Home at Rose Cottage - Sherryl Woods

Three Down the Aisle

She came to Rose Cottage to concentrate on her needs for once. The last thing Melanie expects is to meet a handsome landscaper and his troubled little girl. She knows they need her help to truly become a family…but can she let father and daughter into her heart without losing herself in the process?

What's Cooking?

A refuge is what Maggie is hoping to find—an escape from yet another unsuitable affair. She hopes her time at Rose Cottage will allow her to find out who she is without a man. But when her lover follows her all the way to the Chesapeake Bay, she has no choice but to consider what's really keeping her from a successful relationship. 

My thoughts:
So this was a 2 in one. 4 sisters, one cottage, all will fall in love, or so I guess.

Three down the aisle.
Melanie arrives at her grandma's cottage after a heartbreak. Why they let the cottage fall to ruin I do not know. Srsly people! Anyway, she has time to fix it up.

In comes sexy hunk, with a daughter. That kid sure liked Melanie fast, and the way Melanie was, well maybe she should work with kids instead. She was a natural, or maybe it was meant to make us like her more ;)

They fall into friendship, love and then they all live happily ever after.

Nice

What's Cooking
Maggie comes to Rose Cottage for a time of her rest of her own. Though such a silly reason of her to run. She can convince herself it was for her, but she is just running from letting anyone in.

I liked that the man did the chasing in this one. He knew he wanted more so he followed her, while she was a chicken and ran because she thought she would mess it up, that he only wanted a fling. I mean hello he followed you there! Give the man a chance, he is great.

But I did like it, because it meant they really took their time with each other. Fell in love, fell in love with the place and lived happily ever after.

Cute

Mass Market Paperback, 464 pages
Published September 28th 2010 by Mira
Rose Cottage Sisters #1-2
Contemporary romance
own

Review: Where Azaleas Bloom - Sherryl Woods

Where Azaleas Bloom

Single mom Lynn Morrow is determined to put food on the table for her son and daughter. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband has failed to meet his obligations time and again—but it turns out that Ed is struggling with his own demons.Enter contractor Mitch Franklin, an unlikely knight in shining armor. A widower with two grieving sons, Mitch once admired Lynn from afar. Now he sees in her not only the sweet girl who got away, but a woman desperately in need of support. While rushing to the rescue of Lynn and her children comes naturally to Mitch, he's also wise enough to encourage Lynn to find her own way…hopefully straight into his arms.

My thoughts:

Another sweet romance from Sherryl Woods, and a romance dealing with real issues. Nothing is too sweet when real life comes between this couple.

We have Lynn who is going through a hard and messy divorce. She is trying to do her best but it isn't easy. She is honest, hard-working and loves her kids. In comes Mitch who is fixing something next doors. Now this was sweet as he had a crush on her when their were younger. But he got married, she got married, and now he is a widower and she is separated. He is kind and thoughtful and wants to take care of her, but at the same time let her find her own way.

They take it slowly, as they should, no rushing, no being all lovey-dovey. No these two become friends while thinking if they can be more. Between them is a nosy small-town, an idiotic ex and life in general. But you have to work for love sometimes and they do it, and they show that it can be done.

And last, yes it's a series, but it does work as a stand alone.

Conclusion:
A great smalltown romance with a real couple.

Cover
Fitting

Series: The Sweet Magnolias #10
Pages: 384
Genre: Contemporary romance
Published: August 28th 2012 by Mira
Source: For review

Review: Catching Fireflies - Sherryl Woods

Catching Fireflies

When bullying threatens to destroy a teen's life, painful memories resurface for dedicated high school teacher Laura Reed and pediatrician J. C. Fullerton. With the support of the Sweet Magnolias, they bring the town together to ensure that a promising student's future isn't ruined. And to establish once and for all that bullying has no place in Serenity, South Carolina. Both J.C.'s and Laura's passion for the cause is deeply personal, and their growing feelings for each other are just as strong. But with so many secret hurts to overcome, can these two vulnerable lovers find the strength to believe in happily ever after?

My thoughts:

I liked this one, and it also dealt with a serious subject. And that had me racing towards the end.

Laura is a teacher, she is sweet and nice and does not date much. J.C. is a doctor, who never dates, and he is considered a catch. These two do not get out much due to ..things. They end up together cos of a case at the school where she works. One part is about their budding romance, and them trying to keep it quiet and deny everything (oh how those small town gossip, I love it!).

The second part is the serious part. A girl is being bullied and it gets worse and worse. It was horrible, kids (and grownups) can be so cruel and they do not see the error of their way. But this is one small town that does not approve of bullying. But it takes a lot for it all to calm down. And Woods handles the whole situation well.

Conclusion:

A good romance, and a good story. I enjoyed the book, it was easy to read, even with the subject in hand.

