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Maple Leaf #1
More Than Pancakes
Lily Hinsdale spends her California days designing extravagant hotels for Utopia Resorts. Her nights are filled with the glitz and glamour of upscale parties. Until her grandmother dies and leaves Lily property in wretched Vermont. The woods mean only one thing to Lily—nightmares. When Utopia wants the land for development, Lily is forced to travel to a place she’d rather forget.
Rick Stannard makes maple syrup and builds barns in the peace and quiet of picturesque Vermont. Noisy New York City nearly killed him a few years back, and now he lives a calm, simple life with his coyote, Poe, and his beloved book collection. It’s the only way he’s guaranteed to wake up each morning.
When Lily marches her expensive boots onto Rick’s land and proposes turning it into a mega resort, the serenity of the woods is shattered. Lily always closes a deal. Rick never intends to sell. They’ll need to compromise, or someone else will do it for them. Someone who is not afraid of the woods or the city.
Or spilling a little blood.
Rick Stannard makes maple syrup and builds barns in the peace and quiet of picturesque Vermont. Noisy New York City nearly killed him a few years back, and now he lives a calm, simple life with his coyote, Poe, and his beloved book collection. It’s the only way he’s guaranteed to wake up each morning.
When Lily marches her expensive boots onto Rick’s land and proposes turning it into a mega resort, the serenity of the woods is shattered. Lily always closes a deal. Rick never intends to sell. They’ll need to compromise, or someone else will do it for them. Someone who is not afraid of the woods or the city.
Or spilling a little blood.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2014
1621 people are currently reading
1862 people want to read
About the author
Christine DePetrillo
76 books651 followersChristine DePetrillo can often be found hugging trees, conversing with dragonflies, and walking barefoot through sun-warmed soil. She finds joy in listening to the wind, bathing in moonlight, and breathing in the fragrances of things that bloom. If she had her way, the sky would be the only roof over her head.
Her love of nature seeps into every story she tells. As does her obsession with bearded mountain men who build, often smell like sawdust, and know how to cherish the women they love. Today she writes tales meant to make you laugh, maybe make you sweat, and definitely make you believe in the power of love.
She lives in Vermont with her husband and cat who defend her fiercely from all evils.
Find Christine’s other titles at www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com. Connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/christinedepetrilloa..., on Instagram at @christinedepetrillo, and at the Small Town Hearts Facebook Group.
Her love of nature seeps into every story she tells. As does her obsession with bearded mountain men who build, often smell like sawdust, and know how to cherish the women they love. Today she writes tales meant to make you laugh, maybe make you sweat, and definitely make you believe in the power of love.
She lives in Vermont with her husband and cat who defend her fiercely from all evils.
Find Christine’s other titles at www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com. Connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/christinedepetrilloa..., on Instagram at @christinedepetrillo, and at the Small Town Hearts Facebook Group.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
March 25, 2015
2.5 stars from me probably largely in part because I liked the supporting characters - particularly Poe. Otherwise nothing spectacular. He's handsome, she's gorgeous (with the requisite tiny waist) and they can't take their eyes off each other. For depth of personality, they each have a secret traumatic event n their past which is balanced by their hidden talent - he plays guitar, she makes pancakes (which we are reminded quite a few times are the only things she can cook). Apparently the tension provided by their backgrounds wasn't enough so an over-the-top dramatic incident was needed, all throughout which I wasn't quite sure that Lily's actions were quite in keeping with what a confident, professional woman from California would do. Easy enough read, with a couple eye-rolls from me at various points.
March 17, 2015
4.5 syrupy stars! What a nice surprise for a random read I found on Amazon! Kept me turning page after page until I finished. Would definitely recommend this book.
March 16, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It was well-written, and one got a sense of living in a small, quaint town in Vermont.
I found Lily a bit snotty, with somewhat of a type A personality, and it was nice to see her metamorphosis throughout the story, to become a more relaxed, likeable person. The fact that she wasn't a stupid and/or whiny type helped. (The slew of books with TSTL 'heroines' becomes tiresome).
