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No Place Like Home
Two hearts. One home?
Ellie Laing has a very good reason to want to stay her last relationship put her in danger. And she’s worried that while the physical scars will heal, the emotional ones never can. So, travelling to Kansas for her best friend Sandy’s wedding, Ellie’s in need of some time alone. And Sandy’s brother Ben’s rural and idyllic ranch seems like the perfect place for it. Ben comes with his own baggage – a failed marriage in his past, and a big question mark over his future – and he knows the feelings he had for Ellie belong firmly in the history books. But, sitting on his porch with her, he’s never felt more at home. Both of them swore they were better off alone… yet is it possible that two broken hearts could come together to heal?
Ellie Laing has a very good reason to want to stay her last relationship put her in danger. And she’s worried that while the physical scars will heal, the emotional ones never can. So, travelling to Kansas for her best friend Sandy’s wedding, Ellie’s in need of some time alone. And Sandy’s brother Ben’s rural and idyllic ranch seems like the perfect place for it. Ben comes with his own baggage – a failed marriage in his past, and a big question mark over his future – and he knows the feelings he had for Ellie belong firmly in the history books. But, sitting on his porch with her, he’s never felt more at home. Both of them swore they were better off alone… yet is it possible that two broken hearts could come together to heal?
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2011
41 people are currently reading
174 people want to read
About the author
Maxine Morrey
28 books313 followersMaxine has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember and wrote her first (very short) book for school when she was ten. Coming in first, she won a handful of book tokens – perfect for a bookworm!
As years went by, she continued to write, but ‘normal’ work often got in the way. She has written articles on a variety of subjects, as well as a book on Brighton for a Local History publisher. However, novels are what she loves writing the most. After self publishing her first novel when a contract fell through, thanks to the recession, she continued to look for opportunities.
In August 2015, she won Harper Collins/Carina UK’s ‘Write Christmas’ competition with her romantic comedy, ‘Winter’s Fairytale’.
Maxine lives on the south coast of England, and when not wrangling with words loves to read sew and listen to podcasts. As she also likes cake she can also be found either walking or doing something vaguely physical at the gym.
As years went by, she continued to write, but ‘normal’ work often got in the way. She has written articles on a variety of subjects, as well as a book on Brighton for a Local History publisher. However, novels are what she loves writing the most. After self publishing her first novel when a contract fell through, thanks to the recession, she continued to look for opportunities.
In August 2015, she won Harper Collins/Carina UK’s ‘Write Christmas’ competition with her romantic comedy, ‘Winter’s Fairytale’.
Maxine lives on the south coast of England, and when not wrangling with words loves to read sew and listen to podcasts. As she also likes cake she can also be found either walking or doing something vaguely physical at the gym.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 13, 2019
4☆ Survival and Finding Love!
No Place Like Home is a Heartwarming and poignant read about survival, the effects of domestic abuse, starting over, learning to trust again, finding love, heartbreak, family and friendship.
The blurb pretty much sums up what this beautifully compelling book is about.
So I won't go into any more detail.
I really loved Ellie and Ben's characters.
Ellie has gone through so much after being in such an abusive relationship. It was so wonderful to watch her grow stronger as she slowly learns to trust again and find happiness.
Ben is Ellie's best friend Sandy's brother.
The two become even closer when Ellie and Sandy move into his Ranch for the wedding.
Ben has his flaws and insecurities but watching how he cares for Ellie was so touching it melted my heart.
The two have an obvious connection.
But after being so badly hurt in the past, can they ever let their guard down and move their friendship to the next level?
They both so deserve to be happy.
There are some sensitive subjects such as domestic abuse and violence but Maxine handles them with the right amount of sensitivity and relevance to the story.
No Place Like Home is a compelling and heart warming story about two friends that learn to love again after so much heartache and pain.
The story is told over several years, which makes for a slower but emotive read, it's perfectly paced.
