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Star Harbor #3
Long Simmering Spring
Spring comes to Star Harbor, bringing unexpected passion for a sexy sheriff, as the next Grayson brother finds love with the town’s beautiful doctor.
Julie Kensington grew up in the same small town as the Grayson brothers and remembers when the boys were nothing but trouble. As teenagers, Cole’s rugged sex appeal set Julie’s heart ablaze, but she did her best to ignore it. Now a grown woman with a medical degree, Julie still can’t resist her searing attraction to the roughest, toughest Grayson. He’s ex-military, tormented, and sexier than ever, but are his wounds too deep to be healed by her loving, gentle touch?
Even back in high school, straight-arrow Julie had a way of making Cole think twice about his bad-boy lifestyle. When Julie decides she’s finally ready to embrace her wild side, Cole knows he is just the man to show her the way, unleashing years of pent-up desire. Neither of them counted on falling in love, but when Cole’s demons threaten to derail their relationship, it’s up to Julie to show him that together, they can overcome the past . . . and build a future.
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept Deep Autumn Heat, Blaze of Winter, and Along Came Trouble.
Julie Kensington grew up in the same small town as the Grayson brothers and remembers when the boys were nothing but trouble. As teenagers, Cole’s rugged sex appeal set Julie’s heart ablaze, but she did her best to ignore it. Now a grown woman with a medical degree, Julie still can’t resist her searing attraction to the roughest, toughest Grayson. He’s ex-military, tormented, and sexier than ever, but are his wounds too deep to be healed by her loving, gentle touch?
Even back in high school, straight-arrow Julie had a way of making Cole think twice about his bad-boy lifestyle. When Julie decides she’s finally ready to embrace her wild side, Cole knows he is just the man to show her the way, unleashing years of pent-up desire. Neither of them counted on falling in love, but when Cole’s demons threaten to derail their relationship, it’s up to Julie to show him that together, they can overcome the past . . . and build a future.
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept Deep Autumn Heat, Blaze of Winter, and Along Came Trouble.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
20 people are currently reading
608 people want to read
About the author
Elisabeth Barrett
17 books223 followersElisabeth Barrett lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and spends her days teaching, editing, writing sexy contemporary romance, and enjoying time with her sometimes-bearded husband and three spirited children. She is constantly perfecting her home-work-writing juggling act, but in her free time she loves to hike open space preserves, grow orchids, bake sweet things her husband won’t eat, and sing in grand choruses.
To find out more about Elisabeth and her books, please sign up for her newsletter or vist her at her website, on Twitter, or on Facebook.
To find out more about Elisabeth and her books, please sign up for her newsletter or vist her at her website, on Twitter, or on Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
April 29, 2013
Really cute story!!! I love an intense male!!! Plus this book also had a suspense element that you cannot help but love :)
But I must say this about Cole: One stubborn, stubborn man... Than again, what man isn't?
But I must say this about Cole: One stubborn, stubborn man... Than again, what man isn't?
May 10, 2013
The Set Up
It's back to Star Harbor and this time the über sexy Sheriff Cole Grayson is front and center with the town's young doctor, Julie Kensington. He's working to overcome his boyhood reputation and she's trying to loosen up and have a life beyond her work. There's never been any question about their attraction to each other.
The Issues
Cole was in the Army with the Special Operations Forces and returned suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Intense emotions, including his feelings for Julie, trigger the disorder and he stopped his treatments with his psychologist. There is also a situation going on in town that puts Julie in serious jeopardy, which creates more stress to Cole.
The Romance
I loved Cole and Julie's relationship. She was initially wary of getting involved with Cole because of their history when they were teenagers but quickly got past that. There was none of that ridiculous and tiresome resistance and these two focused on developing a mature and lovely romance that slowly made its way to something pretty hot (steam meter hits the highest points at times). It doesn't hurt that both of them are extremely appealing either.
What I Loved
Cole and Julie's romance progressed at a perfect pitch. Their feelings for each other developed at the right pace and when it got physical, I experienced the honesty of it. Even when Cole's PTSD emerged and made him a bit more Alpha male than what was acceptable, Julie's sensitivity was authentic and her reactions realistic. Also, the tension around the threats to Julie's safety added an good edge to the story. And, I continue to love the town and it's residents, including the appearances of the characters I fell for from the earlier books.
What Didn't Work So Well
I liked everything about this story but sometimes there was a level of detail that seemed unnecessary, not adding anything to the plot, scene or characters. It didn't bog the story down but it was something I noticed.
Bottom Line
The romance works! Cole and Julie are really appealing and their issues are woven in nicely to a perfectly developed relationship. The realities of PTSD was enlightening and presented meaningfully. The suspense was subtle but gave some spice to the story. This may be my most favorite of the series to date, ousting Lexie and Sebastian from the top spot, and that's a big deal.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review)
It's back to Star Harbor and this time the über sexy Sheriff Cole Grayson is front and center with the town's young doctor, Julie Kensington. He's working to overcome his boyhood reputation and she's trying to loosen up and have a life beyond her work. There's never been any question about their attraction to each other.
The Issues
Cole was in the Army with the Special Operations Forces and returned suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Intense emotions, including his feelings for Julie, trigger the disorder and he stopped his treatments with his psychologist. There is also a situation going on in town that puts Julie in serious jeopardy, which creates more stress to Cole.
The Romance
I loved Cole and Julie's relationship. She was initially wary of getting involved with Cole because of their history when they were teenagers but quickly got past that. There was none of that ridiculous and tiresome resistance and these two focused on developing a mature and lovely romance that slowly made its way to something pretty hot (steam meter hits the highest points at times). It doesn't hurt that both of them are extremely appealing either.
What I Loved
Cole and Julie's romance progressed at a perfect pitch. Their feelings for each other developed at the right pace and when it got physical, I experienced the honesty of it. Even when Cole's PTSD emerged and made him a bit more Alpha male than what was acceptable, Julie's sensitivity was authentic and her reactions realistic. Also, the tension around the threats to Julie's safety added an good edge to the story. And, I continue to love the town and it's residents, including the appearances of the characters I fell for from the earlier books.
What Didn't Work So Well
I liked everything about this story but sometimes there was a level of detail that seemed unnecessary, not adding anything to the plot, scene or characters. It didn't bog the story down but it was something I noticed.
Bottom Line
The romance works! Cole and Julie are really appealing and their issues are woven in nicely to a perfectly developed relationship. The realities of PTSD was enlightening and presented meaningfully. The suspense was subtle but gave some spice to the story. This may be my most favorite of the series to date, ousting Lexie and Sebastian from the top spot, and that's a big deal.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review)
May 14, 2013
5 stars!
Julia Kensington has worked hard and now has her own physician’s practice in Star Harbor. She came back to live in her parents’ house and feel a closeness to them she has craved since their deaths. She works long hours rarely allowing anything that resembles a social life to ensure the future of her practice. Cole Grayson was a troublemaker in High School. He joined the military and IED ended his military career, and after a stint with the Boston PD he is back home in Star Harbor to head up the Sherriff’s department, trying his best to keep his PTSD at bay. Julie was in high school with Cole, though you would never really consider them friends. What Cole doesn’t know is that he has starred in Julie’s dreams since high school.
This book has so many facets, a small town setting, a returning soldier battling PTSD, a drug investigation and of course a love story. Elisabeth Barrett wrote a plot that had ups and downs, and I enjoyed how the drug investigation plot did not solve itself easily with a nice little bow. Both characters experienced growth in the book. Julie found balance in her life and I was cheering for her every step of the way. Cole started to realize everything was better with Julie in his life and his happiness made me smile. I have read a few books with characters who suffered from PTSD, I read about nightmares and flashbacks spurred by a noise or situation; what I haven’t read about is the uncontrollable anger. Elisabeth Barrett wrote the scenes where Cole experiences his anger so well I felt my blood pressure rise with his. Two characters can be great individually but if they don’t make sparks come off the page the idea of a HEA is not convincing. Cole and Julie had great sparks, and their dialog made me believe they had deep seated feelings for each other.
My only complaint, and seeing that I gave this book a 5 star rating you can be assured it isn’t really a complaint, is that this book was not long enough. I could continue reading about Cole and Julie for another 100 pages or more! I received this book from the publisher for my honest review, and at the time I didn’t really pay attention to the detail that this is the third book in a series. The Long Simmering Spring functions perfectly as a standalone book, however Elisabeth Barrett writes such wonderful characters, I know many I met in this book are in the previous Star Harbor books, I plan on reading the other books in the series in order (and rereading this one too) before the fourth book in the series comes out.
Julia Kensington has worked hard and now has her own physician’s practice in Star Harbor. She came back to live in her parents’ house and feel a closeness to them she has craved since their deaths. She works long hours rarely allowing anything that resembles a social life to ensure the future of her practice. Cole Grayson was a troublemaker in High School. He joined the military and IED ended his military career, and after a stint with the Boston PD he is back home in Star Harbor to head up the Sherriff’s department, trying his best to keep his PTSD at bay. Julie was in high school with Cole, though you would never really consider them friends. What Cole doesn’t know is that he has starred in Julie’s dreams since high school.
This book has so many facets, a small town setting, a returning soldier battling PTSD, a drug investigation and of course a love story. Elisabeth Barrett wrote a plot that had ups and downs, and I enjoyed how the drug investigation plot did not solve itself easily with a nice little bow. Both characters experienced growth in the book. Julie found balance in her life and I was cheering for her every step of the way. Cole started to realize everything was better with Julie in his life and his happiness made me smile. I have read a few books with characters who suffered from PTSD, I read about nightmares and flashbacks spurred by a noise or situation; what I haven’t read about is the uncontrollable anger. Elisabeth Barrett wrote the scenes where Cole experiences his anger so well I felt my blood pressure rise with his. Two characters can be great individually but if they don’t make sparks come off the page the idea of a HEA is not convincing. Cole and Julie had great sparks, and their dialog made me believe they had deep seated feelings for each other.
