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scoutmomskf's review
4.0
Good reunion story. Lucy lost her high powered job and has come back to Hope's Crossing to regroup in the only place that ever felt like home. She spent several years there while growing up, becoming best friends with her cousin Jessie. She couldn't wait to leave, and isn't really looking forward to being back, especially with Jessie gone. She plans to turn her aunt's house into a bed and breakfast while she looks for a new job, and then move on. At the top of her list is avoiding Brendan whenever she can. She had an explosive kiss with him while she was in college, and was stunned when he not only blew her off, but shortly after that met and married her cousin. Ever since then, they've had a rocky relationship.
Brendan loved Jessie and has been pretty overwhelmed with taking care of his two kids in the two years since her death. He could handle Lucy's brief appearances in their lives, but having her back in town is going to be a little tougher. He's never forgotten that kiss, but the intervening years have been spent sniping at each other.
On Lucy's first night in town, she has a chimney fire at Iris House, resulting in a visit from the fire department, including Brendan. There are more sparks than just those in the chimney, but neither is going to admit it. Lucy's not planning to stay and Brendan certainly isn't going to leave. But as the days go on, they spend more time together, getting to know more about each other. Brendan discovers that Lucy is much nicer than he had thought, and her love for his kids is obvious. He begins to see that there's more to her than he had previously thought, and also sees some vulnerability under the shell she shows to the rest of the world. His feelings for her are growing, but he doesn't want to open his heart again only to have to deal with another loss. If her own problems aren't enough, Lucy's father decides to guilt her into taking care of her teenaged half sister, who has gotten herself into trouble at home.
Lucy and Brendan find their lives changing in ways they never expected. I loved seeing Lucy give her sister the kind of love and support she had never had herself. Not only did it make a difference to Crystal, I loved the way it brought out a whole new side of Lucy. I loved seeing her settle in to life in Hope's Crossing, making friends and getting involved. She'd actually consider staying, but while her feelings for Brendan are growing, she doesn't think he'll ever be ready to move on. I liked seeing her stand up for herself and her needs. Brendan was so determined to keep her away at first, but he just couldn't fight what was growing between them. But those feelings were also scary for him, because he didn't think he could take a chance on losing someone else that he loved, so he kept pushing her away. He had quite a different scare at the end, that showed him what he really needed.
It was great to see so many characters from previous books. I loved seeing Gen and her decorating business helping Lucy with Iris House, so different from what she was like in earlier books. I also had fun seeing Dylan so happy and dispensing love advice to Brendan. His dad, Dermot, has always been a great character and it was especially satisfying to see him get his own happy ending.
Brendan loved Jessie and has been pretty overwhelmed with taking care of his two kids in the two years since her death. He could handle Lucy's brief appearances in their lives, but having her back in town is going to be a little tougher. He's never forgotten that kiss, but the intervening years have been spent sniping at each other.
On Lucy's first night in town, she has a chimney fire at Iris House, resulting in a visit from the fire department, including Brendan. There are more sparks than just those in the chimney, but neither is going to admit it. Lucy's not planning to stay and Brendan certainly isn't going to leave. But as the days go on, they spend more time together, getting to know more about each other. Brendan discovers that Lucy is much nicer than he had thought, and her love for his kids is obvious. He begins to see that there's more to her than he had previously thought, and also sees some vulnerability under the shell she shows to the rest of the world. His feelings for her are growing, but he doesn't want to open his heart again only to have to deal with another loss. If her own problems aren't enough, Lucy's father decides to guilt her into taking care of her teenaged half sister, who has gotten herself into trouble at home.
Lucy and Brendan find their lives changing in ways they never expected. I loved seeing Lucy give her sister the kind of love and support she had never had herself. Not only did it make a difference to Crystal, I loved the way it brought out a whole new side of Lucy. I loved seeing her settle in to life in Hope's Crossing, making friends and getting involved. She'd actually consider staying, but while her feelings for Brendan are growing, she doesn't think he'll ever be ready to move on. I liked seeing her stand up for herself and her needs. Brendan was so determined to keep her away at first, but he just couldn't fight what was growing between them. But those feelings were also scary for him, because he didn't think he could take a chance on losing someone else that he loved, so he kept pushing her away. He had quite a different scare at the end, that showed him what he really needed.