The Characters are well thought out and developed, deeply flawed yet strong and relatable, I was rooting for them to find their Happy Ever After together.
I really enjoyed watching the relationship aspect blossom.
I applaud Maxine for taking a difficult and sensitive subject and highlighting the mental and physical effects and scars abuse leaves behind, and how hard it is to rebuild and trust again.
Overall I highly recommend No Place Like Home if you enjoy contemporary romances with a western twist, that makes for a compulsive and emotive read.
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
No Place Like Home is a Heartwarming and poignant read about survival, the effects of domestic abuse, starting over, learning to trust again, finding love, heartbreak, family and friendship.
The blurb pretty much sums up what this beautifully compelling book is about.
So I won't go into any more detail.
I really loved Ellie and Ben's characters.
Ellie has gone through so much after being in such an abusive relationship. It was so wonderful to watch her grow stronger as she slowly learns to trust again and find happiness.
Ben is Ellie's best friend Sandy's brother.
The two become even closer when Ellie and Sandy move into his Ranch for the wedding.
Ben has his flaws and insecurities but watching how he cares for Ellie was so touching it melted my heart.
The two have an obvious connection.
But after being so badly hurt in the past, can they ever let their guard down and move their friendship to the next level?
They both so deserve to be happy.
There are some sensitive subjects such as domestic abuse and violence but Maxine handles them with the right amount of sensitivity and relevance to the story.
No Place Like Home is a compelling and heart warming story about two friends that learn to love again after so much heartache and pain.
The story is told over several years, which makes for a slower but emotive read, it's perfectly paced.
The Characters are well thought out and developed, deeply flawed yet strong and relatable, I was rooting for them to find their Happy Ever After together.
I really enjoyed watching the relationship aspect blossom.
I applaud Maxine for taking a difficult and sensitive subject and highlighting the mental and physical effects and scars abuse leaves behind, and how hard it is to rebuild and trust again.
Overall I highly recommend No Place Like Home if you enjoy contemporary romances with a western twist, that makes for a compulsive and emotive read.
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
August 1, 2019
I was genuinely shocked, when I looked up this book in order to write the review, to discover is being published by a Harlequin imprint, because in my experience of late, Harlequin books are really well edited, and this is frankly a hot mess of head-hopping, confusing time skips and way too many side characters. And that's if you can get past the almost-fatal domestic assault perpetrated on the heroine right at the start of the book.
Was it really necessary, for example, for us to find out the first name of the doctor who treats the hero's brother-in-law for a serious head injury, who only appears in one scene? And was it REALLY necessary to slip into said doctor's point of view for one page, solely so that the doctor can think about how cute the main couple look together?
All this came at the expense of character building such that at the end of the book I could tell you little about the heroine other than that she was some sort of artist. There were plot holes galore, like the heroine’s parents not being invited to the wedding of her best friend, who was ‘like a second daughter’ to them, but instead the heroine brought Kate, a random female friend whose sole purpose was to hook up with Tyler, the hero's friend who was there to… actually, I don't think there was any point to Tyler at all apart from adding to the word count.
There might have been a good story in here somewhere, but it needs a ruthless editor with a red pen to cut out all the extraneous filler to find it, and it would probably be barely half as long afterwards. Two stars.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
Was it really necessary, for example, for us to find out the first name of the doctor who treats the hero's brother-in-law for a serious head injury, who only appears in one scene? And was it REALLY necessary to slip into said doctor's point of view for one page, solely so that the doctor can think about how cute the main couple look together?
All this came at the expense of character building such that at the end of the book I could tell you little about the heroine other than that she was some sort of artist. There were plot holes galore, like the heroine’s parents not being invited to the wedding of her best friend, who was ‘like a second daughter’ to them, but instead the heroine brought Kate, a random female friend whose sole purpose was to hook up with Tyler, the hero's friend who was there to… actually, I don't think there was any point to Tyler at all apart from adding to the word count.