My only complaint, and seeing that I gave this book a 5 star rating you can be assured it isn’t really a complaint, is that this book was not long enough. I could continue reading about Cole and Julie for another 100 pages or more! I received this book from the publisher for my honest review, and at the time I didn’t really pay attention to the detail that this is the third book in a series. The Long Simmering Spring functions perfectly as a standalone book, however Elisabeth Barrett writes such wonderful characters, I know many I met in this book are in the previous Star Harbor books, I plan on reading the other books in the series in order (and rereading this one too) before the fourth book in the series comes out.
May 3, 2013
4/5 stars. Another great addition to the Star Harbor Series!
This is the third book in this fantastic series. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, to get good background I recommend reading the previous two books. Plus, the other two books are great too!
This book focusses on Cole Grayson. After his hell-raising teenage days, (along with the rest of the Grayson brothers) Cole enlists with the Army and spends 7 years in combat all over the world. After a significant injury, Cole returns stateside, becomes a police officer in Boston before returning to become the Sheriff of his childhood home of Star Harbor. Returning home forces him back into the life of Dr. Julie Kensington - the one girl Cole had feelings for in high school, but he never really acted on them.
At first, Julie is reluctant to see Cole, and she avoids him at all costs. You see, the truth is that Julie always harbored feelings for Cole, but was too afraid that if she got close to him he would break her heart. Well, nearly 10 years later, the two finally begin to explore their mutual feelings. And wow, do sparks fly. The two have an undeniable chemistry and their relationship just flowed effortlessly. That's one of the things I love about this author's books - the relationships develop naturally and I enjoy watching the characters' feelings develop. Plus, there's always so much passion between the characters - definitely a steamy read!
But, as Cole and Julie begin to get closer, and recognize their true feelings for each other, a serious threat to Julie's safety gets in the way, forcing the two apart. Can they each get over their pasts in order to realize their futures - together?
As with the other books in the series, there's the whole pirate mystery element that I really like. I cannot wait to find out the full story behind the keys - *hint, hint Ms. Barett - please tell me this story is coming soon??
There's also a lot of action as the drug-smuggling investigation continues from the previous book.
Although the ending in this one felt a bit rushed -
This is the third book in this fantastic series. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, to get good background I recommend reading the previous two books. Plus, the other two books are great too!
This book focusses on Cole Grayson. After his hell-raising teenage days, (along with the rest of the Grayson brothers) Cole enlists with the Army and spends 7 years in combat all over the world. After a significant injury, Cole returns stateside, becomes a police officer in Boston before returning to become the Sheriff of his childhood home of Star Harbor. Returning home forces him back into the life of Dr. Julie Kensington - the one girl Cole had feelings for in high school, but he never really acted on them.
At first, Julie is reluctant to see Cole, and she avoids him at all costs. You see, the truth is that Julie always harbored feelings for Cole, but was too afraid that if she got close to him he would break her heart. Well, nearly 10 years later, the two finally begin to explore their mutual feelings. And wow, do sparks fly. The two have an undeniable chemistry and their relationship just flowed effortlessly. That's one of the things I love about this author's books - the relationships develop naturally and I enjoy watching the characters' feelings develop. Plus, there's always so much passion between the characters - definitely a steamy read!
But, as Cole and Julie begin to get closer, and recognize their true feelings for each other, a serious threat to Julie's safety gets in the way, forcing the two apart. Can they each get over their pasts in order to realize their futures - together?
As with the other books in the series, there's the whole pirate mystery element that I really like. I cannot wait to find out the full story behind the keys - *hint, hint Ms. Barett - please tell me this story is coming soon??
There's also a lot of action as the drug-smuggling investigation continues from the previous book.
Although the ending in this one felt a bit rushed -
May 6, 2013
Cole Grayson and Julie Kensington both grew up in Star Harbor. The Grayson boys had a reputation as troublemakers growing up in the small town. Nevertheless, girls swooned over the brothers. As a teen, Julie has always been focused and driven to make something of her future. But even back then it was Cole Grayson "who'd haunted her dreams".
And now, Sheriff Cole Grayson and town doctor Julie Kensington cannot deny their attraction towards one another. But relationships aren’t always perfect. Cole on the surface is tough, rugged, and protective but underneath he has struggled with PTSD since returning from Afghanistan. Julie on the other hand keeps her heart guarded and is only focused on her work. The first 50% of the book sort of dragged for me. But once Cole and Julie decided to stop playing the cat and mouse game, the paced picked up. “Well over six feet tall, rakish grin, deep blue eyes and tousled black hair…..he was smoking hot”. The Grayson gene just flows. Uh, yeah, how can someone keep resisting that? Julie tried so hard but Cole was just pure machismo.
It was nice that characters from the two previous books Deep Autumn Heat (Seb and Lexie) and Blaze of Winter (Theo and Avery) make an appearance in book 3. And of course there’s always something exciting in the little town of Star Harbor. Cole and his federal agent brother Val Grayson are still in pursuit of the people using Star Harbor in a drug ring. But that will have to wait until Val and Cameron’s story Slow Summer Burn is released in August.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept and Elisabeth Barrett for the manuscript of Long Simmering Spring.
™From My Playlist: Foo Fighters – Big Me
And now, Sheriff Cole Grayson and town doctor Julie Kensington cannot deny their attraction towards one another. But relationships aren’t always perfect. Cole on the surface is tough, rugged, and protective but underneath he has struggled with PTSD since returning from Afghanistan. Julie on the other hand keeps her heart guarded and is only focused on her work. The first 50% of the book sort of dragged for me. But once Cole and Julie decided to stop playing the cat and mouse game, the paced picked up. “Well over six feet tall, rakish grin, deep blue eyes and tousled black hair…..he was smoking hot”. The Grayson gene just flows. Uh, yeah, how can someone keep resisting that? Julie tried so hard but Cole was just pure machismo.
It was nice that characters from the two previous books Deep Autumn Heat (Seb and Lexie) and Blaze of Winter (Theo and Avery) make an appearance in book 3. And of course there’s always something exciting in the little town of Star Harbor. Cole and his federal agent brother Val Grayson are still in pursuit of the people using Star Harbor in a drug ring. But that will have to wait until Val and Cameron’s story Slow Summer Burn is released in August.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept and Elisabeth Barrett for the manuscript of Long Simmering Spring.
™From My Playlist: Foo Fighters – Big Me
May 18, 2013
So glad to be back in Star Harbor for another visit with the 'Bad Boy' Grayson brothers. Theo and Seb, are settled in very loving relationships, so we are meeting Cole. Cole is a highly decorated military hero, now working as Star Harbor's Sheriff. As hard as he is working to keep his home town safe, he is also fighting the demons of PTSD. Heart stopping nightmares make for many sleepless nights. He saw counselors after his discharge, and thought he at least had pushed his symptoms to the back of his mind. But they are appearing again and his brothers desperately want him to find someone to talk to. He needs to "find the time".
Julia (Julie) Kensington M.D. calls Star Harbor her home town. She knew all the Grayson brothers growing up, and even slapped Cole for trying to steal a kiss when she was 14. Her parents were killed in an accident when she was in medical school, and since she wanted to be a small town Doc decided to return and live in her parents home. The first year after opening her practice was rough, now things are settling, and her practice is thriving. Her staff and friends tell her constantly she works too hard. A chance meeting with Sheriff Grayson convinces her that maybe it's time for some fun.
Cole has been my favorite Grayson brother since the first visit to Star Harbor. I think Julie's description says it all. " He had a hardness to him that hadn't been there when he was younger. My God, the man was sizzling! And dangerous. Very, very dangerous." There is suspense, violence, and a lot of sweet love. The mystery of the Siren Lorelei is revisited with the discovery of another key.
I find this series a wonderful read. There is always humor, strong characters, and the Grayson brothers. What more do you need? Val, the DEA agent is up next. More intrigue I'm sure! I would highly recommend this novel to lovers of small town stories, with suspense, and wonderful characters.
I received this novel from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.
Julia (Julie) Kensington M.D. calls Star Harbor her home town. She knew all the Grayson brothers growing up, and even slapped Cole for trying to steal a kiss when she was 14. Her parents were killed in an accident when she was in medical school, and since she wanted to be a small town Doc decided to return and live in her parents home. The first year after opening her practice was rough, now things are settling, and her practice is thriving. Her staff and friends tell her constantly she works too hard. A chance meeting with Sheriff Grayson convinces her that maybe it's time for some fun.
Cole has been my favorite Grayson brother since the first visit to Star Harbor. I think Julie's description says it all. " He had a hardness to him that hadn't been there when he was younger. My God, the man was sizzling! And dangerous. Very, very dangerous." There is suspense, violence, and a lot of sweet love. The mystery of the Siren Lorelei is revisited with the discovery of another key.
I find this series a wonderful read. There is always humor, strong characters, and the Grayson brothers. What more do you need? Val, the DEA agent is up next. More intrigue I'm sure! I would highly recommend this novel to lovers of small town stories, with suspense, and wonderful characters.
I received this novel from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.
April 13, 2013
Long Simmering Spring is a sweet but very steamy home town love story. Cole was the town bad boy. He returns home a war veteran suffering with PTSD and has recently earned the position of Star Harbor's Sheriff. What he didn’t expect was the explosive feelings he’d have for the town’s good girl, Julie Kensington.
Julie Kensington is a goal orientated and focused person. Putting her life on hold to obtain her medical degree, she now puts all her efforts into being Star Harbor’s only doctor. Julie has always had a crush on Cole, even in high school. Now her attraction touches places deep in her core. She knows his past, seen the physical damage the war has caused on Cole but can she help heal his soul.