Rick had his issues, but he was also almost perfect. He and Lily came across as real people. As such, I was reading about two adult people, who actually behaved like...adults. lol
The sex and emotional aspects between the two main characters were expressed very well - no crude vocabulary was used. And there was no insta-sex - hurray!
I found Lily a bit snotty, with somewhat of a type A personality, and it was nice to see her metamorphosis throughout the story, to become a more relaxed, likeable person. The fact that she wasn't a stupid and/or whiny type helped. (The slew of books with TSTL 'heroines' becomes tiresome).
Rick had his issues, but he was also almost perfect. He and Lily came across as real people. As such, I was reading about two adult people, who actually behaved like...adults. lol
The sex and emotional aspects between the two main characters were expressed very well - no crude vocabulary was used. And there was no insta-sex - hurray!
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August 31, 2014
It will never cease to amaze me how I seem to just stumble upon such intelligently written, beautiful stories like this one. The premise is simple -- sophisticated city girl hooks up with rugged, outdoorsy Vermont guy, but the author creates such depth that I can't stop reading. I become totally invested. The secondary characters are well developed and add a lot to the story, including the evil character. There is a touch of suspense near the end that leads to a satisfying climax, then ending. Very well-paced. I have read 2 other books by Christine DePetrillo before (Kisses to Remember and Alaska Heart -- LOVED!) but not for awhile. I was happy to discover this new series and will definitely move on to book 2 -- More Than Cookies -- next.
February 23, 2015
More Than Pancakes is a quick, mostly light, very sweet (but not TOO sweet) story. Lily & Rick come from two vastly different worlds - Lily is the bright lights of Hollywood & designer inns, Rick is the quiet solitude of nature. What we get when these two meet is instant attraction & chemistry, and a fairly quick friendship that was super fun to read! : ) We also get to meet Rick's family, and get to know Sage & Hope prior to their stories being told in the next two books.
There's also a very adorable pet coyote named Poe. She may have stolen a few scenes. I highly recommend this story if you're looking for a quick recovery read from some of the heavier stuff that's out there (I like the heavy stuff, too!), or just something fun! : )
There's also a very adorable pet coyote named Poe. She may have stolen a few scenes. I highly recommend this story if you're looking for a quick recovery read from some of the heavier stuff that's out there (I like the heavy stuff, too!), or just something fun! : )
March 17, 2021
The title sucked me in! Such clever writing -- I chuckled aloud more times than I can count. Great contemporary romance set in the woods of Vermont. There are protagonists working together to get over their fears, satisfying character arcs, and a variety of pancakes. WARNING: Don't read while hungry.
January 20, 2021
Fall in love with small town Vermont. Wonderful characters and a few scary twists you didn’t see coming. Easy reading. Glad I found this series.
November 7, 2015
Liked:
1. Pancakes! Pancakes! Nom nom nom I admit, the title suckered me in; it almost didn't matter what the blurb was. I love pancakes, and they're one of the few foods I actually make from scratch. Rick and Lily both love pancakes:
"I may have enjoyed you more than pancakes," he whispered into her hair.
Also, pancake recipes would have been awesome! I'm always on the lookout for more.
2. Maple syrup! Real maple syrup, not the imitation stuff but the good stuff. I got a little hungry reading this book.:D It was neat learning a little about the maple syrup business but I would have liked even more detail, not a lot, but more would have been nice.
2. There were some good sparks between Lily and Rick. They made a good combination and worked well together. At first, they couldn't understand each other and thought the other was from another planet but they got to know each other and they began to click. Each of them does sweet things for the other which made me smile.
4. Sage and Hope, Rick's cousins. They were sassy, smart-mouthed, funny, and occasionally sweet. They made me laugh at the hard time they gave Rick. They were a nuisance but their actions derived from their love of Rick. Their mother, Rick's aunt Joy was a sweetie too.
Disliked:
1. The main conflict was that Lily needed to buy Rick's land for the company she worked for. That was okay but some of other conflicts seemed contrived and artificial: Rick country boy, Lily city girl, never can the twain meet. There are legitimate lifestyle differences but in the story it's all artificial.
