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The Power of Love #1

The Shell Game

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Rebecca Lambert returns to her childhood home after the passing of her grandmother and comes face-to-face with her high-school sweetheart, Mitch Burton. Their encounter recalls the painful memory of Mitch s unexplained disappearance before the night of their final school dance.

After Rebecca leaves for college and career, Mitch returns and begins living at Rebecca s grandmother s bed-and-breakfast, fixing boats for the guests. When Rebecca returns many years later and discovers her grandmother left half of her business to both Rebecca and Mitch, she is forced to come to terms with painful memories and struggle with re-awakened feelings for Mitch.

Eventually, Rebecca discovers that much like the Shell Game at the local carnival the truth is rarely what it seems.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 24, 2007

1688 people are currently reading
738 people want to read

About the author

Mona Ingram

83 books298 followers
Mona Ingram is the author of over 60 romance novels, including twelve novellas. Many of her stories take place in British Columbia, where she has lived since the age of twelve. In recent years she has lived in the Okanagan Valley and on Vancouver Island. In addition to reading and writing, traveling and bird watching are among Mona's favourite pastimes.

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5 stars
690 (44%)
4 stars
481 (31%)
3 stars
260 (16%)
2 stars
80 (5%)
1 star
26 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
Profile Image for Alice-Elizabeth (Prolific Reader Alice).
1,163 reviews164 followers
May 21, 2019
Well, this cute Romance novella got me out of a reading slump yayyyyy XD

Twice Shy is a fast-paced, clean read about a girl called Rebecca who travels back to her old childhood home, a place where many happy memories have been made particularly with her Grandmother (who passed away). The home is an old B+B lodge in the heart of Canada and on arrival, bumps into her old childhood flame Mitch. He should have been the one for her but she was left heartbroken by him years ago. Both of them soon learn about the hidden secrets of Rebecca's grandmother and tough decisions about the future of the lodge have to be made quickly. This was dialogue-driven and looked back at events in the past, as well as the present day. I wished the length was a little longer, so I really got to know more about the extended cast of characters! This is currently free on all e-book platforms!
Profile Image for Josephine.
658 reviews2 followers
May 27, 2019
This book was okay but not great. It had a good plot and all but it bored me from beginning to end. It was so flat. There were a lot of push and pull between Mitch and Rebecca. Both too scared to put it out there and just take the risk. I understand self preservation but it was as all there is. I wish the author would have given the chance for Scott to appear more and probably meet Rebecca.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews117 followers
Want to read
February 24, 2019
🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/24/2019)! 🎁

Blurb:
Rebecca returns to her childhood home after her grandmother dies, only to discover that she might not have known her beloved Gran at all…

Arriving at Waterlily Bay Lodge, Becky is surprised to discover her childhood sweetheart in residence… the same young man who broke her heart when he disappeared on the night of their high school prom. As the truth about Mitch’s disappearance is revealed, will they come to terms about what tore them apart?
Profile Image for Ella あいみ M..
280 reviews16 followers
July 2, 2021
Rebecca is looking forward to her summer with her grandmother in Muskoka, the little town she grew up in after her parents died. It's been 11 years since her grandmother sent her away to college, and since then, Rebecca has made a successful career for herself as a writer for a popular tv series. She has even been offered the job of head writer. Then, right before going, she gets a call. Her grandmother has passed away. Upon returning to her hometown for her grandmother's funeral, Rebecca runs into her former crush, Mitch, who also happens to be living in the boathouse in the back of her grandmother's inn. Rebecca has closed herself off from any relationship because of what had happened between them years before, and she's pretty rude to Mitch at first. But when her grandmother leaves them as the joint proprietors of the inn in her will, the two must work together to run it. Through the hardships of running the inn, Mitch and Rebecca draw closer, learning more about the night of their graduation, the night that had caused all their heartbreak. However, Rebecca has a big decision to make. The offer of head writer is a big opportunity, but accepting it would mean leaving the quaint town she has grown to love again. Rebecca struggles with the decision, not knowing what to do. But when , Rebekah finally sees what is most important to her.

