Teardrop Lane. Emily March

Teardrop Lane
Emily March
Published: Ballantine Books
Date: 27th January 2015
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 336
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Town physician Rose Anderson hides a well of sadness behind her cheerful and capable professionalism. Heartbreak has only reinforced her belief that marriage and children aren’t in her future. Yet she’s a woman with a pulse—and when sexy, brooding artist Hunt Cicero shows up at her office with his young nephew, the sheer physical attraction he ignites in her is both exciting and unsettling.

Hunt has an artist’s passionate temperament and a bachelor’s lifestyle. So when he becomes guardian to his sister’s children, he’s riddled with conflict—and in way over his head. Without Rose and her warm maternal instincts, he’d be lost. Still, she’s a woman who guards her own heart, and he’s a novice when it comes to commitment. Can the healing magic of Eternity Springs shine on this patchwork family and allow Hunt and Rose to trust that love is the fabric holding them together?

Teardrop Lane by Emily March is #9 in her Eternity Springs series.  I have followed this series with eager anticipation as each book has been published. Books that explore the story of healing and love for the two main characters.

Rose and Cicero had already been introduced in previous books so it was easy to pick up with their lives and those of their friends and relations.  Both of them have stories from their childhood and early adult years that had wounded them. Yet they have grown into gifted, creative adults.  Rose is a caring and competent physician, Cicero a gifted, passionate artist crafting exquisite works of art  with glass blowing.  He learns that Gabi Romano, his apprentice, has entered his work in a competition, that could see him winning a prestigious award, it he can come up with a piece of art that embodies a stanza of poetry form the poet Emily Dickinson about hope.  This turns out to be  a significant part of the story, providing many a crisis and numerous points of growth for Cicero.

The first half of the book moved slowly as the relationship between Rose and Cicero developed.  I thought it was okay but I was a little disappointed - I was wanting a little more 'explosion'.  Then at about half way through - wham, things picked up and I was fully hooked.  There are challenges that confront both Cicero and Rose, things happen and their worst fears and anxieties are aroused.  While there was fear and tension present, I loved how they managed to work their way through with challenging conversations that established trust and hope.

I loved the four children who come to stay with Cicero, those of his sister who died from cancer.  She had left the custody to her dead husband's sister and husband.  They had decided to put them in foster care because they were expecting their own first child and it was all too much.  It might have been all to much for Cicero too, but he loved those children and all of Eternity Springs came out to support him as they do.  Celeste had again her own little delightful input, and I had almost forgotten her usual last little act until it happened too for Rose and Cicero.  So deserved.  

When I had reached 99% of the story I guessed I was coming to that dreaded end.  And it wasn't quite turning out as I had hoped.  It was good - but not perfect for the characters and what my heart hoped for.  However there were still surprises to be had in the 1%! 

Another excellent, rewarding story about the characters of Eternity Springs.