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Hometown #3
Hometown Girl Forever
Lizzie gave up her stressful job in Boston to embrace her love of all things country in Smithville PA. Her farm, a new job at the spa, and her pet alpacas are a dream come true, if only her meddling, matchmaking, socialite mother would back off.
Elliot, a successful architect from Washington, DC, designed the new spa, but he certainly hadn't envisioned the exotic bohemian style manager or her intriguing, demanding mother. Small town antics and his interest in Lizzie extend his visit to Smithville, but will the allure of country life draw him in for good?
Once again, Smithville’s folk interfere with plans at every turn, forcing Lizzie and Elliot to face their personal dilemmas and each other, head on.
Elliot, a successful architect from Washington, DC, designed the new spa, but he certainly hadn't envisioned the exotic bohemian style manager or her intriguing, demanding mother. Small town antics and his interest in Lizzie extend his visit to Smithville, but will the allure of country life draw him in for good?
Once again, Smithville’s folk interfere with plans at every turn, forcing Lizzie and Elliot to face their personal dilemmas and each other, head on.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 11, 2016
About the author
Kirsten Fullmer
14 books2,210 followersKirsten is a writer with a love of art and design. She worked in the engineering field, taught college, and consulted free lance. Due to health problems, she retired in 2012 to travel with her husband. They live and work full time in a 40' travel trailer with their little dog Bingo. Besides writing romance novels, she enjoys selling art on Etsy and spoiling their four grandchildren.
As a writer, Kirsten's goal is to create strong female characters who face challenging, painful, and sometimes comical situations. She believes that the best way to deal with struggle is through friendship and women helping women. She knows good stories are based on interesting and relatable characters.
As a writer, Kirsten's goal is to create strong female characters who face challenging, painful, and sometimes comical situations. She believes that the best way to deal with struggle is through friendship and women helping women. She knows good stories are based on interesting and relatable characters.
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July 11, 2018DNF at the start of Chapter 4
I am confused. A B&B that's a spa and also involves a farm with alpacas? Lizzie is running (or does she own the farm) but also helping out at the spa? There are huge numbers of women (only women??) helping out at the spa/B&B/alpaca farm/whatever and I simply couldn't keep things running straight in my mind.
The scene with Tara being nauseous was cut short and let me wondering what the heck was going on. There should have been a follow-on scene to give SOME explanation, not just 'Tara running out' and the next thing is she is merrily discussing curtains with Lizzie.
I liked Elliot though he seemed to have several different personas - the nervous architect ruled by his dad (who he refers to as 'Father' ;) ) the slick businessman wanting to see his latest creation and the rather obnoxious bloke who judges women by what they look like.
When I had to flick back the third time to work out where Lizzie was and who she was talking to, I decided to stop reading.
Not rating.
I am confused. A B&B that's a spa and also involves a farm with alpacas? Lizzie is running (or does she own the farm) but also helping out at the spa? There are huge numbers of women (only women??) helping out at the spa/B&B/alpaca farm/whatever and I simply couldn't keep things running straight in my mind.
The scene with Tara being nauseous was cut short and let me wondering what the heck was going on. There should have been a follow-on scene to give SOME explanation, not just 'Tara running out' and the next thing is she is merrily discussing curtains with Lizzie.
I liked Elliot though he seemed to have several different personas - the nervous architect ruled by his dad (who he refers to as 'Father' ;) ) the slick businessman wanting to see his latest creation and the rather obnoxious bloke who judges women by what they look like.
When I had to flick back the third time to work out where Lizzie was and who she was talking to, I decided to stop reading.
Not rating.
January 3, 2018
"Received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for a fair review"
2.5 stars
A naïve heroine, with a hippie streak, and a conventional hero (an architect) fall for each other against the backdrop of a small town and in the midst of family drama with an overbearing mother.
I thought the romantic relationship developed too quickly and the hero lost his attractive aloofness too soon.
There was a lot going on with the heroine’s family and friends and, in my opinion, Lizzie and her mother’s problematic story was given too much attention.
This story didn’t grab me, but other readers might like it.
