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Home to Dover #1
Rekindled Romance
Old Love, New Neighbor
Forced to return home after a health scare, Shelby Russell winds up next door to none other than Matt Durrant. Her onetime fiancé and now a widower with two kids, Matt plans to keep Shelby at arm's length. Even if she's the logical choice for a nanny. Even if his kids love her. Even if he's happier than he's been in years. But Matt was the one left behind when Shelby went to follow her dreams. After losing so much, Matt knows his courage is faltering. And when he learns the truth about what Shelby faces now, they'll both need a heavy dose of courage if they dare hope for a future.
Forced to return home after a health scare, Shelby Russell winds up next door to none other than Matt Durrant. Her onetime fiancé and now a widower with two kids, Matt plans to keep Shelby at arm's length. Even if she's the logical choice for a nanny. Even if his kids love her. Even if he's happier than he's been in years. But Matt was the one left behind when Shelby went to follow her dreams. After losing so much, Matt knows his courage is faltering. And when he learns the truth about what Shelby faces now, they'll both need a heavy dose of courage if they dare hope for a future.
- GenresLove InspiredHarlequin
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
18 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Lorraine Beatty
45 books32 followersLorraine Beatty was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, but now calls Mississippi home. She and husband Joe have two sons and six grandchildren. Lorraine started writing in Junior High and has written for trade books, newspapers and company newsletters. She is a member of RWA, ACFW and is a charter member and past president of Magnolia State Romance Writers. In her spare time she likes to work in her garden, travel, and spend time with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 15, 2014
This little book had so much promise, but it just failed to deliver. Shelby Russell remained a static character, while Matt Durrant remained angry, difficult, and largely unlikable. The two main characters had enjoyed a brief romance that resulted in a broken engagement. Both went on with their lives, Matt marrying another woman and having a family, while Shelby went on to have a magazine career in NY. When a health scare sends her back to her sleepy little hometown, Shelby discovers Matt and his children living next door to her grandmother. She ends up babysitting his children, as his wife has died of cancer, and falls in love with them -- just as she is still in love with Matt. The trouble is that Matt cannot trust her not to hurt him -- or his children by walking away again. I had to force myself to finish reading this one, mostly because the characters were just not that appealing.
May 14, 2015
Yet another full-length romance novel that could've easily been cut at least in half if the main characters had just sat down for a few hours and talked about everything. They just wouldn't talk about their problems, no matter how much it would've helped, and that annoyed me. Also, Matt was a bit of a jerk until the very end. Such a cute story. It just could've been a lot better if the main characters hadn't been so intent on keeping themselves as miserable as possible by not being smart and talking. Ugh.
December 13, 2024
Interesting trope, but very boring, uneventful, and slow.
This story was more annoying & depressing than it was fun and uplifting, unfortunately.
Matt is very annoying to deal with. Reading about him was lame because he NEVER shuts up about how Shelby left him all those years ago... he was very rude to her. Like, DUDE, MOVE ON AND QUIT BEING A JERK!! He kept repeating the bad things that were said between them 15 years ago, and Shelby was normal, kind, and apologetic! He was stupid.
Also, the whole book was so slow and while the ending was good, it didn't make up for the rest of the book; too little, too late. 🤷🏻♂️
BOOK SUMMARY:
50% = Matt: "wHy'd yOu lEaVe mE, sHeLbY?"
47% = Matt: "yOu'rE JuSt gOnNa lEaVe aGaIn, I'M NoT LeTtInG YoU NeAr mY KiDs. ThEy'lL GeT HuRt!!!"
3% = Shelby loving Matt and his children unconditionally.
End result: A crappy book 🤣
It's also so dumb how it took Shelby having a literal panic attack and having to rush to the hospital right at the end for Matt to realize that he'd been acting like a coward and actually loves her. 🤦🏻♂️😂
I don't know why Shelby gave Matt so many chances, so much of her time.
Anyways, I'm off to read another Love Inspired book. Hope it doesn't suck! HAHA
This story was more annoying & depressing than it was fun and uplifting, unfortunately.
Matt is very annoying to deal with. Reading about him was lame because he NEVER shuts up about how Shelby left him all those years ago... he was very rude to her. Like, DUDE, MOVE ON AND QUIT BEING A JERK!! He kept repeating the bad things that were said between them 15 years ago, and Shelby was normal, kind, and apologetic! He was stupid.
Also, the whole book was so slow and while the ending was good, it didn't make up for the rest of the book; too little, too late. 🤷🏻♂️
BOOK SUMMARY:
50% = Matt: "wHy'd yOu lEaVe mE, sHeLbY?"
47% = Matt: "yOu'rE JuSt gOnNa lEaVe aGaIn, I'M NoT LeTtInG YoU NeAr mY KiDs. ThEy'lL GeT HuRt!!!"
3% = Shelby loving Matt and his children unconditionally.
End result: A crappy book 🤣
It's also so dumb how it took Shelby having a literal panic attack and having to rush to the hospital right at the end for Matt to realize that he'd been acting like a coward and actually loves her. 🤦🏻♂️😂
I don't know why Shelby gave Matt so many chances, so much of her time.
Anyways, I'm off to read another Love Inspired book. Hope it doesn't suck! HAHA
September 24, 2015
Home To Dover
Book 1
This is the FIRST book in the Home to Dover series. Amazon has this as book four...