Series: The sweet Magnolias #9
Genre: Contemporary romance / small town romance
Pages: 400
Published: July 31st 2012 by Mira
Source: Review

Review: Midnight Promises - Sherryl Woods

Midnight Promises

When Elliott Cruz first courted struggling single mom Karen Ames, it it was a romance worthy of any Sweet Magnolia fantasy. The sexy personal trainer made it his mission to restore Karen's strength--physical and emotional--and to charm her children.Now, a few years into the marriage, colliding dreams threaten to tear a few years into the marriage, colliding dreams threaten to tear them them apart. Elliott's desire to finance the business opportunity of a lifetime with their hard-earned "baby money" stirs Karen's deep-rooted financial insecurities. It's the discovery that their brother-in-law is cheating on Elliott's sister--and thinks it's justified--that puts their irreconcilable differences into perspective. Will their own loving fidelity be a bond so strong they can triumph against all odds?

My thoughts:

This is book 8 in the series, but in the end it did not really matter. Sure there were people around that have had books of their own but it was not their book. It was like any other book with side characters in it. It's all about the couple in the end.

And this one was different from romances that I usually read. It was not about how they meet and fall in love. No they are married and like any couple they have hit a bump in the road. Elliott and Karen was truly like any other couple. They were real, they loved each other and they were such idiots at times.

I must confess to liking Elliott more, because Karen had her issues from her other marriage, and it was a bit annoying when she was angry at him for something he forgot. He did not mean not tell her, he simply forget. She did not know how to listen or how to trust. But then that is was the book is about. How small things might ruin it all and how you must trust, and talk to your partner. It does take two to make a marriage.

There is also a secondary story about Elliott's sister who is having troubles in her marriage and I liked her. Sure she was a bit mean to Karen but people change and evolve. I hope to meet her again in this town. And not to mention that it had funky old grandmothers :)

Conclusion:

A nice small town romance about two people already in love.

Cover:

It fits the book

Series: The Sweet magnolias #8
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pages: 400
Published: June 2012 by Mira

Review: Driftwood Cottage - Sherryl Woods

Series: Chesapeake Shores #5

Genre: Contemporary romance

Pages: 400

Published: March 2011 Mira

Review by Lis

Single mom Heather Donovan's dreams of home and family are tantalizingly within reach when she settles in Chesapeake Shores. The welcoming arms of the boisterous, loving O'Brien clan embrace her and her son. But accepting their support seems to further alienate her son's father, Connor O'Brien. His parents' divorce and his career as a high-powered divorce attorney have left him jaded about marriage.

Then everything changes. Will the possibility of a future without Heather make Connor look at love and his career differently? Heather's just about given up on her old dreams—of love, of family and especially of Driftwood Cottage, the home she secretly wishes were hers. It's going to take a lot of persuasion—and some help from the O'Brien family—to make Heather believe that some dreams are worth fighting for.

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This book has been in my to-be-reviewed pile for a while and honestly, due to the move it got a bit left behind in the review pile. Luckily I got to it in time! Driftwood Cottage is a book that reminds me of when I first discovered romance and used to buy bodice rippers in second hand bookstores or at flea markets. It’s been a long while since I read those and I found my tastes in romances have shifted. To be honest I never had the urge to lock two characters in a closet together and let them work it out so much as I had in this book. Or kick some sense in their stubborn no-good behinds. Communication can be a real bitch sometimes. Let me tell you why.

Driftwood Cottage is the 5th book in the Chesapeake Shores series that revolves around the O’Brien family. Despite that it’s a series, I had no trouble reading this book independently. This instalment is about Heather Donovan and Connor O’Brien who share a son, Mick, together. Connor has a career as a divorce lawyer and having so much to do with broken marriages has clouded his views on love and marriage. While they have a relationship together, Connor refuses to marry Heather – who of course dreams of love and marriage – he even kept Heather and Mick a secret from is family. Mostly. Both characters have issues and it’s not just Connor. However, when Connor refuses to move forward, she moves to Chesapeake where she is accepted into Connor’s family with open arms. Of course, Connor isn’t far behind. What follows is not much of a romance to me, but a repeat of the same old argument about marriage that get old very fast. Just when you think there’s no hope of them ever working The Argument out, something happens that makes Connor realize all he stands to lose. Of course. For a romance it was all very predictable and to me it was unfortunately very boring.

The one good thing about this book was the large, boisterous O’Brien family and their meddling ways. They not only supply the story with some much needed comic relief with their energetic ways, but gave me something to look forward to while reading this story. I found that they were the only character that were somewhat filled out, since both Connor and Heather were anaemic. This is most likely because they were way too stubborn and arguing in circles. While I do not think it was intended, I found both Connor and Heather very egotistical and self-centred. This is probably because they author focused too much on the argument of marriage and the issues while not really working them out in a good way.

I always feel bad when I have to give a less than sparkly review for a book, because I know how much work an author puts into a story. Unfortunately, this book did not really do anything for me. This might be because this type of contemporary romance is no longer for me or because the book wasn’t worked out to my expectations. In any case I can only recommend this book if you like contemporary romance with failed characters trying to overcome an obstacle in their relationship by arguing is circles. Who knows, it might just be what you are looking for!