An attack on Julie pushes Cole’s PTSD symptoms over the edge. Feeling scarred and damaged Cole’s past causes a wedge in their new relationship. Can Julie break down those barriers and heal his heart?
I really enjoyed reading Long Simmering Spring. Cole’s initial wooing of Julie is tender and heartfelt. Hot romantic encounters, a damaged but genuine hero, appearances from characters we’ve come to love in the previous Star Harbor books and a suspense filled mystery, this story had it all. I'm definitely a fan of Elisabeth Barrett's Star Harbor series and am looking forward to reading more about this fabulous oceanside town.
This ARC copy of Long Simmering Spring was given to me by Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication May 13, 2013.
Julie Kensington is a goal orientated and focused person. Putting her life on hold to obtain her medical degree, she now puts all her efforts into being Star Harbor’s only doctor. Julie has always had a crush on Cole, even in high school. Now her attraction touches places deep in her core. She knows his past, seen the physical damage the war has caused on Cole but can she help heal his soul.
An attack on Julie pushes Cole’s PTSD symptoms over the edge. Feeling scarred and damaged Cole’s past causes a wedge in their new relationship. Can Julie break down those barriers and heal his heart?
I really enjoyed reading Long Simmering Spring. Cole’s initial wooing of Julie is tender and heartfelt. Hot romantic encounters, a damaged but genuine hero, appearances from characters we’ve come to love in the previous Star Harbor books and a suspense filled mystery, this story had it all. I'm definitely a fan of Elisabeth Barrett's Star Harbor series and am looking forward to reading more about this fabulous oceanside town.
This ARC copy of Long Simmering Spring was given to me by Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication May 13, 2013.
April 29, 2013
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third book of the Star Harbor series and it has not lost is momentum, I love this series.
Cole Grayson is one of four sexy brothers. Considered the bad boy growing up he returned home after serving in the military with a different attitude, PTSD and not a lot of hope that he could change the minds of some of the folks in town who thought they knew who he was. His new job as sheriff should have given them a clue that he wasn't the same but some people are just set in their ways.
Julie Kensington grew up in Star Harbor and she knew his rep from high school. She thinks she can let Cole show her how to be wild without getting close. But how close can you fly to the flame before you get burned? Trying to test these waters with Cole is hard enough but there are some very strange things happening with her new practice and it is starting to get dangerous. Pushing her closer to that sexy sheriff and making things way more combustible.
This has become one of my all time favorite series and Elisabeth Barrett has quickly jumped up to the top as one of my favorite authors. I recommend these books to everyone who is looking for something new to read. I am already upset that I have to wait for the next one. The characters are well written because they are hot and sexy but real. All of the interpersonal relationships work really well together. The friends, neighbors, family they all just seem to flow so naturally. I always feel like I am settling in back home for a visit. When the last of these four brothers gets his story I am not sure what I will do. I sure hope Ms. Barrett has a new drug to give me or I will be in big trouble.
This is the third book of the Star Harbor series and it has not lost is momentum, I love this series.
Cole Grayson is one of four sexy brothers. Considered the bad boy growing up he returned home after serving in the military with a different attitude, PTSD and not a lot of hope that he could change the minds of some of the folks in town who thought they knew who he was. His new job as sheriff should have given them a clue that he wasn't the same but some people are just set in their ways.
Julie Kensington grew up in Star Harbor and she knew his rep from high school. She thinks she can let Cole show her how to be wild without getting close. But how close can you fly to the flame before you get burned? Trying to test these waters with Cole is hard enough but there are some very strange things happening with her new practice and it is starting to get dangerous. Pushing her closer to that sexy sheriff and making things way more combustible.
This has become one of my all time favorite series and Elisabeth Barrett has quickly jumped up to the top as one of my favorite authors. I recommend these books to everyone who is looking for something new to read. I am already upset that I have to wait for the next one. The characters are well written because they are hot and sexy but real. All of the interpersonal relationships work really well together. The friends, neighbors, family they all just seem to flow so naturally. I always feel like I am settling in back home for a visit. When the last of these four brothers gets his story I am not sure what I will do. I sure hope Ms. Barrett has a new drug to give me or I will be in big trouble.
Read
July 8, 2016Normally I put all my TBR Challenge reviews on here, but I noticed I forgot one, so here goes:
For April’s TBR Challenge read, I dove into one of my RWA book boxes in search of a contemporary, and came up with Elisabeth Barrett’s Long Simmering Spring. This novel is a 2013 Loveswept that simmered quite a while, but never did come to a boil. For the first time in a long while, I found myself with a DNF on my hands.
Haunted by memories from the war in Afghanistan, Cole Grayson is now home in Star Harbor. Star Harbor is a small New England town, so guess who’s the sheriff? That’s right – Cole has his demons to wrestle but he’s been cleared for law enforcement duty. To be fair, Cole’s brothers also have books in this series and they can’t all be the sheriff, so if you read more by Barrett, you’ll get some non-sheriff, small town romance.
Once back in Star Harbor, Cole finds himself face to face with a memory from high school – Julie Kensington. Julie is now a doctor and she has returned home to run a small private practice clinic. Coming face to face with Cole once more brings out all kinds of feelings in Julie that she just doesn’t want to deal with.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://allaboutromance.com/tbr-challe...
For April’s TBR Challenge read, I dove into one of my RWA book boxes in search of a contemporary, and came up with Elisabeth Barrett’s Long Simmering Spring. This novel is a 2013 Loveswept that simmered quite a while, but never did come to a boil. For the first time in a long while, I found myself with a DNF on my hands.
Haunted by memories from the war in Afghanistan, Cole Grayson is now home in Star Harbor. Star Harbor is a small New England town, so guess who’s the sheriff? That’s right – Cole has his demons to wrestle but he’s been cleared for law enforcement duty. To be fair, Cole’s brothers also have books in this series and they can’t all be the sheriff, so if you read more by Barrett, you’ll get some non-sheriff, small town romance.
Once back in Star Harbor, Cole finds himself face to face with a memory from high school – Julie Kensington. Julie is now a doctor and she has returned home to run a small private practice clinic. Coming face to face with Cole once more brings out all kinds of feelings in Julie that she just doesn’t want to deal with.
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://allaboutromance.com/tbr-challe...
July 4, 2014
So I finished book number 3 in the Star Harbor series. I'm pleased to say I liked it much better than Book 2, Blaze oh Winter. If anyone has read the first two books, they will already be familiar with the lead characters, Cole Grayson, the sheriff and veteran who fought in Iraq. Julie Kensington is the area doctor. They have known each other since high school when he was a wild one and she was a 'good' girl. He made a pass at her which she most definitely rejected. Now after years away they have both returned to Star Harbor and there is most certainly strong chemistry between them. When the issue of local drug problems arise, they work together to try and solve them.
Unlike in the previous two books, it is Cole who becomes hesitant in the relationship. He suffers from PTSD and is afraid he's not in a good enough place.
As with the others, I found it a fairly well written book and characters from the previous two. Books make an appearance but don't take up too much time. I wish we could give halves as I found this more of a 31/2 book than a four, but I like to round up. I doubt it's a book I'll ever reread and I expect in a couple of months I won't remember all that much.
But still I'm glad I read it and I'm pretty sure I'll read the final book and Val's story.
Unlike in the previous two books, it is Cole who becomes hesitant in the relationship. He suffers from PTSD and is afraid he's not in a good enough place.
As with the others, I found it a fairly well written book and characters from the previous two. Books make an appearance but don't take up too much time. I wish we could give halves as I found this more of a 31/2 book than a four, but I like to round up. I doubt it's a book I'll ever reread and I expect in a couple of months I won't remember all that much.
But still I'm glad I read it and I'm pretty sure I'll read the final book and Val's story.
August 2, 2013
Holy Hell!!! Cole Grayson had me simmering all the way through this book.
I admit I am a sucker for a tortured, tattooed Military man, and he ticked every one of those boxes for me and then some.
Julie really worked for me too, and together they were perfect.
I have read the previous Star Harbour books and now Long Simmering Spring, book 3 in succession, and I have to say they are all great, but this one was on a whole different level for me, it seemed to have more depth, emotion and story for me. Saying that alot of things that happen in this book have been building from the beginning of book 1 so that may be partly the reason.
Books 1 & 2 were 4 stars for me, Cole's story is a firm and strong 5, onto Val now........ I kinda don't want to start it as I have enjoyed my time in Star Harbour and I don't really want to say goodbye...
I admit I am a sucker for a tortured, tattooed Military man, and he ticked every one of those boxes for me and then some.
Julie really worked for me too, and together they were perfect.
I have read the previous Star Harbour books and now Long Simmering Spring, book 3 in succession, and I have to say they are all great, but this one was on a whole different level for me, it seemed to have more depth, emotion and story for me. Saying that alot of things that happen in this book have been building from the beginning of book 1 so that may be partly the reason.
Books 1 & 2 were 4 stars for me, Cole's story is a firm and strong 5, onto Val now........ I kinda don't want to start it as I have enjoyed my time in Star Harbour and I don't really want to say goodbye...
December 16, 2013
*I received a free ARC of Long Simmering Spring from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review*
ARC received on March 30, 2013
ARC received on March 30, 2013
May 7, 2018
Well written and the female lead, Julie was much better than in previous books. Very enjoyable.
July 19, 2013
After reading Sebastian’s and Theo’ stories, now is the moment of Cole’s story.
Cole is one of the brothers Grayson. After a period in the army, Cole returns to Star Harbor and becomes the town sheriff.
Julie Kensington is the doctor of Star Harbor. She and Cole have known each other since high school, a time when Cole broke the law with his brothers, but now he upholds the law. Unfortunately Cole is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder due to his period in the army and maybe Julie will be able to cure him.