I'm grateful to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing a free copy
2.5 stars
A naïve heroine, with a hippie streak, and a conventional hero (an architect) fall for each other against the backdrop of a small town and in the midst of family drama with an overbearing mother.
I thought the romantic relationship developed too quickly and the hero lost his attractive aloofness too soon.
There was a lot going on with the heroine’s family and friends and, in my opinion, Lizzie and her mother’s problematic story was given too much attention.
This story didn’t grab me, but other readers might like it.
I'm grateful to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing a free copy
November 30, 2017
Reading this book takes me back to those days when there wasn't social media yet, no smartphones to get addicted with, no hours upon hours of eye strain over touch screens and such. Hometown Girl Forever makes me feel younger again, away from the bustle and hustle of the city, and feel at home with nature and experience such tender loving care of country people.
I love how Lizzie decided to leave it all behind her and started something that made her happy, useful, content and fulfilled. I love her eccentricity and affiliation with weird, bizarre things. Having friends like Tara and Julia and the rest of the Spa girls in Smithville was a real treat. But having her intrusive mother around was like a nightmare! I can't believe how much of a meddlesome mother her Mom Beatrice was. I know it's wrong to hate her because I myself am a mom too, always concerned and looking after the well being of my children. But Lizzie's mom, she's a little too much. A little terrible, too much nasty.
Elliot, on the other hand, surprised me with his cool demeanor as time passed by. Sure I was a little taken aback by his aloofness at the beginning, being a city corporate boy as he was. But when he met Lizzie, he yielded and eventually crumbled like a cookie, accepting and enjoying the simple things life had to offer.
This has truly been a fun, fascinating and charming read. Hometown Girl Forever is a part of a series but can be read as a standalone. It was easy to fall in love with all the characters and feel like you'd known them your whole life. From Elliot, to Justine, to Mr. Chatterton and the rambunctious kids on the bus and drama theater group, and yes, even the alpacas had me smiling. Kirsten Fullmer's writing was riveting, she held my interest from beginning to end. This book is definitely something to read and ponder about!
I love how Lizzie decided to leave it all behind her and started something that made her happy, useful, content and fulfilled. I love her eccentricity and affiliation with weird, bizarre things. Having friends like Tara and Julia and the rest of the Spa girls in Smithville was a real treat. But having her intrusive mother around was like a nightmare! I can't believe how much of a meddlesome mother her Mom Beatrice was. I know it's wrong to hate her because I myself am a mom too, always concerned and looking after the well being of my children. But Lizzie's mom, she's a little too much. A little terrible, too much nasty.
Elliot, on the other hand, surprised me with his cool demeanor as time passed by. Sure I was a little taken aback by his aloofness at the beginning, being a city corporate boy as he was. But when he met Lizzie, he yielded and eventually crumbled like a cookie, accepting and enjoying the simple things life had to offer.
This has truly been a fun, fascinating and charming read. Hometown Girl Forever is a part of a series but can be read as a standalone. It was easy to fall in love with all the characters and feel like you'd known them your whole life. From Elliot, to Justine, to Mr. Chatterton and the rambunctious kids on the bus and drama theater group, and yes, even the alpacas had me smiling. Kirsten Fullmer's writing was riveting, she held my interest from beginning to end. This book is definitely something to read and ponder about!
Want to read
February 11, 2018💝 FREE on Amazon today (2/11/2018)! 💝
Blurb:
Lizzie gave up her stressful job in Boston to embrace her love of all things country in Smithville PA. Her farm, a new job at the spa, and her pet alpacas are a dream come true, if only her meddling, matchmaking, socialite mother would back off.
Elliot, a successful architect from Washington, DC, designed the new spa, but he certainly hadn't envisioned the exotic bohemian style manager or her intriguing, demanding mother. Small town antics and his interest in Lizzie extend his visit to Smithville, but will the allure of country life draw him in for good?
Once again, Smithville’s folk interfere with plans at every turn, forcing Lizzie and Elliot to face their personal dilemmas and each other, head on.
Blurb:
Lizzie gave up her stressful job in Boston to embrace her love of all things country in Smithville PA. Her farm, a new job at the spa, and her pet alpacas are a dream come true, if only her meddling, matchmaking, socialite mother would back off.