There might have been a good story in here somewhere, but it needs a ruthless editor with a red pen to cut out all the extraneous filler to find it, and it would probably be barely half as long afterwards. Two stars.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley.
March 12, 2019
I'm going to start by saying if domestic violence is a trigger for you, be aware that this story starts with a dramatic abusive confrontation that results in the heroine being rescued by the police and her attacker being taken into custody. There is no further violence in the story though it does share just what the long term impact of being the victim of such abuse can be.
After such a dramatic start, what a delightful contemporary romance this proved to be - I loved it! Eleanor (aka Ellie) had spent many years of her childhood and teens living next door to her best friend, Sandy, before returning back to London. They've always kept in touch and their families are all close. It is to them that Ellie goes after escaping an abusive relationship, battered both physically and mentally. There, she can't believe the attraction she feels to Sandy's caring older brother, country star Ben . . . . Ben can't get over the sight of his sister's best friend, Ellie, looking so battered, bruised and fragile and just wants to protect her. However, he's married to someone else so can't possibly act on the attraction seeing her again generates . . . .Both put each other firmly in the friends box and go their separate ways again.
Now Sandy is getting married and Ellie - and her friend, Kate - are going to stay at Ben's ranch for three weeks on holiday and attending the wedding. Ben's marriage has ended. Is this the second chance for the two to find true love together or will the past hurts and fears keep them apart?
This is a lovely, heartwarming story, with the beautiful Kansas countryside brought to life in the setting for many of the events. It deals sensitively with the impacts of betrayal and abusive relationships and is a story of strong friendships, supportive families and love for not just one but for three different couples. It is a great story to escape into with characters it is easy to relate to, plenty of surprises and some dramatic twists to keep you turning the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and have no hesitation in highly recommending it to anyone who enjoys contemporary friends to lovers romances where the events take place over an extended time period.
I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.
After such a dramatic start, what a delightful contemporary romance this proved to be - I loved it! Eleanor (aka Ellie) had spent many years of her childhood and teens living next door to her best friend, Sandy, before returning back to London. They've always kept in touch and their families are all close. It is to them that Ellie goes after escaping an abusive relationship, battered both physically and mentally. There, she can't believe the attraction she feels to Sandy's caring older brother, country star Ben . . . . Ben can't get over the sight of his sister's best friend, Ellie, looking so battered, bruised and fragile and just wants to protect her. However, he's married to someone else so can't possibly act on the attraction seeing her again generates . . . .Both put each other firmly in the friends box and go their separate ways again.
Now Sandy is getting married and Ellie - and her friend, Kate - are going to stay at Ben's ranch for three weeks on holiday and attending the wedding. Ben's marriage has ended. Is this the second chance for the two to find true love together or will the past hurts and fears keep them apart?
This is a lovely, heartwarming story, with the beautiful Kansas countryside brought to life in the setting for many of the events. It deals sensitively with the impacts of betrayal and abusive relationships and is a story of strong friendships, supportive families and love for not just one but for three different couples. It is a great story to escape into with characters it is easy to relate to, plenty of surprises and some dramatic twists to keep you turning the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and have no hesitation in highly recommending it to anyone who enjoys contemporary friends to lovers romances where the events take place over an extended time period.
I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.
March 31, 2019
The opening to this story really grabbed me and made for some uncomfortable reading. When Ellie goes back to Kansas for some much needed recuperation staying at her best friend Sandy’s house, the story starts to become a lot more comfortable. In fact I got a whole lot wrapped up in Ellie’s life and the blossoming relationship between her and Ben.
Ben I loved. I liked the fact that even though he is part of a famous country band, the author doesn’t really delve into that side of things, concentrating more on the relationship and home life. It really makes for some wholesome reading as I enjoyed Ben and Sandy’s family as it was so inviting.
I loved the setting in Kansas, especially Ben’s home which I could easily visualise. The author certainly managed to transport me there as if I was experiencing and seeing everything that Ellie was. If anything I didn’t want to leave. Was more than happy to stay there.
