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Green Valley Library #1
Love in Due Time
Naomi Winters will be forty—soon-ish—and she’s only been with one man. One night. One time. Long ago. She believes everything happens for a reason, and the universe spoke about Nathan Ryder.
Nathan Ryder isn’t the same man who hightailed his bike out of Green Valley eighteen years ago. As a rule breaker, women are one area he acts a fool. Case in point…the local librarian. He can’t get a read on her, but she’s one risk he’s willing to take. Again.
What do an eccentric librarian and a sexy silver biker have in common? More than you think.
The due date on their love might not be expired after all.
'Love in Due Time' is a full-length, contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Green Valley Library series.
Nathan Ryder isn’t the same man who hightailed his bike out of Green Valley eighteen years ago. As a rule breaker, women are one area he acts a fool. Case in point…the local librarian. He can’t get a read on her, but she’s one risk he’s willing to take. Again.
What do an eccentric librarian and a sexy silver biker have in common? More than you think.
The due date on their love might not be expired after all.
'Love in Due Time' is a full-length, contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Green Valley Library series.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 22, 2019
1839 people are currently reading
8655 people want to read
About the author
L.B. Dunbar
96 books3,222 followersL.B. Dunbar loves sexy silver foxes, second chances, and small towns. If you enjoy older characters in your romance reads, including a hero with a little silver in his scruff and a heroine rediscovering her worth, then welcome to romance for those over 40. L.B. Dunbar’s signature works include women and men in their prime taking another turn at love and happily ever after. She’s a USA TODAY Bestseller as well as #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Later in Life Romance with her Sterling Falls, Lakeside Cottage, and Road Trips & Romance series. L.B. lives in Chicago with her own sexy silver fox.
To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her weekly newsletter, Love Notes.
To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her weekly newsletter, Love Notes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 713 reviews
October 17, 2019
Let me start by saying LB Dunbar has outdone herself, I've NEVER read a contemporary romance like this before. It's mature, understated, resigned love or lack thereof..second chance comes driving on a motorcycle and parks straight into my soul & that of Naomi
I loved loved loved this unusual story. I say unusual because the character sketch was novel. A free spirit, whose religion is Nature & Universe is waiting for 18 years for a bad boy who locked her heart and took away the only key!! She doesn't love anybody after and nobody loves her. Her persona becomes an object of ridicule and humiliation. Her misunderstood ways brick batted and sabotaged.
“Broom, broom, broom, look who’s under the moon?
Itchy Bitchy Gotcha, Witchy”
Naomi Winters is not your typical heroine, she's a WICCAN and has shrouded her soul and body in layers of clothes and dust. Inside she's waiting for a phone call, for a closure maybe. I felt as if her heart was still lying in the motel when she was 21, eyes on the road where Nathan Ryder left her.
The Tail Of The Dragon between The biker bar - The Fugitive and Cedar Gap,an armpit of Green Valley, Tennessee.
"The road holds ghosts for me, and I don’t take traveling down it lightly. In fact, I love the thrill of racing down it, as if I can outrun my demons which lived and died on this road. The memories haunt me each time I hit a certain curl and I hold my breath."
This Dragon has devoured lives, futures & hopes. One of them is Nathan, the other Jebediah, third their love story...all lay massacred in this treacherous, twisty, winding The Tail Of The Dragon.
Dunbar has sprinkled all kinds of love in this heart touching story of devastating love frozen still.
"Coming home to Green Valley, I knew I’d have to face my sins, my fear of retribution, and this godforsaken road."
Humour is abundant but poignant, that's very unusual combination.
Racetrack humour
Vagina humour
Library humour
Old man humour
Sex humor
When passion ignites, hearts begins to thaw, smiles begin to form, hope begins to come to life, emotions dust away the cobwebs re-entering the heart,hands itch to touch each other, lips tremble to taste.
“I’m all tangled up inside over you. I’m … I’m stuck on you,”
“Witch or not, Naomi Winters, you’ve put a spell on me, and I don’t want it broken.
I'm stuck, and I don't wanna be unstuck”
It's a very nuanced story and you can actually feel every thread of sentiment that plays a soulful music.
I was always a fan of LB's mature romances but this book made me cry. Her heroines are at the trickiest years of age, not young enough to go find love again, bogged down with self depreciating moralities, and not old enough to retire their wants and needs. LB brilliantly portrays mid life crisis as a theme song
"Like the season, I’m in the autumn of my life, desperate for a change, but not knowing what such a change should be."
There was a scene where Nathan calls her after he just leaves her house, right from the driveway and I had a giant lump in my throat reading it. My ears are misty right now, as I'm writing the review...
It's beauty lies in the uniqueness of the plot, narration is at a steady and controlled pace.
It's a small town romance with Slow burning heat of dormant desires awakening to life.
Grab it with both hands and don't let go, literally and figuratively...
5 stars for Kiss and Catastrophe
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I loved loved loved this unusual story. I say unusual because the character sketch was novel. A free spirit, whose religion is Nature & Universe is waiting for 18 years for a bad boy who locked her heart and took away the only key!! She doesn't love anybody after and nobody loves her. Her persona becomes an object of ridicule and humiliation. Her misunderstood ways brick batted and sabotaged.
“Broom, broom, broom, look who’s under the moon?
Itchy Bitchy Gotcha, Witchy”
Naomi Winters is not your typical heroine, she's a WICCAN and has shrouded her soul and body in layers of clothes and dust. Inside she's waiting for a phone call, for a closure maybe. I felt as if her heart was still lying in the motel when she was 21, eyes on the road where Nathan Ryder left her.
The Tail Of The Dragon between The biker bar - The Fugitive and Cedar Gap,an armpit of Green Valley, Tennessee.
"The road holds ghosts for me, and I don’t take traveling down it lightly. In fact, I love the thrill of racing down it, as if I can outrun my demons which lived and died on this road. The memories haunt me each time I hit a certain curl and I hold my breath."
This Dragon has devoured lives, futures & hopes. One of them is Nathan, the other Jebediah, third their love story...all lay massacred in this treacherous, twisty, winding The Tail Of The Dragon.
Dunbar has sprinkled all kinds of love in this heart touching story of devastating love frozen still.
"Coming home to Green Valley, I knew I’d have to face my sins, my fear of retribution, and this godforsaken road."
Humour is abundant but poignant, that's very unusual combination.
Racetrack humour
Vagina humour
Library humour
Old man humour
Sex humor
When passion ignites, hearts begins to thaw, smiles begin to form, hope begins to come to life, emotions dust away the cobwebs re-entering the heart,hands itch to touch each other, lips tremble to taste.
“I’m all tangled up inside over you. I’m … I’m stuck on you,”
“Witch or not, Naomi Winters, you’ve put a spell on me, and I don’t want it broken.
I'm stuck, and I don't wanna be unstuck”
It's a very nuanced story and you can actually feel every thread of sentiment that plays a soulful music.
I was always a fan of LB's mature romances but this book made me cry. Her heroines are at the trickiest years of age, not young enough to go find love again, bogged down with self depreciating moralities, and not old enough to retire their wants and needs. LB brilliantly portrays mid life crisis as a theme song
"Like the season, I’m in the autumn of my life, desperate for a change, but not knowing what such a change should be."
There was a scene where Nathan calls her after he just leaves her house, right from the driveway and I had a giant lump in my throat reading it. My ears are misty right now, as I'm writing the review...
It's beauty lies in the uniqueness of the plot, narration is at a steady and controlled pace.
It's a small town romance with Slow burning heat of dormant desires awakening to life.
Grab it with both hands and don't let go, literally and figuratively...
5 stars for Kiss and Catastrophe
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Follow me on:
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Want to read
July 31, 2019
This is how I feel about this.
October 22, 2019
"That's why I love books. Books are stable and steadfast. Reliable. Books are comfort from heartache and hope from despair."
This book and especially the writing was not for me. Words and sentences got repeated so much that it made my reading experience pretty unpleasant.
Do you know how many times the word 'goddess' was used? I'm telling you: 71 times.
Naomi is a 'Wiccan'. It's a belief where they celebrate nature, purity and most importantly the spirit of women. So the word goddess is used many times in conjunction with her belief or her sexuality. It's either sweet goddess or inner goddess. Every time the word came across I had to roll my eyes. It's impossible to ignore.
Another sentence that got stuck in my head is 'I'm stuck on you' . This one was mentioned 28 times. That is not even counting the other phrases that are really similar like "We're stuck together", "We're stuck on each other" etc.