Elliot, a successful architect from Washington, DC, designed the new spa, but he certainly hadn't envisioned the exotic bohemian style manager or her intriguing, demanding mother. Small town antics and his interest in Lizzie extend his visit to Smithville, but will the allure of country life draw him in for good?
Once again, Smithville’s folk interfere with plans at every turn, forcing Lizzie and Elliot to face their personal dilemmas and each other, head on.
March 25, 2019
So I broke one of my cardinal rules and read this book out of order. It was on my KU, and it sounded cute! It is super cute, and now I want to read the rest of the series! If you love a quirky, small town, this a great book for you!
February 3, 2019
Hometown Girl Forever ( Hometown Series book 3)
This series keeps getting better and better as you go along. I haven't laughed so hard reading a book in a long time. Elliott is so much fun and I can totally related to Lizzie's love of a VW. And the carefree way that she dresses. This is a must read. Enjoy!
This series keeps getting better and better as you go along. I haven't laughed so hard reading a book in a long time. Elliott is so much fun and I can totally related to Lizzie's love of a VW. And the carefree way that she dresses. This is a must read. Enjoy!
June 11, 2020
On my! Each book just keeps getting better!
Loved this book! Elliot was awesome! Loved the alpacas and Lucky too! What a incredibly good storyline with a perfect ending!
Loved this book! Elliot was awesome! Loved the alpacas and Lucky too! What a incredibly good storyline with a perfect ending!
October 24, 2020
Review
I really like this series. Lizzie left her mother-chosen job, apartment and life in the city and bought a farm. She takes a job as manager at a newly built spa, buys some alpacas and a loom, and embraces her new life. When Elliot, the architect of the spa, comes to town to check out his design, sparks fly. But he's a big-city guy, exactly who her mother would approve of, so Lizzie tries not to fall for him. When her parents show up, there are fireworks, and tears, and confessions. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book!
I really like this series. Lizzie left her mother-chosen job, apartment and life in the city and bought a farm. She takes a job as manager at a newly built spa, buys some alpacas and a loom, and embraces her new life. When Elliot, the architect of the spa, comes to town to check out his design, sparks fly. But he's a big-city guy, exactly who her mother would approve of, so Lizzie tries not to fall for him. When her parents show up, there are fireworks, and tears, and confessions. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book!
April 27, 2019
Great read
Lovely story of redemption In a challenging family with a great romance and many funny moments. Read it in one setting.
Lovely story of redemption In a challenging family with a great romance and many funny moments. Read it in one setting.
April 19, 2020
Is The Country Better?
Once again, Ms. Fuller doesn’t fail to write an easy reading book. The cast of characters in Smithville keep growing. Lizzie moved from Boston, away from her helicopter mom’s watchful meddling. She will be working at he Inn’s spa. Elliott designed the spa. He is from Washington D.C. He arrives at the inn just in time to see the finishing touches on the spa & anxiously awaits the grand opening. Can a big city architect get along with Lizzie, who he thinks dresses like a gypsy & lives in a dilapidated farmhouse with her animals? This book is pure pleasure!
Once again, Ms. Fuller doesn’t fail to write an easy reading book. The cast of characters in Smithville keep growing. Lizzie moved from Boston, away from her helicopter mom’s watchful meddling. She will be working at he Inn’s spa. Elliott designed the spa. He is from Washington D.C. He arrives at the inn just in time to see the finishing touches on the spa & anxiously awaits the grand opening. Can a big city architect get along with Lizzie, who he thinks dresses like a gypsy & lives in a dilapidated farmhouse with her animals? This book is pure pleasure!
August 24, 2018
Hometown Girl Forever is the third book in the Hometown Girl series, and my favorite so far. I loved Elliot and Lizzy's story. Elliot and Lizzy are attracted to each other right away, and the attraction just kept heating up as the story moved along. But for me, Lizzy's mother and all of the towns people made this book entertaining for me. There are only two more books left in the series, and I'm already hating the series is about to come to an end. So, on to Christmas in Smithville. :-)
April 10, 2018
Delightful
She needed to escape from her mother's never-ending interference in her life. High society pleased her mother's snobbish standards but she had Bohemian tastes. Elliot was everything her mother could wish for for her daughter, having come from snobish background himself. He, however, was so impressed with the wayward daughter's individuality. A fun relaxing read.
She needed to escape from her mother's never-ending interference in her life. High society pleased her mother's snobbish standards but she had Bohemian tastes. Elliot was everything her mother could wish for for her daughter, having come from snobish background himself. He, however, was so impressed with the wayward daughter's individuality. A fun relaxing read.
May 24, 2018
Love of a Mother
This is a great romance story with all of the joys and sadness of life. The determination of a mother, the strong hand of a father and the desires of adult children trying to find their place in this life. Fascinating characters, great storyline and bits of humor that makes the reader keep turning pages. And still yet there is more to come.
This is a great romance story with all of the joys and sadness of life. The determination of a mother, the strong hand of a father and the desires of adult children trying to find their place in this life. Fascinating characters, great storyline and bits of humor that makes the reader keep turning pages. And still yet there is more to come.
November 16, 2021
Stay tough,keep following the path
This story had a few wild turns which all come together with happy results. Most enjoyable read one that had me exploring my life's wild turns. I haven't Bern as lucky as the stars of this story but I guess there is still time to enjoy the fruits of life with perseverance.
This story had a few wild turns which all come together with happy results. Most enjoyable read one that had me exploring my life's wild turns. I haven't Bern as lucky as the stars of this story but I guess there is still time to enjoy the fruits of life with perseverance.
April 4, 2022
I am really enjoying this series. The characters are real and complex. The plot twists and turns as each book - tho fine standalone - weave into the next in the series. I like that it keeps me guessing as to what is going on with the main characters, well into the book.
This is a wonderful series and I highly recommend it.
This is a wonderful series and I highly recommend it.
February 17, 2018
I voluntarily read a advanced reader's copy of this book.
Hometown Girl Forever by a new to me author Kirsten Fullmer. Took me awhile to get into this book but enjoyed the storyline and it had likable characters. I look forward to checking out more books by this author.
Hometown Girl Forever by a new to me author Kirsten Fullmer. Took me awhile to get into this book but enjoyed the storyline and it had likable characters. I look forward to checking out more books by this author.
June 27, 2019
Love Smithville
This little town is wonderful. Love reading about it and all of the wonderful characters. The author makes me want to move to a smaller community, but I don't think I will take on alpacas.
This little town is wonderful. Love reading about it and all of the wonderful characters. The author makes me want to move to a smaller community, but I don't think I will take on alpacas.
October 10, 2019
Fabulous
This story was such a great read,there isn'T words to describe it. It was well written . Elliott & Lizzie was such great characters, they it impossible to put the book down.The ending was a great surprise.Idefinitely will be reading more of this author's books.
This story was such a great read,there isn'T words to describe it. It was well written . Elliott & Lizzie was such great characters, they it impossible to put the book down.The ending was a great surprise.Idefinitely will be reading more of this author's books.
July 8, 2020
A charming tale
What a charming tale of finding out just who everyone really is even after thinking you already knew. You might just be captivated as it unfolds. Read during the stay safer at home orders of 2020 corona virus.
What a charming tale of finding out just who everyone really is even after thinking you already knew. You might just be captivated as it unfolds. Read during the stay safer at home orders of 2020 corona virus.
October 14, 2021
fun
This was a nice fun read about a city girl moving to the country. I have enjoyed all of this hometown girl series and fall in love with each character as they join the cast. Definitely give this series a try if you are looking for a nice, clean romance.
This was a nice fun read about a city girl moving to the country. I have enjoyed all of this hometown girl series and fall in love with each character as they join the cast. Definitely give this series a try if you are looking for a nice, clean romance.
March 25, 2018
Enjoyable read
Good book, nice length, relatable characters. It has a good pace to the story, no slow spots or too overly dramatic twists.
Good book, nice length, relatable characters. It has a good pace to the story, no slow spots or too overly dramatic twists.
April 1, 2019
One funny great read!
