Winter in Sweetwater County by Ciara Knight
Published & Release Date: Defy
the Dark
Publishing, January 19, 2014
Time
and setting: Present Day, USA
Genre:
Contemporary Romance
Length:
189 pages
Heat
Level: Sweet
Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns
Lisa Mortan’s ideal life crumbles when her rich and powerful
fiancé demands she end an unwanted pregnancy. With no job or social support,
she flees to a small town in hopes of finding a good family for her unborn
baby, but instead finds a man who is as broken as she is.
Eric Gaylord returns to his home town for a respite after a tragic loss, but when his spitfire mother takes on an unknown woman as a business partner, he is forced to face the nightmare he’d left behind or risk losing the one woman who could heal his heart
Eric Gaylord returns to his home town for a respite after a tragic loss, but when his spitfire mother takes on an unknown woman as a business partner, he is forced to face the nightmare he’d left behind or risk losing the one woman who could heal his heart
Buy Links:
Add to Goodreads:
Vikki’s Musings
I am so pleased I found Winter in Sweetwater County.
When I discovered the sweet romance, the book description sounded great and
since I had Ciara Knight a couple of years ago at a Reader/Writer conference, I
thought I would give it a read. I always enjoy books with babies and unplanned
pregnancies and I was not disappointed in this one. It fed the nurturing side
of me quite nicely.
Lisa Martan arrives in Creekside on a icy, wintery
day. She has gone into partnership of an Antique Shop with Judy Gaylord, a
woman she met through the internet. Lisa has a secret. She is pregnant with her
ex-fiancée’s child, a man so determined to never have any children, he had threatened
to kill her if she did not abort the baby. She plans to find a family in the
sleepy little town to give her unborn child a home, allowing her to return to
New York City and to the career she left behind.
As her pregnancy advances, she begins to realize she
could raise the baby instead of giving it up for adoption. When she meets her
partner’s son, a local attorney, she feels an instant attraction, but accepts
that there is no way Eric could ever want her when she is pregnant with another
man’s child.
Eric Gaylord had a promising career in New York, but
missed his small-town roots and when his father died, he returned to be close
to his mother. After losing his girlfriend and their unborn child in a horrific
car accident, he believes it was his fault and is riddled with guilt. Even
though he feels a powerful attraction to Lisa, he believes he is undeserving of
ever having such a wonderful woman in his life.
Can two broken spirits learn to trust and love
again, or will fear of allowing someone in their hearts keep them stuck in the
past?
I am not normally attracted to contemporary novels set
in small-town USA, but I am so glad I gave this delightful book a chance. The
story pulled me in from the first paragraph and kept me listening avidly to the
end. In fact, I had a hard time stopping the audible version on my iPhone when
everyday life interfered.
The narrator’s smooth tone and ability to bring the
characters to life with distinct voices for each character added greatly to my
listening enjoyment. I loved the cadence of her voice when she changed from the
southern drawl for Eric and his mother, to the New York accent of one of Eric’s
clients.
Ms. Knight weaves a wonderful heart-felt story of
love that grows from friendship. A tale of two coming together and healing each
other heal from deep emotional pain. I loved the simple rural life depicted in Winter
in Sweetwater County and enjoyed meeting the unique characters, from
the busybody to the kind-hearted town folk who take Lisa under their wing,
making her feel so welcomed and part of the town.
I fell in love with Lisa’s sweet personality and her
determination to do what is best for her unborn child. Her character really did
get a raw deal from the jerk she had been engaged to, and it is no wonder that
her self-esteem suffered.
I also liked Eric’s character as well. He is an
honorable man filled with deep remorse from allowing ambition rule his life to
the point that it drove his previous girlfriend to leave him. I felt his pain
at losing her and his unborn child when he finally opens up to Lisa.
There were a few minor plot points that could have
been further developed, but the story is so heart-warming, I am willing to
overlook them. After all, this is fiction. I read a few of the bad reviews, and
I really feel they were way too harsh for such minor details that in no way
take away from this enchanting story.
Overall, this is a delightful tale filled with
plenty of touching moments. I am amazed that I could enjoy such a clean, sweet
romance since my taste normally runs toward the sensual love story. I suggest
you give Winter in Sweetwater County a read. You will not be
disappointed. I have already downloaded the next book in the series and can’t
wait to listen/read it. Happy reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment