Annie Rains
Forever
March 5, 2019
Blurb: When opposites attract…
As an editor at a major New York City magazine, Josie Kellum is always on the go…until an injury sidelines her in the small town of Sweetwater Springs. Luckily, her new physical therapist is easy going and easy on the eyes. When their sessions start to heat up, in more ways than one, Josie is intrigued. But she has a city and career she loves waiting for her. So why does the thought of leaving him suddenly feel a lot like leaving home?
Tucker Locklear is just starting to move on after his wife’s death. While he can’t deny his attraction to the gorgeous, vivacious Josie, he won’t risk the pain of losing someone again. The sooner he gets Josie back on her feet and back to her real life, the safer he’ll be. But in Sweetwater Springs, love has a way of mending even the most damaged heart.
SASCHA DARLINGTON’S REVIEW
With a title composed of both Spring and Hope, you should very much expect that this romance, Springtime at Hope Cottage by Annie Rains, will be an uplifting story about people getting second chances and finding spiritual renewal–and it is.
Springtime at Hope Cottage begins with an airport meet-cute in which Josie pulls out a can of pepper spray on her “attacker,” Tuck who was sent by her best friend to pick her up. Immediately Tuck decides that this big city girl is a snob and spoiled because of her expensive purse and more expensive shoes. Josie, on the other hand, thinks Tuck may be one of the yummiest things she’s ever seen. The more time they spend in each other’s company, the more attracted they become to each other (well, it is a romance) and Tuck’s first impression melts away.
I enjoyed Springtime at Hope Cottage. It’s the perfect novel for a little down-time. Both characters are realistically drawn, behave the way reasonable grown-ups should behave, and are extremely likable. The townspeople add that small town touch that so many of us readers enjoy. There’s also a little mystical element that I found charming. There are a few surprises that add depth and will go unmentioned because: spoiler.
“You want a man who will carry you when you fall down while chasing after some crazy bird.”
She giggled unexpectedly.
“Someone who will pull you off life’s treadmill and show you the beauty of this world and make you see the beauty in yourself, inside and out. Someone who thinks you’re funny, smart, and the most loving, giving person he’s ever met.”
And with this Tuck enters the category of being perfectly swoon-worthy.
While this was the second novel in the Sweetwater Springs series, I didn’t feel that I missed anything (although I probably did) by not reading the first. It works very well as a standalone.
If you’re looking for a sweet romance with small town charm, a surly pre-teen, a beautiful therapy dog, nature, spaghetti dinners, and fairs, you might want to give Springtime at Hope Cottage a try.
I received an ARC from Netgalley and Forever publishing in exchange for an honest review.
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Barnes and Noble
rating:
4 butterflies and a ladybug out of 5 butterflies