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lexee9's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This one was really cute! I really enjoyed this story! It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention the entire time. I loved watching Tamara come in and build her relationship with not just Caleb but his two little girls Sasha and Emma. She really gave both little girls what they needed and the support that really helped everyone out. Caleb and Tamara got to know each other as she was taking care of the girls and they were doing their best to ignore their chemistry. This story flowed well and was well written. I was engaged with the characters and loved how protective Sasha was of her sister Emma and how Tamara allowed Emma her own voice without forcing her to use hers out loud. The story was really sweet and I can't wait for the next one.
The narrator did a great job with the characters and bringing the story to life.
The narrator did a great job with the characters and bringing the story to life.
trudyd's review against another edition
4.0
This is a wonderful "dad" story. Caleb is a rancher that had to raise his younger siblings after their parents. He has to keep the ranch running in order to keep food on the table. His wife has left him (thank goodness!!!) leaving him to care for two precious little girls.
Tamara is a Coleman (happy crossover book!!!) that has recently lost her job as a nurse and looking for a new beginning. She is the perfect fit to nanny and so much more. I love how this story develops. The girls come first for both of them. The relationship develops on a realistic time line that came me reading page after page waiting for the next development.
Tamara is a Coleman (happy crossover book!!!) that has recently lost her job as a nurse and looking for a new beginning. She is the perfect fit to nanny and so much more. I love how this story develops. The girls come first for both of them. The relationship develops on a realistic time line that came me reading page after page waiting for the next development.
murrayviolet's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Score: 2/5
At the Silver Stone ranch in Heart Falls, Alberta, Caleb Stone juggles roles as a cowboy, father, and head of his family since losing his parents over a decade ago. He desperately needs help, so he searches for a full-time and live-in nanny for his two daughters. The position is filled by Tamara Coleman, who is seeking a new beginning after losing her job. Despite her resolve to avoid impulsiveness, Tamara finds Caleb's gruff and sexy demeanor irresistible, leading to mutual attraction. However, both are wary of the risks: Tamara fears jeopardizing her job, while Caleb hesitates to open his heart again.
Although romance novels are my passion, Western romance has not traditionally piqued my interest. When my Kobo recommended this book, curiosity got the better of me. The fact that it was available for free encouraged me to read it. Plus, the intriguing blurb convinced me to dive right in.
This book gave me mixed feelings. On a positive note, I appreciated the lack of dramatic clichés, such as the potential for an ex-wife's return, which never happened. However, the narrative's slow pace occasionally made my reading experience somewhat tedious, which led to a loss of interest. The relationship between Tamara and Caleb lacked the spark I was looking for. That’s why I found value in the moments they spent apart because these scenes allowed for a better exploration of their individual characters. My main critique of the book is its emphasis on steamy scenes, particularly towards the end of the book. The writer literally dedicated one chapter of the book to their sexual relationship. I skipped those parts in search of the story's foundation, which seemed overshadowed by then.
When looking at the supporting cast, Caleb's kids stood out for their genuine representation of the rebellious and sometimes unreasonable temperament of young ones. The inclusion of Caleb’s four siblings, though briefly touched upon, hinted at their potential for more in-depth exploration in future stories. This brief introduction to the siblings, alongside a cast of additional characters, made me wonder how many characters there were overall in the narrative.
Overall, I didn't feel as drawn to this book as I had hoped. While there were elements I appreciated, unfortunately, the aspects I found less appealing significantly outweighed them. The story didn't deliver the sense of fulfillment or warmth I wanted in my reading experiences, ultimately feeling like a brief connection that didn't leave a lasting impression.
At the Silver Stone ranch in Heart Falls, Alberta, Caleb Stone juggles roles as a cowboy, father, and head of his family since losing his parents over a decade ago. He desperately needs help, so he searches for a full-time and live-in nanny for his two daughters. The position is filled by Tamara Coleman, who is seeking a new beginning after losing her job. Despite her resolve to avoid impulsiveness, Tamara finds Caleb's gruff and sexy demeanor irresistible, leading to mutual attraction. However, both are wary of the risks: Tamara fears jeopardizing her job, while Caleb hesitates to open his heart again.
Although romance novels are my passion, Western romance has not traditionally piqued my interest. When my Kobo recommended this book, curiosity got the better of me. The fact that it was available for free encouraged me to read it. Plus, the intriguing blurb convinced me to dive right in.
This book gave me mixed feelings. On a positive note, I appreciated the lack of dramatic clichés, such as the potential for an ex-wife's return, which never happened. However, the narrative's slow pace occasionally made my reading experience somewhat tedious, which led to a loss of interest. The relationship between Tamara and Caleb lacked the spark I was looking for. That’s why I found value in the moments they spent apart because these scenes allowed for a better exploration of their individual characters. My main critique of the book is its emphasis on steamy scenes, particularly towards the end of the book. The writer literally dedicated one chapter of the book to their sexual relationship. I skipped those parts in search of the story's foundation, which seemed overshadowed by then.