2. Lily was amazingly naive for someone in her late 20s, early 30s and with her work experience. She's never encountered environmentalists before or had people present environmental concerns while designing hotels for her employer, a resort company? Seriously? I find that highly unlikely and unbelievable. It was also an artificial wedge between Lily and Rick, one that could have been handled in a much more realistic manner.
She'd always thought everyone was for progress and innovation, but maybe that wasn't the case. Maybe there were more tree-huggers than she'd realized. Maybe there were more people like Rick.
More naivete:
California was full of actors, pretenders playing parts, but Lily hadn't realized it was also full of liars.
3. We're also meant to believe that Lily likes wielding power and is capable of being ruthless; we're told this several times, but we don't see it. She makes a half-assed attempt at best at securing the land she needs which Rick refuses to sell. At no time do we see her being ruthless or even trying to wield her power. In fact, she caves quite quickly at Rick's refusal and is easily talked into considering other options.
4. Rick's sprained ankle. Rick sprains his ankle early on and it's an ongoing part of the story. It's allegedly severe and yet he's not undergoing any physical therapy, there's not even a mention of it. I've known several people with severe ankle sprains and they all needed PT, one for almost a year. Rick also gets around surprisingly well though the author does have Rick in pain and walking with some difficulty.
Summary:
There were some big believability issues with the story and it lacked depth but it was cute and sweet. I enjoyed it and I will probably read the next one which focuses on Rick's cousin Sage.
1. Pancakes! Pancakes! Nom nom nom I admit, the title suckered me in; it almost didn't matter what the blurb was. I love pancakes, and they're one of the few foods I actually make from scratch. Rick and Lily both love pancakes:
"I may have enjoyed you more than pancakes," he whispered into her hair.
Also, pancake recipes would have been awesome! I'm always on the lookout for more.
2. Maple syrup! Real maple syrup, not the imitation stuff but the good stuff. I got a little hungry reading this book.:D It was neat learning a little about the maple syrup business but I would have liked even more detail, not a lot, but more would have been nice.
2. There were some good sparks between Lily and Rick. They made a good combination and worked well together. At first, they couldn't understand each other and thought the other was from another planet but they got to know each other and they began to click. Each of them does sweet things for the other which made me smile.
4. Sage and Hope, Rick's cousins. They were sassy, smart-mouthed, funny, and occasionally sweet. They made me laugh at the hard time they gave Rick. They were a nuisance but their actions derived from their love of Rick. Their mother, Rick's aunt Joy was a sweetie too.
Disliked:
1. The main conflict was that Lily needed to buy Rick's land for the company she worked for. That was okay but some of other conflicts seemed contrived and artificial: Rick country boy, Lily city girl, never can the twain meet. There are legitimate lifestyle differences but in the story it's all artificial.
2. Lily was amazingly naive for someone in her late 20s, early 30s and with her work experience. She's never encountered environmentalists before or had people present environmental concerns while designing hotels for her employer, a resort company? Seriously? I find that highly unlikely and unbelievable. It was also an artificial wedge between Lily and Rick, one that could have been handled in a much more realistic manner.
She'd always thought everyone was for progress and innovation, but maybe that wasn't the case. Maybe there were more tree-huggers than she'd realized. Maybe there were more people like Rick.
More naivete:
California was full of actors, pretenders playing parts, but Lily hadn't realized it was also full of liars.
3. We're also meant to believe that Lily likes wielding power and is capable of being ruthless; we're told this several times, but we don't see it. She makes a half-assed attempt at best at securing the land she needs which Rick refuses to sell. At no time do we see her being ruthless or even trying to wield her power. In fact, she caves quite quickly at Rick's refusal and is easily talked into considering other options.
4. Rick's sprained ankle. Rick sprains his ankle early on and it's an ongoing part of the story. It's allegedly severe and yet he's not undergoing any physical therapy, there's not even a mention of it. I've known several people with severe ankle sprains and they all needed PT, one for almost a year. Rick also gets around surprisingly well though the author does have Rick in pain and walking with some difficulty.
