Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: December 31st
How I got this book: NetGalley
Tucker’s Point three-day forecast: stormy with a chance of romance. Prepare to be…
HEART OF THE STORM by Shannon Stacey
Brody Rollins is back in tiny Tucker’s Point, Maine, for the first time in five years, and now he can’t escape…from former neighbours, old regrets or maddening glimpses of his ex-fiancée.
SEEING RED by Jennifer Greene
Stranded at her grandfather’s seaside cottage, Whitney Carr prepares to face the blizzard alone. But unexpected help soon arrives-in the form of her secret high-school crush.
LAND’S END by Barbara Dunlop
Tessa Ambroise is desperate to ditch the charming, infuriating hotelier circling her late aunt’s century home like a vulture. But the snow piling up outside the mansion puts both their plans on hold.
When a child goes missing, this perfect storm of cramped quarters and freezing temperatures brings old flames and new acquaintances closer together…but will they go separate ways once the sky clears?
*Blurb from Goodreads*
I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect with this anthology, but I have to admit that I absolutely LOVED the fact that all the stories took place in the same town, and that the characters overlapped. It was such a neat little thing that you don’t normally see in anthologies. That being said, I am going to rate each story on its own.
Heart of the Storm by Shannon Stacey
Brody left Tucker’s Point in the middle of the night, leaving behind his family and fiance. Coming back isn’t what he wants to do, but spending time with his newborn nephew is an opportunity he can’t pass up. But the worst winter storm of the year has him trapped with his family, old neighbors, and of course the woman he left behind: Delaney. Just seeing her brings back all the love he once felt for her, and leaving Tucker’s Point without her is no longer an option.
I adored this story. I’m a huge sucker for second chance love stories, and this one was just too damned cute. I thought poor Delaney was such a strong character, and I loved that she wasn’t so willing to accept Brody with open arms right away. She was very worried, and rightfully so, to just jump back into a relationship, but the history between them was almost too much to overcome.
Although Delaney was hesitant to start back up again, I do wish that they wouldn’t have jumped back into such a serious romantic entanglement so quickly. But I could also see why being stuck in such close confinements would force them to make a rash decision so quickly. I wish that we would get the chance to see more of them after the storm, to see if they could weather through the rest of life together.
I give Heart of the Storm a B
Seeing Red by Jennifer Greene
Whitney is back in Tucker’s Point for one quick thing: to search her grandparents home for a mysterious box. Getting stuck in the storm is an unfortunate event, but one she is somewhat prepared for. Luckily for her, her grandparent’s house is in Red’s disaster zone, so getting checked on by her high school crush is enough to keep her toasty warm.
I’ve read Greene in the past, but this story was enough to convince me I need to read more and more from her. I loved the opportunity that Whitney and Red had to reconnect, especially since they both were secretly crushing on one another in high school. I thought their romance was sweet and cute, and absolutely heartwarming. Add in the sub-plot with the missing little girl and her rescue, and this was such a sweet and adorable contribution to the anthology.
After reading this, I’m definitely going to go back and check Greene’s backlist of stories. I thought both Whitney and Red were too cute together, and I really enjoyed their sweet and sexy romance.
I give Seeing Red a B+
Land’s End by Barbara Dunlop
When Tessa broke off her engagement with Colton it was because she wasn’t happy with the way she felt herself changing. But six months later, she still misses him like crazy. When he shows up at her family estate, hoping to turn it into a swanky resort, Tessa can’t deny the attraction is still there. But getting engaged to Colton again is both exciting and horrifying at the same time.
I enjoyed this second chance love story, but was a little frustrated with the heroine. Tessa can’t seem to communicate with Colton, and instead runs from her life. She doesn’t know how to tell him that she doesn’t want to be this perfect ideal woman, so instead she pretends and then runs when it gets too hard. Because of it, I was concerned that Colton never got to know the real woman.
I did enjoy their romance though. I think Dunlop did a good job of showcasing Tessa in all her crazy ways, so that Colton got a chance to get to see who Tessa really was. I loved that they kept collecting people from the storm, and were acting as caretakers for anyone who needed shelter.
I thought this was a super cute and sweet story, and I felt like Tessa and Colton’s relationship was totally believable. While I’m not sure that their relationship will always be easy, it was fun to see them try and get to the bottom of who they each were, and what they wanted. I’d love the chance to see more of these characters in the future.
I give Land’s End a B
All in all I thought this was a wonderful little anthology with a great premise. I loved the fact that they all tied in together, and that the characters made guest appearances in one another’s stories. I hope to see more anthologies like this, that tie in together, in the future. What a fun idea!
I give Snow Day a B+
Sounds like a cute read.
@Patoct: It was fabulous. 🙂 I really loved the setup.