January 16, 2020
Somehow
Finding a way with parents makes finding a way with love look easy for Lizzie and Elliot they make it but barely. A fun story
Finding a way with parents makes finding a way with love look easy for Lizzie and Elliot they make it but barely. A fun story
June 16, 2020
Hometown girl
Funny,lovable.Enjoyed this story.had some interesting thoughts about my own mom,kind of hit home for me.But still enjoyed this story,thanks so much
Funny,lovable.Enjoyed this story.had some interesting thoughts about my own mom,kind of hit home for me.But still enjoyed this story,thanks so much
November 20, 2021
Great story
A sweet story, good read, laughter and tears, grown children and parents still having conflict but getting everything together by the end.
A sweet story, good read, laughter and tears, grown children and parents still having conflict but getting everything together by the end.
September 14, 2019
Love that the characters pick right back up from book 1 Kirsten is one of those authors, that make you feel, like the characters are long list friends.
September 25, 2019
Forever
This is a good story with many twists and turns that keeps you reading. The characters were complex and entertaining.
This is a good story with many twists and turns that keeps you reading. The characters were complex and entertaining.
April 11, 2018
Growing up with no communication
Lizzie felt growing up she was a constant disappointment to her mother. With a move to a rural area in another state she started over on her terms. Only to meet a man her mother would love. A good read for those enjoying a sweet love story.
Lizzie felt growing up she was a constant disappointment to her mother. With a move to a rural area in another state she started over on her terms. Only to meet a man her mother would love. A good read for those enjoying a sweet love story.
March 8, 2020
Full review posted at Reader's Edyn on 03/08/20
Lizzy has been suffocated by her parents her entire life. Maybe not quite so much from her father, but definitely her mother. Desperate for the social circles she’s never quite been accepted into, her mother has groomed her to obtain everything she never had but always wanted. Years later, Lizzy is tired of it. All she longs for is a simple small-town life away from the stress and hustle of the city. To do this, she must make dramatic changes to follow her heart. Problematic, her mother continues to plague her conscious thoughts and she never truly breaks free. Intent on doing the opposite of whatever her mother would approve of, she ends up confining herself in a new type of box. While she seems to be living the way she wants to, she still hesitates to make certain decisions because they would line up with her mother’s vision. Most recently those decision involve Elliott, designer of the spa she’s now managing. He throws her for a loop. Nothing like what she expected, he still represents what she left behind and saying yes to him would betray her vow never to return to that constricting existence. Or would it? When her parents unexpectedly crash her new life, shocking revelations eventually come to light, leaving Lizzy reeling from their implications. More confused than ever, she teeters continually where Elliott is concerned.
Elliott is a city boy through and through. Completely taken aback by the direction of the spa he designed, he quickly finds himself enchanted by Lizzy and the small town of Smithville. He’s used to catering to the sleek and sexy crowd of city socialites. He’s originally come for a short visit to check the progress of the spa and visit with his good friend Justin and his new bride. But in the blink of an eye, he starts to make plans with Justin for future business ventures. After a while he realizes this is a positive move which would also allow him to be close to Lizzy. He’s been going through the motions of working in his father’s architecture firm, and he’s good what he does, but he’s never had a passion for the business. With Lizzy’s inspiring influence and Justin’s cutting-edge ideas for the future, Elliott finally finds a spark of passion that’s been missing from his life. The trick is getting his father on board and eventually he will have to return to deal with his newly discovered hunger. The other desire ignited is far more than a spark and had everything to do with Lizzy. Elliott sees their potential and wants to move forward, but Lizzy is stuck in her own head. Luckily, Elliott is up for the challenge.