No Place Like Home, whilst not my usual genre of book, was a much welcomed change that I enjoyed very much. It was also a good introduction to a new author to me. I liked the blend of friendship and romance and the ending left me with a warm glow which is always a great feeling to come away with. Look forward to reading more by the author.
Ben I loved. I liked the fact that even though he is part of a famous country band, the author doesn’t really delve into that side of things, concentrating more on the relationship and home life. It really makes for some wholesome reading as I enjoyed Ben and Sandy’s family as it was so inviting.
I loved the setting in Kansas, especially Ben’s home which I could easily visualise. The author certainly managed to transport me there as if I was experiencing and seeing everything that Ellie was. If anything I didn’t want to leave. Was more than happy to stay there.
No Place Like Home, whilst not my usual genre of book, was a much welcomed change that I enjoyed very much. It was also a good introduction to a new author to me. I liked the blend of friendship and romance and the ending left me with a warm glow which is always a great feeling to come away with. Look forward to reading more by the author.
January 6, 2020
I love this authors Christmas books. Absolutely adore them and read them every year.
This book, however, was all over the place for me. POVs changed in the same chapter between so many characters that it made my head spin.
There were scenes from the past that I only caught on the 4th or 5th sentence. For the most part, there was no separation between past and present day. In general, reading it gave me whiplash.
The idea for the story is good but, in this case, fell flat.
This book, however, was all over the place for me. POVs changed in the same chapter between so many characters that it made my head spin.
There were scenes from the past that I only caught on the 4th or 5th sentence. For the most part, there was no separation between past and present day. In general, reading it gave me whiplash.
The idea for the story is good but, in this case, fell flat.
January 13, 2017
Good Easy Reading
A good and enjoyable read if you are looking for something fun and simple for a day on the sofa.
A good and enjoyable read if you are looking for something fun and simple for a day on the sofa.
March 15, 2019
I could not have been happier to have been asked to take part in this blog tour. I really love Maxine Morrey's novels, and in particular the new direction she has taken (I love her light hearted romance novels, but I am really loving her newer, grittier novels - check out my review of Second Chance at the Ranch)
If i'm honest, i'm not sure the blurb really does this novel justice. There is a darker side to this novel which is not really covered there, but it explores the after effects of domestic abuse and how it can affect someones future. Ellie Laing is such a strong character, but this novel really highlights how the strongest of people can be broken, even when there are no longer any physical signs of pain. I loved the character of Ellie. She is beautiful and resilient, fighting against the things that have happened to her in the hope that she can build herself a normal life. In order to do so, she works hard whilst surrounding herself with her closest friends, Sandy, Kate and Zak.
Ben is a highly successful musician who also happens to be Sandy's older brother. Sandy and Ellie were so close, next door neighbours who were relied on each other and each others families as they grew up together. Even when Ellie and her family returned to England, their bond remained. As a result, so did Ben and Ellie's. Their easy closeness, like family, pulls them together at such important times in their lives when they really need each other.
The characters in this novel are so well thought out. Maxine has really brought them to life, particularly by bringing their internal pain to the forefront. We are often not defined by our happy times, but by how we cope with pain and suffering and I feel that she captures this within her novel perfectly. Ben and Ellie's budding romance is beautifully flawed by indecision, lack of confidence and concern about how things will change. Its realistically imperfect, just how all relationships are.
I loved this novel, and am more than happy to recommend it to you all. If you haven't already discovered Maxine Morrey, then this is your chance!
Thank you to Maxine Morrey and Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour, and for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel.
If i'm honest, i'm not sure the blurb really does this novel justice. There is a darker side to this novel which is not really covered there, but it explores the after effects of domestic abuse and how it can affect someones future. Ellie Laing is such a strong character, but this novel really highlights how the strongest of people can be broken, even when there are no longer any physical signs of pain. I loved the character of Ellie. She is beautiful and resilient, fighting against the things that have happened to her in the hope that she can build herself a normal life. In order to do so, she works hard whilst surrounding herself with her closest friends, Sandy, Kate and Zak.