Julie is a strong, independent woman and dedicated to her work. She also returned to Star Harbor after medical school, takes over the local doctor and is dedicated to 100% activity to make a name and gain respect.
Cole is the classic ex-soldier. Muscular, tattooed, scarred and devoted to his work. Cole is different from the last time he met Julie and want to show it to her.
The story is set in spring.
The characters found in earlier books are still present. Lexie is a dear friend of Julie and is her advisor. Cole is always surrounded by his brothers who dispense advice, especially Val.
The book is well written and the suspense this time is higher. The romance is there, but the crimes are not lacking. Eventually Cole is Sheriff, and then a minimum of action there must be.
What I liked in all three books is that the characters of the previous books are still present. They have not been abandoned or mentioned only once, they are there. They are part of history and you cannot forget them.
One thing these three men have in common Grayson. Once in love, they never lose sight of their women. Protect them, not leave them alone, even if they want to maintain their independence.
Now we just have to wait for the fourth book, which is the Val’s story. I can’t wait!
Dopo aver letto le storie di Sebastian and Theo, ora è il momento della storia di Cole.
Cole è uno dei fratelli Grayson. Dopo un periodo nell’esercito, Cole torna a Star Harbor e diventa lo sceriffo della città.
Julie Kensington è il dottore di Star Harbor. Lei e Cole si conoscono dai tempi del liceo, tempi in cui Cole infrangeva la legge insieme ai suoi fratelli, ora invece la fa rispettare. Purtroppo Cole soffre di stress post traumatico a causa dell’esercito e forse sarà Julie a curarlo.
Julie è una donna forte, indipendente e dedita al proprio lavoro. Tornata anche lei a Star Harbor dopo la scuola di medicina, subentra al medico locale e si dedica al 100% all’attività per farsi un nome e farsi rispettare.
Cole è il classico ex-soldato. Muscoloso, tatuato, pieno di cicatrici, interne ed esterne, e dedito al suo lavoro. Cole è diverso dall’ultima volta che ha incontrato Julie e glielo vuole dimostrare.
Questa volta la storia è ambientata in primavera.
I personaggi trovati nei libri precedenti sono ancora presenti. Lexie è una cara amica di Julie e le fa da consigliera. Cole è sempre contornato dai suoi fratelli che dispensano consigli, specialmente Val.
Il libro è scritto bene e la suspance questa volta è più alta. La romance è presente, ma i crimini non mancano. Alla fine Cole è lo sceriffo e quindi un minimo di azione ci deve essere.
Quello che mi è piaciuto in tutti e tre i libri è che i personaggi dei libri precedenti sono ancora presenti. Non sono stati abbandonati o citati una volta sola, sono lì. Fanno parte della storia e non puoi dimenticarti di loro.
Una cosa hanno in comune questi tre uomini Grayson. Una volta innamorati, non perdono mai di vista le loro donne. Le proteggono, non le lasciano sole, anche se loro vogliono mantenere la loro indipendenza.
Ora non ci resta che attendere il quarto libro, che è la storia di Val. Chissà se parlerà un po’ di più.
Cole is one of the brothers Grayson. After a period in the army, Cole returns to Star Harbor and becomes the town sheriff.
Julie Kensington is the doctor of Star Harbor. She and Cole have known each other since high school, a time when Cole broke the law with his brothers, but now he upholds the law. Unfortunately Cole is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder due to his period in the army and maybe Julie will be able to cure him.
Julie is a strong, independent woman and dedicated to her work. She also returned to Star Harbor after medical school, takes over the local doctor and is dedicated to 100% activity to make a name and gain respect.
Cole is the classic ex-soldier. Muscular, tattooed, scarred and devoted to his work. Cole is different from the last time he met Julie and want to show it to her.
The story is set in spring.
The characters found in earlier books are still present. Lexie is a dear friend of Julie and is her advisor. Cole is always surrounded by his brothers who dispense advice, especially Val.
The book is well written and the suspense this time is higher. The romance is there, but the crimes are not lacking. Eventually Cole is Sheriff, and then a minimum of action there must be.
What I liked in all three books is that the characters of the previous books are still present. They have not been abandoned or mentioned only once, they are there. They are part of history and you cannot forget them.
One thing these three men have in common Grayson. Once in love, they never lose sight of their women. Protect them, not leave them alone, even if they want to maintain their independence.
Now we just have to wait for the fourth book, which is the Val’s story. I can’t wait!
Dopo aver letto le storie di Sebastian and Theo, ora è il momento della storia di Cole.
Cole è uno dei fratelli Grayson. Dopo un periodo nell’esercito, Cole torna a Star Harbor e diventa lo sceriffo della città.
Julie Kensington è il dottore di Star Harbor. Lei e Cole si conoscono dai tempi del liceo, tempi in cui Cole infrangeva la legge insieme ai suoi fratelli, ora invece la fa rispettare. Purtroppo Cole soffre di stress post traumatico a causa dell’esercito e forse sarà Julie a curarlo.
Julie è una donna forte, indipendente e dedita al proprio lavoro. Tornata anche lei a Star Harbor dopo la scuola di medicina, subentra al medico locale e si dedica al 100% all’attività per farsi un nome e farsi rispettare.
Cole è il classico ex-soldato. Muscoloso, tatuato, pieno di cicatrici, interne ed esterne, e dedito al suo lavoro. Cole è diverso dall’ultima volta che ha incontrato Julie e glielo vuole dimostrare.
Questa volta la storia è ambientata in primavera.
I personaggi trovati nei libri precedenti sono ancora presenti. Lexie è una cara amica di Julie e le fa da consigliera. Cole è sempre contornato dai suoi fratelli che dispensano consigli, specialmente Val.
Il libro è scritto bene e la suspance questa volta è più alta. La romance è presente, ma i crimini non mancano. Alla fine Cole è lo sceriffo e quindi un minimo di azione ci deve essere.
Quello che mi è piaciuto in tutti e tre i libri è che i personaggi dei libri precedenti sono ancora presenti. Non sono stati abbandonati o citati una volta sola, sono lì. Fanno parte della storia e non puoi dimenticarti di loro.
Una cosa hanno in comune questi tre uomini Grayson. Una volta innamorati, non perdono mai di vista le loro donne. Le proteggono, non le lasciano sole, anche se loro vogliono mantenere la loro indipendenza.
Ora non ci resta che attendere il quarto libro, che è la storia di Val. Chissà se parlerà un po’ di più.
May 14, 2013
Slick‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Review copy provided for an honest review.
5 Stars
I’ve really loved the Star Harbor Series from Elisabeth Barrett and watching as the Grayson men fall hard and fast for the women in their lives. I’m going to tell you up front that this book has a much more serious feel to it that the first two and most of that is due to Cole’s continuing issues with PTSD. That’s not to say this wasn’t a great book and a wonderful love story because both are true, but there is a realness to this story that will bring forth a lot of emotions. I would be reading along thrilled at the way the relationship was progressing and the bam, something ugly would rear its head and my heart would be breaking for both of these characters. Long Simmering Spring will keep you off balance while completely drawing you in to an irresistible romance you can’t help but love.
We’ve known Cole Grayson as Star Harbor’s sheriff and loyal brother. What I found so fascinating about Cole is how much he craves what his brothers Seb and Theo have found and that is a woman to share his life. He has the woman picked out but unfortunately Doctor Julie Kensington isn’t cooperating. Cole aims to change her way of thinking.
It is so fun to watch these two around each other Cole putting on the hard press and Julie trying her damndest to resist. They has a little history from back in high school and while Julie has always had an interest in Cole she worries that underneath that sheriff’s uniform is the high school bad boy out to break her heart. However the ongoing drug ring investigation keeps throwing them together and they soon find themselves unable to resist the growing passion between them. Unfortunately Cole’s PTSD rears its ugly head and although Julie handles his struggles quite well, Cole doesn’t and things become very complicated between them.
While the relationship between Cole and Julie is in the forefront of this story, there is so much else going on that this particular book really is more of a romantic suspense. Julie finds herself the target of a local who doesn’t like that she has helped his wife and son, on top of that her controlled substance prescription pads keep turning up missing, and she’s endured some very personal threats. Cole being the sheriff is bound and determined to get to the bottom of it all and keep Julie safe. In addition we are treated to some entertaining visits between the brothers and we get to check in on the couples from the first two books as well. We see many of the town’s residents and Val, the final Grayson brother, is the DEA agent charged with trying to solve the ongoing drug case in town.
This book is packed full of action, intrigue, and of course some sexy fun. While it is somewhat different from the first two books in this series, Long Simmering Spring is no less satisfying. In fact I found it to be more emotionally charged and had this ongoing feel of danger that left me on the edge of my seat. I’ve very much enjoyed watching the Grayson brothers fall in love and am really looking forward to self proclaimed bachelor Val finding his match.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
5 Stars
I’ve really loved the Star Harbor Series from Elisabeth Barrett and watching as the Grayson men fall hard and fast for the women in their lives. I’m going to tell you up front that this book has a much more serious feel to it that the first two and most of that is due to Cole’s continuing issues with PTSD. That’s not to say this wasn’t a great book and a wonderful love story because both are true, but there is a realness to this story that will bring forth a lot of emotions. I would be reading along thrilled at the way the relationship was progressing and the bam, something ugly would rear its head and my heart would be breaking for both of these characters. Long Simmering Spring will keep you off balance while completely drawing you in to an irresistible romance you can’t help but love.
We’ve known Cole Grayson as Star Harbor’s sheriff and loyal brother. What I found so fascinating about Cole is how much he craves what his brothers Seb and Theo have found and that is a woman to share his life. He has the woman picked out but unfortunately Doctor Julie Kensington isn’t cooperating. Cole aims to change her way of thinking.
It is so fun to watch these two around each other Cole putting on the hard press and Julie trying her damndest to resist. They has a little history from back in high school and while Julie has always had an interest in Cole she worries that underneath that sheriff’s uniform is the high school bad boy out to break her heart. However the ongoing drug ring investigation keeps throwing them together and they soon find themselves unable to resist the growing passion between them. Unfortunately Cole’s PTSD rears its ugly head and although Julie handles his struggles quite well, Cole doesn’t and things become very complicated between them.
While the relationship between Cole and Julie is in the forefront of this story, there is so much else going on that this particular book really is more of a romantic suspense. Julie finds herself the target of a local who doesn’t like that she has helped his wife and son, on top of that her controlled substance prescription pads keep turning up missing, and she’s endured some very personal threats. Cole being the sheriff is bound and determined to get to the bottom of it all and keep Julie safe. In addition we are treated to some entertaining visits between the brothers and we get to check in on the couples from the first two books as well. We see many of the town’s residents and Val, the final Grayson brother, is the DEA agent charged with trying to solve the ongoing drug case in town.
This book is packed full of action, intrigue, and of course some sexy fun. While it is somewhat different from the first two books in this series, Long Simmering Spring is no less satisfying. In fact I found it to be more emotionally charged and had this ongoing feel of danger that left me on the edge of my seat. I’ve very much enjoyed watching the Grayson brothers fall in love and am really looking forward to self proclaimed bachelor Val finding his match.
May 22, 2013
4.5 stars
Long Simmering Spring is the 3rd book in the Star Harbor series by Elisabeth Barrett and my favorite! This book was awesome! I can not get the super sexy sheriff out of my head even days later after finishing this book.
Dr. Julie Kensington is loving being back in Star Harbor. She didn’t always know that she would come back and open a practice in the town of her childhood, but after the death of her parents it just seemed like the right thing to do. She finds herself keeping an emotional distance from everyone and using the stress of starting up a new practice as an excuse. Unfortunately, the sheriff sees right through her act and is shattering the protective layer that she has been building. Here he is the same boy that kissed her, under the bleachers so many years before, all grown up. She is finding it’s much more difficult to keep her feelings at bay and protect her heart this time around.
Cole Grayson has certainly changed a lot over the years. Once, a long time ago, he was one of Star Harbor’s biggest makers of mischief and now he is the one enforcing the law. It’s not really such a stretch. After high school he went into the military and served time in Afghanistan. He was badly injured by a roadside bomb – one of the lucky ones. Now, he’s home and trying to move on with his life. He just can’t seem to forgive himself for living when so many didn’t. He even has a tattoo listing all the names of the men he lost. He just can’t allow himself to forget. When he’s with Julie things are different. He finds himself feeling lighter and less tense. Maybe, just maybe he is getting a second chance at happiness. But, first he has to save his small town. Star Harbor is being used for drug activity and Julie has found herself unwittingly right in the middle of the operation. All is falling apart around him once again and he will sacrifice all to keep Julie safe, even his own heart.
I loved Cole and Julie’s story. Cole was heartbreaking and so strong. I’ve heard of PTSD, as has most everyone else, but this is the first time I could literally feel someone else’s pain because of it. Ms. Barrett did an amazing job at describing the panic that Cole felt and pulling you into the past right along with him. Julie was the perfect partner for Cole. She was strong and compassionate and knew when to not make it about her and exactly what Cole needed even before he did.
“You’re tough enough for this. And I’m tough enough for you.”
We got to peak back at the characters from the first 2 books and got a great look at Val, the brother in the next book. This book can easily be read alone, but why would you when the brothers are all hot in their own wonderful way.
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the loan of this book in exchange for my honest review.
You can find this review and others at http://riverinaromantics.blogspot.com and http://tinar1121.blogspot.com.
Long Simmering Spring is the 3rd book in the Star Harbor series by Elisabeth Barrett and my favorite! This book was awesome! I can not get the super sexy sheriff out of my head even days later after finishing this book.
Dr. Julie Kensington is loving being back in Star Harbor. She didn’t always know that she would come back and open a practice in the town of her childhood, but after the death of her parents it just seemed like the right thing to do. She finds herself keeping an emotional distance from everyone and using the stress of starting up a new practice as an excuse. Unfortunately, the sheriff sees right through her act and is shattering the protective layer that she has been building. Here he is the same boy that kissed her, under the bleachers so many years before, all grown up. She is finding it’s much more difficult to keep her feelings at bay and protect her heart this time around.
Cole Grayson has certainly changed a lot over the years. Once, a long time ago, he was one of Star Harbor’s biggest makers of mischief and now he is the one enforcing the law. It’s not really such a stretch. After high school he went into the military and served time in Afghanistan. He was badly injured by a roadside bomb – one of the lucky ones. Now, he’s home and trying to move on with his life. He just can’t seem to forgive himself for living when so many didn’t. He even has a tattoo listing all the names of the men he lost. He just can’t allow himself to forget. When he’s with Julie things are different. He finds himself feeling lighter and less tense. Maybe, just maybe he is getting a second chance at happiness. But, first he has to save his small town. Star Harbor is being used for drug activity and Julie has found herself unwittingly right in the middle of the operation. All is falling apart around him once again and he will sacrifice all to keep Julie safe, even his own heart.
I loved Cole and Julie’s story. Cole was heartbreaking and so strong. I’ve heard of PTSD, as has most everyone else, but this is the first time I could literally feel someone else’s pain because of it. Ms. Barrett did an amazing job at describing the panic that Cole felt and pulling you into the past right along with him. Julie was the perfect partner for Cole. She was strong and compassionate and knew when to not make it about her and exactly what Cole needed even before he did.
“You’re tough enough for this. And I’m tough enough for you.”
We got to peak back at the characters from the first 2 books and got a great look at Val, the brother in the next book. This book can easily be read alone, but why would you when the brothers are all hot in their own wonderful way.
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the loan of this book in exchange for my honest review.
You can find this review and others at http://riverinaromantics.blogspot.com and http://tinar1121.blogspot.com.
May 13, 2013
For this review and more visit my blog
If you follow my reviews you may already know that the Star Harbor books and I have an extremely rocky relationship. I have read the first two books (Deep Autumn Heat and Blaze of Winter) and didn’t really like them. You may be wondering why I have chosen to read the third book in the series and the answer is that I am not entirely sure. Despite all my issues there is just something about them and like a moth to a flame I am drawn to them and desperately want to like them.
To my utter surprise I found that I did quite like Long Simmering Spring, a lot more than I thought I would. I actually enjoyed reading it and thought it was much better than its predecessors. So what did this book do that the others didn’t?
Firstly, I much preferred the writing in this one. Elisabeth Barett is a great writer and her world building has been impeccable throughout the series, she really brings the picturesque Star Harbor alive for me. What I have always had a problem with in terms of writing is the unneeded content and detail spread across these books. I found that it made them boring and feel far too long. I am pleased to say that it was not so much of an issue in Long Simmering Spring, there were a few moments that I felt were unneeded but for the most part Barett stuck to the point and I felt this flowed so much better because of it.
The second improvement was the characters. I much preferred Cole and Julie to the other couples introduced in the other books. I really liked Julie, she was smart and sensible and most importantly a lot more safety conscious than other female characters in this series. She recognised when she was working too hard, when she needed to defend herself and when she needed to compromise. She found the balance between being stubborn and being a push over.
Cole was also a vast improvement, he had some real issues to get over and for the most part he worked hard to get past them. He was patient with Julie and kind but towards the end he majorly over reacted which irritated me a little but he made up for it in sweetness.
I liked the romance, it built slowly and both were willing to compromise to make it work. There was some definite chemistry between them and they were fun to read.
Star Harbor is never going to be my favourite series and I am always going to find it a little far-fetched but Long Simmering Spring was a definite improvement, and with my favourite Grayson brother in the spotlight next I won’t be giving up on Star Harbor anytime soon.
The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
If you follow my reviews you may already know that the Star Harbor books and I have an extremely rocky relationship. I have read the first two books (Deep Autumn Heat and Blaze of Winter) and didn’t really like them. You may be wondering why I have chosen to read the third book in the series and the answer is that I am not entirely sure. Despite all my issues there is just something about them and like a moth to a flame I am drawn to them and desperately want to like them.
To my utter surprise I found that I did quite like Long Simmering Spring, a lot more than I thought I would. I actually enjoyed reading it and thought it was much better than its predecessors. So what did this book do that the others didn’t?
Firstly, I much preferred the writing in this one. Elisabeth Barett is a great writer and her world building has been impeccable throughout the series, she really brings the picturesque Star Harbor alive for me. What I have always had a problem with in terms of writing is the unneeded content and detail spread across these books. I found that it made them boring and feel far too long. I am pleased to say that it was not so much of an issue in Long Simmering Spring, there were a few moments that I felt were unneeded but for the most part Barett stuck to the point and I felt this flowed so much better because of it.
The second improvement was the characters. I much preferred Cole and Julie to the other couples introduced in the other books. I really liked Julie, she was smart and sensible and most importantly a lot more safety conscious than other female characters in this series. She recognised when she was working too hard, when she needed to defend herself and when she needed to compromise. She found the balance between being stubborn and being a push over.
Cole was also a vast improvement, he had some real issues to get over and for the most part he worked hard to get past them. He was patient with Julie and kind but towards the end he majorly over reacted which irritated me a little but he made up for it in sweetness.
I liked the romance, it built slowly and both were willing to compromise to make it work. There was some definite chemistry between them and they were fun to read.
Star Harbor is never going to be my favourite series and I am always going to find it a little far-fetched but Long Simmering Spring was a definite improvement, and with my favourite Grayson brother in the spotlight next I won’t be giving up on Star Harbor anytime soon.
The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
May 11, 2013
For those of you who have been keeping up with Star Harbor, Elisabeth Barrett's Long Simmering Spring tells the story of Cole Greyson, the Baddest Bad Boy of the Greyson Clan..
Julie Kensington grew up in Star Harbor, she was the studious girl, the girl with the goals and the girl with just a wee crush on Cole Greyson. But at 14 she knew he was way to wild for her and even then she was smart enough to figure out that this was the boy who could break her heart. Now she's all grown up and the town doctor and Cole Greyson is making his move.
Cole Greyson, the wild child of the Greyson Brothers and that is saying a lot. With four brothers who ran wild throughout Star Harbor in their teens. Now after a career in the military and three years on the force in Boston he is back and the baddest of the bad is the town Sheriff. His family is all coming home to roost and Cole is dealing with his PTSD.. life is good all except for one thing. Pretty Julie Kensington still won't give him the time of day.
Ms Barrett does another great telling the story of a Greyson brother of Star Harbor.. Cole and Julie are slowly reconnecting and adjusting to living life in the small town they grew up in. Things are going pretty good between them and life is sweet.. Until Julie steps up to help a high school friend who is in an abusive relationship and the ex keeps coming after her. Leaving her constantly under attack and making Cole start to fear for her welfare.. slowly bringing back his PTSD symptoms until he has troubles dealing with it.
Add to that the mystery of just who is shipping drugs through Star Harbor, who is the master mind and how is he/she getting away with it. This part of the story arc has been going on throughout all three books and ties nicely with a story about the town cop.. Ms Barrett offers a nice twist on the whodunit aspect.. She also does a wonderful tease on the keys.. tweaking the readers curiosity about what is going on with them..
This is a really good series and a perfect read for those sumptuous spring evenings..
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Long Simmering Spring, provided by netgalley and scheduled for release on May 13, 2013
Julie Kensington grew up in Star Harbor, she was the studious girl, the girl with the goals and the girl with just a wee crush on Cole Greyson. But at 14 she knew he was way to wild for her and even then she was smart enough to figure out that this was the boy who could break her heart. Now she's all grown up and the town doctor and Cole Greyson is making his move.
Cole Greyson, the wild child of the Greyson Brothers and that is saying a lot. With four brothers who ran wild throughout Star Harbor in their teens. Now after a career in the military and three years on the force in Boston he is back and the baddest of the bad is the town Sheriff. His family is all coming home to roost and Cole is dealing with his PTSD.. life is good all except for one thing. Pretty Julie Kensington still won't give him the time of day.
Ms Barrett does another great telling the story of a Greyson brother of Star Harbor.. Cole and Julie are slowly reconnecting and adjusting to living life in the small town they grew up in. Things are going pretty good between them and life is sweet.. Until Julie steps up to help a high school friend who is in an abusive relationship and the ex keeps coming after her. Leaving her constantly under attack and making Cole start to fear for her welfare.. slowly bringing back his PTSD symptoms until he has troubles dealing with it.
Add to that the mystery of just who is shipping drugs through Star Harbor, who is the master mind and how is he/she getting away with it. This part of the story arc has been going on throughout all three books and ties nicely with a story about the town cop.. Ms Barrett offers a nice twist on the whodunit aspect.. She also does a wonderful tease on the keys.. tweaking the readers curiosity about what is going on with them..
This is a really good series and a perfect read for those sumptuous spring evenings..
Shauni
This review is based on the ARC of Long Simmering Spring, provided by netgalley and scheduled for release on May 13, 2013
October 9, 2013
Cole Grayson, current sheriff of Star Harbor, has no time—or patience—for getting involved with a woman deeper than for a few nights of pleasure. There's his job for one, keeping the people of Star Harbor safe while trying to put a stop to the drug dealers and smugglers obviously using the small town as the center of their operation. And then there's the 'little' issue of his PTSD. Though the nightmares have finally stopped, doesn't mean he might not snap at any minute. His temper is a very frail thing.
So, what the heck is he doing sniffing after Star Harbor doctor Julie Kensington? Isn't she the one who slapped him when he tried kissing her in high school? And she's too classy, too sexy, too gentle, too beautiful...too everything to dally with him. But he just can't stay away. And when she starts returning his kisses, matching his passion with his own, Cole slowly starts to believe he just might be worthy of her...
Yes! Yes! Yes! I loved Seb's story and I was disappointed by Theo's story so I was rather apprehensive about reading Cole's book, fearing it might end up the way the second one did. Or the heroine might have as much (or more) issues than the previous two (though Lexie's were legitimate and understandable).
So you can imagine my delight when I realized Cole's story was (so far) the best in the series. Another winner, if you ask me—as I said, my favorite book in the series so far. And although it ended, and I was very satisfied with how it ended, I just wanted to keep reading. I'm glad there's the last one still waiting to be read, because I've fallen hard for the Grayson brothers...And the little town of Star Harbor.
Kudos to Ms. Barrett for her wonderful narration when it comes to the descriptions of the town and all its nuances (including the people). Every time the narration shifts from the characters to their environment, I feel like I'm there with them, experiencing the town alongside them. I've seen it in autumn, winter, and spring. Now lets see what summer brings.
So, what the heck is he doing sniffing after Star Harbor doctor Julie Kensington? Isn't she the one who slapped him when he tried kissing her in high school? And she's too classy, too sexy, too gentle, too beautiful...too everything to dally with him. But he just can't stay away. And when she starts returning his kisses, matching his passion with his own, Cole slowly starts to believe he just might be worthy of her...
Yes! Yes! Yes! I loved Seb's story and I was disappointed by Theo's story so I was rather apprehensive about reading Cole's book, fearing it might end up the way the second one did. Or the heroine might have as much (or more) issues than the previous two (though Lexie's were legitimate and understandable).
So you can imagine my delight when I realized Cole's story was (so far) the best in the series. Another winner, if you ask me—as I said, my favorite book in the series so far. And although it ended, and I was very satisfied with how it ended, I just wanted to keep reading. I'm glad there's the last one still waiting to be read, because I've fallen hard for the Grayson brothers...And the little town of Star Harbor.
Kudos to Ms. Barrett for her wonderful narration when it comes to the descriptions of the town and all its nuances (including the people). Every time the narration shifts from the characters to their environment, I feel like I'm there with them, experiencing the town alongside them. I've seen it in autumn, winter, and spring. Now lets see what summer brings.
August 30, 2013
The third book in the Star Harbor Series and told the story of the second oldest brother, Cole Grayson.
I love the first book in the series (Deep Autumn Heat) and a little bit let down by the second book (Blaze of Winter) so I don't know what to expect when I picked up my Kindle.
Good news is this book is on par with the first book, which I really like.
This book explored the relationship between Cole, the sheriff and Julie, the town's doctor. Those two characters already met since they lived in the same town but the attraction was ignored. By Julie because of her workaholic and by Cole due to his complication with PTSD. But finally those two came together for both professional (they worked together to catch the bad guy) and personal relationship (when the attraction was too great to ignore).
This is the love story focus on Cole and Julie. The sub-plot about catching the drug dealers was not interesting enough to become anything more. But I like this way of story telling. I think it become what I expected from the Star Harbor Series.
I like the characters both hero and heroine for their determination to fight for love. Early in the story it was Julie, the heroine who hesitated about the feeling she had for Cole. I like that the hero was the one who convinced her to try to have a relationship. Usually in romance it was always the hero who ran away from love. Cole is my favorite Grayson brother so far. He may not have charms like Sebastian but I like his intensity, his wound. Although I think the issues of PTSD was taken a little bit too lightly. It had been mentioned throughout the story but Cole never returned to get any medical help. It was postponed one way or another until the end. Based on the story, I expected more than this.
In all, this book gave me exactly what I wanted in contemporary romance. It may not go that deep in my heart but it is a good book.
I got this book via NetGalley. (And that is the reason I wrote this review in English)
I love the first book in the series (Deep Autumn Heat) and a little bit let down by the second book (Blaze of Winter) so I don't know what to expect when I picked up my Kindle.
Good news is this book is on par with the first book, which I really like.
This book explored the relationship between Cole, the sheriff and Julie, the town's doctor. Those two characters already met since they lived in the same town but the attraction was ignored. By Julie because of her workaholic and by Cole due to his complication with PTSD. But finally those two came together for both professional (they worked together to catch the bad guy) and personal relationship (when the attraction was too great to ignore).
This is the love story focus on Cole and Julie. The sub-plot about catching the drug dealers was not interesting enough to become anything more. But I like this way of story telling. I think it become what I expected from the Star Harbor Series.
I like the characters both hero and heroine for their determination to fight for love. Early in the story it was Julie, the heroine who hesitated about the feeling she had for Cole. I like that the hero was the one who convinced her to try to have a relationship. Usually in romance it was always the hero who ran away from love. Cole is my favorite Grayson brother so far. He may not have charms like Sebastian but I like his intensity, his wound. Although I think the issues of PTSD was taken a little bit too lightly. It had been mentioned throughout the story but Cole never returned to get any medical help. It was postponed one way or another until the end. Based on the story, I expected more than this.
In all, this book gave me exactly what I wanted in contemporary romance. It may not go that deep in my heart but it is a good book.
I got this book via NetGalley. (And that is the reason I wrote this review in English)
June 2, 2013
Posted on What I'm Reading
For the past few days, I have been reading Long Simmering Spring by Elisabeth Barrett, which happens to be the third book in the Star Harbor series. While in the story we still continue with the drug problem that is troubling Star Harbor, we also get to know Cole Grayson a little better.