Summary:
There were some big believability issues with the story and it lacked depth but it was cute and sweet. I enjoyed it and I will probably read the next one which focuses on Rick's cousin Sage.
May 24, 2017
There are worse books than this but there are also so many better things as well. This was such a quick read yet it took me forever to actually finish it. I couldn't get with the many sides of Lily the author was trying to portray. First she comes off as a tough as nails designer who lives this lavish lifestyle then she's a down to earth sweetheart who's just looking for fulfillment. I understand character development but flip floppy traits are confusing as hell. Rick is another odd character. He's painted as the Paul Bunyan type with the backwoods, wild animal as a pet and his seclusion, but then he's all googly eyed over Lily and I feel like it doesn't add up.
Lily's job is to design hotels for her outlandish company Utopia. When he grandmother dies and she decides to give up her property so that the company can build an outdoors themed hotel. She's sent to scope out the place and what she finds isn't what she expects.
There are funny moments but for the most part there's a lot of talk about ravishing one another's body's and pancakes. I feel like the "mystery" part literally came out of nowhere.
Lily's job is to design hotels for her outlandish company Utopia. When he grandmother dies and she decides to give up her property so that the company can build an outdoors themed hotel. She's sent to scope out the place and what she finds isn't what she expects.
There are funny moments but for the most part there's a lot of talk about ravishing one another's body's and pancakes. I feel like the "mystery" part literally came out of nowhere.
February 19, 2016
I can't remember if I knew this was romantic suspense, or if it was tagged as contemporary only, but just so you know... there's romantic suspense elements towards the end of the book.
The book made me hungry, for the most part. Now I want maple everything. I appreciated the depiction of someone dealing with a severely sprained ankle, it was pretty true to life regarding how long you have to rest, how long it takes to heal, and how damn hard everything is when you have one good leg. But it just occurred to me that the story must have taken a lot shorter time than I thought it did. How long was she out there in Vermont? By his healing rate, it seemed like it must have been 3 or so weeks, but there's no way that timeline works with what her employer was trying to accomplish with buying the land and approving her design plans.
The progression of the relationship and the resolution of the problems facing Rick and Lily were also too quick and pat to really be satisfying. They didn't have to work too hard for it. Eh, glad it was free.
The book made me hungry, for the most part. Now I want maple everything. I appreciated the depiction of someone dealing with a severely sprained ankle, it was pretty true to life regarding how long you have to rest, how long it takes to heal, and how damn hard everything is when you have one good leg. But it just occurred to me that the story must have taken a lot shorter time than I thought it did. How long was she out there in Vermont? By his healing rate, it seemed like it must have been 3 or so weeks, but there's no way that timeline works with what her employer was trying to accomplish with buying the land and approving her design plans.
The progression of the relationship and the resolution of the problems facing Rick and Lily were also too quick and pat to really be satisfying. They didn't have to work too hard for it. Eh, glad it was free.
November 4, 2017
A cute primis but rushed, and lacking in development. The characters are too easily changed.
I had to come back and edit this review because the more I thought about the book the more it bothered me.
Here's the problem: he left, to be with her, right at the beginning of sugar season. She didn't take, or send, him home. After all the fighting he did (admittedly half-assed) to save his sugar works, he wouldn't have walked away from it for weeks right in the middle of sap season; and if she loved him, she wouldn't have let him.
I had to come back and edit this review because the more I thought about the book the more it bothered me.
Here's the problem: he left, to be with her, right at the beginning of sugar season. She didn't take, or send, him home. After all the fighting he did (admittedly half-assed) to save his sugar works, he wouldn't have walked away from it for weeks right in the middle of sap season; and if she loved him, she wouldn't have let him.
November 10, 2014
More than Pancakes was an amazing journey to the heart of two wounded people, afraid to truly live again.
From the minute the book began I was engaged by the lead hero, Rick, his motley crew of family members, and their remote location in Vermont. There’s something about the heavily wooded location of the town, and slower pace of life that wrapped me in a cocoon and held me captive.
http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/reviews/...