Ben is a highly successful musician who also happens to be Sandy's older brother. Sandy and Ellie were so close, next door neighbours who were relied on each other and each others families as they grew up together. Even when Ellie and her family returned to England, their bond remained. As a result, so did Ben and Ellie's. Their easy closeness, like family, pulls them together at such important times in their lives when they really need each other.
The characters in this novel are so well thought out. Maxine has really brought them to life, particularly by bringing their internal pain to the forefront. We are often not defined by our happy times, but by how we cope with pain and suffering and I feel that she captures this within her novel perfectly. Ben and Ellie's budding romance is beautifully flawed by indecision, lack of confidence and concern about how things will change. Its realistically imperfect, just how all relationships are.
I loved this novel, and am more than happy to recommend it to you all. If you haven't already discovered Maxine Morrey, then this is your chance!
Thank you to Maxine Morrey and Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour, and for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel.
February 13, 2019
Before we get into my review of No Place Like Home by Maxine Morrey, I want to warn you this book contains scenes of domestic violence, and while it is a very small part of the book, it is important to the storyline. So if you do not want to read about domestic violence, then this book is not for you.
***
This is the first Maxine Morrey book I have ever read, but she had been recommended to me by several of my friends from home (England), so I thought that I would jump at the chance to read her latest book. Now rather than get into the synopsis of the story, I’m just going to tell you about my personal feelings.
No Place Like Home starts in an absolutely horrific way, with domestic violence, and I have to admit that it was a complete shock for me to read it. But once I got past that first chapter, I could see where it fit into the book, but my heart definitely broke for the female lead character Ellie, and I felt blessed for her that she had such amazing friends like Zak and Sandy! Then there is Ben, Sandy’s brother and the male lead in the book, and his story is heartbreaking too, though in a completely different way.
I will also say that I’m so happy that the secondary characters also had such a big impact on this story. Though to tell you the truth, I could have totally done without seeing Cyndi ever again.
No Place Like Home was an absolute joy to read, and Maxine Morrey has definitely been added to my auto-buy like, as her writing is absolutely magical!
I give No Place Like Home 5 stars!
***
This is the first Maxine Morrey book I have ever read, but she had been recommended to me by several of my friends from home (England), so I thought that I would jump at the chance to read her latest book. Now rather than get into the synopsis of the story, I’m just going to tell you about my personal feelings.
No Place Like Home starts in an absolutely horrific way, with domestic violence, and I have to admit that it was a complete shock for me to read it. But once I got past that first chapter, I could see where it fit into the book, but my heart definitely broke for the female lead character Ellie, and I felt blessed for her that she had such amazing friends like Zak and Sandy! Then there is Ben, Sandy’s brother and the male lead in the book, and his story is heartbreaking too, though in a completely different way.
I will also say that I’m so happy that the secondary characters also had such a big impact on this story. Though to tell you the truth, I could have totally done without seeing Cyndi ever again.
No Place Like Home was an absolute joy to read, and Maxine Morrey has definitely been added to my auto-buy like, as her writing is absolutely magical!
I give No Place Like Home 5 stars!
March 18, 2019
Eleanor Laing finds herself in a situation where she needs to find a place to stay. She needs to leave her live in boyfriend or she will not be around any longer to be able to live a happy healthy life. Her best friend and boss, Zak has suggested that she go to stay with her best friend in the United States for a while to recover and get back on her feet. Eleanor’s family lived in the Kansas for a few years where she met Sandy and her family. They became best friends and still keep in touch regularly. Eleanor’s family moved back to England when she was a teen, but the connection between Eleanor and Sandy was too strong to end. Eleanor always looked at Sandy’s family as her second family and felt that she would be able to heal being surrounded by them. Not only does tragedy strike Eleanor at home, but her best friend Sandy goes through a tragic time as well, and Eleanor goes back to Kansas to be there for Sandy.