Cole is the sherif of Star Harbor and suffers from PTSD. Yet, he has done a very good job hiding it from the fine people of Star Harbor. Well, Cole has always had the hots for a certain doctor and finally finds away to get to Julie Kensington. Julie on the other hand doesn't really trust Cole, because all she remembers is the bad boy of Star Harbor. Cole tries his hardest to get Julie to understand that he's not the same guy as he was in high school.
I do like Cole, he's a pretty good guy always looking out for the good people of Star Harbor. I must say that's an excellent quality in sherif. Now Julie is a very independent woman. She feels like she doesn't really need anyone in her life. While everyone else in Star Harbor believes she works too hard and needs a social life. I really do like how Cole and Julie start to hang out and build a relationship. It's funny how each of the Grayson boys seem to gravitate to strong independent women and Julie fits the build.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I love that how all the stories really tie together. I can't wait for Val's book. I wonder if they will be able get rid of the drug problem in Star Harbor. I hope so. I also wonder who's going to be Val's match. Julie and Cole are great together. Here's the bottom line: If you love a series that ties together, I would suggest checking out the Star Harbor series. However, if you have been following the the series and you like damage heroes you might love Cole and should read Long Simmering Spring.
Copy provided by author via NetGalley
For the past few days, I have been reading Long Simmering Spring by Elisabeth Barrett, which happens to be the third book in the Star Harbor series. While in the story we still continue with the drug problem that is troubling Star Harbor, we also get to know Cole Grayson a little better.
Cole is the sherif of Star Harbor and suffers from PTSD. Yet, he has done a very good job hiding it from the fine people of Star Harbor. Well, Cole has always had the hots for a certain doctor and finally finds away to get to Julie Kensington. Julie on the other hand doesn't really trust Cole, because all she remembers is the bad boy of Star Harbor. Cole tries his hardest to get Julie to understand that he's not the same guy as he was in high school.
I do like Cole, he's a pretty good guy always looking out for the good people of Star Harbor. I must say that's an excellent quality in sherif. Now Julie is a very independent woman. She feels like she doesn't really need anyone in her life. While everyone else in Star Harbor believes she works too hard and needs a social life. I really do like how Cole and Julie start to hang out and build a relationship. It's funny how each of the Grayson boys seem to gravitate to strong independent women and Julie fits the build.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I love that how all the stories really tie together. I can't wait for Val's book. I wonder if they will be able get rid of the drug problem in Star Harbor. I hope so. I also wonder who's going to be Val's match. Julie and Cole are great together. Here's the bottom line: If you love a series that ties together, I would suggest checking out the Star Harbor series. However, if you have been following the the series and you like damage heroes you might love Cole and should read Long Simmering Spring.
Copy provided by author via NetGalley
April 23, 2014
Long Simmering Spring is the third book in this series and will not let you down. I have to say that I personally now have to go back and look for the first two.
Cole Grayson has returned to Star Harbor as the new sheriff after a long military career that left him with PSTD and a career as a cop in Boston. All he wants is to forget his past and to move on with his life. But he knows that Julie Kensington is the woman he wants to be part of it.
Julie has never forgotten Cole Grayson, he may now be the sheriff of Star Harbor, but to her he is still the boy that stole her first kiss in high school. Now all she wants is to steer clear from him and make a success of her practice, which she just opened, with her being the only local doctor in Star Harbor.
When Julie starts getting involved in trying to save a woman who is being abused by her husband and then gets attacked herself, Cole will not stop until he can keep her safe. But first he must convince her that she needs to be trained in self-defense and that she is not always safe by herself.
Things start getting more interesting when Julie realizes that her prescription pads have gone missing, and with the town going through some problems about people buying bath salts with drugs that have killed people recently. She knows that she must report to Cole and help him, but can she keep herself safe from the person using her practice in some way and a man bent on revenge from taking his wife from him?
Things will not be easy for Cole and Julie, her independence and his fear of caring will not make it easy for their love to develop. But when Julie’s life in terrible danger they will realize what truly matters in life.
For a great page-turner that will keep you hooked and wondering what happens next Long Simmering Spring by Elisabeth Barrett is the one for you.
Cole Grayson has returned to Star Harbor as the new sheriff after a long military career that left him with PSTD and a career as a cop in Boston. All he wants is to forget his past and to move on with his life. But he knows that Julie Kensington is the woman he wants to be part of it.
Julie has never forgotten Cole Grayson, he may now be the sheriff of Star Harbor, but to her he is still the boy that stole her first kiss in high school. Now all she wants is to steer clear from him and make a success of her practice, which she just opened, with her being the only local doctor in Star Harbor.
When Julie starts getting involved in trying to save a woman who is being abused by her husband and then gets attacked herself, Cole will not stop until he can keep her safe. But first he must convince her that she needs to be trained in self-defense and that she is not always safe by herself.
Things start getting more interesting when Julie realizes that her prescription pads have gone missing, and with the town going through some problems about people buying bath salts with drugs that have killed people recently. She knows that she must report to Cole and help him, but can she keep herself safe from the person using her practice in some way and a man bent on revenge from taking his wife from him?
Things will not be easy for Cole and Julie, her independence and his fear of caring will not make it easy for their love to develop. But when Julie’s life in terrible danger they will realize what truly matters in life.
For a great page-turner that will keep you hooked and wondering what happens next Long Simmering Spring by Elisabeth Barrett is the one for you.
July 11, 2016
3.5 stars
I first heard of Elisabeth Barrett last year when Loveswept hosted a Twitter chat featuring her and Ruthie Knox. The series she was talking about sounded up my alley so I added it to my TBR list and made a note to check it out on Amazon. Of course I got side tracked and time flew before I knew it and I had pushed this series to the back of mind.
Which was a mistake. I really enjoyed this story. Like seriously enjoyed this book. Much more than I assumed before starting the book (I can admit sometimes I judge a book by it’s cover). The author’s voice shown clearly through: it was confident, smooth and engaging from the first page. I never got an impression of wasted words or extraneous information.
The words, the pacing and timing was right on and the characters were realistically portrayed. Nowadays I feel as if every character in a romance has characters that fluctuate between smart and dumb. Julie and Cole had reasons for acting the way they did, these reasons were shown and clearly made sense. I especially liked how Julie and Cole talked to each other about their past and what made them shy away from one another. Cole was even man enough to admit he needed more help with his PTSD than he was getting alone. It’s nice to see characters admit to things for once.
I can only say I was greatly impressed by this book and will definitely not wait to read the next book in the series when it comes out in June. The characters were likable and funny, the story was interesting and moved at an even pace. Recommended.
*review copy provided by author for honest review
I first heard of Elisabeth Barrett last year when Loveswept hosted a Twitter chat featuring her and Ruthie Knox. The series she was talking about sounded up my alley so I added it to my TBR list and made a note to check it out on Amazon. Of course I got side tracked and time flew before I knew it and I had pushed this series to the back of mind.
Which was a mistake. I really enjoyed this story. Like seriously enjoyed this book. Much more than I assumed before starting the book (I can admit sometimes I judge a book by it’s cover). The author’s voice shown clearly through: it was confident, smooth and engaging from the first page. I never got an impression of wasted words or extraneous information.
The words, the pacing and timing was right on and the characters were realistically portrayed. Nowadays I feel as if every character in a romance has characters that fluctuate between smart and dumb. Julie and Cole had reasons for acting the way they did, these reasons were shown and clearly made sense. I especially liked how Julie and Cole talked to each other about their past and what made them shy away from one another. Cole was even man enough to admit he needed more help with his PTSD than he was getting alone. It’s nice to see characters admit to things for once.
I can only say I was greatly impressed by this book and will definitely not wait to read the next book in the series when it comes out in June. The characters were likable and funny, the story was interesting and moved at an even pace. Recommended.
*review copy provided by author for honest review
April 23, 2013
I got an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an sincere review.
Long Simmering Spring is book #3 in the fabulous Star Harbor series. I strongly recommend reading the first two books because they are really fantastic and so you have the history of the characters when you read this book. (Deep Autumn Heat and Blaze of Winter).
Elisabeth does not disappoint with Long Simmering Spring. This book is by far my favorite of the series so far. Cole Grayson was a rowdy teenager who caused his fair share of trouble as a youth, but after going into the military he has grown up and turned into a solid man who is looking to reform his teenage ways. As the sheriff of Star Harbor Cole is now upholding the law instead of breaking it. Julie Kensington is the local physician who has known Cole most of her life. While she still finds Cole as sexy as ever she is determined to ignore those feelings and focus on making her medical practice a success in Star Harbor.
Watching these two heal each other throughout the book is one of the reasons their romance is so amazing. These two people both have plenty of shadows in their past that have a way of influencing their relationships with each other. Cole is such a heartwarming hero in this book. You will be rooting for him to conquer his demons and win over Julie’s heart.
This book is full of steamy scenes that will curl your toes and leave you wanting more. By the end you will be wishing that there are 100 more pages because you will not want to say good bye to these two amazing characters.
Long Simmering Spring is book #3 in the fabulous Star Harbor series. I strongly recommend reading the first two books because they are really fantastic and so you have the history of the characters when you read this book. (Deep Autumn Heat and Blaze of Winter).
Elisabeth does not disappoint with Long Simmering Spring. This book is by far my favorite of the series so far. Cole Grayson was a rowdy teenager who caused his fair share of trouble as a youth, but after going into the military he has grown up and turned into a solid man who is looking to reform his teenage ways. As the sheriff of Star Harbor Cole is now upholding the law instead of breaking it. Julie Kensington is the local physician who has known Cole most of her life. While she still finds Cole as sexy as ever she is determined to ignore those feelings and focus on making her medical practice a success in Star Harbor.
Watching these two heal each other throughout the book is one of the reasons their romance is so amazing. These two people both have plenty of shadows in their past that have a way of influencing their relationships with each other. Cole is such a heartwarming hero in this book. You will be rooting for him to conquer his demons and win over Julie’s heart.
This book is full of steamy scenes that will curl your toes and leave you wanting more. By the end you will be wishing that there are 100 more pages because you will not want to say good bye to these two amazing characters.
May 17, 2013
***4.5 out of 5 stars***
I was lucky enough to get a review copy from NetGalley thanks to the publisher. I love those Grayson brothers and was really excited to get Cole’s story.
I really loved Cole from the very beginning. I think the fact that he was still dealing with PTSD from fighting for our country only made me wanted him to find happiness even more. Enter Julie Kensington, who also grew up in Star Harbor and still remembered Cole as a wild teen. Julie was attracted to Cole when they were in high school, but would never have given the bad boy a chance back then.
Julie and Cole start the relationship pretty slowly, even though the chemistry is off the charts between them. Julie initially only is looking for fun, but after she and Cole make love for the first time, she realizes there is much more to their relationship than just fun. I love that Cole knew way before Julie that he loved her, and even was the first to say it. Of course, even true love doesn’t stop a huge mistake from putting their long-term relationship in jeopardy. While Cole messes up in a huge way, he also steps up in a huge way to make things right.
The on-going investigation into the drug dealing problem in Star Harbor runs through this book as it did in the first 2 stories. I’m looking forward to learning who is ultimately behind all of it in Val’s book, Slow Summer Burn, which is currently set for release on August 12, 2013.
I was lucky enough to get a review copy from NetGalley thanks to the publisher. I love those Grayson brothers and was really excited to get Cole’s story.
I really loved Cole from the very beginning. I think the fact that he was still dealing with PTSD from fighting for our country only made me wanted him to find happiness even more. Enter Julie Kensington, who also grew up in Star Harbor and still remembered Cole as a wild teen. Julie was attracted to Cole when they were in high school, but would never have given the bad boy a chance back then.
Julie and Cole start the relationship pretty slowly, even though the chemistry is off the charts between them. Julie initially only is looking for fun, but after she and Cole make love for the first time, she realizes there is much more to their relationship than just fun. I love that Cole knew way before Julie that he loved her, and even was the first to say it. Of course, even true love doesn’t stop a huge mistake from putting their long-term relationship in jeopardy. While Cole messes up in a huge way, he also steps up in a huge way to make things right.
The on-going investigation into the drug dealing problem in Star Harbor runs through this book as it did in the first 2 stories. I’m looking forward to learning who is ultimately behind all of it in Val’s book, Slow Summer Burn, which is currently set for release on August 12, 2013.
December 8, 2014
This is the third book in the Star Harbor series and it was the one I was the most anxious to get to because I really liked Cole Grayson in the first two. I figured if anyone was going to rev up this series it was going to be the sheriff. I liked Cole and his back story, but Theo is still my favorite Grayson brother. I really liked Julie, the town doctor and the girl that slapped Cole when they were kids. I liked them finding their way to each other, but it definitely all felt very Hallmark movieish to me. In fact, this entire book series feels like a Hallmark movie mini-series.
The overall drug issue is continued in this book and I felt like it was worked into the story pretty flawlessly. It was pretty obvious to me who the bad guy was, but I’m weird like that. I’m sure it’ll be a surprise to most readers. There’s a lot of tense moments in this book surrounding all of that and of course watching Cole be over-protective of Julie is pretty dang hot.
And once again we have a key and now we have three. I am really hoping for the big reveal on how these keys work in book 4. In fact, I have really high hopes that we’ll get to the bottom of the key/Lorelei mystery, the drug ring mystery and Val, the quiet DEA Agent Grayson brother. There’s a lot to be done still in this series and I hope that we also get some kind of happily ever after epilogue for each of the couples.
Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
The overall drug issue is continued in this book and I felt like it was worked into the story pretty flawlessly. It was pretty obvious to me who the bad guy was, but I’m weird like that. I’m sure it’ll be a surprise to most readers. There’s a lot of tense moments in this book surrounding all of that and of course watching Cole be over-protective of Julie is pretty dang hot.
And once again we have a key and now we have three. I am really hoping for the big reveal on how these keys work in book 4. In fact, I have really high hopes that we’ll get to the bottom of the key/Lorelei mystery, the drug ring mystery and Val, the quiet DEA Agent Grayson brother. There’s a lot to be done still in this series and I hope that we also get some kind of happily ever after epilogue for each of the couples.
Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
July 9, 2013
Long Simmering Spring is the third book in the Star Harbor series by Elisabeth Barrett. I really enjoyed the first two in the series. (my review) This book deals with Cole who is the second eldest Grayson brother. He is also the sheriff of Star Harbor. Julie is back in town as the new doctor. When they were in high school, bad boy Cole kissed Julie and got a slap for his troubles. Now they are both fighting an attraction that has been there for years.
I think these two are my favorite couple so far. I loved how Cole took his time to woo her and kept things slow in the beginning. It was very cute. Besides the attraction between these two, the peace that they bring to each other was heart warming. I was really rooting for them. Cole suffers from PTSD as a result of the horrors he witnessed during his time in war. This is such a relevant topic for today as a lot of men and women are coming back from overseas to face this disorder. I thought the author handled the subject very realistically.
The mystery in this one was hard to figure out. Someone has stolen Julie's prescription pads and seems to be watching her house. There are a lot of suspects and I was surprised at who it turned out to be. Great surprise in the end!
I think these two are my favorite couple so far. I loved how Cole took his time to woo her and kept things slow in the beginning. It was very cute. Besides the attraction between these two, the peace that they bring to each other was heart warming. I was really rooting for them. Cole suffers from PTSD as a result of the horrors he witnessed during his time in war. This is such a relevant topic for today as a lot of men and women are coming back from overseas to face this disorder. I thought the author handled the subject very realistically.
The mystery in this one was hard to figure out. Someone has stolen Julie's prescription pads and seems to be watching her house. There are a lot of suspects and I was surprised at who it turned out to be. Great surprise in the end!
June 2, 2013
This is the 3rd book in the Star Harbor series. We finally get to the troubled military veteran brother Cole. As a combat vet myself it always gets to me when authors write about military people. There are so many things combat veterans can have issues with and PTSD is one of the most widely talked about. Cole suffers from it and is making headway when he finally get Julie his old classmate and the town's Dr to talk to him. She seems to calm him as they slowly start a relationship. Julie has always had an attraction for Cole but his player image didn't work for her. She smacks him a good one when he kisses her back in high school. There are several things going on in this book but the main story is Cole and Julie. Both have issues they are working out and they try slowly to find their way through a relationship. I have enjoyed each book in this series. Elisabeth Barrett does a great job with each of the Grayson brothers. She continues in this book as Cole strives to find his normal again after all he's been through. She also opens the eyes to PTSD and how it is to deal with it. Kind of a tough subject but Ms. Barrett takes it on with a lot of success.
December 19, 2013
3.75+ so went with 4. This is book 3 in the Star Harbor series and we get up close and personal with Cole Grayson, the baddest bad boy of the Grayson brothers. He is also the most intriguing so far. An Afganistan war vet suffering from PTSD who has it almost under control. Almost. Barrett doesn't delve deeply into this subject, but deeply enough that you understand the havoc it can wreak on relationships. You also see how close the brothers are through Cole's struggles, especially how much Val has invested in his brothers.
Cole and Julie are both native Star Harborians, even have a history from high school. That relationship is the first hurdle they have to get over and is the easiest one to jump. From there it seems that issues from their pasts keep getting in the way. Outside of their relationship, Cole's duties as sheriff are ramping up as the drug problem plaguing Star Harbor are expanding to include a much larger area. Suddenly, the relationship and the drug problem become intertwined and the action really starts.
This is still a light read with very real and lovable characters. Well, sort of. I mean, do guys like this really exist????? =)
Cole and Julie are both native Star Harborians, even have a history from high school. That relationship is the first hurdle they have to get over and is the easiest one to jump. From there it seems that issues from their pasts keep getting in the way. Outside of their relationship, Cole's duties as sheriff are ramping up as the drug problem plaguing Star Harbor are expanding to include a much larger area. Suddenly, the relationship and the drug problem become intertwined and the action really starts.
This is still a light read with very real and lovable characters. Well, sort of. I mean, do guys like this really exist????? =)
May 12, 2013
You can find this review and more at Forever Book Lover.
Hot!!! Sizzling!! And it is not even summer yet!
Cole has been dealing with PTSD, the guilty feelings a vet has when he is among a few survivors in his group. The images replay themselves nightly and it isn't until he meets up with "Doc" Julie that they are under control... are at least manageable. Julie and Cole fall fast and hard, they are what each other needs to bring themselves out of the self imposed barriers they have around their hearts. This sexually- charged story is just what the Doctor ordered. I love seeing the previous characters be a presence in this book. Pick up a copy to and you may find yourself fanning yourself quite often when reading this winner. I love the authors writing style, from the first page you know that this is going to be a page turner.
Hats off to Elisabeth Barrett for continuing such a hot simmering storyline of the Grayson boys...
Hot!!! Sizzling!! And it is not even summer yet!
Cole has been dealing with PTSD, the guilty feelings a vet has when he is among a few survivors in his group. The images replay themselves nightly and it isn't until he meets up with "Doc" Julie that they are under control... are at least manageable. Julie and Cole fall fast and hard, they are what each other needs to bring themselves out of the self imposed barriers they have around their hearts. This sexually- charged story is just what the Doctor ordered. I love seeing the previous characters be a presence in this book. Pick up a copy to and you may find yourself fanning yourself quite often when reading this winner. I love the authors writing style, from the first page you know that this is going to be a page turner.
Hats off to Elisabeth Barrett for continuing such a hot simmering storyline of the Grayson boys...
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