It was great to see so many characters from previous books. I loved seeing Gen and her decorating business helping Lucy with Iris House, so different from what she was like in earlier books. I also had fun seeing Dylan so happy and dispensing love advice to Brendan. His dad, Dermot, has always been a great character and it was especially satisfying to see him get his own happy ending.
librarygirl272's review
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy, Child death, Abandonment, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
kdf_333's review
3.0
soooo i read [b:Sugar Pine Trail|32905317|Sugar Pine Trail (Haven Point, #7)|RaeAnne Thayne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491134897s/32905317.jpg|53521775] and thought it was cute and wanted to read the start of the series. turns out the Caine's started in the hope's crossing series and not the haven point series.
ok the entire hope's crossing series was like a hallmark movie with a lil nicholas sparks thrown in. cuz in hallmark there is not as much bad stuff going like folks dying and whatnot, nick sparks likes death or dismemberment or some awful tragedy.
i enjoyed the hope's crossing series for that hallmark feel.
they were cute. they are good lil romances. no graphic sex, a lil bit of violence. a lot of dogs, kids, and family members. and nothing was mysterious. oh she tried, but nope. she tried to be all nicholas sparks and throw in some twists but nope it was hallmark. you saw the "surprises" coming a mile away. i really liked the big family and small picturesque town aspect. so hallmark.
even though i read them all one after another, the stories and characters were sufficiently different that i could enjoy each one.
not so with the haven point series. they have all the same stuff yet the no hallmark feels. except for the first one in the series([b:Snow Angel Cove|20821540|Snow Angel Cove (Haven Point, #1)|RaeAnne Thayne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406525511s/20821540.jpg|40167366])and the last one[b:Sugar Pine Trail|32905317|Sugar Pine Trail (Haven Point, #7)|RaeAnne Thayne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491134897s/32905317.jpg|53521775]). (both of which have Caine's in them- like everyone of the hope crossing series does.) i am almost done with that series and it sucks. it started out very good with adian caine but it went downhill form there. why? cuz every book was VERY similar to the first one. i am literally recognizing entire phrasing. (like i am positive she used some of the exact sentences in all the books!) the lead characters all remind me of the previous leads. and they are so very quick to judge. like how can you be attracted to a person and feel this "hunger" (she uses that word A LOT) when you think they are mean or nasty or uptight or something else very unpleasant? the situations are even similar (crutches for everyone!) also every book is i really NEED help but i don't want your help but i guess i'll take it and try to be grateful and oh now i am in love.
i am saddened by this since i really enjoyed hope's crossing and the first and last book in the haven point series. oh welll...
ok the entire hope's crossing series was like a hallmark movie with a lil nicholas sparks thrown in. cuz in hallmark there is not as much bad stuff going like folks dying and whatnot, nick sparks likes death or dismemberment or some awful tragedy.
i enjoyed the hope's crossing series for that hallmark feel.
they were cute. they are good lil romances. no graphic sex, a lil bit of violence. a lot of dogs, kids, and family members. and nothing was mysterious. oh she tried, but nope. she tried to be all nicholas sparks and throw in some twists but nope it was hallmark. you saw the "surprises" coming a mile away. i really liked the big family and small picturesque town aspect. so hallmark.
even though i read them all one after another, the stories and characters were sufficiently different that i could enjoy each one.
not so with the haven point series. they have all the same stuff yet the no hallmark feels. except for the first one in the series([b:Snow Angel Cove|20821540|Snow Angel Cove (Haven Point, #1)|RaeAnne Thayne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1406525511s/20821540.jpg|40167366])and the last one[b:Sugar Pine Trail|32905317|Sugar Pine Trail (Haven Point, #7)|RaeAnne Thayne|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1491134897s/32905317.jpg|53521775]). (both of which have Caine's in them- like everyone of the hope crossing series does.) i am almost done with that series and it sucks. it started out very good with adian caine but it went downhill form there. why? cuz every book was VERY similar to the first one. i am literally recognizing entire phrasing. (like i am positive she used some of the exact sentences in all the books!) the lead characters all remind me of the previous leads. and they are so very quick to judge. like how can you be attracted to a person and feel this "hunger" (she uses that word A LOT) when you think they are mean or nasty or uptight or something else very unpleasant? the situations are even similar (crutches for everyone!) also every book is i really NEED help but i don't want your help but i guess i'll take it and try to be grateful and oh now i am in love.
i am saddened by this since i really enjoyed hope's crossing and the first and last book in the haven point series. oh welll...
bookwyrm_lark's review
4.0
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
I've been enjoying this small-town romance series by RaeAnne Thayne. The romances are sweet (as opposed to steamy) and the small Colorado town of Hope's Crossing is charming and appealing. You can almost breathe the crisp mountain air, and the residents are, for the most part, good folk without being goody-goody. It's the sort of place I would enjoy living, and not unlike Emily March's Eternity Springs, without feeling at all like a copy.