The characters were really great. Rebecca and Mitch were good, but I really liked the side characters, too, especially Ophelia. She was the best! Scott was also very likable, even though his appearances in the story were brief. It makes the readers not only read to see what happens with Mitch and Rebecca, but also to learn more about the other characters.
I also like how the author doesn't tell you what happened between them all at once and keeps you guessing for a little while, giving you only parts of the story until you get the whole story about 30% into the book.
873 reviews9 followers
July 16, 2021
Even adults are insecure …. especially adults when they've been burnt. Both Mitch and Rebecca, or should I say Becks, have a history together. Both were hurt, betrayed and sabotaged. Both felt the other deserted them. But all is not black and white. Remember the old shell game played at carnivals? Unfortunately both Mitch and Becks found out eleven longs years later how the shell game worked.

Both ended up going their separate ways, moving on with life. But there’s a big problem with unresolved issues, the past has a way of coming back to either haunt you or to set you free. There were consequences suffered. There were choices made that would impact their future…. choices they didn’t make themselves. Will they be able to forgive even if the responsible party is dead? Can redemption come from the grave?

This is what I call a slow burn read. Its not full of angst but surely deals with pain, struggles and emotions. I was able to read it in one evening and enjoyed turning the pages. But, I must admit to becoming frustrated at the insecurities both Mitch and Becks displayed.
1,292 reviews1 follower
July 11, 2019
Good story

Rebecca and Mitch fell in love as teenagers but, fate tore them apart. Each felt the other had abandoned them until Rebecca comes home for her Gran's funeral. Brian's will forced them together for a while. Will it be enough time for them to reconnect?
333 reviews1 follower
February 13, 2021
Slow

And not what I expected.

Overall, the story was very slow. And the grandmother pissed me off. So I'm going to rant a bit about that.

It astonishes me that Mitch and Rebecca were so forgiving of that awful old bat. She intentionally hurt her granddaughter, all in the name of education. You CAN be married AND still get an education. (Ask me how I know!?) Instead, she crippled Rebecca. She was so devastated that she couldn't fathom a long term relationship, with anyone, ever. Sure, she had a career. She bought her own place. But she was alone, and would have likely stayed that way. And that wasn't from choice. It was from hurt and heartbreak.
An added bonus, Rebecca didn't visit her grandmother because of the pain her grandmother inflicted! So their relationship suffered too. But oh, at least she got an education. (She could have done both and not been so emotionally stunted.) And then Gran took the cowards way out. Leaving her a note. She knew she was forcing her dreams on Rebecca. But she let her believe a lie anyways! And this is what surprises me about how quickly Mitch and Rebecca were able to get over it and forgive her.

I also question Mitch. (Or maybe it's the author's timeline.) He was so on love with Rebecca. He came back for her and wrote her. Yet he met and married someone else two years after they last saw each other. He had a son by this woman. And I'm supposed to believe Rebecca meant all that much to him? Two years feels like it's a really short time. Especially since he still considered Rebecca his girlfriend for a time after graduation.

And their rekindled romance was painfully slow. 97% until they admit their feelings. Until then they just dance around them. Or ignore them. They refuse to talk to the other one about anything. And why? Probably because they were both damaged by the selfish hag.

The writing was confusing. It starts off with alternating view points in different chapters. Then it just switched POVs randomly. I'm also pretty positive that a lawyer for custody is not going to be the same lawyer that handles real estate, so that little bit was just lazy.
Profile Image for Chloe.
154 reviews
June 11, 2023
This book started out as a solid 3 stars, not brilliant but okay. Then as the book went on it grew worse and worse. The two main characters have little chemistry together and don't know how to communicate. It leaves me annoyed because all of the problems in his book could have been solved with communication. The second half of the book dragged but this would have been three stars if not for the last 10-20% of the book.

It also annoys me that Mitch's son Scott doesn't even appear until about 90% through the book and it's just so they can have some last-minute conflict between the characters. In a story where one of the characters in the main couple are divorced and has a child, it would make sense to have the couple do something with the child somewhere in the book, even just as a day trip or something because it irritates me that the couple get together without even acknowledging that if they get together, they're agreeing to raise the child and there was very little mention of Mitch's ex-wife except to complain about her. I really would like to know why Mitch's last marriage failed because I have the feeling it is because they can't communicate.

Overall, it just irritated me. There were very few cute moments that weren't ruined my miscommunication or the author throwing some conflict in there.
Profile Image for Brigitte .
1,611 reviews23 followers
March 26, 2021
This is a sweet second chance romance. It goes back to high school prom when two childhood sweethearts are torn apart. Unbeknown to them their fate has been manipulated. Sometimes parents live their dreams through their children (the grandmother in this case). The good intentions are there, but the resulting pain can be devastating.

