Overview:
She daydreams of whipping up sauces and soufflés in her own
restaurant. His heart is set on helping foster children. Both dreams are
at stake. So are their hearts.
With grand plans to open her own bed & breakfast in Chapel
Springs, PJ McKinley can't afford the most crucial part: the brick and
mortar. But when the owner of a local historic home announces a contest
and promises her property to the worthiest candidate, PJ makes a fervent
wish and tosses her name into the hat.
Cole Evans is cool, confident, and successful, but he'll never forget
his roots. He's thankful for how far he's come and knows his life could
have turned out drastically different. If he can win the stately old
mansion, he'll turn it into a home for children aging out of the foster
system.
When the eccentric house owner narrows the entries down to only two
applicants, she extends the contest, giving PJ and Cole one year to
prove which one of them can make the best use of her beloved home. As
the pair competes in close proximity, something deeper than rivalry
sparks between PJ and Cole. And in this battle, they're likely to lose
their hearts.
ISBN-13: 9781401687045
Publisher: Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date: 12/9/2014
Series:
Chapel Springs Series ,
#3
Pages: 336
My Review: I absolutely enjoyed this story. I read the entire book in one day because I just couldn't put it down. The story was well written and completely engaging from start to finish. I loved the competition, growth, flirtation and banter woven into each character.
The characters were amazing. I loved PJ. She is smart, spunky, and just downright good. Her need to prove herself is something a lot of people can relate to. Cole was the hunky, heart of gold, yet brooding man. His past experience in the foster care system and current work made him that much more appealing. The competition between the two was fantastic. Sparks would fly the instant they were near each other. The problems they had to overcome were relatable and their romance was sweet.
The message was expertly weaved throughout the story. Each character experiences something in their life they regret. The guilt and shame of our actions can cripple our lives and keep us from experiencing the joy God intends for us. No matter what we do, we can't escape those feelings on our own. But God, in His goodness, sent His son to take away our guilt and shame. That's the beauty of believing in the Lord!
Overall, I highly recommend Denise Hunter's books. This is a poignant story with a beautiful message.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the BookLook blogging program in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.*
About the Author: Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 20 books, including
Dancing with Fireflies and
The Convenient Groom.
She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader's Choice Award, The
Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist.
Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories. Her
readers enjoy the experience of falling in love vicariously through
her characters and can expect a happily-ever-after sigh as they close
the pages of her books.
In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather,
Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two
years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her
husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a
good imagination helps too!
When Denise isn't orchestrating love lives on the
written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking coffee,
and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her
husband are raising three boys.