'Tease' was used 50 times during the whole book. I'm just someone, once I see a word too often, I can't unsee it. It may not bother some of you, but it bothered me a lot.
The humor wasn't mine. The writing was so bizarre that I couldn't find it funny, it was just super weird. Let me give you some examples:
"Only the length of the book separates us. A distance I want to shorten. "I have a Penis," he reads. Instantly, I'm inflamed by his statement. I am a sacrifice to my goddess and I gladly give of myself, if he'll be the horny god to take me. Horned God, I mean. God with a horn on him. A horn for plundering and..."Excuse me, but WHAT? I read this passage like 20 times and I still don't understand it. What is a horned god? What is a god with a horn on him? A horn for plundering? I. Don't. Understand. Maybe I'm just dumb, but there were some things that I didn't get, no matter how many times I read it. It doesn't make sense to me.
“Holy God? Did you mean Horned God?” I question, wishing to lighten the aura around us and not talk about what happened any longer. “Who’s a horny god? ” He teases, pushing me from him and chuckling hesitantly. “Witch humor,” I tease in return, wiggling a brow at him.
“So you aren’t totally opposed to my wand in your cauldron ?” I flirtatiously tease..
.
.
.
“Good night, magic wand,” she whispers with a pleasure-filled voice and a smile clearly on her unseen face. I send up an enchanted request to hear that sweet tone every night before I sleep. “Good night, my little cauldron.”
He is the horned god to my inner goddess. Freeing the inner goddess , my inner goddess whispers. You can do this.
The sex scenes or one particular sex scene was the most cringy thing I read in a long time. Naomi was giving Nathan a blowjob and apparently it was so good it blew his mind. I can't explain it differently, because the things he thoughts. No pls just no. My favourites were 'Sweetmothertruckercheeseontoastbuckler", 'Mothertruckerchristonacracker' and "Christdrivingatractor".
Christ.
driving.
a.
tractor.
Sweet.
mother.
trucker.
cheese.
on.
toast.
buckler.
Ehm. *nervous laughter* What the fuck? That's one of these cases where you're trying too hard to be funny and are failing miserably.
I'm giving roughly 1.5 stars to Nathan who was a decent guy, to Clem his adorable little girl and the scraps we got from the Winston family.
October 29, 2019
Favorite Quote:
I don’t want any second-guesses about my intentions. Only second chances.
My Review:
This captivating tale was unusually cast and singularly crafted. It featured a second chance romance for a tenderhearted small-town Wiccan librarian that was circling forty, socially awkward, peculiarly clad, and practically a virgin - how more original or creative could a premise be? Written in my favorite dual POV, the writing was thoughtfully observant, painstakingly insightful, and fraught with angst, interpersonal and familial conflicts, throbbing loins, sexual tension, and decades of regret as well as unexpected slivers of amusing and smirk-worthy levity amidst all that other stuff. The wily Ms. Dunbar has brought her uniquely gifted skill set to Smartypants Romance for an engaging, somewhat arduous, highly evocative, and uncommonly satisfying fusion of synergy.
I don’t want any second-guesses about my intentions. Only second chances.
My Review:
This captivating tale was unusually cast and singularly crafted. It featured a second chance romance for a tenderhearted small-town Wiccan librarian that was circling forty, socially awkward, peculiarly clad, and practically a virgin - how more original or creative could a premise be? Written in my favorite dual POV, the writing was thoughtfully observant, painstakingly insightful, and fraught with angst, interpersonal and familial conflicts, throbbing loins, sexual tension, and decades of regret as well as unexpected slivers of amusing and smirk-worthy levity amidst all that other stuff. The wily Ms. Dunbar has brought her uniquely gifted skill set to Smartypants Romance for an engaging, somewhat arduous, highly evocative, and uncommonly satisfying fusion of synergy.
Read
October 22, 2019
nope-nope-nope
October 22, 2019Authors are really scraping the bottom of the barrel to come up with ways to have heroines be celibate and virginal while the men get to do whatever they want. Two decades celibate is absolutely ridiculous in 2019.
September 17, 2020
Now this is sweet. I am a fan of a geeky librarian and single dad on motorcycle. Miss Dunbar is one of my favorite author. Especially when she writes a romance for mature or seasoned characters. I am not going to say old!
The story is slow but sweet and fun. Naomi ( I love the name) is Wicca. What is Wicca? You just have to read it. Nathan is sexy. Silver fox sexy. Their dates are just sweet. I wish I can tag along.
The pace is slow. I have to admit at the beginning, I am bored a bit. But I managed to finish it with a big smile on my face. Wonderful read.
4 stars
The story is slow but sweet and fun. Naomi ( I love the name) is Wicca. What is Wicca? You just have to read it. Nathan is sexy. Silver fox sexy. Their dates are just sweet. I wish I can tag along.
The pace is slow. I have to admit at the beginning, I am bored a bit. But I managed to finish it with a big smile on my face. Wonderful read.
4 stars
October 18, 2019
With the expansion of the SmartyPants Romance by Penny Reid, she has opened the door to endless opportunities for incredible romances steeped with all the all the wonderful feels.
Love in Due Time is a wonderfully sweet, sexy and moving second chance story about Naomi Winters, the quirky almost forty-ish librarian “who practices self-love in hopes of reviving her inner goddess” and has always kept a piece of her heart set aside for Nathan Ryder, the man-boy who disappeared without a trace eighteen years ago on the same night that tragedy struck her family and irrevocably changed her.
After a long exile, Nathan went back to Green Valley silver haired and wiser, and when chance puts Naomi in his path he knows he shouldn’t waste the second chance they’ve been given no matter how risky it may be… for his heart.
When the two start to get reacquainted they realize that even though they’ve matured, the deep seated feelings that developed that long ago night are still very much alive, but will the truth that once kept them apart continue to threaten their chance at happiness or will understanding and forgiveness unite them forever?
There��s a very good reason why the Penny Reid Universe has expanded: it’s awesome! And spending time in any of the different fictional places she’s created is time well spent with loveable characters that will sweep you into their feel-good story. Love in Due Time is an excellent example of a swoony, well developed hero and his quirky, yet perfect counterpart whose relationship develops at a great pace with well intertwined sprinkles of steam, family hijinks and drama.
L.B. Dunbar also does an excellent job of creating a great group of supporting characters who compliment and help Nathan and Naomi’s romance reach that most expected happy ever after.
Love In Due Time is a standalone contemporary romance in the Green Valley Library series. This book is written by L.B. Dunbar and is worthy addition to Penny Reid’s SmartyPants Romance Universe. It is told from both points of view.
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. *
Stalk me on FaceBook * Instagram * More reviews
My super quick review/recap:
➵ Cover: 5
➵ Hero: 5
➵ Heroine: 4
➵ Sexiness: 4
➵ Feels: 5
➵ Plot: 4
➵ Overall rating: 4.5
Love in Due Time is a wonderfully sweet, sexy and moving second chance story about Naomi Winters, the quirky almost forty-ish librarian “who practices self-love in hopes of reviving her inner goddess” and has always kept a piece of her heart set aside for Nathan Ryder, the man-boy who disappeared without a trace eighteen years ago on the same night that tragedy struck her family and irrevocably changed her.
After a long exile, Nathan went back to Green Valley silver haired and wiser, and when chance puts Naomi in his path he knows he shouldn’t waste the second chance they’ve been given no matter how risky it may be… for his heart.
When the two start to get reacquainted they realize that even though they’ve matured, the deep seated feelings that developed that long ago night are still very much alive, but will the truth that once kept them apart continue to threaten their chance at happiness or will understanding and forgiveness unite them forever?
There��s a very good reason why the Penny Reid Universe has expanded: it’s awesome! And spending time in any of the different fictional places she’s created is time well spent with loveable characters that will sweep you into their feel-good story. Love in Due Time is an excellent example of a swoony, well developed hero and his quirky, yet perfect counterpart whose relationship develops at a great pace with well intertwined sprinkles of steam, family hijinks and drama.
L.B. Dunbar also does an excellent job of creating a great group of supporting characters who compliment and help Nathan and Naomi’s romance reach that most expected happy ever after.
Love In Due Time is a standalone contemporary romance in the Green Valley Library series. This book is written by L.B. Dunbar and is worthy addition to Penny Reid’s SmartyPants Romance Universe. It is told from both points of view.