Mitch and Rebecca are childhood sweethearts until prom night. He fails to turn up and she feels abandoned. He is kept in the dark about things that should have mattered. They go their separate ways until a bereavement brings them face to face again. There is a lot of pain and resentment until the past slowly starts to unravel, but still the damage is already done. On top of it all, tough decisions have to be made when a disaster strikes. Will they leave the past where it belongs and look to the future?

I guess the message here is no matter what, some things are meant to be. It's slow, but well portrayed. The characters are understanbly guarded, and they are also lovable and considerate. The morale behind this short story gives food for thoughts.

Profile Image for Robin.
Author 3 books29 followers
March 19, 2020
Oh. My. Gosh.

***possible spoiler alert*** I kept thinking as I passed the halfway point of the story...why don't they just TALK to each other? After they were already getting along so well, after how attached she was becoming to the place, why the heck didn't she just go ahead and say she wasn't going back to that job? The book could've lost a couple of chapters, removing all the unnecessary back-and-forth will-they-won't-they without losing the better parts of the tale. Three-fourths of the way through, I was ready to throw my phone at the wall because of their obtuse behavior.
But the book was technically well done. I had to know how it ended. For such a massive build-up to that final chapter, I could've done without the epilogue. It wasn't really necessary to the story.
I gave the book four stars because if there were typos, I missed seeing them. Also, I became invested in the basic plot. I loved the setting. Minus one star for echoes of The Gift of the Magi.
Profile Image for Angie Hackett.
975 reviews5 followers
April 4, 2019
Interesting read.

This was an interesting read and sweet in its own way.

The characters were three dimensional and had a certain depth, they had insecurities that were relatable. At times I did feel frustrated with them, mainly in the sense that I found myself wondering why nobody talks to each other about what they’re thinking or feeling.

There were a few typos through the book but they were largely few and far between that it didn’t detract from the book too much.

Overall this was a good and interesting read.
Profile Image for SynergyQuest.
2,013 reviews7 followers
June 10, 2019
3.5 stars - Clean second chance

Twice Shy is a clean second chance romance. An abusive father and over-protective grandmother got in the H and h’s way the first time around. Now that they’re are out of the picture, the HEA should be inevitable, right? Wrong! Poor communication and apprehensions about losing face are the only impediments now (if you’re not also counting the hand full of typos).

There’s nothing new with this read, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As long as you’re not expecting some fresh new approach to contemporary romance, you’ll like this just fine.
68 reviews
January 27, 2020
How Shy can two people be,but only with each other!!

I loved the characters and only wished Gran was more than in past tense. A true love story and A GREAT story line. The way the story showed the young people in such a positive way was refreshing surprise.
I hope enough youngsters read and understand that is how it should be ( the two helpers who were as much help and were helped as much by good example. )
Should be required reading for middle school age, before they know it all. A good love is good for the soul.
HIGHLY recommended, I enjoyed.
720 reviews
June 26, 2020
Love's second chance

The B&B holds sweet memories for this couple. There's a lot of emotional conflict when Rebecca returns to the beautiful old lodge where she grew up raised by her grandmother who has just passed away. She's shocked to find that her boyfriend from her teen years lives there in the boat house. He broke her heart so many years ago. The story that follows was very captivating as they learned a few things about the grandmother. "Can they deal with the terms of her will?
Loved the story and the characters were very lovable.
1,160 reviews26 followers
April 23, 2022
Good second chance story

This is a new author to me and one I look forward to reading more of her books. Rebecca receives a call stating her Grandmother has died. She quickly returns to the town she grew up in, and immediately encounters Mitch, the one person who she loved who left without an explanation. Now the co-own the B&B and have a year to decide what to do. Can Becca and Mitch come to terms with their past and find a future together, or will circumstances keep them apart.
7,745 reviews49 followers
March 11, 2019
Rebecca had been driven to create the best script, to be the number one show, Now a look outside Vancouver Harbor a seaplane, and she was distracted. Her grandmother has just died and now thoughts of Waterlily Bay. Eleven years and he still affected her, Mitchell now living in the boat house. The Will showed them jointly owning and running the lodge. What will this bring about. Grandmother knew more of what when on eleven years ago and this is one way to bring them together, Cute story
Profile Image for Cherye Elliott.
3,395 reviews24 followers
April 12, 2019
Loved it

A delightful read. It is wonderful to read a story where people handle drama in a cool, rational manner....like adults. The back stories on the characters, instead of complaining, they accepted it and made their lives better because of the difficulty they experienced. They forged ahead NOT stopped life and stood still.

