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Hope Falls #1
Feels Like Home
For Amanda Jacobs, dealing with the pain of losing her beloved Dad is the toughest thing she's ever gone through, and it comes with a lot of complications, as well - like taking over the family business, Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures. It makes her miss the simplicity of being a teenager, when she was surrounded by her amazing friends, The Fabulous Four, and she was madly in love with her Dad's right hand man, Justin Barnes. His sexy smiles and deep brown eyes had made her heart race in a way she's never felt before or since. When the Fabulous Four unexpectedly show up on her doorstep to support her through this complicated time, things seem to be looking up for Amanda. But that's not the only surprise visit in store for her...
Justin Barnes left Hope Falls ten years ago, in the dead of night, and didn't think he'd ever set foot there again. That was just fine with him, except for one little complication: Amanda Jacobs. He had fallen in love with her unruly blonde curls and sparkling sapphire eyes, but she had been a teenager then, five years younger than he - too young for him to act on his attraction. Still, he'd missed her every single day of those ten years. When Justin receives a phone call that his former mentor has passed away, he knows he has to return to Hope Falls. Justin just has one question - will the girl that once adored him have grown into a woman that can't stand him? Or will she still be the only thing in the world that feels like home?
Justin Barnes left Hope Falls ten years ago, in the dead of night, and didn't think he'd ever set foot there again. That was just fine with him, except for one little complication: Amanda Jacobs. He had fallen in love with her unruly blonde curls and sparkling sapphire eyes, but she had been a teenager then, five years younger than he - too young for him to act on his attraction. Still, he'd missed her every single day of those ten years. When Justin receives a phone call that his former mentor has passed away, he knows he has to return to Hope Falls. Justin just has one question - will the girl that once adored him have grown into a woman that can't stand him? Or will she still be the only thing in the world that feels like home?
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2012
688 people are currently reading
2659 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Shawn
133 books1,848 followersNEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY bestselling author Melanie Shawn writes HEAs filled with sweet and sassy heroines, heroes who are cinnamon rolls in the streets alpho-holes in the sheets, casts of supportive *cough: meddling* friends and family who put the fun in funny, toe-curling combustible heat, and sugary sweet “aww” moments that will have your hearts and e-readers melting.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
August 3, 2017
I gave this book 20% before abandoning it. Getting that far wasn't really a trial, but I just can't keep going. It's like this book is made up of platonic ideals. Amanda's father was the best man ever, a paragon, and spiritual, physical, and emotional leader of their idyllic small town. Her grief at his death will be forever and never get any less, ever. Her love for Justin is as strong now as it was ten years ago when he left their town to make his own way (she literally still thinks about him every day). Her three friends are, respectively, the nation's top pop princess, its number one snowboarder, and one of New York's top real estate agents. The town has literally not changed in ten years (according to the explicit declarations of four people who have returned after long times away) and is still the best place on Earth and full of the best people.
I'm sorry, but this is wish-fulfilment on a scale that makes it completely unbelievable. And wearing...
(All uses of literally are used with deliberation and according to old-school definitions of the term—i.e. before the new-fangled trend made it its own opposite)
I'm sorry, but this is wish-fulfilment on a scale that makes it completely unbelievable. And wearing...
(All uses of literally are used with deliberation and according to old-school definitions of the term—i.e. before the new-fangled trend made it its own opposite)
June 10, 2015
4.5 stars. If I didn't try and reserve five stars for books that absolutely blew my mind, it would probably make it to five.
When I picked up Sweet Reunion, I was looking for a comfort blanket, a warm bath, a fluffy jumper of a book. For once, that is exactly what I got. Sweet Reunion is, well, sweet, but it is also well written and edited and avoids most of the pitfalls you often find in in this kind of book.
***Spoilers Ahead***
The characterisation is great. Not only are the two main characters fleshed out BUT the secondary characters are really well rounded as well! In the case of "the Fabulous Four", who are a really quite fabulous, diverse and supportive group of friends, this makes sense because it looks as though other books in the series feature them as the respective main characters. But Melanie Shawn hasn't neglected the other characters. The most interesting example of this is, I think, Justin's father Ryan. He shows quite an impressive character arc for a supporting character. He undergoes this transformation from alcoholic and neglectful father to a man trying to stay on the straight and narrow, support his younger son (who I adore), and desperately trying to rebuild a relationship with his older son. And yet he's never made into a caricature. When we look closer, he isn't portrayed as having been determinedly malicious or evil... but nor is it implied that his transformation has been easy, is absolute... or means that Justin has to just forgive him off the bat. He's a very real character. He's not the 2d secondary/tertiary character you often see in romance novels; authors too often think the only part of the story they need to bother with are the two main characters but not so.
