I’ve got TWO reviews in one for you today, dear reading friends! Marrying the Wedding Crasher by Melinda Curtis & Always the Hero by Anna J. Stewart, as part of the We ♥ Small Town Romance blog tour
This bachelor’s pretend girlfriend just made a shocking discovery—
She’s pregnant!
Although they dated for only a month, Harley O’Hannigan just agreed to be Vince Messina’s plus-one at a Harmony Valley wedding.
Big mistake, given her deepening feelings for the tall, dark, unavailable bachelor.
And what about Vince’s long-buried family history? Then there’s the growing secret that could transform this pretend relationship into the real thing…
SERIES: Harmony Valley #11
GENRE: Contemporary Clean Romance
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Heartwarming
RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2018
PAGES: 384
“Sometimes the biggest lies are the ones you tell yourself.”
This is such a fun book! It’s swoony, yes, and truly heartfelt but there’s a lot of humor too.
The town of Harmony Valley is full of quirky octogenarians with a phone chain that passes out gossip faster than…well… than gossip spreads through a small town. “Who does Irwin belong to?” Oh Irwin… I adore Irwin. The elderly man who wants to run with the bad boys and win his fair lady’s heart. The scene with the motorcycle – and the scene in the beauty salon – both had me literally laughing out loud.
Vince Messina’s story is revealed in layers, each more heartbreaking than the one before. A little boy forced to take responsibilities that were never his to bear. A man still defeated by the hurtful words spoken over him. A man held captive by fear. And yet, there is healing here too. Family healing as well as the slow mending of a wounded heart. Curtis does a great job of framing Vince’s past pain with Harley’s warmth and big heart. He grows into his Disney hair (you’ll understand after you read the book) and at the center of this is Harley – the woman he’s terrified to love.
Bottom Line: You will laugh a lot, cry a little, and swoon often in Marrying the Wedding Crasher by Melinda Curtis. I always love a trip to the hilarious Harmony Valley, and you’ll be hooked too in a matter of pages. Vince and Harley are both strong protagonists who are easy to love and easy to cheer on. They are surrounded by a solid cast of delightful supporting players who bring even more heart and humor to the mix. A great read all around.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / Love it!
KissingBook Level: 3 / May forget to breathe on occasion
Melinda Curtis is an award-winning, USA Today Bestseller of over 40 romances. She writes sweet romance for Harlequin Heartwarming, sweet romantic comedies and sexy sports contemporary romances. When not working on DIY projects around their home, Melinda and her college sweetheart enjoy watching Duke mens basketball and visiting their three kids and one grandchild. Sign up for her mailing list to receive two free reads.
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Praise for Melinda Curtis:
“Wonderfully entertaining!” Jayne Ann Krentz, NYT Bestseller (referring to Playing for Love)
“Reading Slade and Christine’s story reminded me of why I enjoy romance. SEASON OF CHANGE has found a place on my keeper shelf!” Brenda Novak, NYT Bestseller
He never relied on anyone but himself…
….but he needs her now!
Butterfly Harbor deputy Matt Knight wants two things: to date Lori Bradley and the chance to adopt Kyle, a troubled teen.
Wounded in Afghanistan, Matt knows he can’t move forward anchored to the past.
But once he regains the guarded hotel manager’s trust, will his need to protect those he loves cost him a future with this extraordinary woman?
SERIES: Butterfly Harbor #4
GENRE: Contemporary Clean Romance
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Heartwarming
RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2018
PAGES: 368
“When are you going to stop letting numbers on a scale define you?”
Can I just say first of all – three cheers for a plus-size heroine!!! Oh goodness how I relate to Lori and her body image issues. Her body image issues are in great part due to past hurts, and my heart broke for her. I also loved that, while her size is an issue for Lori, it’s completely a non-issue for Matt. Only once does he address it in his inner thoughts and only as it relates to his acknowledgment of her insecurities. To him, she’s absolutely beautiful no matter what her clothing size. We never feel that Matt is attracted to Lori in spite of her size (I hate it when books take this approach); rather we know he loves her for who she is as a complete package – personality, dreams, heart, and looks.
Now… lest we think Matt is the good-to-be-true perfect romance hero … he has several faults. Don’t get me wrong – he’s hot. And swoony. But I spent a large chunk of the book wanting to purse whomp him. As much as his heart is in the right place, he doesn’t always execute those good intentions very well. And because those poorly executed good intentions usually hit right in the most sensitive parts of Lori’s heart (remember those past hurts i mentioned?), she is the one who ends up getting wounded all over again. Nevertheless, let’s not write Matt off just yet – there’s still quite a bit of the hero in him 🙂
Bottom Line: Anna J. Stewart delivers a sweet romance with well-developed characters and a layered plot. Butterfly Harbor is definitely a place you’ll want to visit and thankfully you are instantly taken there through the pages of this book. Swoony romance, a tender theme, and a community working together equal a plot that gives you full engaged from start to finish!
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / Love it!
KissingBook Level: 3 / May forget to breathe on occasion
USA Today and national bestselling author Anna J. Stewart writes sweet to sexy romance for Harlequin’s Heartwarming and Romantic Suspense lines. Early obsessions with Star Wars, Star Trek, and Wonder Woman set her on the path to creating fun, funny, and family-centric romances with happily ever afters for her independent heroines. Anna lives in Northern California where she deals with a serious Supernatural & Sherlock addiction, surrounds herself with friends and family and tolerates an overly affectionate cat named Snickers (or perhaps it’s Snickers who tolerates her). When she’s not writing books or her monthly blog for USA Today’s Happy Ever After, you can find her at fan conventions or at her local movie theater, or building her client list for her content editing services.
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Praise for Anna J Stewart
“The talented Anna J Stewart delivers every time.” ~NYTimes Bestselling Author Brenda Novak
“Anna J. Stewart will tug at your heartstrings more than once while leaving you utterly besotted with her characters.” ~The Romance Reviews
Blog Tour Giveaway
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Ends 3/18/18
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Thank you so much for including us–and the incredibly lovely reviews. <3