The Home They Built

Blackberry Bay #3

by Shannon Stacey

There are no blueprints for this unique renovation in the latest Blackberry Bay novel from New York Times bestselling author Shannon Stacey.

Will their secrets stay hidden when the cameras start rolling?

There’s nothing Finn Weaver won’t do for his incorrigible grandmother, including pose as a live-in handyman for the TV reno show Relic Rehab. Host Anna Beckett knows good and well the Weaver house has never been a functioning inn, but taking the project got her to Blackberry Bay…the only place she’ll ever find answers about her own family. Keeping big secrets in a small town is enough of a challenge—can Finn and Anna’s romance survive the truth?

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

Blackberry Bay

Book 1: More than Neighbors

Book 2: Their Christmas Baby Contract

Book 3: The Home They Built

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Harlequin, Contemporary Romance, Category Romance

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 26, 2021

About the author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her favorite activities are writing romance and really random tweets when she’s not riding her ATV. She loves mud, books, football & watching way too much TV.

Reviews

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna Beckett is the host of the TV renovation show, Rehab Relic and her next project is the Blackberry Bay Inn owned by Tess Weaver. Problem is, there’s no such animal but Tess submitted an application to renovate what’s really her own home. She enrolls the entire town into the ruse and forces her grandson, Finn, to be onsite as the resident inn “handyman” when he’s really a successful financial manager living in a neighboring town. But Anna accepted Tess’s application with eyes wide open because she has her own personal reason for wanting to come to Blackberry Bay.

If you love HGTV and any of those renovation shows, you’ll appreciate this story. I’m not much on the repair side but love the design aspects and got my fix here. It took me a minute to connect the dots about Anna as her secret was revealed in the last book. Finn does his best to support his grandmother but his role of handyman isn’t a good fit but he and Anna are. But, both suffer so much guilt about the secrets they’re keeping from each other that it threatens to destroy a great relationship. Otherwise, their developing romance worked and worked well.

I enjoyed all of the zany attempts at holding up Tess’s “lie.” It’s a small town and it was tougher because the renovation team was running into townspeople constantly. It was nice connecting with the characters from the earlier books, especially as some were relevant to this one. I’m glad I listened to the series as the same narrator was used and she delivered a really fine performance. This was probably my favorite but honestly, I enjoyed all of the stories and hate saying goodbye to Blackberry Bay.

Posted on Blue Mood Café

(Thanks to Harlequin Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)

[Asheley T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the romance in here, especially with all of the stolen moments Finn and Anna are able to find. They had to work hard to make time and space for their relationship to develop, and I love that. Anna is the host of a home renovation TV show that chooses to film an episode at Finn's grandmother's house. There are a few secrets being kept in the story, but I didn't mind this so much because these seemed to resolve well. However, I didn't really like the purposeful deception by Finn's grandmother because everyone went along with it. There was too much pressure on her family and literally the entire town to be complicit in her deception, and while everything resolved well enough, it just felt crummy to excuse and play along with a lie of that magnitude. I liked this one as part of the Blackberry Bay series, but it wasn't my favorite. I really appreciate the way characters from previous books and other series (Cedar Street) have some page space. It's always fun to make connections to other stories.

I don't know if this series will end as a trilogy or if the author plans on featuring more of the town's characters. There is certainly room for more, but the series feels good as a trilogy too. If there is more, I'll keep reading.

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finn Weaver's grandma lied, to get a place on a TV reno show and like it or not, he and his parents will have to be a part of the scheme because she listed him as the inn's handyman. What they ignore is that Anna, the tv host, already know the concurrent's house as never been an inn but she couldn't pass on the chance to go to her biological mother's town and learn more about her. So who will reveal their secret first?

I adored the first books in the series but unfortunately can't say the same for this one. I just couldn't understand why the hero's grandmother chose such a deception and was acting as if it was totally normal to do something like that. And I'm sorry to say I thought Finn's parents, who are secondary characters, had more presence than the MC. They were cool with a great sense of humor.

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Romance, Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
Blackberry Bay (Book #3)

[SnarkyMoggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was alright until the end. I don't care. I wouldn't have forgiven him. He didn't explain himself well enough and she just rolled over. After everything she did for him...

[Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finn’s grandmother, Tess, is known for her outrageous schemes, but this one takes the cake. She’s entered (and won) a contest to have her home renovated as part of the TV show called Relic Rehab. The problem: she told the show her home is an inn so that she would qualify, and now that the day of filming is here, she’s told her son, daughter-in-law, and grandson about the plot; too late for them to put a stop to it. Now they, along with the whole town, have to go along with Tess’s plans.

Finn is supposed to be the inn’s handyman (he doesn’t do much manual labor), and has to take off from work for two weeks. Anna is the host of Relic Rehab. She KNOWS this is all a scam, but went along with the application because she has her own reasons for being in Blackberry Bay. She’s got a secret…

The Home They Built is the third story in the Blackberry Bay series. It is set about eighteen months to two years after the previous book. While there are many familiar characters and great tie-ins to the first two books, The Home They Built can be read as a standalone romance.