Ben, Sandy’s older brother was always around when the girls were younger and they both always looked up to him. He is a kindhearted man who even now that he is in a famous country band, is still kind and down to earth. Eleanor and Ben will put in a situation where their friendship starts to change. Ben has his own relationship issues, and is not in the market for a new relationship.
This was a story of two people who have to overcome issues to find their true future and happily ever after. Their paths will cross multiple times before they figure out that they are meant to be. Even with the rough parts of relationships that they encounter, this is a sweet story of two people who move from friendship to love.
I liked the book. This was my first book by Maxine Morrey. I found the story to be a wordy and hard to keep interested at times. It seemed to have a long stretch of time before the couple found themselves together. They spent years away from each other but there didn’t seem to be much about what they were doing during that time. I give the book a 3.5-star review and would recommend it to readers who enjoy sweet contemporary romance, although there is a little darkness in the beginning.
Ben, Sandy’s older brother was always around when the girls were younger and they both always looked up to him. He is a kindhearted man who even now that he is in a famous country band, is still kind and down to earth. Eleanor and Ben will put in a situation where their friendship starts to change. Ben has his own relationship issues, and is not in the market for a new relationship.
This was a story of two people who have to overcome issues to find their true future and happily ever after. Their paths will cross multiple times before they figure out that they are meant to be. Even with the rough parts of relationships that they encounter, this is a sweet story of two people who move from friendship to love.
I liked the book. This was my first book by Maxine Morrey. I found the story to be a wordy and hard to keep interested at times. It seemed to have a long stretch of time before the couple found themselves together. They spent years away from each other but there didn’t seem to be much about what they were doing during that time. I give the book a 3.5-star review and would recommend it to readers who enjoy sweet contemporary romance, although there is a little darkness in the beginning.
April 11, 2019
LOVED this! I have read a few of Maxine's books and they are my go to when I want an easy feel good read that keeps me up into the early hours. There is nothing better than a book that grips you from the first page and this is one of them!
This story has everything, friendship, family, love and healing. It covers serious issues of domestic violence which Maxine writes really well, I will admit I didn’t enjoy reading this section (who would? I know..) but it is an important part of the plot. The story focuses on Ellie’s survival and learning to trust and love again.
After a traumatic time Ellie agrees to head back to Kansas to stay with her best friend Sandy and use the time to heal. Sandy and Ellie have been friends since they were children when Ellie and her family lived in Kansas, even after returning back to the UK Ellie and Sandy's friendship remained solid. I really enjoyed reading the story through Ellie’s eyes, a rollercoaster of emotions jumped out of the pages, following Ellie's journey to rebuild her confidence and let go of the pain.
Lead guitarist in a successful country band is Ben but to Ellie he will always be Sandy’s brother. Recently divorced Ben is trying to figure out his life as a single man again. Hearing of Ellie being back in Kansas brings back all those feelings from long ago that he thought he had buried away. I know I say it after every book but Ben is my new favourite…! Ha! Maxine created a wholesome, loyal and kind character in Ben, a family man who although is famous is also grounded and we thank you Maxine for him!
This book was everything I knew it would be and more, I loved the friendship between Sandy and Ellie, the closeness of their relationship was nice to read. I loved the humour that was used throughout the book, the scenes between Ellie and Ben were my favourite, the chemistry between them was at times sizzling and sweet and other times sooo frustrating I wanted to jump into the pages and knock their heads together. Maxine's descriptions of Kansas made me want to be there, sitting on the porch of a beautiful ranch enjoying homemade lemonade with a singer cowboy! Don't mind if I do...!
This is a heartwarming read, focusing on rebuilding yourself, learning to trust and love again and letting people into your life. Maxine’s style of writing is fantastic, I love the balance of a nitty gritty storyline, with an easy read romance and not forgetting some great humour thrown in too. Don't stop writing Maxine!