From the minute the book began I was engaged by the lead hero, Rick, his motley crew of family members, and their remote location in Vermont. There’s something about the heavily wooded location of the town, and slower pace of life that wrapped me in a cocoon and held me captive.
http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/reviews/...
March 4, 2016
4.5 Stars
This book has been on my kindle for a long time but for some reason I kept passing it up. I'm glad I finally decided to open it this weekend.
I was expecting a short, simple story, what I got was a well-written, slow-burning romance with just a touch of suspense and a whole lot of pancakes.
In so buying at least the next two books in this series!
See more of my reviews at www.fictionfangirls.com
This book has been on my kindle for a long time but for some reason I kept passing it up. I'm glad I finally decided to open it this weekend.
I was expecting a short, simple story, what I got was a well-written, slow-burning romance with just a touch of suspense and a whole lot of pancakes.
In so buying at least the next two books in this series!
See more of my reviews at www.fictionfangirls.com
March 8, 2015
Great book.
I enjoyed this book and purchased the next 2 books right after reading this one. The story and characters were so well written that it was such a pleasure to read. I can't wait to start the next one. The supporting characters were fun and entertaining.
I enjoyed this book and purchased the next 2 books right after reading this one. The story and characters were so well written that it was such a pleasure to read. I can't wait to start the next one. The supporting characters were fun and entertaining.
March 17, 2015
Absolutely great story
Really a good mix of fun laughter nature love home family and a little hold you breath mystery. Smooth flow of story and fun characters not to mention the unconditional love from Poe.
Really a good mix of fun laughter nature love home family and a little hold you breath mystery. Smooth flow of story and fun characters not to mention the unconditional love from Poe.
March 4, 2015
Great Book
I really enjoyed this book. It has delightful characters, a good plot, a bad guy, and is a fun read. I look forward to reading more by this author.
I really enjoyed this book. It has delightful characters, a good plot, a bad guy, and is a fun read. I look forward to reading more by this author.
January 27, 2016
I enjoyed this book. It's an easy, fun read. Definitely a romance novel and I like that. I will check out the other two books in this series.
Read
August 29, 2016Super cute story, although kind of predictable you really do love the characters.
September 13, 2016
I am not a huge fan of romance novels, so I am not a good judge of the genre.
February 7, 2017
Liked this book, was expecting the romance but the psychotic boss added that extra something to the storyline. Easy read and an enjoyable way to spend a few hours.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2015
3/1/15 - free on Kindle
2.75 Stars
2.75 Stars
December 19, 2017
An incredibly rude and shallow woman resists falling for a backwoods country dude. I can see why the California Girl/Vermont Guy premise is appealing, but from the moment we meet Lily, she is nothing but flat-out condescending about everything to do with the Great Outdoors, the state of Vermont, and Rick's business and entire way of life. Her drive to succeed at her own career and the shockingly high-handed things she says in pursuit of this takes this beyond a mere Opposites Attract trope straight into Enemies to Lovers.
But I don't think that's a good thing, here. There's really not much redeeming Lily, who spends the middle part of the story internally reminding herself to hate everything about Vermont even as she's softening up to it. Rick, as a hero, is pretty bland and inoffensive, not much to recommend him, but I still like him better simply because when he's an ass to Lily, it's because she provoked him to it--she's an ass because she's convinced her life must be better than Rick's.
Why would I be rooting for these two to get together when Lily is so terrible? Nonetheless, I did finish the story to find out that her boss/former paramour Drew is even worse, since he's insanely possessive and decides to try to save their failed relationship with the attempted murder of Rick. Which, given that Drew is an offscreen/on-the-phone character for most of the story, is a preposterous escalation towards danger. And it all ends happily with Rick not being dead, Lily leaving the career/lifestyle that apparently made her such a toxic person, and them deciding to go into business together. Because you can take the girl out of California, and also manage to take California out of the girl?