I didn’t originally intend on reading this book, but I recently participated in a blitz for this book on my blog and ended up with a copy. The premise was cute, so I decided to give it a read. Ultimately the book is cute and quirky, but there were several things that irritated me. Let’s get the annoying attributes out of the way first. For one, the word “clod” appears several times in close proximity. I do not have an issue with this word, but when it is used several times within a few paragraphs, it gets unnecessarily repetitive. Just something I picked up on that I didn’t care for. Additionally, there were several minor editing errors, so this book could definitely use another run through. I was always able to decipher what was meant, but the delay in reading due to the errors was unappreciated. There is also a glaring problem with how Lizzy makes the dramatic metamorphosis from big city socialite to country bumpkin. In the space of a year at night school she picks up certificates as a nail tech and masseuse. Sure, it’s possible. However, she also has a huge interest in several other subjects including looming alpaca wool and making homemade soaps; just to name a few. The likelihood that she would have accomplished so much in such a short amount of time is next to nil. So maybe she’s actually a genius in disguise? I don’t know. But all of her accomplishments occurring so quickly didn’t work. One of the characters ends up pregnant in the story. Generally, I do not have objections to pregnancy additions in a book. In this case, the news could have been a welcomed surprise. However, by the time the words were spoken, I was irritated. The signs were drawn out overlong and absolutely no one had a clue as to what was going on. Seriously? I figured it out after the first symptom. Not to mention there are a ton of hen-pecking women running about all throughout the days and not one of them picked up on things quicker? I don’t think so. This is a close-knit community and with the symptoms occurring, this revelation coming so late in the book seemed implausible.
My biggest annoyance was Lizzy’s mother, Beatrice. Good frickin grief! The woman is like a dog with a bone. She never gives Lizzy a break. But Lizzy just sits there taking the verbal punches; her friends trying to defend her without seeming rude; Elliott turning on the charm and winning Beatrice over. At one point I estimated that nearly half of the text was concerning both Beatrice and Lizzy’s adamant refusal to say yes to anything that remotely smelled like something her mother would approve of. I recently read a book akin to this one. The female lead was so caught up by a nickname she was given in grade school that she created a life in which she became someone she was – yet wasn’t. She followed her dreams and did what made her happy, but she never truly had achieved freedom from the clutches of the epithet because she was so busy trying to dodge anything that even slightly reminded her of that horrific name. She even almost lost the perfect guy for her because of the parallels between him and the moniker. This book was identical in this respect. Lizzy refuses to give in to her heart because Elliott is everything Beatrice would have approved of. Here’s the kicker though – she should have realized that although he may have encompassed much of what her mother sought out in the perfect guy, Elliott was also very much the opposite of that cookie cutter form. The things he participated in and supported were what drew Lizzy to him in the first place and instead of following her heart and the part of Elliott that drew her in, she just kept focusing on Beatrice’s overbearing wishes for her life. It got old after a while. In fact, at one point I began rolling my eyes each time Mommy was mentioned.
Now for the redeeming qualities. Lizzy’s father and then Beatrice. *gasp* Did I just write that? Why, yes. I did. The very being that annoyed me to no end ends up being an amazing character that I came to enjoy quite a lot once the claws were shed. I won’t go into details as I dislike writing in spoilers but suffice to say that when it’s all said and done, I nearly enjoyed Beatrice more than I did Lizzy. I know. It sounds ridiculous even to me. But I swear it’s the truth. Harold, her father, even ends up being a pretty cool guy. The revelations regarding their past and the motivations for why they were so caught up in maintaining a standing within society kind of makes sense. Not that I agreed with such drastic and dramatic actions, but at least an adequate excuse was provided. Just to throw an example to the dramatic change I give you the last line of the book … “You’re obviously going to need some help with this place.” Spoken by Beatrice … What the actual????? This is so not anything Beatrice would have said. And what does it mean? But this is the magic authors possess. A reader can be set on how they feel about a book and with the addition of one single line, everything shifts. It’s happened several times to me before. One line makes or breaks a book because I was hovering precariously on the tip of the fence post. And now I find myself needing to find out what the next book will bring. Ugh. I must sound like a lunatic.
