The Book Date : Waiting On You. Kristan Higgins.

Delighted today to be part of the publicity by Little Bird Publicity for:

Waiting On You
Kristan Higgins
Published: Harlequin
Date: March 25th 2014
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 464
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Colleen O'Rourke is in love with love... just not when it comes to herself. Most nights, she can be found behind the bar at the Manningsport, New York, tavern she owns with her twin brother, doling out romantic advice to the lovelorn, mixing martinis and staying more or less happily single. See, ten years ago, Lucas Campbell, her first love, broke her heart... an experience Colleen doesn't want to have again, thanks. Since then, she's been happy with a fling here and there, some elite-level flirting and playing matchmaker to her friends.

But a family emergency has brought Lucas back to town, handsome as ever and still the only man who's ever been able to crack her defenses. Seems like maybe they've got some unfinished business waiting for them—but to find out, Colleen has to let her guard down, or risk losing a second chance with the only man she's ever loved.

This is the third book in the Blue Heron series by Kristan Higgins. It was one of those books that carried me away, right into the magical world of story. I loved it. It had a plot that always had something happening, I found no part that was ho hum. Waiting on You has loads of humor, dangerous to have your mouth full of tea, and click over a page to read the laugh out loud moment! I really enjoyed those unexpected touches of fun.

While this book may have tickled my funny bone, there is so much about it that touched my heart. Lucas, the dark gorgeous guy from the south side of Chicago, may seem to have everything, but he hankers after the one thing he doesn't have - that sense of truly belonging and home. If you have ever been elbowed to the side, showing that you don't quite belong to this group, then you will have some understanding for him. Even if you haven't, I believe you will feel some deep compassion for him.

Colleen is beautiful, kind, loving and compassionate. She is the town matchmaker, notching up a number of successful romantic matches to her belt. Yet while appearing ever wise, she actually has still to marry the love of her life. She had one great love while in high school, and dated that love for four years until things went terribly wrong. Lucas and Colleen, while everyone can see just how attracted they are to each other, just seem to be always out of sync. Heartbreakingly so.

While this book has as its centre Lucas and Colleen, it is the cast of characters that surround them that made this book for me. There is Bryce - Lucas' cousin, who is the doted upon son of Joe and Didi. Bryce has never really grown up and he is now thirty something. Joe wants Lucas to help him grow up! I would have put my money on that being impossible - however forces worked together to provide some telling moments for Bryce. The relationship between Joe and Lucas was another relationship that greatly held my interest. Colleen has a twin Connor - surely he'll get his own story sometime, there is the twin's menopausal mother, and as well there is their Dad who is remarried to a woman only a few years older than the twins. Mix in a ten year old half sister and life is never boring in Manningsport when the O'Rourkes and Campbells are around.

Waiting on You is a very apt title for this story - talk about waiting! Just when I thought things were finally sorted out, oh no a little bomb is dropped and I wondered whether Colleen would ever hear those three little words she had been waiting on for so long.