This story has everything, friendship, family, love and healing. It covers serious issues of domestic violence which Maxine writes really well, I will admit I didn’t enjoy reading this section (who would? I know..) but it is an important part of the plot. The story focuses on Ellie’s survival and learning to trust and love again.
After a traumatic time Ellie agrees to head back to Kansas to stay with her best friend Sandy and use the time to heal. Sandy and Ellie have been friends since they were children when Ellie and her family lived in Kansas, even after returning back to the UK Ellie and Sandy's friendship remained solid. I really enjoyed reading the story through Ellie’s eyes, a rollercoaster of emotions jumped out of the pages, following Ellie's journey to rebuild her confidence and let go of the pain.
Lead guitarist in a successful country band is Ben but to Ellie he will always be Sandy’s brother. Recently divorced Ben is trying to figure out his life as a single man again. Hearing of Ellie being back in Kansas brings back all those feelings from long ago that he thought he had buried away. I know I say it after every book but Ben is my new favourite…! Ha! Maxine created a wholesome, loyal and kind character in Ben, a family man who although is famous is also grounded and we thank you Maxine for him!
This book was everything I knew it would be and more, I loved the friendship between Sandy and Ellie, the closeness of their relationship was nice to read. I loved the humour that was used throughout the book, the scenes between Ellie and Ben were my favourite, the chemistry between them was at times sizzling and sweet and other times sooo frustrating I wanted to jump into the pages and knock their heads together. Maxine's descriptions of Kansas made me want to be there, sitting on the porch of a beautiful ranch enjoying homemade lemonade with a singer cowboy! Don't mind if I do...!
This is a heartwarming read, focusing on rebuilding yourself, learning to trust and love again and letting people into your life. Maxine’s style of writing is fantastic, I love the balance of a nitty gritty storyline, with an easy read romance and not forgetting some great humour thrown in too. Don't stop writing Maxine!
March 15, 2019
This is the book to escape into and proved to be a lovely weekend read. The characters are all likeable and credible, especially Eleanor and Ben. It is very much a 'will they, won't they? ' sort of a story as most of the other characters can see their mutual attraction.
Although it is essentially a romance, there are some harsh issues hiding in the background. Domestic violence is a tricky subject to include, but the author incorporates it in such a way to add depth to her characters. The stunning setting makes you wish you were there and it is how people react towards the environment which gives you a hint about their character. This is a great examination of people who are learning to take a second chance and to take a risk after deep hurts. Set over a few years, you see the best and worse of human behaviour.
In short: Learning to love again.
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book
Although it is essentially a romance, there are some harsh issues hiding in the background. Domestic violence is a tricky subject to include, but the author incorporates it in such a way to add depth to her characters. The stunning setting makes you wish you were there and it is how people react towards the environment which gives you a hint about their character. This is a great examination of people who are learning to take a second chance and to take a risk after deep hurts. Set over a few years, you see the best and worse of human behaviour.
In short: Learning to love again.
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book
September 20, 2022
I think Amazon should give me my money back for this one.
Normally, when you order a book you have already read, you get an error message saying "You purchased this item on April 1st 2019", or something like that.
I didn't. so I paid for it again and was suprised to open it and find I was on page 200+. Was I sure I wanted to go back to the beginning?
Like a true sucker I did.
Well, I can't have liked it much last time around and I certainly didn't now. Absolutely riddled with spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes, it's also pretty boring as you know what's going to happen just about from the word "Go".
I might just take back those two stars.
Normally, when you order a book you have already read, you get an error message saying "You purchased this item on April 1st 2019", or something like that.
I didn't. so I paid for it again and was suprised to open it and find I was on page 200+. Was I sure I wanted to go back to the beginning?
Like a true sucker I did.
Well, I can't have liked it much last time around and I certainly didn't now. Absolutely riddled with spelling, punctuation and grammar mistakes, it's also pretty boring as you know what's going to happen just about from the word "Go".