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. *
Stalk me on FaceBook * Instagram * More reviews
My super quick review/recap:
➵ Cover: 5
➵ Hero: 5
➵ Heroine: 4
➵ Sexiness: 4
➵ Feels: 5
➵ Plot: 4
➵ Overall rating: 4.5
Want to read
October 28, 2021
LOVE IN DUE TIME, book #1 in the Green Valley Library series from L.B. Dunbar, Author, is ZERO PENNIES for just a short while. Now is your chance to experience this small town second-chance standalone set in the Penny Reid Universe!
★★Grab your copy TODAY!★★
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/32IumfC
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2WfnHHz
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2PawkS7
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2N5FvjT
★★BLURB★★
When a silver fox biker encounters a quirky, small-town librarian, these opposites might have more in common than one suspects and a long overdue second chance at love.
Naomi Winters will be forty—soon-ish—and she’s only been with one man. One night. One time. Long ago. She believes everything happens for a reason, and the universe spoke about him. But when her past stands before her looking sexier than ever with silver scruff and a smirky dimple, she’s giving her inner goddess a second listen.
Nathan Ryder isn’t the same man who hightailed his bike out of Green Valley eighteen years ago. Coming home goes against everything he should do. However, he’s always been a rule taker, and women are one area he acts a fool. Case in point—the local librarian. When he encounters her between the stacks, it doesn’t matter that he can’t get a read on her, he just knows he’s not willing to risk losing her. Again.
Despite little in common, the stars align in mysterious ways and the due date on their love might not be expired after all.
‘Love in Due Time’ is a full-length, contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book #1 in the Green Valley Library series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
October 8, 2019
"I'm all tangled up inside over you. I'm stuck on you."
I stayed up late last night finishing this one. Love in Due Time is a great second chance romance featuring Naomi, a local librarian in Green Valley, and Nathan, a sexy biker and dad. I loved that this book featured two characters in their late 30's instead of your typical 20's/early 30's. I absolutely adored both Naomi and Nathan and loved watching their relationship grow. I also really liked learning about Naomi's Wiccan religion and found it interesting learning about how the purpose is recognizing our purpose within nature and how it is connected to us. This was the perfect early October read as the air is getting crisper, you could feel the chill in the air and spell the bonfire. Naomi and Nathan had great chemistry. This book cracked me up at certain points and also made my heart break for what they both have gone through. I am so happy they found each other and I am happy I discovered L.B. Dunbar. I look forward to reading more from her and more Green Valley Library books in the future! Overall, another great addition to the Smartypants Romance line and Pennyverse.
I stayed up late last night finishing this one. Love in Due Time is a great second chance romance featuring Naomi, a local librarian in Green Valley, and Nathan, a sexy biker and dad. I loved that this book featured two characters in their late 30's instead of your typical 20's/early 30's. I absolutely adored both Naomi and Nathan and loved watching their relationship grow. I also really liked learning about Naomi's Wiccan religion and found it interesting learning about how the purpose is recognizing our purpose within nature and how it is connected to us. This was the perfect early October read as the air is getting crisper, you could feel the chill in the air and spell the bonfire. Naomi and Nathan had great chemistry. This book cracked me up at certain points and also made my heart break for what they both have gone through. I am so happy they found each other and I am happy I discovered L.B. Dunbar. I look forward to reading more from her and more Green Valley Library books in the future! Overall, another great addition to the Smartypants Romance line and Pennyverse.
October 24, 2019
When I was about a quarter of the way through “Love In Due Time,” I got bored. TBH, nothing was really going on between Naomi and Nathan – there was just a lot of backstory-telling (e.g., Naomi’s mysterious past that caused her brother to die; Nathan’s bad choices in biological mothers for his daughters; their one-night stand; repeated questions, “Does he remember me? Why didn’t he do as he had promised? Why didn’t he call?” /// Does she remember me? Why is she dressed like that? Why is my 17yo daughter so difficult?”). So, I read other books just to amuse myself. #sorry
Now, I love me some (nay, all) types of “unconventional” romantic stories, and let’s face it, love, even for fictional almost 40-year-old women, is not that common. It seems to be L.B. Dunbar’s specialty, though, as her previous works feature men and women with silver or gray hair. I love, love, LOVE this theme, folks, so I had to have this in my Kindle. The characters all seem to look perfect, though (e.g., flowing/glowing silver hair, 6-pack abs, huge male organ, great rack, long legs, magical/almost virginal female organ), but that’s okay. I’m not that picky……. except that nothing was still really happening at the 40% mark. Sure, they encounter some of Nathan’s former MC “friends,” and Naomi is about to lose her job as a librarian, they’ve gone out on innocent dates, and other townspeople are not so nice towards Naomi (she’s a Wiccan, so, of course, an epic fail of a person burned a witch effigy at her front lawn) but…. that’s it. Plus, seemingly non-stop references (71 times, according to Kindle!) to Naomi’s “inner goddess” or “goddess” and the characters being “stuck together” are making me roll my eyes too much. That motto “Repetition is key”? It does NOT work for me when I’m constantly reading the same thing over and over again. It’s boring!
Hence, I committed the most carnal of carnal reading sins: I flipped to the end. Augh! I did. Sorry! But I just HAD to know if……. never mind. Just please read “Love In Due Time.” Maybe you’ll like it better than I did. Maybe you’ll even like the pacing of the author’s writing. Maybe I’LL revisit this again in the future. For now, I think I’ll just skip on to my next book and hope to like it in due time.
Now, I love me some (nay, all) types of “unconventional” romantic stories, and let’s face it, love, even for fictional almost 40-year-old women, is not that common. It seems to be L.B. Dunbar’s specialty, though, as her previous works feature men and women with silver or gray hair. I love, love, LOVE this theme, folks, so I had to have this in my Kindle. The characters all seem to look perfect, though (e.g., flowing/glowing silver hair, 6-pack abs, huge male organ, great rack, long legs, magical/almost virginal female organ), but that’s okay. I’m not that picky……. except that nothing was still really happening at the 40% mark. Sure, they encounter some of Nathan’s former MC “friends,” and Naomi is about to lose her job as a librarian, they’ve gone out on innocent dates, and other townspeople are not so nice towards Naomi (she’s a Wiccan, so, of course, an epic fail of a person burned a witch effigy at her front lawn) but…. that’s it. Plus, seemingly non-stop references (71 times, according to Kindle!) to Naomi’s “inner goddess” or “goddess” and the characters being “stuck together” are making me roll my eyes too much. That motto “Repetition is key”? It does NOT work for me when I’m constantly reading the same thing over and over again. It’s boring!
Hence, I committed the most carnal of carnal reading sins: I flipped to the end. Augh! I did. Sorry! But I just HAD to know if……. never mind. Just please read “Love In Due Time.” Maybe you’ll like it better than I did. Maybe you’ll even like the pacing of the author’s writing. Maybe I’LL revisit this again in the future. For now, I think I’ll just skip on to my next book and hope to like it in due time.
October 26, 2019
There is something about second chance romance that just from the beginning of the book makes me sad... especially when I come to learn about the reason why the story is a second chance romance...
This is my first read by this author...I will read her books in the future for sure..
Now about this book...is an okay book I guess...
It is a
I love that the characters are mature.
I enjoyed the side characters and Winston's brother's appearances.
I would love to read more about Catfish & Daniella...
Overall, solid read but I kind of missed the connection with the story.
Oh and btw. The phrase - lick me eyes- is something I will try to erase from my memory.
This is my first read by this author...I will read her books in the future for sure..
Now about this book...is an okay book I guess...
It is a
I love that the characters are mature.
I enjoyed the side characters and Winston's brother's appearances.
I would love to read more about Catfish & Daniella...
Overall, solid read but I kind of missed the connection with the story.
Oh and btw. The phrase - lick me eyes- is something I will try to erase from my memory.
September 4, 2019
Love in Due Time is a true example of a second chance romance. Naomi and Nathan have such chemistry, even after 18 years! They were brought together and torn apart in one night. I loved Naomi’s humor, with her signs and different ‘types’ of humor, I was laughing out loud at some of them. The way that Naomi describes kissing Nathan was amazing, comparing it to different baked good, cause who doesn’t love baked goods! Stuck on you was such a wonderful theme and word choice that they used to describe their feelings. Like the fates were determined to help them see it.
My absolute favorite part of the book was the chapter headings. It was genius. Make sure you read the authors note at the end for additional information. (I loved it!!).
My absolute favorite part of the book was the chapter headings. It was genius. Make sure you read the authors note at the end for additional information. (I loved it!!).