When looking at the supporting cast, Caleb's kids stood out for their genuine representation of the rebellious and sometimes unreasonable temperament of young ones. The inclusion of Caleb’s four siblings, though briefly touched upon, hinted at their potential for more in-depth exploration in future stories. This brief introduction to the siblings, alongside a cast of additional characters, made me wonder how many characters there were overall in the narrative.
Overall, I didn't feel as drawn to this book as I had hoped. While there were elements I appreciated, unfortunately, the aspects I found less appealing significantly outweighed them. The story didn't deliver the sense of fulfillment or warmth I wanted in my reading experiences, ultimately feeling like a brief connection that didn't leave a lasting impression.
jje121579's review against another edition
4.0
A wonderful start to a new series
You know how there are writers who you love to read their work. Ms Arend is one I will always pick up when possible. Tamara and Caleb’s falling in love story is sweet, sexy, and grabs your heartstrings. Angst abounds from the start but their chemistry
won’t be denied. At the end I just had to smile and give a happy sigh.
You know how there are writers who you love to read their work. Ms Arend is one I will always pick up when possible. Tamara and Caleb’s falling in love story is sweet, sexy, and grabs your heartstrings. Angst abounds from the start but their chemistry
won’t be denied. At the end I just had to smile and give a happy sigh.
wordsaftermidnight's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
dukefn99's review against another edition
4.0
I'd read a couple other books in the Heart Falls series and loved them, so when I came across the audio version of book 1, I decided to take a chance.
The story itself was great. Especially having read later books about Caleb's brothers, it was nice to start the story... well, from the start and be reintroduced to everyone. I enjoyed the interactions between Caleb and Tamara and the romance was well developed.
But then there's the narration. I started listening to the book and don't even think I got out of the first chapter. Something was off for me and I sat it aside. When I came back and started listening, I realized that it was too fast for my tastes. I slowed it down just a touch and it was so much better. At full speed it was like Tatiana Sokolov wasn't even taking a breath. There didn't feel like any breaks and it got hard to follow. Honestly otherwise, I don't have any complaints about her performance. I felt there was enough emotion and changes in her voice during dialog to connect with the book.
The story itself was great. Especially having read later books about Caleb's brothers, it was nice to start the story... well, from the start and be reintroduced to everyone. I enjoyed the interactions between Caleb and Tamara and the romance was well developed.
But then there's the narration. I started listening to the book and don't even think I got out of the first chapter. Something was off for me and I sat it aside. When I came back and started listening, I realized that it was too fast for my tastes. I slowed it down just a touch and it was so much better. At full speed it was like Tatiana Sokolov wasn't even taking a breath. There didn't feel like any breaks and it got hard to follow. Honestly otherwise, I don't have any complaints about her performance. I felt there was enough emotion and changes in her voice during dialog to connect with the book.
seraireads's review
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lindielou's review
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
oncebita's review against another edition
3.0
Los libros así son mi placer culposo, son tan faciles de leer y tan ñoños que cada que encuentro un libro así no me resisto y lo leo de inmediato, la diferencia es que este libro no fue para nada lo que yo esperaba.
Si a mi me dicen vaquero me imagino a un macho alfa machista con la necesidad de probar su hombria siempre, pero no fue así!!! y estoy muy feliz de poder ver que las autoras de este género esten dejando de lado los esteriotipos machistas y creando hombres "fuertes" sin la necesidad de hacerlos cerdos misóginos YAY, además la historia fue muy tierna y no hubo insta-love y la manera en que se manejaron las cosas fue tan madura y realista que me quede con ganas de aplaudirle a Vivian Arend y de contactarla para que dicte clases sobre como escribir romance contemporaneo a ciertas autoras que al parecer se criaron en la selva y nunca antes han visto interactuar a una pareja.
Si a mi me dicen vaquero me imagino a un macho alfa machista con la necesidad de probar su hombria siempre, pero no fue así!!! y estoy muy feliz de poder ver que las autoras de este género esten dejando de lado los esteriotipos machistas y creando hombres "fuertes" sin la necesidad de hacerlos cerdos misóginos YAY, además la historia fue muy tierna y no hubo insta-love y la manera en que se manejaron las cosas fue tan madura y realista que me quede con ganas de aplaudirle a Vivian Arend y de contactarla para que dicte clases sobre como escribir romance contemporaneo a ciertas autoras que al parecer se criaron en la selva y nunca antes han visto interactuar a una pareja.