But I don't think that's a good thing, here. There's really not much redeeming Lily, who spends the middle part of the story internally reminding herself to hate everything about Vermont even as she's softening up to it. Rick, as a hero, is pretty bland and inoffensive, not much to recommend him, but I still like him better simply because when he's an ass to Lily, it's because she provoked him to it--she's an ass because she's convinced her life must be better than Rick's.
Why would I be rooting for these two to get together when Lily is so terrible? Nonetheless, I did finish the story to find out that her boss/former paramour Drew is even worse, since he's insanely possessive and decides to try to save their failed relationship with the attempted murder of Rick. Which, given that Drew is an offscreen/on-the-phone character for most of the story, is a preposterous escalation towards danger. And it all ends happily with Rick not being dead, Lily leaving the career/lifestyle that apparently made her such a toxic person, and them deciding to go into business together. Because you can take the girl out of California, and also manage to take California out of the girl?
July 9, 2017
Lily Hinsdale, born and raised on California, inherited her grandmother's Vermont estate when she died. Lily works as a successful hotel designer for glamorous Utopia resorts. She pitches a "rustic" resort in VT on her grandmother's estate - and the property of the guy next door. Her bosses love the idea, so Lily heads to VT to convince her grandmother's neighbor to sell his property to Utopia.
Rick Stannard wants nothing but to live his life in solitude on his property in VT, where he makes maple syrup during the spring and barns for neighbors the rest of the year. Lily's plan to build a resort on his and her grandmother's properties puts him on the defensive and they clash immediately.
Of course, Rick and Lily are wildly attracted to each other, despite her fear of the wood and his contempt for large cities.
Probably the thing I was most amused by was Rick "teaching" Lily about maple syrup making. Since my husband and I have spent years in VT during sugaring season, which is also ski season, I know a bit about making maple syrup. DePetrillo's descriptions and explanations were so spot on that I read them aloud to my husband because I knew he'd appreciate them. :-)
Cute and fun. Some "evil" twists, some odd twists (Rick's pet is a coyote); an overall enjoyable book.
Rick Stannard wants nothing but to live his life in solitude on his property in VT, where he makes maple syrup during the spring and barns for neighbors the rest of the year. Lily's plan to build a resort on his and her grandmother's properties puts him on the defensive and they clash immediately.
Of course, Rick and Lily are wildly attracted to each other, despite her fear of the wood and his contempt for large cities.
Probably the thing I was most amused by was Rick "teaching" Lily about maple syrup making. Since my husband and I have spent years in VT during sugaring season, which is also ski season, I know a bit about making maple syrup. DePetrillo's descriptions and explanations were so spot on that I read them aloud to my husband because I knew he'd appreciate them. :-)
Cute and fun. Some "evil" twists, some odd twists (Rick's pet is a coyote); an overall enjoyable book.
June 7, 2017
Lily is a California girl through and through. As a designer for a resort building operation, she found the perfect opportunity to use the land left to her by her late grandmother to use; building an oasis in the woods of Vermont as a modern resort vacation.
Rick spent his time eating and drinking work. It helps when work consists of making maple syrup straight from the trees lining your property and your neighbor's in the Vermont woods. All is well until he meets his neighbor's granddaughter, who wants to buy his land to build a gaudy vacation nightmare; destroying the wilderness he calls home.
Drew, Lily's boss and on-again-off-again love interest was not pleased with the delay in getting the resort construction started. And he made sure to make his feelings and his presence very clear. Nevertheless, Lily and Rick realize they are both just as stubborn and find themselves bumping more than just heads. Will her job interfere with his livelihood?
~ a cute romance, perfect for a quick summer read. The characters are pleasant and the visual descriptions of the Vermont countryside is great.
Rick spent his time eating and drinking work. It helps when work consists of making maple syrup straight from the trees lining your property and your neighbor's in the Vermont woods. All is well until he meets his neighbor's granddaughter, who wants to buy his land to build a gaudy vacation nightmare; destroying the wilderness he calls home.
Drew, Lily's boss and on-again-off-again love interest was not pleased with the delay in getting the resort construction started. And he made sure to make his feelings and his presence very clear. Nevertheless, Lily and Rick realize they are both just as stubborn and find themselves bumping more than just heads. Will her job interfere with his livelihood?
