red and sees the viral video. And, hatches up a scheme. Zay-Zay needs some alone time.

Fake Famous Plot

Harkening back to Mark Twain’s The Prince and The Pauper, Zay-Zay suddenly appears on the farm with a monetary deal Red can’t pass up. The pop star wants Red to fill her shoes for a week of glamorous appearances. Meanwhile, Zay-Zay will go on a soul-finding retreat. The only catch is Red must interact with Koi Kalawai’a, a fellow singing sensation and boyfriend to Zay-Zay. Except, he’s not.

Apparently Hollywood romances are fake too. But the chemistry between Koi and Red is real and so the complications begin. In addition to romance, Davis provides an insiders look into the lives of the rich and famous. Between the paparazzi and the fakeness, it is a different kind of hard work.

Recommendation

Fake Famous is an enjoyable read. The attraction between Red and Koi moves the story forward as each provides growth for the other. The secondary characters are well-developed and add to the story line. The romance is sweet, and the coming-of-age story is insightful. This is the first novel I have read from Dana Davis, but it won’t be the last. A great novel for young teens to adults.

The Best is Yet to Come Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Sweet Romance

Debbie Macomber’s 2022 release, The Best is Yet to Come is a sweet romance with good characters and meaningful story lines. If you are a fan of Macomber you will love it. For those not familiar with the author, the book is an easy read and should be available at both libraries and book stands. (Click here for a review of her Alaskan Holiday romance.)

Dual Romances

Hope Goodwin and Cade Lincoln both carry the burden of loss. Both look to start anew in a coastal area of the Pacific Northwest. They meet in an animal shelter and interest in each other piques. But romance must take a back seat while anger and grief are confronted.

Since the aptly named Hope works at a high school, a secondary romance between two students as well as a secondary plot line flow easily into the story of The Best is Yet to Come. Super student Spencer Brown and cheerleader Callie Rhodes are miss matched from the start. But the confrontations they face create a good platform to introduce the subject of performance enhancing drug use by high school students.

The Best is Yet to Come and PTSD

A key component of the novel is the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among veterans. The Best is Yet to Come highlights the benefits of both individual and group therapy. Acknowledgement that wounds are not always visible is an important part of the story. So too is the need for support whether from family or friends.

Debbie Macomber

Veteran authors have a knack for telling stories that endear the characters to the readers. Debbie Macomber is such an author. Readers can connect with both main and secondary characters, their struggles as well as their successes.

PTSD is difficult to overcome and even harder if survivor’s guilt is an additional factor. Confronting drug use in a high school setting is equally challenging. Macomber presents characters that can meet these challenges all while engaging the reader.

Alaskan Holiday Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

At Christmas time I like to indulge in sweet romances. One of the best writers of this genre is Debbie Macomber. Her recent release, Alaskan Holiday fit the bill. I’ve never been to Alaska, but would love to go since it is the only state in the United States of America I have not stepped foot in. In the meantime I enjoyed reading Alaskan Holiday.

The point of view for the book switches back and forth between the two main characters. Palmer is a native of the state and appreciates the isolation of Ponder, Alaska. The last ferry out of Ponder is due and Palmer must work up the nerve to ask Josie to stay and marry him.

Josie is on the career path to chef stardom. Her first “real” job is in Seattle at a new restaurant. But she wiles away the time waiting for the opening by cooking at a summer lodge. She didn’t count on a marriage proposal. Thus, Palmer’s attempt at a romantic proposal throws her off-balance. She misses the boat, literally.

Characters

In addition to Palmer and Josie, there is a colorful cast of support. Jack, a bush man with an incredible appetite tries to patch things up between the lead characters. His suggestions and (failed) experience for romance keep things light. Jack is a good sidekick for Palmer.

Angie is a transplant to Alaska. She spends her time writing and raising a family during the long dark winters. Josie is appreciative of the friendship they develop.

Chef Anton is Josie’s boss. And the restaurant owner. He fails to meet Josie’s expectations.

Plot

Like many romances, Alaskan Holiday has a plot which begins and ends with a happy couple. However, the two must overcome various obstacles. Macomber does a nice job of bringing the characters to life. She also presents plausible problems and solutions. Alaskan Holiday is an easy evening read by the Christmas tree. Just grab a cup of cocoa, turn on the tree lights and immerse yourself in a sweet romance.