Elliott’s cuss words were a hilarious addition! “Mother of Pearl” and “Holy sheepskin” just to mention a couple of them. I enjoy when an author can keep things lighthearted and avoid a bunch of F-bombs. It wasn’t necessary and Ms. Fullmer recognized this. Thank you for that. As far as the sensual scenes, they were present, but sweet and glossed over. No descriptions except to elude to what occurred without saying overmuch. True, I tend to read books that are more frequently erotic and beyond, but it is also nice to have a break at times from the smut. Not much, mind you, but a tiny break. 😊 Overall, this is a pretty cute story with some characters who are a bit odd. And I say “odd” with affection. This book is the third in a series and having not read the previous books, I assume these characters are recurring within the town of Smithville. The message is clear even though it took quite a bit of a journey to get there … Trust your heart and above all follow your heart. Do not allow others to force their wishes and ideals on you. Live for what makes you happy and fills you up. No one can hold power over you and rule your life if you don’t allow them to. Despite the vexing qualities within these pages, I still successfully gleaned the silver lining. And much to my own astonishment, I actually want to read the next book to find out what Lizzy’s parents do.
Kindle version provided by Expresso Book Tours/Author in exchange for an honest review.
Lizzy has been suffocated by her parents her entire life. Maybe not quite so much from her father, but definitely her mother. Desperate for the social circles she’s never quite been accepted into, her mother has groomed her to obtain everything she never had but always wanted. Years later, Lizzy is tired of it. All she longs for is a simple small-town life away from the stress and hustle of the city. To do this, she must make dramatic changes to follow her heart. Problematic, her mother continues to plague her conscious thoughts and she never truly breaks free. Intent on doing the opposite of whatever her mother would approve of, she ends up confining herself in a new type of box. While she seems to be living the way she wants to, she still hesitates to make certain decisions because they would line up with her mother’s vision. Most recently those decision involve Elliott, designer of the spa she’s now managing. He throws her for a loop. Nothing like what she expected, he still represents what she left behind and saying yes to him would betray her vow never to return to that constricting existence. Or would it? When her parents unexpectedly crash her new life, shocking revelations eventually come to light, leaving Lizzy reeling from their implications. More confused than ever, she teeters continually where Elliott is concerned.
Elliott is a city boy through and through. Completely taken aback by the direction of the spa he designed, he quickly finds himself enchanted by Lizzy and the small town of Smithville. He’s used to catering to the sleek and sexy crowd of city socialites. He’s originally come for a short visit to check the progress of the spa and visit with his good friend Justin and his new bride. But in the blink of an eye, he starts to make plans with Justin for future business ventures. After a while he realizes this is a positive move which would also allow him to be close to Lizzy. He’s been going through the motions of working in his father’s architecture firm, and he’s good what he does, but he’s never had a passion for the business. With Lizzy’s inspiring influence and Justin’s cutting-edge ideas for the future, Elliott finally finds a spark of passion that’s been missing from his life. The trick is getting his father on board and eventually he will have to return to deal with his newly discovered hunger. The other desire ignited is far more than a spark and had everything to do with Lizzy. Elliott sees their potential and wants to move forward, but Lizzy is stuck in her own head. Luckily, Elliott is up for the challenge.
I didn’t originally intend on reading this book, but I recently participated in a blitz for this book on my blog and ended up with a copy. The premise was cute, so I decided to give it a read. Ultimately the book is cute and quirky, but there were several things that irritated me. Let’s get the annoying attributes out of the way first. For one, the word “clod” appears several times in close proximity. I do not have an issue with this word, but when it is used several times within a few paragraphs, it gets unnecessarily repetitive. Just something I picked up on that I didn’t care for. Additionally, there were several minor editing errors, so this book could definitely use another run through. I was always able to decipher what was meant, but the delay in reading due to the errors was unappreciated. There is also a glaring problem with how Lizzy makes the dramatic metamorphosis from big city socialite to country bumpkin. In the space of a year at night school she picks up certificates as a nail tech and masseuse. Sure, it’s possible. However, she also has a huge interest in several other subjects including looming alpaca wool and making homemade soaps; just to name a few. The likelihood that she would have accomplished so much in such a short amount of time is next to nil. So maybe she’s actually a genius in disguise? I don’t know. But all of her accomplishments occurring so quickly didn’t work. One of the characters ends up pregnant in the story. Generally, I do not have objections to pregnancy additions in a book. In this case, the news could have been a welcomed surprise. However, by the time the words were spoken, I was irritated. The signs were drawn out overlong and absolutely no one had a clue as to what was going on. Seriously? I figured it out after the first symptom. Not to mention there are a ton of hen-pecking women running about all throughout the days and not one of them picked up on things quicker? I don’t think so. This is a close-knit community and with the symptoms occurring, this revelation coming so late in the book seemed implausible.