October 20, 2019
4.25 Wolf and Nae stars!
This was such a good second chance over 40 year old romance if I’ve seen one. LB Dunbar definitely reigns supreme in this genre, and she did not disappoint! I fell hard for Nathan and Naomi. I mean, who doesn’t love a silver fox, rebellious biker and a single dad to boot. He was absolutely wonderful. 18 years worth of unrequited type of love between him and Naomi. I loved that fact that Naomi was basically a virgin...you have to read to understand my “basically” meaning. No spoilers from this girl, just all the love for Nathan & Naomi!!!
This was such a good second chance over 40 year old romance if I’ve seen one. LB Dunbar definitely reigns supreme in this genre, and she did not disappoint! I fell hard for Nathan and Naomi. I mean, who doesn’t love a silver fox, rebellious biker and a single dad to boot. He was absolutely wonderful. 18 years worth of unrequited type of love between him and Naomi. I loved that fact that Naomi was basically a virgin...you have to read to understand my “basically” meaning. No spoilers from this girl, just all the love for Nathan & Naomi!!!
November 14, 2019
Mmm… it was okay. I did like how the author featured Wiccan elements and mature characters leads into the storyline. Otherwise did anything else stand out? Not really. Pretty mediocre if you ask me in which case put why I put this read in my drop pile.
February 2, 2021
3 Long Time Coming Stars-FREE Right Now!!!
* * * Spoiler Free
I happen to have loved the Winston Clan and the goings-on there from the start. When Penny Reid created Smartypants Romance, I knew this would open the door to many different ventures taking place in the Winston World by new voices. It would be tricky because the writing of Penny Reid is the definition of unique, unique in a very good way.
Reid brings a specific way of looking at things and human nature. She brings intelligence always to her characters and with that intelligence, conflicts, complications, and heart are all wrapped up somehow. A word regularly used about this type of writing with these types of characters is quirky...and it is apropos. Yet, Reid juggles the quirky, unique like a tightrope walker and that is something very difficult to do.
L.B. Dunbar opened this new series revolving around the library in Green Valley with Love in Due Time (Green Valley Library, #1). The main character, Naomi, has lived a life guided by events that happened 18 years ago. Everything she became after these events colored how she lived her life and how she viewed things. In many ways, it stunted her emotional growth when it came to interacting with peers her age...she did not have the regular experiences one would have, giving her arrested development in those areas.
In her work, though, she was a wonderful librarian. Naomi's way of relating to the children and her care of the library worked. She also was a practicing Wiccan, devoted to the earth, nature, and her goddess. This caused her to be an outlier in the community leaving her targeted and teased.
I mention all of this because it is very tricky dealing with a character like this and pairing her with a fully formed man like Nathan. Nathan was part of the events 18 years ago and his journey was not an easy one. He did have heart, though, that made him special in my eyes. His patience and appreciation of Naomi was everything in this book. It carried me through.
So the plus of this new book/series was Nathan and Naomi finally coming together...their sexy times were delightful, especially when I was in Nathan's head.
L.B. Dunbar gave us a start in this world. We were given hints of others who will be having their own upcoming books. Green Valley has its own special charm and anything happening in this environment will be worth checking out.
Love in Due Time (Green Valley Library, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Crime and Periodicals
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Prose Before Bros
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Shelf Awareness
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Carpentry and Cocktails
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Love in Deed
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dewey Belong Together
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
January 31, 2021- Quick, It's Free!!!
The Green Valley Eccentric Librarian...
Had The Belief Everything Happens For A Reason...
And When Nathan Ryder Crossed Paths With Naomi Winters...
All Those Eighteen Years Ago, It Was A One Night To Remember...
One Night All On Its Own...
No Other Has Happened Since Then...
Nathan Was The Wild Man...
The Biker Who Was Naomi's One Experience...
Now He Is Back, No More The Wild Man...
Well, Maybe A Little When It Comes To This Librarian...
He May Have Silver On Top...
But Lots Of Sexy Brewing Below...
Naomi May Be The One Woman...
Nathan Will Claim His...
Love in Due Time (Green Valley Library #1)
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * Spoiler Free
I happen to have loved the Winston Clan and the goings-on there from the start. When Penny Reid created Smartypants Romance, I knew this would open the door to many different ventures taking place in the Winston World by new voices. It would be tricky because the writing of Penny Reid is the definition of unique, unique in a very good way.
Reid brings a specific way of looking at things and human nature. She brings intelligence always to her characters and with that intelligence, conflicts, complications, and heart are all wrapped up somehow. A word regularly used about this type of writing with these types of characters is quirky...and it is apropos. Yet, Reid juggles the quirky, unique like a tightrope walker and that is something very difficult to do.
L.B. Dunbar opened this new series revolving around the library in Green Valley with Love in Due Time (Green Valley Library, #1). The main character, Naomi, has lived a life guided by events that happened 18 years ago. Everything she became after these events colored how she lived her life and how she viewed things. In many ways, it stunted her emotional growth when it came to interacting with peers her age...she did not have the regular experiences one would have, giving her arrested development in those areas.
In her work, though, she was a wonderful librarian. Naomi's way of relating to the children and her care of the library worked. She also was a practicing Wiccan, devoted to the earth, nature, and her goddess. This caused her to be an outlier in the community leaving her targeted and teased.
I mention all of this because it is very tricky dealing with a character like this and pairing her with a fully formed man like Nathan. Nathan was part of the events 18 years ago and his journey was not an easy one. He did have heart, though, that made him special in my eyes. His patience and appreciation of Naomi was everything in this book. It carried me through.
So the plus of this new book/series was Nathan and Naomi finally coming together...their sexy times were delightful, especially when I was in Nathan's head.
L.B. Dunbar gave us a start in this world. We were given hints of others who will be having their own upcoming books. Green Valley has its own special charm and anything happening in this environment will be worth checking out.
Love in Due Time (Green Valley Library, #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Crime and Periodicalshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Prose Before Broshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Shelf Awarenesshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Carpentry and Cocktailshttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Love in Deedhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dewey Belong Togetherhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
January 31, 2021- Quick, It's Free!!!
The Green Valley Eccentric Librarian...
Had The Belief Everything Happens For A Reason...
And When Nathan Ryder Crossed Paths With Naomi Winters...
All Those Eighteen Years Ago, It Was A One Night To Remember...
One Night All On Its Own...
No Other Has Happened Since Then...
Nathan Was The Wild Man...
The Biker Who Was Naomi's One Experience...
Now He Is Back, No More The Wild Man...
Well, Maybe A Little When It Comes To This Librarian...
He May Have Silver On Top...
But Lots Of Sexy Brewing Below...
Naomi May Be The One Woman...
Nathan Will Claim His...
Love in Due Time (Green Valley Library #1)
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
October 22, 2019
This book you guys... WOW.
This had everything that I love in a contemporary romance.
An interesting plot full of mysteries that you have to piece together while the story moves along. Set in a LIBRARY. A quirky heroine that is not afraid to be different. And while she is smart and self-fulfilled she still has a lot of insecurities to deal with. A sweet, vulnerable, and yet incredibly badass hero, full of tattoos and some delightful silver scruff.
We follow the story of Naomi Winters, a 39-year-old librarian that had a one night stand a long time ago. 18 years ago, to be exact. A night that brought some really good things and yet, a lot of tragedies with it. Since then, Naomi believes the universe has spoken. The amazing Nathan Ryder can only mean bad news in her life, and she managed to carry on very well by herself, until, that same handsome biker returns to Green Valley...
This Second-chance romance seems like a simple premise. But as we embark on the journey with Naomi and Nathan so many things come to light. And ultimately this turns out to be a beautiful book about acceptance, timing, family, and community. It kept me on my toes as I tried to piece the story between past and present together, and I couldn't put this book down.
Also, a moment of silence to the amazing and understanding Nathan Ryder - what a hero. He has all the sexy goodness/bad-guy-type vibe, but then when he's with Naomi he becomes the most caring guy EVER. I couldn't get enough of him.
5 full magical witchy stars.
I'm excited to read a lot more from L.B. Dunbar.
This was an ARC sent to me in exchange for an honest review. Love in Due Time is now out on all platforms.
This had everything that I love in a contemporary romance.
An interesting plot full of mysteries that you have to piece together while the story moves along. Set in a LIBRARY. A quirky heroine that is not afraid to be different. And while she is smart and self-fulfilled she still has a lot of insecurities to deal with. A sweet, vulnerable, and yet incredibly badass hero, full of tattoos and some delightful silver scruff.