We've seen Brendan before; he's the son of diner proprietor Dermot Caine and the brother of Charlotte and Dylan, the heroine and hero of Willowleaf Lane and Christmas in Snowflake Canyon, respectively. Lucy is new on the scene, at least as far as the books I've read (I missed books 3 and 4), but she's not new to Hope's Crossing. As a rebellious teen, she was sent by her disinterested father to live with her aunt in Hope's Crossing. In her aunt's home, the teenage Lucy found her bearings. Now, over thirty and newly fired from her high-profile marketing position, she's going home to lick her wounds, fix up the Victorian mansion she inherited after her aunt's death, and figure out her next step.
The tension between Brendan and Lucy has deep roots -- Brendan was married to Lucy's cousin Jessie until her death a few years ago, and Lucy had originally opposed the marriage. There's more to it than that, but it takes a while for the hurts on both sides to be acknowledged and dealt with. I particularly liked that both main characters's past actions contributed to the issues between them, leaving neither in the "good guy" or "bad guy" position.
On the other hand, Lucy feels nothing but love for her young niece and nephew, so living just down the street from the little family is a mixed blessing. Both adults are willing to try to get along for the children's sake, but neither feels very comfortable with the situation. The mixture of attraction - emotional as well as physical - and mutual determination to keep one another at arms' length leads to some humorous as well as awkward, even painful moments. In addition, Brendan, a widower, isn't sure he's ready or able to love again, which adds another layer of complexity to their relationship.
The author does a nice job with the couple's conflicting feelings, making each of them understandable and believable. There aren't any major surprises; Thayne takes a fairly standard plot line and makes it both pleasing and satisfying through the realistic tensions and ups and downs of ordinary life. Recurring characters and a familiar landscape add to the charm, but this novel can easily be read as a standalone.
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy through NetGalley. All opinions are entirely my own.
I've been enjoying this small-town romance series by RaeAnne Thayne. The romances are sweet (as opposed to steamy) and the small Colorado town of Hope's Crossing is charming and appealing. You can almost breathe the crisp mountain air, and the residents are, for the most part, good folk without being goody-goody. It's the sort of place I would enjoy living, and not unlike Emily March's Eternity Springs, without feeling at all like a copy.
We've seen Brendan before; he's the son of diner proprietor Dermot Caine and the brother of Charlotte and Dylan, the heroine and hero of Willowleaf Lane and Christmas in Snowflake Canyon, respectively. Lucy is new on the scene, at least as far as the books I've read (I missed books 3 and 4), but she's not new to Hope's Crossing. As a rebellious teen, she was sent by her disinterested father to live with her aunt in Hope's Crossing. In her aunt's home, the teenage Lucy found her bearings. Now, over thirty and newly fired from her high-profile marketing position, she's going home to lick her wounds, fix up the Victorian mansion she inherited after her aunt's death, and figure out her next step.
The tension between Brendan and Lucy has deep roots -- Brendan was married to Lucy's cousin Jessie until her death a few years ago, and Lucy had originally opposed the marriage. There's more to it than that, but it takes a while for the hurts on both sides to be acknowledged and dealt with. I particularly liked that both main characters's past actions contributed to the issues between them, leaving neither in the "good guy" or "bad guy" position.
On the other hand, Lucy feels nothing but love for her young niece and nephew, so living just down the street from the little family is a mixed blessing. Both adults are willing to try to get along for the children's sake, but neither feels very comfortable with the situation. The mixture of attraction - emotional as well as physical - and mutual determination to keep one another at arms' length leads to some humorous as well as awkward, even painful moments. In addition, Brendan, a widower, isn't sure he's ready or able to love again, which adds another layer of complexity to their relationship.
The author does a nice job with the couple's conflicting feelings, making each of them understandable and believable. There aren't any major surprises; Thayne takes a fairly standard plot line and makes it both pleasing and satisfying through the realistic tensions and ups and downs of ordinary life. Recurring characters and a familiar landscape add to the charm, but this novel can easily be read as a standalone.
FTC disclosure: I received a review copy through NetGalley. All opinions are entirely my own.
maureensbooks89's review
5.0
When I saw the invitation for the ‘Wild Iris Ridge’ by RaeAnne Thayne blog tour on Candace’s Blog I was immediately interested. I saw the book cover and although it’s not exactly my taste I was intrigued by it. When I read the description of the book I was sure of it. I needed to be a part of this book tour! ‘Wild Iris Ridge’ just sounded very much like a book I would love. Thankfully I got a spot on this tour and I received the book a couple of weeks ago.
In ‘Wild Iris Ridge’ we meet Lucy, a thirty-one year old woman who’s in desperate need of some changes. When Lucy loses the job she worked so hard for she is devastated and she decides to go to her old home town Hope’s Crossing to hopefully get some peace of mind.
