Reviews

A Season to Love by Nicole Deese

lolovesbooks3's review against another edition

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3.0

Getting involved with someone you know is leaving verses the solid, steady, kind, caring guy who has been there for you and WAITING for you while your daughter had cancer because… ??? I mean, at least put the other dude out of his misery and stop leading him on! There were some sweet moments, but it’s not one I’m excited to keep and reread in the future. The truth is that I just wasn’t excited about the couple getting together and thought, in the end, Patrick wasn’t very likable.

flowersofquiethappiness's review against another edition

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5.0

Oh people, this story. It's SO GOOD. Seriously! Ms. Deese swept me away into Willa's life and there I happily stayed until the final page. I loved this story so, so much! I know I say that about a lot of books, but trust me, this one is truly special. It's not even so much the adorable romance between Willa and Patrick, although don't get me wrong, when those two get in close proximity to one another....wowzers! There ain't no denyin' they got chemistry, mmkay? ;)

Yet as much as I love them together, this story is really Willa's and I fell in love with her immediately. It's her fears I could so relate to and her doubts and questions that I understood. It didn't take long at all for me to feel extra protective of her! Even as I understood the reasons why her family and friends were worried for her (as was I!), I still spent every moment feeling her frustration as she struggled through her daily life all while dealing with people who always had the best of intentions but not the best of ways to fulfill said intentions (her brother in particular. I wanted to wring his neck a few times!). Maybe because I could see how hard she was struggling to get a grip on her life. She needed a major push, no doubt about it, but every time her hackles would rise, so would mine. And I was with her every single hard step out of her comfort zone and into a new courageous life.

A certain someone's help in learning to tame her fears certainly helped matters along quite nicely too. ;) Which is to say that I loved the quiet romance that slowly developed! While there's plenty of chemistry between the two, I particularly enjoyed how Patrick knew to give Willa her space. And that she needed a friend and a mentor of sorts on her road to fearlessness. His gentle pushing using an old mentor's travel journal was just the thing Willa needed.

Willa's journey moved me! I was swept into her life for a few hundred pages and loved every minute of watching her grow braver and stronger. She's a character that is still rattling around in my head days later and has become a part of my heart now. I highly recommend getting to know her! I really don't think you'll be disappointed. :)

**I received a complimentary copy from Waterfall Press via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

reneesmith's review against another edition

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4.0

A charming, well-told story! Since I'm a longtime historical fiction fan, the contemporary romance (with no mystery or dual timeline involved) authors whose backlists I've binge read make a pretty short list: Susan May Warren, Rachel Hauck, Becky Wade, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Dorothea Benton Frank. So now I can add Nicole Deese. I love her writing style & the characters she creates. I'm glad she has a book list for me to enjoy into the future!

tiggeruo's review against another edition

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5.0

Wila understands love and loss oh to well. Living with the fear of loosing someone close to her again she doesn't let her daughter out of her sight. He brother feels like she needs to let loose and stop passing her fear to her young daughter, she even has promised her daughter to be braver but she starting to wonder if the task it so much. When her caught becomes sick she is surprised to find Patrick there instead of the DR. Will she learn to trust and stop fearing loss or will her fear cause her to loose those close to her in a different way?
To be honest I had a really hard time getting into the book at first but when it took off it took off and it did not disappoint. I truly felt like you were catching up with friends instead of reading a fiction story. I did not read book one but I did not feel like I lost out on much I feel like I can go back and read it and it would be ok. The only thing I think I was not a fan of was this was all from Wila's point of view I really with it would have been going back between her on the heroin in the book but the book was amazing either way. Talks on cancer and death and dealing with grief in our own ways, while being out side of your comfort zone and making friends with the last person you thought you would. This book is so worth the read and such a fun love story.

Disclosure: I received this book free of charge from the publisher, but this review consists of my honest opinions, not influenced in any way by the author or publisher

betherin02's review against another edition

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5.0

http://www.faithfullybookish.com/review/a-season-to-love-by-nicole-deese/
Nicole Deese has such a rich and vibrant writing style. She didn't just draw me into the story, I was drawn into Willa Hart. Her emotions and experiences were so well described that I felt them too. By the time she enters her late twenties, Willa has experienced more than her fair share of sorrow and trials. While her daughter is ready to embrace adventure after her battle with cancer, Willa is stuck in worry mode and the anxiety is pressing in.
Dr. Patrick McCade is very nearly the opposite of Willa, an adventurous world traveler and outdoor enthusiast. Patrick and Willa's interactions range from humorous blunders and awkward exchanges to friendship, charged attraction, and everywhere in between. This book had me staying up late and getting up early, it's going on my list of all time favorites!

I requested this book through NetGalley in order to read it and offer an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

mindboggld's review against another edition

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4.0

Willa has suffered the loss of her husband and struggled with almost losing a child, so she has a few issues of letting go of control when her daughter wants to get back to "normal" life. She soon embarks on a journey that tests her boundaries, makes her face her fears, and essentially brings her back from the brink of a very stale and boring life. There were times I wish this book had pictures so I could see the beautiful sunsets myself! And where's my copy of the exciting journal?