We follow the story of Naomi Winters, a 39-year-old librarian that had a one night stand a long time ago. 18 years ago, to be exact. A night that brought some really good things and yet, a lot of tragedies with it. Since then, Naomi believes the universe has spoken. The amazing Nathan Ryder can only mean bad news in her life, and she managed to carry on very well by herself, until, that same handsome biker returns to Green Valley...
This Second-chance romance seems like a simple premise. But as we embark on the journey with Naomi and Nathan so many things come to light. And ultimately this turns out to be a beautiful book about acceptance, timing, family, and community. It kept me on my toes as I tried to piece the story between past and present together, and I couldn't put this book down.
Also, a moment of silence to the amazing and understanding Nathan Ryder - what a hero. He has all the sexy goodness/bad-guy-type vibe, but then when he's with Naomi he becomes the most caring guy EVER. I couldn't get enough of him.
5 full magical witchy stars.
I'm excited to read a lot more from L.B. Dunbar.
This was an ARC sent to me in exchange for an honest review. Love in Due Time is now out on all platforms.
October 7, 2019
I can see that I’m totally in the minority here but this book isn’t for me. I have been so nervous about writing this review! I know how much hard work, sweat and tears that go into this whole book process.
Let me say that I love L.B. Dunbar. I mean, really really, love this author. She is one of my go-to authors. I recommend her every chance I get when a reader asks for the genre she writes. I love her Facebook fan page. She is great on interacting with ‘us fans’ and one day I hope to meet her. Geez, after rereading that I feel a bit like a stalker! Really I’m not, lol!
Anyways...this book didn’t resonate with me. I felt like it was missing something. I feel like there should have been a prologue from the beginning, that first night, from Naomi’s POV. Maybe because it was such a slow burn, I missed that chemistry that I always feel in L.B Dunbar’s books. While reading, I felt I was getting more information on the Wiccan religion than I was on the romance that was supposed to be rekindling. And when the H started saying Wiccan phrases, it really threw me off. I never could get a real picture of him in my mind.
So after writing the above, even though it wasn’t for me, all of her other books have been. I will continue to read ‘all the books’ she writes. And I’m positive, will enjoy them to the fullest.
Let me say that I love L.B. Dunbar. I mean, really really, love this author. She is one of my go-to authors. I recommend her every chance I get when a reader asks for the genre she writes. I love her Facebook fan page. She is great on interacting with ‘us fans’ and one day I hope to meet her. Geez, after rereading that I feel a bit like a stalker! Really I’m not, lol!
Anyways...this book didn’t resonate with me. I felt like it was missing something. I feel like there should have been a prologue from the beginning, that first night, from Naomi’s POV. Maybe because it was such a slow burn, I missed that chemistry that I always feel in L.B Dunbar’s books. While reading, I felt I was getting more information on the Wiccan religion than I was on the romance that was supposed to be rekindling. And when the H started saying Wiccan phrases, it really threw me off. I never could get a real picture of him in my mind.
So after writing the above, even though it wasn’t for me, all of her other books have been. I will continue to read ‘all the books’ she writes. And I’m positive, will enjoy them to the fullest.
April 24, 2020
I started this book a few months ago and made it to somewhere between 20-30% before giving up. Having recently returned to this book universe, I thought I’d give it another try.
The theme I’m seeing in these books, besides the geography, is that the heroines offer a far wider sample of what you’d expect to find in the actual world - fictionalized - Bc we need a little more drama than car-line. (Truthfully, there is no greater drama than car-line. Wars are fought in car-line. Battles won and lost. Emotions run close to the surface).
And in some ways this can be off-putting. I’m not a Wiccan. I’m not in a wheelchair. I’ve never needed anger management. I can’t relate. Right?
But that’s kind of the power of the reader, isn’t it? I’m not a vampire, and I sure loved Wrath’s fine ass. The point is - a lot of us read Bc we have huge imaginations. We want to travel and have adventures - even if it’s in the safety of our living room. We’re empathetic Bc we’ve fallen in love with two hundred characters and shared their ups and downs - even if those characters were spelling spiders or wild horses or dukes or pirates or spies. Not being a boy wizard didn’t stop me from giving him my heart, did it?
So while I thought Naomi was odd - “not my cup of tea” - it didn’t matter so much this time. Every story doesn’t have to be about me. I appreciate the depth and variety of characters I’m finding in Green Valley. And I’m excited to see who I meet next.
The theme I’m seeing in these books, besides the geography, is that the heroines offer a far wider sample of what you’d expect to find in the actual world - fictionalized - Bc we need a little more drama than car-line. (Truthfully, there is no greater drama than car-line. Wars are fought in car-line. Battles won and lost. Emotions run close to the surface).
And in some ways this can be off-putting. I’m not a Wiccan. I’m not in a wheelchair. I’ve never needed anger management. I can’t relate. Right?
But that’s kind of the power of the reader, isn’t it? I’m not a vampire, and I sure loved Wrath’s fine ass. The point is - a lot of us read Bc we have huge imaginations. We want to travel and have adventures - even if it’s in the safety of our living room. We’re empathetic Bc we’ve fallen in love with two hundred characters and shared their ups and downs - even if those characters were spelling spiders or wild horses or dukes or pirates or spies. Not being a boy wizard didn’t stop me from giving him my heart, did it?
So while I thought Naomi was odd - “not my cup of tea” - it didn’t matter so much this time. Every story doesn’t have to be about me. I appreciate the depth and variety of characters I’m finding in Green Valley. And I’m excited to see who I meet next.
November 5, 2019
@41% and after being on hold for a few days I've decided to tap out. Life is too short.
November 4, 2019
I need to confess that when I first saw this book cover my thought was "SOMEONE IS TOTALLY COPYING PENNY REID'S WINSTON BROTHERS SERIES!" and I was all incensed on Penny's behalf.
Then I read the synopsis, and thought "hmmm...something really is fishy here" - but then realized there are a bunch of spin-off series written by a bunch of authors writing in the Winstonverse and I got so excited!!! Sadly, that excitement was fairly short lived.
I've read L.B. Dunbar a couple times. I really want to like her because the "older" crowd (ehem, those of us over 40) are grossly underrepresented in the romance genre, and I want to support those authors who are going out on a limb and giving readers something different than the status quo. Unfortunately, I haven't found a book by Ms. Dunbar that I liked because despite her stories being about people in their late 30s/early 40s, the hero and heroine still act like young adults. They seem to repeat the mistakes they made as youngsters, and don't appear to have gained any maturity through their years.
Also, I felt sorry for the loss the heroine suffered in this book. But honey, it was 18 years ago. I have a hard time feeling sympathy for a character who is messed up in the head, KNOWS they are messed up in the head, but doesn't do anything about it. I saw an article this weekend that basically said you are not responsible for the trauma you endure in life, but you ARE responsible for your healing from it. YES, YES, YES!!! This heroine made we want to shake some sense into her.
Add in the author's choice to use repetitive writing - even using the same phrases over and over (if I had to hear the word goddess one more time my eyeballs were gonna get stuck in the top of my head), and I think I'm done with this author. Just because you call something a duck doesn't make them a duck. If they look like a duck, walk like a duck, and quack like a duck? That's another story. I tried, I really tried, but I want characters who act their age and I don't see that happening with this author.
Then I read the synopsis, and thought "hmmm...something really is fishy here" - but then realized there are a bunch of spin-off series written by a bunch of authors writing in the Winstonverse and I got so excited!!! Sadly, that excitement was fairly short lived.
I've read L.B. Dunbar a couple times. I really want to like her because the "older" crowd (ehem, those of us over 40) are grossly underrepresented in the romance genre, and I want to support those authors who are going out on a limb and giving readers something different than the status quo. Unfortunately, I haven't found a book by Ms. Dunbar that I liked because despite her stories being about people in their late 30s/early 40s, the hero and heroine still act like young adults. They seem to repeat the mistakes they made as youngsters, and don't appear to have gained any maturity through their years.
Also, I felt sorry for the loss the heroine suffered in this book. But honey, it was 18 years ago. I have a hard time feeling sympathy for a character who is messed up in the head, KNOWS they are messed up in the head, but doesn't do anything about it. I saw an article this weekend that basically said you are not responsible for the trauma you endure in life, but you ARE responsible for your healing from it. YES, YES, YES!!! This heroine made we want to shake some sense into her.
Add in the author's choice to use repetitive writing - even using the same phrases over and over (if I had to hear the word goddess one more time my eyeballs were gonna get stuck in the top of my head), and I think I'm done with this author. Just because you call something a duck doesn't make them a duck. If they look like a duck, walk like a duck, and quack like a duck? That's another story. I tried, I really tried, but I want characters who act their age and I don't see that happening with this author.
