This is a delightful contemporary romance.
Risking it All
by Suzanne Barrett
- File Size: 676 KB
- Print Length: 218 pages
- Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1622370007
- Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
- Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press (March 12, 2012)
- Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B007JQTEU0
Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0
A GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS
Pushed out of his own start-up company, Tom McKittrick is ready to lick his wounds in private at the rural family estate he’s inherited. But he isn’t prepared for his Garden of Eden to have a built-in Eve—a reclusive naturalist with a long-term lease on the caretaker’s cottage, a knack for gardening, and an incredibly beautiful face.
A PARADISE FOR TWO
April Fairchild is not about to let Tom McKittrick order her out of the home that has been her cozy retreat from the world. But she has to feel sorry for him—the corporate bigwig is clearly out of his element in, well, the elements. April knows she can teach this hunky guy a thing or two about how to relax. All she has to do is sow the seeds of romance…and let nature take its course.
Review:
This is a delightful contemporary romance.
Lovely and natural April is definitely a country, hands on woman. She is the gardener/caretaker for the Creggan estate where she has lived since her estranged, celebrity husband died in a car crash. April is determined to keep her independence and even if she lives a bit remotely, she’s satisfied with her work and friends. Her residence at the cottage allows April the resources to make soaps and sachets which she sells at market. She has a lease that assures her occupancy for a number of years so she is surprised to get a letter demanding that she vacate.
Tom McKittrick is a city slicker, a sharp corporate take-over specialists, has come to the country estate he inherited. He is seeking solitude and quiet since his doctor says he needs time off to reduce stress on his heart. Tom expected the estate house to be ready for him to occupy. But he arrives to find the place locked up tight with no utilities on and serving as a cozy home to the spiders and rats. Tom also thought the caretaker cottage would be empty so he isn’t happy to find a strikingly beautiful young woman stubbornly ensconced.
Tom is going to have to ‘crash’ in April’s guest room while she tries to talk him into letting her stay. Neither is looking for a romantic involvement but slowly their chemistry pulls them together. But can either stubborn character change from their routines and comfort zones to find a meeting place in the middle?
There is a lot of low key humor in the troubles that Tom faces when he arrives which made me smile. Both characters are likeable and though it’s easy to see where the story may go, it is a delightful journey. I enjoyed the give and take and the trade offs that the pair negotiate. There is a last minute twist that has them both evaluating what they really want. There are lovely gardening details too that give an extra lush richness to the settings.
Suzanne’s smooth writing style reads easily and is always a pleasurable experience. The characters have real features, including flaws and the setting and plot are realistic. If you like warm contemporary romances, I recommend that you try one of Suzanne’s stories.
A warm, cozy description:
The kettle shut itself off. She poured boiling water over and Earl Grey tea bag, settled onto a green painted ladder-back chair at the round kitchen table, and stared at the row of potted herbs on the sunny windowsill. Sage and thyme, root cuttings of lemon verbena, lavender, and purple-blooming hyssop. Location 103.
Tom begins to see a dilemma:
How could he live next door to her, see her day after day, work with her and not be affected? She was a capital D distraction. Location 2043.
I received this title from the Author for an honest review.
This is set in Sonoma, CA for my Where Are You Reading Challenge.
Thank you to Suzanne Barrett for providing the book for Giveaway!
TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for (1) a Print Copy for US winner
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* This contest is only open WORLDWIDE BUT OFFERS DIFFERENT Format for winners.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on
October 12, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED on October 13, 2012.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.