Anna and Finn find an immediate and strong mutual attraction that sort of flummoxes both characters. They both are “distracted” by the other, but realize they can’t act on the feelings, even after they share a passionate kiss. Both are hiding secrets, plus Anna is only in town temporarily, so they try to avoid one another. Yet, soon enough they succumb to the attraction and sparks fly!

The reason Anna takes advantage of the show going to Blackberry Bay is a good one, and if you’ve read the second book, Their Christmas Baby Contract, you’ll have an idea of how she is tied to the community. This part of the story is thoughtful and adds something more to the small-town romance. Predictably, the weight of the lies causes things to fall apart, but watching Anna and Finn put it back together makes for a touching story.

In the end, I enjoyed my return to Blackberry Bay. The Home They Built is a cute, easy read that is predictable but entertaining and enjoyable.

My Rating: B, I liked it - recommend
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just okay. The romance and declarations of love seemed sort of sudden - without much background/history or something. It was fine, but this series doesn’t match the Kowolski series.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It was nice to read Finn getting his HEA. While he wasn’t super prominent in the first two books in this series, that was mostly because he lived out of town. He is in the same friend circle as the others and always seemed like a really nice guy. Having read his story, I can confirm the nice guy thing is true. Finn will do anything for those he loves.

The premise of this story is a bit crazy…Finn’s grandma lies to a reality fix-it type show in order to get free repairs done on her old family home. She pulls Finn and his parents, and really the whole town, into her deception and everyone reluctantly goes along in order to keep her from getting in trouble. We all know how secrets tend to play out in fiction (and in real life).

For her part, the reality show host is onto the tricks before she even approves the project. Anna has her own ulterior motives for taking on this home in Blackberry Bay. Her search for her birth mother is very private and hard for her so she’s keeping her plans close to the vest.

That’s a lot of secrets for one small town. As Finn and Anna find themselves more and more drawn to each other, the guilt they each feel for their deceptions keeps growing. This couple has a great connection. They are wonderful as fast friends, finding a comfort with one another that just comes naturally. Both find the sparks an inconvenience to their end game.

In general, the “big lie” trope is not one a enjoy. This one worked, at least for the most part. There, of course, came a point that the lies went on too long and got annoying to me. But honestly, these lies involved so many people it didn’t read as the typical “big lie” story. For me, that’s a good thing.

You can find more of my reviews at All In Good Time.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secrets. They can easily break a relationship and cause a world of hurt but what if they are for a very good reason? Is there ever a good reason though, especially if they are secrets you are keeping from your one love?

Anna is a host for a tv show and the opportunity comes up for her to go the the same small town that her birth mother is from. She is in Blackberry Bay to film a series for her show, which she knows is a lie about the home being an inn, but it is to be closer to her birth mother and if she wants to meet her. Little did she know that she would fall in love with the "inn keepers" grandson, Finn.

Finn is dragged into another one of his grandmother's schemes, however this one takes the cake for sure. He is a supposed handyman, which is further from the truth, and he is expected to come and help with the renovations for the "inn" that his grandmother runs.

The antics of Tess (the grandmother) and other family dynamic had me laughing and really enjoying the story. Reading Finn and Anna fall in love and them both having to deal with the lies they are telling each other in the end, can it tear them apart?

After the network finds out the truth, will that be the end of the show, the renovations, and the relationship that Finn and Anna had grown?

I loved returning to Blackberry Bay and the ties that Anna found with previous book characters and the new characters we meet with Finn's family.

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

TV star of a house renovation show, Anna Beckett, has a secret reason for taking on the work to bring back to former glory a Victorian home in Blackberry Bay. She suspects her birth mother may have lived there and she's eager to find out more about why the woman abandoned her and her father. But she also knows that the application submitted by the home's owner has lied about the place. It has never been an inn, but rather is her personal home in desperate need of help.

Finn Weaver is Gram's grandson and he and his parents--as well as most of the townspeople--are in on the fraud, which places him in a difficult position when he falls for Anna. If he tells her the truth, will it place his grandmother in legal jeopardy? But if he doesn't come clean with Anna, what does that say about the relationship he wants with her?

Too bad that they are caught on the horns of that dilemma when Anna's bosses find out what's going on and stop the renovation right before firing her. Now what is she going to do? No job, and concerns for Gram and the family that has come to be meaningful to her, to say nothing of what she's discovered about her birth mother.

[Suz Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

“While Gram’s shenanigans could be legendary, neither of his parents had ever even had a speeding ticket. They didn’t do shenanigans.”

In order to save her expensive old house, Finn’s grandmother, Tess applies to be on a reality show which rehabs small businesses. Only her application is filled with fibs and out right lies, such as claiming her old house is a working inn. When her “inn” is picked for an upcoming season, she ropes Finn in to pretend to be the handyman. He doesn’t expect to fall for Anna, the beautiful television host, who is harboring some secrets of her own.