March 14, 2020
2/5 stars
I didn't dislike this book by any stretch of the imagination, but it was definitely my least favourite from the SmartyPants world so far. This book just perpetuated so many tropes that I dislike in romance books. I really just couldn't buy into the whole story that Naomi and Nathan had a one night stand EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO and she never got with anyone after that. It was like the author was trying to still have the virginal trope with a more mature (she was 39) heroine. On top of that, I just couldn't connect to the romance. Because this backstory was such a big part of the book, I found it hard to ever fully commit to the relationship. It was still sweet and enjoyable in many parts, but I found the writing hard to connect to, it was repetitive and the romance was quite unbelievable.
I didn't dislike this book by any stretch of the imagination, but it was definitely my least favourite from the SmartyPants world so far. This book just perpetuated so many tropes that I dislike in romance books. I really just couldn't buy into the whole story that Naomi and Nathan had a one night stand EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO and she never got with anyone after that. It was like the author was trying to still have the virginal trope with a more mature (she was 39) heroine. On top of that, I just couldn't connect to the romance. Because this backstory was such a big part of the book, I found it hard to ever fully commit to the relationship. It was still sweet and enjoyable in many parts, but I found the writing hard to connect to, it was repetitive and the romance was quite unbelievable.
October 4, 2019
“Love in Due Time” by L.B. Dunbar
(Smartypants Romance)
#Review #SmartypantsRomance #SecondChance #Olderprotagonists
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘His eyes rake down my long coat draped to the top of my boots. It’s functional but it keeps me warm.
“Friday then,” I say, unable to fight the grin curling my lips. Nathan shakes his head with a soft chuckle.
“Witch or not Naomi Winters, you’ve put a spell on me, and I don’t want it broken.”’
Author LB Dunbar’s writing for “Love in Due Time” is an exquisite and elaborate art form, set to the soul-soothing music of her own distinctive and varied shades of humour, tragedy and love, with the wonderfully subtle messages of hope, forgiveness and resilience woven within. All of that is highlighted and exalted by this truly phenomenal, complicated and intense romance between sexy, silver eyed, tattooed biker Nathan Ryder and beautiful, whimsical, kind-hearted Wiccan librarian, Naomi Winters. Two wounded and complex people with a tangled and intricate history.
‘He wrote me a poem.
I reach for his jaw and spread my fingers, loving the prickle of his chin hair against my palm. “You can do this, Nathan. I believe in you.” I don’t know why I say it. Maybe because I feel stronger when he’s near me. Nothing happened to the universe around us.
He grins and that darn dimple peeks out again. “Those eyes,” he warns, and I stare back at him. Lick-me eyes?
“I won’t look at you. I’ll just listen.” Closing my eyes, he clears his throat. His voice trembles as he begins:
T’is the time of the year for changing leaves….’
LB manages to incorporate some superbly romantic elements into this book, with a never-ending palette of aching emotions, that seem to permeate the pages. There is a sultry intimacy, a beautiful and quiet acceptance of every moment that unfolds between them, as they fall even deeper in love with one another. Slowly, decadently, irrevocably.
Every line of dialogue is one of substance, full of boundless love and all-consuming sexual awareness. It’s witty, engaging and over-all, highly addictive.
Falling in love with these characters was so effortless and inevitable. Nathan, the hardened, swaggering Harley-riding bad boy (Are they still referred to as bad boys is they’re over forty?) who, when moved to, can write such beautiful poetry. Say such profound and sweet things. Be passionate but calm, wary but courageous, badass but sweet. These stark contrasts show off how layered and complex our male protagonist actually is. He isn’t just one thing. He’s this miraculous blend of good and bad decisions, and every other thought in-between.
Naomi was one of my most favourite heroines to date, I sympathised with her, empathised with her and simply adored everything about her. She first appeared as this flighty, carefree Wiccan, blowing bubbles at funerals and adorning herself in nothing but long, loose clothing, however when we peel back the superficial, we soon realise that she is actually trapped in a cage of her own making. Her beliefs are beautiful and unique but her need to disappear and not draw attention to herself is something else entirely. It just takes one person to actually see the woman she is beneath, for her to finally open her own eyes and realise that she is remarkable and not just the “before” and “after” of what happens when heartbreak, loneliness and desertion mold a person. She is strong and independent. Mature in years but still so very innocent and naive in a lot of different ways.
Author LB Dunbar is the queen of balancing a scene. Knowing her audience. Building anticipation. She uses her words like precious tools to give her readers a showcase of spectacular proportions. This book is just magnificent. I'm not one for exaggerations, so when I say to you, that this is one of my top reads for the entire year, not just from the Smartypants Romance books, I mean it whole heartedly.
"Love in Due Time" is highly emotive, alluring, dramatic, angsty and down-right sexy. And realistically, what book nerd can attest to never having had the fantasy of some dimpled, tattooed sexy-as-sin biker- who-writes-poetry, using his mouth for something more provocative than smirking, amongst the stacks in a library.
Love in Due Time by L.B. Dunbar
Check it out 10.22.2019
A local librarian. A biker dude.
What could they possibly have in common?
Long overdue love.
** Goodreads Giveaway - enter to win a paperback.
https://bit.ly/2OtA81U
** PRE-ORDER LINKS **
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LPJCm8
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2SQQ4df
Nook: https://bit.ly/333ClEs
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2ZmQSZE
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3314Xya
Add to your shelf on Goodreads:https://bit.ly/2OtA81U
** Blurb **
Naomi Winters will be forty—soon-ish—and she’s only been with one man. One night. One time. Long ago. She believes everything happens for a reason, and the universe spoke about Nathan Ryder.
Nathan Ryder isn’t the same man who hightailed his bike out of Green Valley eighteen years ago. As a rule breaker, women are one area he acts a fool. Case in point…the local librarian. He can’t get a read on her, but she’s one risk he’s willing to take. Again.
What do an eccentric librarian and a sexy silver biker have in common? More than you think.
The due date on their love might not be expired after all.
'Love in Due Time' is a full-length, contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book #1 in the Green Valley Library series.
(Smartypants Romance)
#Review #SmartypantsRomance #SecondChance #Olderprotagonists
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘His eyes rake down my long coat draped to the top of my boots. It’s functional but it keeps me warm.
“Friday then,” I say, unable to fight the grin curling my lips. Nathan shakes his head with a soft chuckle.
“Witch or not Naomi Winters, you’ve put a spell on me, and I don’t want it broken.”’
Author LB Dunbar’s writing for “Love in Due Time” is an exquisite and elaborate art form, set to the soul-soothing music of her own distinctive and varied shades of humour, tragedy and love, with the wonderfully subtle messages of hope, forgiveness and resilience woven within. All of that is highlighted and exalted by this truly phenomenal, complicated and intense romance between sexy, silver eyed, tattooed biker Nathan Ryder and beautiful, whimsical, kind-hearted Wiccan librarian, Naomi Winters. Two wounded and complex people with a tangled and intricate history.
‘He wrote me a poem.
I reach for his jaw and spread my fingers, loving the prickle of his chin hair against my palm. “You can do this, Nathan. I believe in you.” I don’t know why I say it. Maybe because I feel stronger when he’s near me. Nothing happened to the universe around us.
He grins and that darn dimple peeks out again. “Those eyes,” he warns, and I stare back at him. Lick-me eyes?
“I won’t look at you. I’ll just listen.” Closing my eyes, he clears his throat. His voice trembles as he begins:
T’is the time of the year for changing leaves….’
LB manages to incorporate some superbly romantic elements into this book, with a never-ending palette of aching emotions, that seem to permeate the pages. There is a sultry intimacy, a beautiful and quiet acceptance of every moment that unfolds between them, as they fall even deeper in love with one another. Slowly, decadently, irrevocably.
Every line of dialogue is one of substance, full of boundless love and all-consuming sexual awareness. It’s witty, engaging and over-all, highly addictive.
Falling in love with these characters was so effortless and inevitable. Nathan, the hardened, swaggering Harley-riding bad boy (Are they still referred to as bad boys is they’re over forty?) who, when moved to, can write such beautiful poetry. Say such profound and sweet things. Be passionate but calm, wary but courageous, badass but sweet. These stark contrasts show off how layered and complex our male protagonist actually is. He isn’t just one thing. He’s this miraculous blend of good and bad decisions, and every other thought in-between.