I might just take back those two stars.
March 11, 2019
Writing Style
The writing style is actually very similar to Second Chance at the Ranch, which I realised as I wrote that is pretty obvious. I mean it's the same author, why did I expect anything different?
Anyway, the main thing I liked about her descriptions of the location was the way that she wrote about the Kansas landscape. I love those quiet country landscapes and just being able to sit back, relax and enjoy a glass of wine (or two...).
But really, you can totally lose yourself in your imagination of these places and the emotions going through the characters. It was mesmerising and I actually found myself for once wanting more descriptions of the landscape rather than what was happening between the characters.
But she also keeps you totally engaged and hooked on whats happening between the characters all the way through. And she even addresses the topic of domestic violence in what I feel to be a great way. It's raw, it feels honest and it addresses the aftereffects that victims experience.
Initial Thoughts
Pretty much straight off the bat I was a bit concerned about the topic of domestic violence being perpetrated with no context or meaning. That didn't really sit well with me because it's a topic often portrayed in a way that glorifies it.
But we quickly progressed to her being saved by the cops and moving in with a friend. And then we fast forward through time a little bit.
Final Thoughts
Overall I really enjoyed this one. It was mostly calming, and when my mind is whirling with my projects at work and the assignments I need to get done. I really needed that balance.
The fact that this story was told over a period of a few years, with the characters not knowing how to move forwards from friendship. Or if they even should. Felt really real to me.
The speed at which they came together didn't really feel real. But then again, I'm not really the type to jump so fully into something like that so maybe it's just me.
The writing style is actually very similar to Second Chance at the Ranch, which I realised as I wrote that is pretty obvious. I mean it's the same author, why did I expect anything different?
Anyway, the main thing I liked about her descriptions of the location was the way that she wrote about the Kansas landscape. I love those quiet country landscapes and just being able to sit back, relax and enjoy a glass of wine (or two...).
But really, you can totally lose yourself in your imagination of these places and the emotions going through the characters. It was mesmerising and I actually found myself for once wanting more descriptions of the landscape rather than what was happening between the characters.
But she also keeps you totally engaged and hooked on whats happening between the characters all the way through. And she even addresses the topic of domestic violence in what I feel to be a great way. It's raw, it feels honest and it addresses the aftereffects that victims experience.
Initial Thoughts
Pretty much straight off the bat I was a bit concerned about the topic of domestic violence being perpetrated with no context or meaning. That didn't really sit well with me because it's a topic often portrayed in a way that glorifies it.
But we quickly progressed to her being saved by the cops and moving in with a friend. And then we fast forward through time a little bit.
Final Thoughts
Overall I really enjoyed this one. It was mostly calming, and when my mind is whirling with my projects at work and the assignments I need to get done. I really needed that balance.
The fact that this story was told over a period of a few years, with the characters not knowing how to move forwards from friendship. Or if they even should. Felt really real to me.
The speed at which they came together didn't really feel real. But then again, I'm not really the type to jump so fully into something like that so maybe it's just me.
February 1, 2018
Needed a non-challenging read and I've discovered Maxine Morrey recently and enjoy her writing. You can see that this is her debut and her writing has developed considerably since then.
An easy read although it did annoy me a little as the main character kept being called both Ellie and Eleanor... but never consistently and with multiple versions in the same sentence.
January 26, 2017
Proper easy read chick lit that sucks you into the story, you feel for the characters and share their ups and downs.
July 27, 2017
This is one of the books that you can't put down until you read it till the end. Loved the characters, the story, and the tension between the heroes. Would recommend to those who love this genre.
January 21, 2020
Enjoyable book
January 24, 2017
This was a library book, and wasn't actually a book. It was various parts that were stuck together. I can see why Amazon is lending it for free, and isn't charging even $0.99.
May 2, 2017
Loved this book. Looking forward to more books from Maxine Morrey.
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