The second book in the series does a great job setting up for this one, as several characters are important to the plots of both books. Finn and Anna make a great couple. I adored Anna’s assistant Eryn, who can’t wait to return home to her wife and family. While I’m hoping that Stacey returns to this world with additional books, I enjoyed how she explored the topic of biological parents and secrets throughout the series.

[Jayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 3 in the Blackberry Bay series. Would technically work as a stand alone, but you get some back story in book 2 that makes it worth reading.

Finn's grandmother has been selected for a renovation by a TV series- by lying to them- claiming her home is an inn. The morning they are to begin filming, she forces the family to show up and lie for her. Anna is the host- and she knows it is all a lie. But she chose them because she has a reason for wanting to come to Blackberry Bay- it is where her birth mother is from.

The fact that everyone was lying was funny, but also got old. The whole lying plot was the worst part of the book- First of all, why was it necessary? The show could have renovated an old house. They mostly did businesses, but why not make a change? Also, of course it would come out. A whole town can't lie for weeks.

Tatiana Sokolov narrates- she more commonly narrates as Tanya Eby. She is always a solid narrator.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminds me of Psych theme song - In between the lines there is a lot of obscurity....I know You know that I am not telling the truth.
The h knows that H's grandma and her entire family is lying about her old home being an Inn when she comes for remodeling it and she knows she is turning a blind eye because she has her own personal agenda of finding her birth mom in that town. There is fun and banter and know the plot twist coming a mile before it comes that the whole situation is going to go nuclear with loss of reputation and her career, lawsuits for the grandma etc., But its written well that you dont cringe and read it through its inevitable clever h coming to limit the damage and yet salvage everyone's limits.

[LucifertheCat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really going for this. I was telling myself that I had been prejudiced against the entire series until the end. The author gave a hell of a bump between the two and their relationship and I thought, brilliant. This is going to be like real life. Ha! I should have not gotten ahead of myself. When they made up; how they made up was so unbelievable that I... I got angry. I got angry for the FMC just rolling over and taking his apology. No. No. You don't accept that. You make him explain more about himself and his actions before you do. I'm not angry that they had a HEA, but I am angry of how they got there. This is a big no for me. It only hot 2 Stars because until then, I was finding the entire story alright.

[Vickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it although it wasn't as good as the first two books in the series. Anna Beckett comes to Blackberry Bay to do a television show about renovation homes. Finn Weaver's grandmother, Tess Weaver, is the lucky recipient of this program although she entered the show under false pretensions. Anna knows this but she has her own agenda for being there.

There is quick banter between all the characters, with Finn's parents really stealing the show, literally. The plot twist is very clear but on a cold, snowy afternoon and cleaning out a basement, this was a good listen.

Go Cards! L1C4!!

[Becky Tatar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anna Beckett, host of the home reno show Relic Rehab, agrees to rehab Tess Weaver's home, even though a cursory exam of the woman's application shows that the home was never an inn. But Anna has her own reasons for going to Blackberry Bay, and Tess's grandson, Finn finds himself playing along with his grandmother to get the renovations done. So this big secret is known on both sides, but not the network's bosses. But then sparks start between Anna and Finn. What happens when everyone's secret comes out?

[Angie Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rehab TV Host Anna’s next project is one she is drawn to do. She is determined to find out more about her birth mother. So the fudged a bit and approved Tess’ application.

Tess’ family is upset at their she has done but are determined to see it through. Her Grandson Finn doesn’t know it but this is the best thing that could happen to him. Such a beautiful story of love and family!!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the author so I knew I’d love the book. Just the right amount of family shenanigans going on with a grandmother up to trouble, her son and his wife roped in, along with their son. Add in a renovation show and a town blackmailed into keeping the secret and a secret family, this book covered it all well. Would love to visit BlackBerry Bay again (oops started with book 3)

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun to read. So many different little story lines going on all while refurbishing one house for a TV show.
Shannon Stacey's books are always a great read and this one was no different

[Maureen Hubley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book and I'm going to try and find the first 2 in the series.

[Karen Geurts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the characters and the story. Anna is great and Finn fits with her perfectly.

[Moey17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the humor, just a simple and fun read!

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5

[One Sentence Audio Critic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook available on HoopLa and Libby...thank you author, Shannon Stacey!

[Moira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Undercover and uncovered

A comical story based upon errors in judgement, but fun and lighthearted. Tess Weaver's home needs renovations so she submits a forged application about the history and authenticity of her home, claiming it was an Inn.

Anna, part of the team that reviews applications overlooked some of the information because the location is where her birth mother lived . The renovation would make a great cover for finding her birth mother.

Tess's family and the whole town cover for her, but will it all implode? One wrong move could affect everyone.

[KAREN MCCRAW · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a tangled web

Anna had her reasons for taking the Blackberry Bay assignment and Tess had hers for creating this hilarious opportunity. This stoy was filled with romance, untruths, fun and happy endings.

[Kaetrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for AudioGals.

[fru S · Rating 3 out of 5]

ljudbok. helt ok, 3,5 *