Naomi was one of my most favourite heroines to date, I sympathised with her, empathised with her and simply adored everything about her. She first appeared as this flighty, carefree Wiccan, blowing bubbles at funerals and adorning herself in nothing but long, loose clothing, however when we peel back the superficial, we soon realise that she is actually trapped in a cage of her own making. Her beliefs are beautiful and unique but her need to disappear and not draw attention to herself is something else entirely. It just takes one person to actually see the woman she is beneath, for her to finally open her own eyes and realise that she is remarkable and not just the “before” and “after” of what happens when heartbreak, loneliness and desertion mold a person. She is strong and independent. Mature in years but still so very innocent and naive in a lot of different ways.
Author LB Dunbar is the queen of balancing a scene. Knowing her audience. Building anticipation. She uses her words like precious tools to give her readers a showcase of spectacular proportions. This book is just magnificent. I'm not one for exaggerations, so when I say to you, that this is one of my top reads for the entire year, not just from the Smartypants Romance books, I mean it whole heartedly.
"Love in Due Time" is highly emotive, alluring, dramatic, angsty and down-right sexy. And realistically, what book nerd can attest to never having had the fantasy of some dimpled, tattooed sexy-as-sin biker- who-writes-poetry, using his mouth for something more provocative than smirking, amongst the stacks in a library.
Love in Due Time by L.B. Dunbar
Check it out 10.22.2019
A local librarian. A biker dude.
What could they possibly have in common?
Long overdue love.
** Goodreads Giveaway - enter to win a paperback.
https://bit.ly/2OtA81U
** PRE-ORDER LINKS **
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LPJCm8
Apple Books: https://apple.co/2SQQ4df
Nook: https://bit.ly/333ClEs
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2ZmQSZE
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3314Xya
Add to your shelf on Goodreads:https://bit.ly/2OtA81U
** Blurb **
Naomi Winters will be forty—soon-ish—and she’s only been with one man. One night. One time. Long ago. She believes everything happens for a reason, and the universe spoke about Nathan Ryder.
Nathan Ryder isn’t the same man who hightailed his bike out of Green Valley eighteen years ago. As a rule breaker, women are one area he acts a fool. Case in point…the local librarian. He can’t get a read on her, but she’s one risk he’s willing to take. Again.
What do an eccentric librarian and a sexy silver biker have in common? More than you think.
The due date on their love might not be expired after all.
'Love in Due Time' is a full-length, contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book #1 in the Green Valley Library series.
October 9, 2019
"Miss Naomi, why aren't you married?"
Oh my. "Well, Professor Snape could never get over Lily."
YOU GUYS THIS BOOK, I LOVED IT It's heartwarming, funny, hot, sexy, everything you are looking for in a contemporary romance book is here. Love in due time is a book about second chances, about universe's messeges, about forgiveness, family and love.
I loved the main characters so bad. Naomi is a close-to forty yo woman and works as a librarian in the town library. When she was 21 something horrible happened, she blamed herself, her parents blamed her, and she believed it. So she changed her personality complitely, changed her clothes, her wishes, her entire life. Now she lives by herself, lost in her books. I adored that she belived in a different religion, based on the nature, her gemstones, and herself. But for that, the teens and people in the town think she is a witch, and that can't get pretty awful in Halloween.
Nathan is a man in his forties with two kids and a complicated life. He returns to Green Valley after 18 years and although some things have changed, his chemistry with Naomi did not. But, can she get pass what happened many years ago? Can she let him see the inside of her? Let him pass the walls that protect her from the outside? And in top of all that, there are problems that may or may not include a very famous motorcycle gang and a bunch of kids.
I must say that I loved the age of the protagonist. Most romance books tell stories about people in thei 20, but Dunbar took a risk here and I loved it. Love and redemption doesn't have an age, it may happen when you are 18, 34 or 45.
Another thing that I loved is the context. So many people we already know, the Winston, the Iron Wraiths, the jam sessions, all of it. I think L.B. Dunbar did an excellent job with this one. I really felt the conection with this one.
Of course you must read it if you are a Penny Reid fan, but also, if you are into books with motorcycle gangs you definitely should read it. It reminded me of Kristen Ashley books.
"Here's a what if, Naomi. What if I fell in love with you? What if I never stopped thinking of you? What if I always wondered what happened to you?" (...) "I'm stuck on you, Naomi, and I think that means I've never let you go. I've been waiting as well. Waiting to find my way back to you."
*ARC provided by the publisher & Social Butterfly PR , thanks for giving me the opportunity to read the book.
RELEASE DATE: October 22nd, 2019
May 15, 2020
Gimme all the LB Dunbar books 😍😍, I love her stories.
This second chance romance is beautiful.
Naomi and Nathan once met each other in a bar and after a passionate night, some broken promises and a devastating accident later Naomi now lives alone in a house near the woods. The librarian is a Wiccan and thus the talk of town. Nathan once was a prospect for a MC and is now a father of two girls. 18 years after their unforgettable night they meet again. A sign?!
Absolutely great.
The protagonists are both the best and so lovely. Okay, Nathan is not lovely, he's a man, a beast - you know what I mean 😉.
Naomi is cute. What I love most about her is that she doesn't give much thought about what people talk about her. She's solidified in her religion she doesn't change for anyone. She loves books, her job and "her" children at the library. She's funny, they both are, and she never got over Nathan.
Nathan is a protector, he's Naomi's protector, and he also never forgot the girl from his past. He discovers, that the secret, which is holding him back his whole life, could destroy their relationship. But he has to fight. And now he gets the chance to do it right.
This is LB Dunbar at her best. A unique storyline, great characters and a HEA in Green Valley. 😍
I highly recommend this book.
This second chance romance is beautiful.
Naomi and Nathan once met each other in a bar and after a passionate night, some broken promises and a devastating accident later Naomi now lives alone in a house near the woods. The librarian is a Wiccan and thus the talk of town. Nathan once was a prospect for a MC and is now a father of two girls. 18 years after their unforgettable night they meet again. A sign?!
Absolutely great.
The protagonists are both the best and so lovely. Okay, Nathan is not lovely, he's a man, a beast - you know what I mean 😉.
Naomi is cute. What I love most about her is that she doesn't give much thought about what people talk about her. She's solidified in her religion she doesn't change for anyone. She loves books, her job and "her" children at the library. She's funny, they both are, and she never got over Nathan.
Nathan is a protector, he's Naomi's protector, and he also never forgot the girl from his past. He discovers, that the secret, which is holding him back his whole life, could destroy their relationship. But he has to fight. And now he gets the chance to do it right.
This is LB Dunbar at her best. A unique storyline, great characters and a HEA in Green Valley. 😍
I highly recommend this book.
October 4, 2019
This was my first read by L.B. Dunbar. This one for me was just ok. I like the fact we have late 30's for the main couple, but I wasn't connecting with the characters. I did like some parts with the bikers which added some interest in the story. But overall the story was way too long for what it was.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
June 3, 2020
L.B. Dunbar has out done herself and blended her signature sexy, silver-fox alpha with an MC twist and given the readers a superb story. Love in Due Time is a beautiful addition to the Green Valley world. A heartfelt second-chance romance with its own special spin which I found refreshing and interesting.
As an avid reader, I find it is easy for stories in the same genres to start to blend together and become predictable and almost mundane. Not so for Love in Due Time, which has a mix of several genres, some emotional turmoil, relatable life issues, and romance. The characters aren’t billionaires; they are everyday people going through the motions of life and luckily falling in, or perhaps getting stuck on, love. This relationship isn’t rushed; it is nourished by two adults living in an adult world with adult responsibilities. This one fact alone is what endeared it to me the most; the reason it resonated with me. The wait is so worth the time these characters took to grow and learn about each other. Love and steamy times still do happen to those that are over 40.
Naomi and Nathan are perhaps an unlikely pairing, but they say opposites attract, and they fit perfectly together. Honestly, Naomi is the kind of woman that wouldn’t attract all the men, but her kind sweetness and not-so-traditional lifestyle mixed with her somewhat figure-hiding fashion choices, made her a unique and interesting heroine. Nathan and Naomi are both plagued with their own inner guilt about past events; past events that connect them on a whole other level. Together they learn how to forgive, release their guilt, and live the life they deserve.