~ a cute romance, perfect for a quick summer read. The characters are pleasant and the visual descriptions of the Vermont countryside is great.
August 29, 2019
Loved this book. First in the Maple Leaf Series. It’s FREE now.
I loved the characters. Aunt Joy, Sage and Hope.
Rick was great too. He was set in his ways. He lived the city life and left it for the simple life of Vermont. He had all he needed. His aunt, his cousins, and his coyote Poe. Until Lily came into his life and turned his life upside down. He wanted to rip it up, and make a resort where his home was. That was so not going to happen if he anything to say about it. She was a city girl through and through. But she was hiding behind something. He had to make her see this resort her company wanted to build wasn’t good for this area. His livelihood stood in the balance.
He didn’t see falling for her at all.
Lily hated the woods. She never told anyone what happened to her, but she found herself telling Rick.
He was set in his ways. She guessed she could understand that, but her company sent her to buy his land. Plus using her grandmothers land she left her it would be perfect. She wasn’t expecting to look at things his way. When her boss came to Vermont things became rather intense, and really downright bad.
Must read. I can’t wait to read the rest in the series.
I loved the characters. Aunt Joy, Sage and Hope.
Rick was great too. He was set in his ways. He lived the city life and left it for the simple life of Vermont. He had all he needed. His aunt, his cousins, and his coyote Poe. Until Lily came into his life and turned his life upside down. He wanted to rip it up, and make a resort where his home was. That was so not going to happen if he anything to say about it. She was a city girl through and through. But she was hiding behind something. He had to make her see this resort her company wanted to build wasn’t good for this area. His livelihood stood in the balance.
He didn’t see falling for her at all.
Lily hated the woods. She never told anyone what happened to her, but she found herself telling Rick.
He was set in his ways. She guessed she could understand that, but her company sent her to buy his land. Plus using her grandmothers land she left her it would be perfect. She wasn’t expecting to look at things his way. When her boss came to Vermont things became rather intense, and really downright bad.
Must read. I can’t wait to read the rest in the series.
March 3, 2019
Really enjoyed this book!
Rick, the "lumberjack" who sounds gorgeous whilst submitting to hermit tendencies and Lily the hardworking city girl are not your normal couple. Both have had their own traumas and run away from the causes, to find each other in the opposite odd what they want is adorable.
Drew is an interesting addition and his cameos are a fun diversion to what could otherwise become a little twee.
Joy, hope and sage aww as their name sales, a breadth of fresh air and a great example off strong women in the wilderness.
Loved the characters, the writing style was engaging and I'm sure I'll be coming back to Vermont!
Rick, the "lumberjack" who sounds gorgeous whilst submitting to hermit tendencies and Lily the hardworking city girl are not your normal couple. Both have had their own traumas and run away from the causes, to find each other in the opposite odd what they want is adorable.
Drew is an interesting addition and his cameos are a fun diversion to what could otherwise become a little twee.
Joy, hope and sage aww as their name sales, a breadth of fresh air and a great example off strong women in the wilderness.
Loved the characters, the writing style was engaging and I'm sure I'll be coming back to Vermont!
May 30, 2021
I love the setting in this book! Log cabins, maple syrup, small town life mixed with romance. However, I find the big city girl, small town boy trope a little redundant. Also, I don't mind romance in a book but I don't care for graphic detailed sexcapades where the entire focus is on their physical attraction and doesn't seem to go much deeper than that. I think this book is well-written, I just wish it would have been a bit less predictable and less steam more substance. I'm still giving it four stars because overall I really connected with the atmosphere and since I'm a very moody reader I liked it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2018
A True Romance Novel. Has a little bit of sexual content but other than that I truly enjoyed. Even though the romance between Rick and Lily developed withing a week, attraction is attraction. And his Aunt Joy, and cousins HOpe and Sage are a hoot. True Family. Hope and Sage are always giving cousin Ricky a hard time because he is suck a hermit. I would give my brother a hard time for being one if he was a hermit.
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