But in Hope’s Crossing there is Brendan Caine, a thirty-six year old widowed fire fighter with two little children. Lucy and Brendan have known each other for years since Lucy’s Best friend and cousin is Brendan’s deceased wife. But they aren’t really fond of each other. Unfortunately they soon find out that they can’t avoid each other in the little town. And feelings that seemed long ago are coming to the surface again.
From the moment I started in ‘Wild Iris Ridge’ I loved this story. This story was different than the previous books I read and I really loved that. I really fell in love with the little town Hope’s Crossing. I loved how kind and helpful everybody was and how everybody knew each other. This book immediately pulled me in and I really didn’t want to put it down. That meant reading until late at night and needing a lot of coffee in the morning when my alarm went off. But it was so worth it.
The character I liked the most was definitely Brandon. I just really loved his character. He was just such a loving but also really fun guy. When Brandon lost his wife two years ago he didn’t give up he made sure that his children had everything they could want. He really deserved to be happy again and find some love. And although I really don’t have a thing for children, I loved Brendan’s children. They were just so fun and they loved spending time with their dad.
This book was everything I hoped for and even more. I loved the story, the characters and the chemistry between Lucy and Brendan. This book even made me cry at the end and I’m really bumped I’ve finished it that fast. This book is definitely going on my favorite list. And I definitely need to read more books by RaeAnne Thayne.
In ‘Wild Iris Ridge’ we meet Lucy, a thirty-one year old woman who’s in desperate need of some changes. When Lucy loses the job she worked so hard for she is devastated and she decides to go to her old home town Hope’s Crossing to hopefully get some peace of mind.
But in Hope’s Crossing there is Brendan Caine, a thirty-six year old widowed fire fighter with two little children. Lucy and Brendan have known each other for years since Lucy’s Best friend and cousin is Brendan’s deceased wife. But they aren’t really fond of each other. Unfortunately they soon find out that they can’t avoid each other in the little town. And feelings that seemed long ago are coming to the surface again.
From the moment I started in ‘Wild Iris Ridge’ I loved this story. This story was different than the previous books I read and I really loved that. I really fell in love with the little town Hope’s Crossing. I loved how kind and helpful everybody was and how everybody knew each other. This book immediately pulled me in and I really didn’t want to put it down. That meant reading until late at night and needing a lot of coffee in the morning when my alarm went off. But it was so worth it.
The character I liked the most was definitely Brandon. I just really loved his character. He was just such a loving but also really fun guy. When Brandon lost his wife two years ago he didn’t give up he made sure that his children had everything they could want. He really deserved to be happy again and find some love. And although I really don’t have a thing for children, I loved Brendan’s children. They were just so fun and they loved spending time with their dad.
This book was everything I hoped for and even more. I loved the story, the characters and the chemistry between Lucy and Brendan. This book even made me cry at the end and I’m really bumped I’ve finished it that fast. This book is definitely going on my favorite list. And I definitely need to read more books by RaeAnne Thayne.
oldswampy's review
4.0
This author proves again that you can write enjoyable romances with characters that are worth caring about, and without unbelievable or semi-pornographic sex scenes. Four stars only because this isn't Dante or Shakespeare, but as far as contemporary romance is concerned it's among the best.
erinnaissance's review
3.0
I think this author takes top honors in writing settings and scenes. She has super powers in the arena of description. She creates absolutely adorable child characters so Brendan’s kids, Carter and Faith, were a delight. This book also had puppies! SQUEE!
This is my third novel by this author and as I could already predict from the various plot synopses that I read, she seems rather formulaic. While I agree, “if it’s not broke don’t fix it,” I find the predictable pattern to her stories a bit tedious. I think slice of life is her strong suit so it’s irritating that there’s so much backstory drama and tragedies that seem contrived.
Brendan was not my favorite character except in how he loved his children and respected his late wife. He basically seemed to resent Lucy through most of the book and seemed attracted to her against his will. I find the trope of “kissing against one’s intentions” wearisome. I am reading the novels out of order and this one was a winner because of Carter. That kid is a sweet pea! However, if the romance needed a standalone on the main couple, it would be a miss rather than a hit.
This is my third novel by this author and as I could already predict from the various plot synopses that I read, she seems rather formulaic. While I agree, “if it’s not broke don’t fix it,” I find the predictable pattern to her stories a bit tedious. I think slice of life is her strong suit so it’s irritating that there’s so much backstory drama and tragedies that seem contrived.
Brendan was not my favorite character except in how he loved his children and respected his late wife. He basically seemed to resent Lucy through most of the book and seemed attracted to her against his will. I find the trope of “kissing against one’s intentions” wearisome. I am reading the novels out of order and this one was a winner because of Carter. That kid is a sweet pea! However, if the romance needed a standalone on the main couple, it would be a miss rather than a hit.