Yes, I enjoyed this book. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
Profile Image for Rony.
700 reviews3 followers
May 11, 2019
I read 80% of the book and then realized that the nagging feeling I was having was bored. I have a hard time quitting books, even when they don't deliver (something to work on) so I read the whole thing and yes, it was boring. There were so many opportunities for this book to be more enticing but it never picked up. The characters are flat, the storyline is not that interesting, even when the characters get angry they do it in a numb way. I would skip this one.
Profile Image for Kathryn.
257 reviews1 follower
July 17, 2019
This book was just okay. It was sweet but so drawn out without much action. The biggest letdown for me will always be the lack of an epilogue or at least some bit of what happens after a couple finally gets it together. This story seems like it could’ve had less of the back and forth and give us more of what happens with the lodge, her career and when does she even meet Scott? It’s hard for me to appreciate a book that just ends after the big kiss like every Hallmark movie.
731 reviews3 followers
April 1, 2019
I loved it!

Nothing like a good childhood sweetheart story. It was touching, loving, sweet, yet made me laugh and cry at the same time. I loved it and was completely immersed in the story. I often had a hard time putting it down. Would highly recommend it to anyone in need of a good love story that truly touches your heart. Very well written!
138 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2019
Twice Shy

This is a wonderful clean romance novel. I think the ending was cut short. What about Rebecca meeting Scott? It needed an epilogue with the lodge rebuilt along with a couple children from Rebecca and Mitch. You were so captivated that it was finally working out for the two of them then wam "The End"!
1,594 reviews3 followers
May 2, 2019
Amazing!

This is the first book that I've read by this author and it's definitely not the last. I enjoyed the storyline and the wonderful characters. The book is well written, fastpaced and intriguing. I loved the chemistry between Rebecka and Mitch. Would love to read more about them.
Profile Image for Tressia Avellar.
269 reviews3 followers
May 12, 2019
The long way home

This was a new type of read for me but I enjoyed it. I do read romance books, it's just that the ones I read are normally the historical romance. That being said, I did really enjoy the re learning of the couple involved and how their relationship changes due to circumstances outside their control.
1,252 reviews
May 24, 2019
I like this author but this book just fell flat for me. The characters were dull and frustrating; as adults they acted like they were still in high school with the way they interacted with each other. The author kept telling us they could read each other's minds in high school but they were never on the same page and refused to ever talk about anything important. Ugh.
979 reviews
November 13, 2019
Touching and sweet second chance romance

She is a writer on a TV show and goes back home when her grandmother, who had a B&B, dies. Her grandmother left everything to her and her high school love, and requested that they keep the lodge open for a year. Sweet story, HEA, lots of emotion.
Profile Image for Christy .
492 reviews
December 25, 2019
Such a sweet second chance romance. The characters were great! Both Rebecca and Mitch were a product of Stella's betrayal. It shaped who they were and how they viewed relationships. Although Stella was acting in what she thought was Rebecca's best interest it was sad that they spent so much time apart. It definitely pulls on your heartstrings and makes an amazing book.
Profile Image for Sylvia Joseph.
136 reviews3 followers
January 17, 2021
Longtime love

An excellent short interesting read, a sweet short story about careers, teen love, promise rings, a grandmother's love and how parents can make a decision to try to make a sons life of a fathers brutal side give a son an unusual start on a surprise in life, good clean story.
401 reviews1 follower
September 2, 2021
This book was just okay.

There was nothing in this book to make me dislike it, but there was also nothing to make me love it. There were also a lot of editing errors, to the point of annoyance. Overall, Rebecca and Mitch were likeable enough to carry a so-so story line with not much going on.
402 reviews2 followers
March 21, 2022
Great clean romance

I enjoyed the clean romance. The typical miscommunication is present as Mitch and Becky try to conceal their true feelings from each other. Becky has to find where she belongs and what is truly important. Highly recommend this story for the young adult reader.
343 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2019
Cute second chance book

This B and B sounds so cute. Wish I could be there. Mitch and Rebecca get thrown together after her grandma does to run this place. They had been together when they were younger but things pulled them apart. The characters are so cute and love this story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews

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