The Cottages on Silver Beach. RaeAnne Thayne

Published: HQN Books
Date:
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 384
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source:
Rating:
                           

For the sake of her brother’s children, innkeeper Megan Hamilton has put her entire life on hold to become their guardian. The last person she wants to ever see again is Elliott Bailey, who she feels is responsible for her brother’s current predicament. But the heat between them is undeniable, and she agrees to help Elliott investigate the cold case that tore their family apart…as long as they keep their attraction under control.

With the  the scent of  pine and spruce and the picture of lake and mountains in my imagination as I read the first chapters of The Cottages on Silver Beach, I was hooked into another small town contemporary romance. I'd enjoyed the previous couple of books in the Haven Point series and so it was with anticipation I read into this story.

I liked very much Elliot Bailey the wounded FBI hero, who has carried all the expectations on his shoulders of being the eldest in the family, someone who doesn't want to disappoint his family and maybe reveal that his halo has slipped... or has it.  I loved his values and totally agreed with him on many points, but none more on an important decision he took and his reasons why.   He is as well as being a FBI agent - a crime writer and I really enjoyed seeing him embarrassed by the fan base he has engendered.

Megan the heroine is a talented photographer who also manages the family Inn. She has a difficult family background and many times doubts herself too often.  When she is placed in close proximity to Elliot a long time attraction has time to develop between them. Mostly its a good one, with some great personal sharing, yet when the chips are down some disappointing miscommunications happen. I so hate that, but have to be honest and say in real life it happens so I can't be too hard on my bookish characters!

A mystery of what happened to  Megan's brother Luke's wife threads its way through the book,  she has been gone for many years. Luke has many a time been blamed for her murder, but what really happened. Well guess who can't keep out of that one. Elliot makes it his business to pursue it. 

The final chapter had me looking forward in great anticipation to Luke's story and how that is going to pan out. So just lets say I am hooked into making that an auto read in my reading future!  That's quite a turn around for me as some of this present book is set in Hope's Crossing and well... I just did not connect with the first book in that series and ditched the whole series. I just may have made a mistake!

Sugar Pine Trail. RaeAnne Thayne

Published: Harlequin
Date:  26th September 2017
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 384
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher and Little Bird Publicity
Rating:
          

Librarian Julia Winston is ready to ditch the quiet existence she's been living. She's made a list of new things to experience, but falling for Jamie Caine, her sexy military pilot neighbor, isn't one of them. Julia's looking to conquer life, not become the heartbreaker's latest conquest. But when two young brothers wind up in Julia's care for the holidays, she'll take any help she can get—even Jamie's.

Happy to step in, Jamie reveals a side of himself that's much harder to resist. Not only is he fantastic with kids, he provides the strength Julia needs to tackle her list. She knows their temporary family can't last beyond the holidays, but the closer she gets to Jamie, the more she wonders if things could be this merry and bright forever…

Sugar Pine Trail - #7 in the Haven Point series by RaeAnne Thayer was just the perfect read for me at the right moment. Sometimes a light, well written and totally engaging book is just the prescription. 

This is the story of Julia - slightly uptight librarian who becomes less and less so as she becomes connected to two young brothers in a spot of trouble and she steps up to the plate. Very soon her heart is totally taken by them and so was mine.

She has rented her upper storey apartment to Jaime Caine, who so far has never been caught by any woman and really doesn't intend to be. But soon he finds he just might really like Julia and the two boys and together they all bond and do some really fun things.

Both Julia and Jaime have issues from their past that haunt them but... I loved watching them eventually share and heal and open their hearts. They are both great people and I must say I loved the Caine family and must go back and read any of the other books in this series and the Hope Crossing series that have them in. 

This was beautifully plotted and once I began reading it was just so easy to keep going. It had the right amount of heart wrenching moments, coupled with some chuckle out loud moments and some really sweet moments.   Plus two little boys who were a wonderful addition, plus three snooty cats and finally one....   No - not telling, read and find out.

I can only say I loved this book, a throughly satisfying read. RaeAnne Thayne - could be that she is turning out to be an author I'll be reading a lot more from.

Serenity Harbor RaeAnne Thayne

Published: Harlequin
Date: 27th June 2017
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 384
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Little Bird Publicity Blog Tour
Rating:
                

Computer-tech millionaire Bowie Callahan is about the last person that schoolteacher Katrina Bailey wants to work for. As far as she can see, he's arrogant, entitled and not up to the task of caring for his young half brother, Milo. But Kat is, especially if it brings her closer to her goal of adopting an orphaned little girl. And as her kindness and patience work wonders with Milo, she realizes there's more to sexy, wary Bo than she'd ever realized.

Serenity Harbor by RaeAnne Thayne is #6 in her Haven Point series. However it can very easily be read as a stand alone. I hadn't read any other one in the series and I slotted into it no trouble. I am sure those who have read previous books though will enjoy what surely are cameos from previous couples who now have their happily ever after.

I really enjoyed this small town contemporary romance. When you place an adorable six year old into the mix you have me hooked every time. Milo is Bowie's brother, one he has only just heard about and is now the guardian. Only trouble is he has no speech and is on the autism spectrum. That's where Katrina comes in, she is present when he has a melt down in the supermarket - she manages to distract and manage it no trouble. And from there a beautiful relationship is about to unfold.

Katrina is a school teacher although not working at present, she is endeavouring to adopt a little four year old from a South American country, who has Down's Syndrome. All her efforts so far have gone done the gurgler and she is desperate to succeed in adopting and bringing her to her hometown, and if she can't she intends to go live in South America for good.

Bowie is a successful and wealthy tech guy and really wants to care for his brother, with Kat's help he is going to be able to come to love and care for him well, however in the journey he also comes to love Katrina, who is a little reluctant in that realm. Both Bowie and Kat have had experiences growing up that have left them a little distrustful and careful.

This was an easy read, I was swept up into a relaxing, fun read. I'd quite happily read on and possibly back in this series!

Blackberry Summer

Blackberry Summer
RaeAnne Thayne
HQN books.
Published May 2011.

Summary from Goodreads.

What she didn't need was a tragic car accident. As a single mom and the owner of a successful bead shop, Claire leads a predictable life in Hope's Crossing, Colorado. So what if she has no time for romance? At least, that's what she tells herself, especially when her best friend's sexy younger brother comes back to town as the new chief of police.

But when the accident forces Claire to slow down and lean on others—especially Riley McKnight— she realizes, for the first time, that things need to change. And not just in her own life. The accident—and the string of robberies committed by teenagers that led up to it— is a wake-up call to the people of Hope's Crossing. The sense of community and togetherness had been lost during those tough years. But with a mysterious "Angel of Hope" working to inspire the town, Riley and Claire will find themselves opening up to love and other possibilities by the end of an extraordinary summer….

My thoughts.
I wanted to really like this book, but I found it dragged.  I love the cover, it's enticing and promising.  Blackberry Summer is a book set in a small town community, and is about the local people.  I generally love books like this and Emily March, Jodi Thomas, Debbie Macomber, Lisa Kleypas, Susan Mallery and Robyn Carr have kept me well entertained with similar books.

I found myself somewhat confused by all the characters, introduced too soon, or perhaps mentioned where there was no need to do so.  The plot was reasonable and it did keep me reading to the end, with some speed reading here and there!  However I just did not fall in love with the town or the characters.  I won't be reading anymore in the series.  It didn't make me thirst for more.