My biggest annoyance was Lizzy’s mother, Beatrice. Good frickin grief! The woman is like a dog with a bone. She never gives Lizzy a break. But Lizzy just sits there taking the verbal punches; her friends trying to defend her without seeming rude; Elliott turning on the charm and winning Beatrice over. At one point I estimated that nearly half of the text was concerning both Beatrice and Lizzy’s adamant refusal to say yes to anything that remotely smelled like something her mother would approve of. I recently read a book akin to this one. The female lead was so caught up by a nickname she was given in grade school that she created a life in which she became someone she was – yet wasn’t. She followed her dreams and did what made her happy, but she never truly had achieved freedom from the clutches of the epithet because she was so busy trying to dodge anything that even slightly reminded her of that horrific name. She even almost lost the perfect guy for her because of the parallels between him and the moniker. This book was identical in this respect. Lizzy refuses to give in to her heart because Elliott is everything Beatrice would have approved of. Here’s the kicker though – she should have realized that although he may have encompassed much of what her mother sought out in the perfect guy, Elliott was also very much the opposite of that cookie cutter form. The things he participated in and supported were what drew Lizzy to him in the first place and instead of following her heart and the part of Elliott that drew her in, she just kept focusing on Beatrice’s overbearing wishes for her life. It got old after a while. In fact, at one point I began rolling my eyes each time Mommy was mentioned.
Now for the redeeming qualities. Lizzy’s father and then Beatrice. *gasp* Did I just write that? Why, yes. I did. The very being that annoyed me to no end ends up being an amazing character that I came to enjoy quite a lot once the claws were shed. I won’t go into details as I dislike writing in spoilers but suffice to say that when it’s all said and done, I nearly enjoyed Beatrice more than I did Lizzy. I know. It sounds ridiculous even to me. But I swear it’s the truth. Harold, her father, even ends up being a pretty cool guy. The revelations regarding their past and the motivations for why they were so caught up in maintaining a standing within society kind of makes sense. Not that I agreed with such drastic and dramatic actions, but at least an adequate excuse was provided. Just to throw an example to the dramatic change I give you the last line of the book … “You’re obviously going to need some help with this place.” Spoken by Beatrice … What the actual????? This is so not anything Beatrice would have said. And what does it mean? But this is the magic authors possess. A reader can be set on how they feel about a book and with the addition of one single line, everything shifts. It’s happened several times to me before. One line makes or breaks a book because I was hovering precariously on the tip of the fence post. And now I find myself needing to find out what the next book will bring. Ugh. I must sound like a lunatic.
Elliott’s cuss words were a hilarious addition! “Mother of Pearl” and “Holy sheepskin” just to mention a couple of them. I enjoy when an author can keep things lighthearted and avoid a bunch of F-bombs. It wasn’t necessary and Ms. Fullmer recognized this. Thank you for that. As far as the sensual scenes, they were present, but sweet and glossed over. No descriptions except to elude to what occurred without saying overmuch. True, I tend to read books that are more frequently erotic and beyond, but it is also nice to have a break at times from the smut. Not much, mind you, but a tiny break. 😊 Overall, this is a pretty cute story with some characters who are a bit odd. And I say “odd” with affection. This book is the third in a series and having not read the previous books, I assume these characters are recurring within the town of Smithville. The message is clear even though it took quite a bit of a journey to get there … Trust your heart and above all follow your heart. Do not allow others to force their wishes and ideals on you. Live for what makes you happy and fills you up. No one can hold power over you and rule your life if you don’t allow them to. Despite the vexing qualities within these pages, I still successfully gleaned the silver lining. And much to my own astonishment, I actually want to read the next book to find out what Lizzy’s parents do.
Kindle version provided by Expresso Book Tours/Author in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2018
Lizzie and Elliot's story was a great end to a superb trilogy.it was a fun clean read and held my interest all the way through.These two were super characters and were just so great and perfect for each other a great read I really liked it.
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