In this book, we meet Shelby Russell who goes home for an R&R visit in the hometown she grew up. She hopes not to run into her ex-fiance, whom she harshly broke up with - but her next door neighbor turns out to be none other then Matt Durrant himself - and his two motherless children!
Matt has his own hurts. He never understood why Shelby left him like she did, and he wants to protect his children from suffering another loss. He was very much in love with his late wife, whom he lost to cancer, and cannot think about falling in love again. But when his sister announces she cannot babysit anymore and when Shelby's grandmother has to suddenly go out of town - it's only Shelby who can care for his children.
The fears in this book were very understandable. Losing one wife would make trying to fall in love with someone with a scary health issue and family history of death very difficult. They were both Christians and relied on their faith, which helped get them through on more than one occasion. I liked both characters (felt Shelby was a bit of a bad influence on the eleven year old at times though).
The romance was believable, though I always hate it when they skip the dating/getting to know each other and go straight to the proposal...
Book 1
This is the FIRST book in the Home to Dover series. Amazon has this as book four...
In this book, we meet Shelby Russell who goes home for an R&R visit in the hometown she grew up. She hopes not to run into her ex-fiance, whom she harshly broke up with - but her next door neighbor turns out to be none other then Matt Durrant himself - and his two motherless children!
Matt has his own hurts. He never understood why Shelby left him like she did, and he wants to protect his children from suffering another loss. He was very much in love with his late wife, whom he lost to cancer, and cannot think about falling in love again. But when his sister announces she cannot babysit anymore and when Shelby's grandmother has to suddenly go out of town - it's only Shelby who can care for his children.
The fears in this book were very understandable. Losing one wife would make trying to fall in love with someone with a scary health issue and family history of death very difficult. They were both Christians and relied on their faith, which helped get them through on more than one occasion. I liked both characters (felt Shelby was a bit of a bad influence on the eleven year old at times though).
The romance was believable, though I always hate it when they skip the dating/getting to know each other and go straight to the proposal...
August 16, 2014
This story was about Shelby Russell who came back to town after having a mild heart attack. She didn't want anyone to know how sick she was, but after awhile some people found out. Matt Durrant was very upset with Shelby because she had broken their engagement years ago. He ended up marrying someone else and having two wondering children with them. But, his wife died from cancer, so he was dealing with her death and his bitter feelings toward Shelby.
As luck would have it, Matt and Shelby ended up living next door to each other. She also ended up babysitting for him, and falling in love with his kids Cassidy and Kenny. She finally told him about her heart condition which became another worry for him. He also wanted to find someone else to watch his kids. In the end, he fell back in love with her, and they got married. This was a great story about a second chance at love. It is the first book, I have read from the Love Inspired books about second chances at love. But, it will not be my last. I really love these books.
As luck would have it, Matt and Shelby ended up living next door to each other. She also ended up babysitting for him, and falling in love with his kids Cassidy and Kenny. She finally told him about her heart condition which became another worry for him. He also wanted to find someone else to watch his kids. In the end, he fell back in love with her, and they got married. This was a great story about a second chance at love. It is the first book, I have read from the Love Inspired books about second chances at love. But, it will not be my last. I really love these books.
February 23, 2017
Shelby Russell broke Matt Durrant’s heart when she broke off their engagement and fled town. Now, she is back in town after a health scare and living right next door to Matt. With her history of leaving, Matt, a widowed father of two, is wary of allowing his kids to get close to Shelby. He doesn’t want his kids’ hearts, or his own, to be broken, but Shelby is a new person with more maturity. Can Matt come to see Shelby as she has become and look past her health problems to see the love they can share again?
I really enjoyed this book. Matt’s distrust was hard to handle at first, but it was easier when I remembered all that he had lost. He was hurting and wanted to avoid being hurt again. To his credit, he does realize when he is being too distrustful fairly quickly and does apologize. He is trying to let the past go. The characters are both fun and easy to like. The story progresses well and is very engaging. I was happy to see how it ended. Overall, it is a very enjoyable read.
I really enjoyed this book. Matt’s distrust was hard to handle at first, but it was easier when I remembered all that he had lost. He was hurting and wanted to avoid being hurt again. To his credit, he does realize when he is being too distrustful fairly quickly and does apologize. He is trying to let the past go. The characters are both fun and easy to like. The story progresses well and is very engaging. I was happy to see how it ended. Overall, it is a very enjoyable read.
July 1, 2015
The story was OK but there was little faith or spiritual uplifting. I found it to be very amusing but after half the book I was bored with the main characters inability to accept their own feelings and overcome the fears they recognized they had.
July 29, 2013
Old love revisited when's heavy comes back to town and finds widowed Matt, her 24 hr. fiancé living next door. Sometimes the people who love us most cause the most heartache.
June 2, 2016
i enjoyed reading the story, she had to almost lose her life to see what she needed to do. it showed what forgiveness and the truth could heal old hurts and have a future.
March 6, 2022
DNF
Lots of telling instead of showing.
There was no mystery to it, no intrigue.
I had no interest to keep reading or find out what happens next. I felt like I already knew.
Lots of telling instead of showing.
There was no mystery to it, no intrigue.
I had no interest to keep reading or find out what happens next. I felt like I already knew.
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December 29, 2014Category: Inspirational Romance
Read
July 17, 2017I enjoyed reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews