Karen Templeton

Good book about two people with so much love to share, if only they can get past their fears of being hurt. Ethan is a widower with four kids who is just trying to keep his life together. He's none too thrilled when his oldest daughter tries to fix him up with her drama teacher. Claire returned to Maple River to take care of her mother and stayed after her mother's death. She is content with her life the way it is and surprised by Juliette's attempt to hook her up with her father.

I loved the show more opening of the book, with Juliette and Claire bonding a little over the sales. Then Juliette does her bit, manipulating things so that Claire stays for breakfast. Ethan isn't the most welcoming of guys, as this isn't the first time Juliette has tried to set him up. I liked the direct way that they both address the situation, making it clear that neither is looking for a relationship. However, that doesn't affect the zing of attraction that each of them feels.

I loved the development of their relationship. Ethan is still grieving the loss of his wife while trying to keep his children's lives as normal as possible. He barely has time to sleep, much less think about doing anything for himself. The attraction that he feels for Claire disturbs him. First, that he feels anything for her at all makes him feel disloyal, second, Claire is so different that he doesn't understand the appeal. But he figures that he won't see her all that much so he can ignore it. Claire is also confused by the attraction. She understands the physical appeal; after all, he is a good-looking man. But he's the father of four, and she has never seen herself as the motherly type, preferring her quiet life. Fate seems to have other ideas, and Ethan and Claire find themselves thrown together under varying circumstances. I loved seeing them get to know each other. Against all expectations, they develop a pretty solid friendship. I loved their meeting as they conferred on the best way to help two of his football players and discovered that their methods were more alike than they expected. Claire also ended up stepping in to help when Ethan had to take a trip. It was sweet to see her deal with unexpected challenges and discover that she isn't as hopeless as she thought she'd be. As Christmas nears, their feelings deepen, but both try to deny them. Ethan is in no hurry to risk his heart again or to risk putting his kids through any more upheaval in their lives. Claire saw what her mom went through when Claire's father died, and has maintained an emotional distance ever since. It takes some kind but blunt talk from those who have been through it to open both Ethan's and Claire's eyes to the realization that they are letting fear keep them from something special. I loved their big moment at the end and Claire's comment that "it's not crowded, it's cozy."

The secondary characters were terrific. There was a chance to catch up with the brothers from the earlier stories, The Real Mr. Right and More Than She Expected. I also loved seeing more of their father, Colonel Noble, who had a bigger part in this book. I loved the scene with him, the baby, and Ethan, as he uses his own experience to help Ethan. Claire's landlord, Virgil, was adorable. I especially loved the heart-to-heart over Chinese food. But my favorites were Ethan's kids. Bella was too cute for words. The two boys were so spot-on for their ages that it brought back memories of my own son at that age. Juliette was amazing. A teenage girl who has taken on so much responsibility and dealt with it so well. She's not perfect, but she's real. I especially loved the way that she worried about Ethan. I really enjoyed the way that the epilogue was told from her point of view. show less

Very good book. Laurel and Tyler have been neighbors for a couple months when he finds out that his dog has been visiting her on a regular basis, thanks to a hole under the fence. Replacing the old fence with a new stone wall puts them in each other's company quite a bit, and a friendship starts to develop. Tyler starts looking for more reasons to stop over and visit whenever he can.

Laurel has to admit to herself that her neighbor is certainly easy on the eyes, but she's not looking for a show more relationship. She is pregnant and on her own, except for her grandmother, and has learned to count on no one except herself. Besides, Tyler is younger than she is and not looking for anything permanent in his life.

Both Tyler and Laurel have secrets and old hurts that make them reluctant to pursue any kind of relationship. The man that Laurel had been in love with didn't want children. He had been married before and his kids were grown, so he ended their relationship. She also had some abandonment issues from her own parents, who had married because they had to. When her mother died, her father turned her care over to her grandmother and pretty much ignored her before he died when she was fifteen. So she is determined to be the best single mother she can be. She enjoys Tyler's company, but she has to keep reminding herself that she's not looking for a husband.

Tyler doesn't realize that Laurel is pregnant when they first start getting to know each other. He enjoys her company but she's nothing like the women he's dated so he's a little confused about why he's so drawn to her. When he finds out she's pregnant it brings his own issues to the front of his mind. His mother had lost custody of him when he was ten because of neglect and he was later adopted by the Noble family. He still never felt like he fit in and tended to take out his feelings in bad behavior. Because of the way he was as a kid, he feels that he would never be a good father and is determined that he will never marry. He can't resist doing anything he can to make Laurel's life easier and gets more and more involved in her life.

Laurel's independence issues cause her to push Tyler away once the baby is born and she insists she doesn't need any help. I liked the fact that Tyler tried to give her the space she wanted, but stepped in when it became obvious she did need that help. I loved seeing the changes that Tyler went through as Laurel and Jonny worked their way into his heart. I especially loved seeing his reaction to the baby's birth. It wasn't until Tyler was able to confront his memories that he was able to fully admit his feelings for Laurel and go for the family he hadn't wanted to admit he craved.

I really liked the theme of the importance of family. Laurel was alone except for her grandmother, but was determined to be happy with what she had. Tyler was part of a big family that, even though he didn't always feel part of it, was always there for each other. I loved the way that his family made Laurel welcome from the beginning. I also liked the way that Tyler had begun to repair his relationship with his mother and how much better it got because of Laurel.

I also liked Laurel's grandmother. She was a feisty lady and had a terrific way of cutting through some of the nonsense that Laurel would occasionally come up with. I got a real kick out of her appreciation of Tyler's looks. I also enjoyed seeing her with her friends at the place she lived and the fun they all had. show less

Lovely conclusion to the series. Sabrina has arrived back in Maple River a week earlier than expected for her brother's wedding. She has just ended her own engagement and feels a bit lost. The last person she expects to see at her father's house is Cole, her former best friend.

Cole has brought his two kids to Maple River to house sit for his parents and to get used to them being a family. He was a weekend dad until his kids decided they were done being low man on their mother's totem pole. show more Now Cole has custody, and they are all feeling their way through their new dynamics. He wasn't quite ready to run into Bree so quickly after arriving in town.

Best friends from the age of thirteen until they were seniors in high school, their relationship came to a crashing end, leaving guilt and hurt feelings behind. They manage that first meeting pretty well, only brushing lightly against the past, but each is determined not to relive it. However, small towns being what they are, it is impossible to avoid each other completely. They are thrown into each other's company frequently and discover that rebuilding their friendship is easier than they expected.

The development of their relationship was interesting. They are determined to avoid each other at first, thanks to the way their childhood friendship ended. Along with that, Cole has his two kids to worry about, and they don't need another woman in their life who isn't going to stick around. Bree has been burned badly by her previous relationship and is in no hurry to get involved with another man who has kids. But life being what it is, the more time they spend with each other, the more the good memories begin to overcome the bad ones. I loved the scenes in the church kitchen and at the ice cream shop, where those memories bring them closer together. I also liked seeing the switch in their roles from when they were kids. Back then, Bree was the strong one who helped Cole through the rough times of his life. Now Cole is the one who sees past Bree's armor to the insecurities that she hides from everyone else. As their renewed friendship grows into something more, both of them have to fight their fears. I ached for Bree, who ran from what she believed was impossible. Cole had to face a few of his own entrenched ideas, and help came from an unexpected source. I loved his big moment at the end and the solution he came up with. The epilogue was great, too.

I loved the parts that Wes and Brooke played in the book. They are Cole's life and his reason for being in Maple River. Though there were certainly times I wanted to shake Wes, his attitude and fears were realistic. I loved his protectiveness toward his sister, paired with the typical sibling antics. Brooke was sweet, and I ached for the effect her mother's treatment had on her. It was awesome to see the way that she bloomed under Bree's attention. show less

Templeton writes such real characters. These could be your best friends or neighbors.

I found myself becoming emotionally invested in these two right away, though I'd say more with Noah than Roxie. I think because Roxie's issues were things that happened in the past that she needed to overcome. Noah's issues were ongoing, which put them more center stage. I was seriously bothered by the attitude his father had regarding him and his personal life. The idea that a man has to be married to be a show more good, upstanding guy really rankled. The attitude of the rest of the family - hell, the rest of the town - that Noah wasn't to be trusted because he dated a lot was pretty ridiculous.

Aside from that, I really enjoyed the way the relationship developed between Noah and Roxie. They started out as acquaintances, then friends, then..more. Recently someone - I think it was Jane from Dear Author - said they missed the courtship in romance. I think Templeton does a good job of showing us how a romance develops.

This isn't a perfect novel, but the flaws are overshadowed by a slow, simmering love story. show less