I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the next in this series. My favorite character in this book is Alex and I find myself wondering about her mom and her dad and her sister.. and just her life in general. I really hope that Nicole writes her story soon!

prpltrtl946's review against another edition

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5.0

Sweet romance with a kick start.

I was worried at the worrisome start. But the laughs and fun eased my mind and let me enjoy a lovely story!

nicole1's review against another edition

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5.0

I loved it!!!!!!
Each book that I read from this author is just so good!
I really loved the gentle way this story flowed. I loved the message of courage and taking a step out of our comfort zones. Not only did we get to see Willa grow and conquer some of her fear, but she turned the tables and challenged Patrick too.
I love the way the tension slowly built between the two, the chemistry was just right.
This author's work is just so beautiful!
Looking forward to returning to Lenox

bellesmoma2021's review against another edition

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5.0

A Season to Love (2016) by Nicole Deese is book 2 in her Love in Lenox series. This book comes in all forms including eBook, and is 316 pages in length. With a full-time job and a very busy five-year old, this book took me two days to read. I checked this novel out through Kindle Unlimited to review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I give this book 5 STARS. A Season to Love is a Contemporary Christian Romance.

This book is SO good. Run to Amazon (LOL!) and buy this book now. I could not put this book down for one second, and when I had to I was a little sad. The characters are beautifully written, the story line is very engaging and fast-paced, but what I loved the most is the writing. Ms. Deese evokes so much emotion through her words. When Willa panics, I was panicking. When Willa was happy, I was smiling from ear to ear. And, when Willa’s heart breaks, I was angry and weepy right there next to her. I love when a book allows me to run the gamut of emotions right alongside its characters.

There is nothing quite like being a fearful person. The constant worry, the doubts, the panic attacks, waiting for the other shoe to drop. You are sure something bad is waiting just around the corner every single day. And, when the day is over and nothing bad has happened, you are relieved for about a minute, but then you start to stress about tomorrow. It’s one of the most awful and exhausting feelings in the world. Fear becomes so real, like a person standing next to you whispering awful thoughts into your head. You start to feel a little crazy! The person experiencing this level of fear needs control. It’s why OCD exists. If I can control every aspect of my day, and follow a set pattern, I can beat fear. But, the truth of the matter is, the only way to defeat fear is to give it over to Jesus, which is way easier said than done.

Willa is a fearful person, but she has promised her seven-year old daughter that she would be more brave. A task that is proving rather difficult for Willa. At the start of this story, Willa is so tightly wound and so scared about everything that I started to feel stressed out. Her daughter, Savannah, just finished her last rounds of cancer treatment and has been cleared to go back to school and be a normal kid. But, Willa’s fear meter is on RED. At the first sign of a sniffle, Willa gathers her child and runs her to the doctor’s office. Enter Dr. Patrick McCade. Patrick is a rover. He doesn’t stay in one place for very long. In fact, he is only in Lenox for a few months to help out at his father’s family practice while his dad is in Scotland visiting family. He has ZERO plans to stay in Lenox after his father returns. Patrick is seemingly brave: no mountain is too high and no river is too rough. He wants to see the entire world, and he never plans to put down roots. As Willa and Patrick become friends, and Patrick helps Willa with her bravery promise, they both realize their hearts are quickly becoming entangled. Will Willa be able to entrust her fears totally to Jesus, and allow room in her heart for Patrick? Will Patrick be able to make room in his very adventurous life for a beautiful woman who has planted thick roots in her community? Is it possible for these two to find real love? You will have to read the book to find out!

A Season to Love is a fantastic book, and I cannot recommend it enough. If you are looking for a great read this holiday weekend, then I suggest this book. You will not be disappointed.

fiction_aficionado's review against another edition

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5.0

This is a well-written contemporary romance, thrumming with life and vitality in spite of Willa’s death grip on the reins of her life! I love Deese's writing style. She has a wonderful way with words – her verb choices, her use of metaphor, her succinct way of communicating so much with a few well chosen words. Her writing doesn’t just show – it animates.

I’m also a sucker for great dialogue, and this is another thing I love about Deese’s books. They’re full of character interactions, rather than getting bogged down in character introspection. And the dialogue is so natural and full of personality.

For those who have read the previous book in this series, I am pleased to say Weston (and Georgia, to a lesser extent) feature in this one too – in some ways Weston is almost as important a character as Patrick (though obviously not for the same reason!) We are also introduced to Alex Reyes, Sydney Parker’s teen half-sister, who is a fantastic secondary character. I can’t help wondering whether we will see more of her in a later book…

And as for endorphins – there were plenty of those released during this novel. Patrick is dreamy, and while one or two of the romantic interactions between Willa and Patrick were a little on the ‘racy’ side compared to most Christian fiction (but kissing only), it was the sense of soul connection building between these two that carried the novel.

‘Serious’ fiction it may not be, but the day I stop enjoying a good romance like this is the day I shrivel up and die.

Thank you to Waterfall Press for providing me with a copy of this novel in return for my honest review.

Original review at Fiction Aficionado Blog - http://wp.me/p6UZ6M-Jw