This story encompassed many thoughts and ideas to bring out the emotions of the reader. Each reader will experience their own reflection on life in their own way. It gives the reader an inside look at a religion they may not know much about, opening their mind to embrace the unknown. It will appeal to lovers of many different genres, including MC, over 40 romance, silver-fox stories, and most of all the second-chance romance. L.B. even touches on some issues plaguing today’s society such as bullying and technology overtaking the world we live in. Her concepts and ideas for this story melded with the journey Naomi and Nathan had to take to get to where they are today. Living in the past wondering about what-ifs cannot be done, for if we hadn’t taken the path we did, nothing would be as it is today. That is an awesome lesson to consider.
I’ve only recently come to know the fictional world of Green Valley but I have been a lover of L.B. Dunbar for quite some time. This melding of two worlds for me was an awesome experience and I am so happy to have been introduced to both. I would not hesitate to recommend either of these to readers. This story will definitely stick with me for a long time to come.
As an avid reader, I find it is easy for stories in the same genres to start to blend together and become predictable and almost mundane. Not so for Love in Due Time, which has a mix of several genres, some emotional turmoil, relatable life issues, and romance. The characters aren’t billionaires; they are everyday people going through the motions of life and luckily falling in, or perhaps getting stuck on, love. This relationship isn’t rushed; it is nourished by two adults living in an adult world with adult responsibilities. This one fact alone is what endeared it to me the most; the reason it resonated with me. The wait is so worth the time these characters took to grow and learn about each other. Love and steamy times still do happen to those that are over 40.
Naomi and Nathan are perhaps an unlikely pairing, but they say opposites attract, and they fit perfectly together. Honestly, Naomi is the kind of woman that wouldn’t attract all the men, but her kind sweetness and not-so-traditional lifestyle mixed with her somewhat figure-hiding fashion choices, made her a unique and interesting heroine. Nathan and Naomi are both plagued with their own inner guilt about past events; past events that connect them on a whole other level. Together they learn how to forgive, release their guilt, and live the life they deserve.
This story encompassed many thoughts and ideas to bring out the emotions of the reader. Each reader will experience their own reflection on life in their own way. It gives the reader an inside look at a religion they may not know much about, opening their mind to embrace the unknown. It will appeal to lovers of many different genres, including MC, over 40 romance, silver-fox stories, and most of all the second-chance romance. L.B. even touches on some issues plaguing today’s society such as bullying and technology overtaking the world we live in. Her concepts and ideas for this story melded with the journey Naomi and Nathan had to take to get to where they are today. Living in the past wondering about what-ifs cannot be done, for if we hadn’t taken the path we did, nothing would be as it is today. That is an awesome lesson to consider.
I’ve only recently come to know the fictional world of Green Valley but I have been a lover of L.B. Dunbar for quite some time. This melding of two worlds for me was an awesome experience and I am so happy to have been introduced to both. I would not hesitate to recommend either of these to readers. This story will definitely stick with me for a long time to come.
October 5, 2019
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ARC provided by the publisher & Social Butterfly PR , Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read the book.
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" That's Why I love Books . Books are stable and steadfast. Reliable. Books are comfort from heartache and hope from despair . Maybe Julianne Should put that on one of her signs . I sigh . What will I do Without My Books ? "
I must say that I LOVED THE CHARACTERS AGE GROUP SO MUCH <3 <3
Most of the Romance Novels Characters, Currently, are in their 20s-30s, But In Love In Due Time , Everything Is different ...
Naomi Winters is around Forty and Nathan Ryder is over forty , but both of them are still searching for love and happiness , yeah , they have Jobs and lives , even Nathan Have children , but they are still searching for their missing pieces, their soulmates .
I loved how the book assures us that Love isn't just for young people, you can be forty, fifty .. and still didn't fall in love, It gives us hope .
Love In Due Time is a second Chance Romance , Naomi and Nathan had already met in the past , but circumstances forced them to separate . After years, Nathan is finally recognising Naomi , but she isn't the same 21 girl he knew . I loved how Both of them worked to make their Second Chance works, How they struggled with their feelings, their circumstances, their beliefs ... just to make their relationship works this time.
Naomi character was cool, she was compassionated, lovely, strong , sensitive and hurt . On the other side , Nathan was also strong , open-minded , respectful and supportive . They completed each other , I love how Nathan Treated Naomi , he accepted her as she is , didn't ask her to change anything even her style , the change came from her , internally .
I adored Green Valley environment and vibes , so nostalgic especially when the Winston family were mentioned , I liked how the author kept the previous characters and events , the same without any change and With more amazing details .
Thank You, Author, L.B.Dunbar for writing such a heart-warming book.
Definitely, recommended for romance lovers .
" Some People Consider me different enough Not to bother to understand that my Beliefs don't harm othersmquite the opposite , actually . I'm often misjudged , sadly , I'm used to it "
ARC provided by the publisher & Social Butterfly PR , Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read the book.
*************************
" That's Why I love Books . Books are stable and steadfast. Reliable. Books are comfort from heartache and hope from despair . Maybe Julianne Should put that on one of her signs . I sigh . What will I do Without My Books ? "
I must say that I LOVED THE CHARACTERS AGE GROUP SO MUCH <3 <3
Most of the Romance Novels Characters, Currently, are in their 20s-30s, But In Love In Due Time , Everything Is different ...
Naomi Winters is around Forty and Nathan Ryder is over forty , but both of them are still searching for love and happiness , yeah , they have Jobs and lives , even Nathan Have children , but they are still searching for their missing pieces, their soulmates .
I loved how the book assures us that Love isn't just for young people, you can be forty, fifty .. and still didn't fall in love, It gives us hope .
Love In Due Time is a second Chance Romance , Naomi and Nathan had already met in the past , but circumstances forced them to separate . After years, Nathan is finally recognising Naomi , but she isn't the same 21 girl he knew . I loved how Both of them worked to make their Second Chance works, How they struggled with their feelings, their circumstances, their beliefs ... just to make their relationship works this time.
Naomi character was cool, she was compassionated, lovely, strong , sensitive and hurt . On the other side , Nathan was also strong , open-minded , respectful and supportive . They completed each other , I love how Nathan Treated Naomi , he accepted her as she is , didn't ask her to change anything even her style , the change came from her , internally .
I adored Green Valley environment and vibes , so nostalgic especially when the Winston family were mentioned , I liked how the author kept the previous characters and events , the same without any change and With more amazing details .
Thank You, Author, L.B.Dunbar for writing such a heart-warming book.
Definitely, recommended for romance lovers .
" Some People Consider me different enough Not to bother to understand that my Beliefs don't harm othersmquite the opposite , actually . I'm often misjudged , sadly , I'm used to it "
January 27, 2021
Very sweet second-chance love story.
November 3, 2019
Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads.
I had super high hopes for Love in Due Time when I started reading. If I'm honest, they were based mostly on that cover because I so badly wanted to love the book so I could buy a print copy. Is that wrong? I am who I am. 🤷🏻♀️ But seriously, there was no way I wasn't going to love this book once I started it.
One of my favorite things about Love in Due Time was that the characters were more seasoned. (Characters over thirty need HEAs, too!) Naomi was the type of character I feel like most bookworms can relate to. I know I clicked with her almost immediately. Naomi is Wiccan, a religion I'm not all that familiar with, and I enjoyed learning more about it during this story. (I do love when I learn something while reading my favorite genre!)
I'll admit I side-eyed Nathan in his first on-the-page appearance, but it didn't take long before I was swooning for him as hard as Naomi was. I'm a sucker for a good single dad story, too, and his daughters were adorable. Ok, Clem was adorable. Dahlia was a bit of a shit, but she grew on me.
I devoured Love in Due Time. I couldn't get enough of Naomi and Nathan's story. There was also an undercurrent story with the Iron Wraiths that had me totally invested. Of course, I was also here for the HEA. I love a good slow burn when it burns so good and so hot, but I needed them to get it right this time.
One of the highlights of this book that didn't include Naomi and Nathan could be a spoiler. But, I can't NOT mention the appearance of one of my all-time favorite Penny Reid characters. Naturally, I'm talking about Cletus Winston. He's just the best. 😍But, I'll let you figure out why on your own. Let me just say the Green Valley Library series is off to a strong start. I'm looking forward to reading the second book very soon!
I received a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Favorite Quotes:
"I don't even know who I am most days, how can I expect you to remember me."
That's why I love books. Books are stable and steadfast. Reliable. Books are comfort from heartache and hope from despair.
"Witch or not, Naomi Winters, you've put a spell on me, and I don't want it broken."
"I'm stuck on you, Naomi, and I think that means I've never let you go. I've been waiting as well. Waiting to find my way back to you."
"I think it's time I let the spirits rest and awaken my heart."
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