The authors also have largely managed to avoid the kind of formulaic storyline you often see in this kind of book. You know the one I mean:
[Characters meet and fall for each other] -> [But wait! That would be too easy and also a really short book! And maybe the readers wouldn't buy into their romance! Time for some fabricated angst!] -> [Something happens to drive them apart] -> [But their love is stronger than said something!] -> [They get back together] -> [Cue marriage proposal, wedding and possible pregnancy a week later]
In Sweet Reunion, the angst happens outside of the parameters of the book, so while there is enough of a sense of turbulence to make you root for the characters and there's a little "oh, he won't stay!" "oh, I'm not good enough, I should just leave!"... you basically avoid having to read about the pointless separation which you know won't last and instead get to just enjoy the best parts: memories of their meeting and them growing back together. Plus, this way, the proposal doesn't feel too soon as the whole relationship arc hasn't been crammed into one book but instead taken place over, what, 20 ish years. It's like the literary equivalent of picking out just the marshmallows in Lucky Charms.
When I picked up Sweet Reunion, I was looking for a comfort blanket, a warm bath, a fluffy jumper of a book. For once, that is exactly what I got. Sweet Reunion is, well, sweet, but it is also well written and edited and avoids most of the pitfalls you often find in in this kind of book.
***Spoilers Ahead***
The characterisation is great. Not only are the two main characters fleshed out BUT the secondary characters are really well rounded as well! In the case of "the Fabulous Four", who are a really quite fabulous, diverse and supportive group of friends, this makes sense because it looks as though other books in the series feature them as the respective main characters. But Melanie Shawn hasn't neglected the other characters. The most interesting example of this is, I think, Justin's father Ryan. He shows quite an impressive character arc for a supporting character. He undergoes this transformation from alcoholic and neglectful father to a man trying to stay on the straight and narrow, support his younger son (who I adore), and desperately trying to rebuild a relationship with his older son. And yet he's never made into a caricature. When we look closer, he isn't portrayed as having been determinedly malicious or evil... but nor is it implied that his transformation has been easy, is absolute... or means that Justin has to just forgive him off the bat. He's a very real character. He's not the 2d secondary/tertiary character you often see in romance novels; authors too often think the only part of the story they need to bother with are the two main characters but not so.
The authors also have largely managed to avoid the kind of formulaic storyline you often see in this kind of book. You know the one I mean:
[Characters meet and fall for each other] -> [But wait! That would be too easy and also a really short book! And maybe the readers wouldn't buy into their romance! Time for some fabricated angst!] -> [Something happens to drive them apart] -> [But their love is stronger than said something!] -> [They get back together] -> [Cue marriage proposal, wedding and possible pregnancy a week later]
In Sweet Reunion, the angst happens outside of the parameters of the book, so while there is enough of a sense of turbulence to make you root for the characters and there's a little "oh, he won't stay!" "oh, I'm not good enough, I should just leave!"... you basically avoid having to read about the pointless separation which you know won't last and instead get to just enjoy the best parts: memories of their meeting and them growing back together. Plus, this way, the proposal doesn't feel too soon as the whole relationship arc hasn't been crammed into one book but instead taken place over, what, 20 ish years. It's like the literary equivalent of picking out just the marshmallows in Lucky Charms.
Read
May 19, 2015There wasn't anything particularly wrong nor special about this one. It just wasn't right up my alley. I ended up skimming most of it.
I do want to point out one thing that I wish authors would quit doing. Please don't write the good girls and right girls as beautiful and attractive while the wrong girl are always mean girls who wear a lot of makeup, skimpy tight clothing and throw themselves at the hero. This is a cliche that needs to die a quick death. Plus, if this "mean" girl is so awful why is it always that the hero has been involved with them in some form or fashion in the past? It doesn't make me think anything positive about a hero that would date/hookup or whatever with someone like that.
I do want to point out one thing that I wish authors would quit doing. Please don't write the good girls and right girls as beautiful and attractive while the wrong girl are always mean girls who wear a lot of makeup, skimpy tight clothing and throw themselves at the hero. This is a cliche that needs to die a quick death. Plus, if this "mean" girl is so awful why is it always that the hero has been involved with them in some form or fashion in the past? It doesn't make me think anything positive about a hero that would date/hookup or whatever with someone like that.
March 15, 2014
This is the first book I have read by Melanie Shawn.. "Sweet Reunion" LOVED IT .. Justin and Amanda were wonderful characters... As were the other members of the Fabulous Four.. the book was full of moments that made me laugh out loud and then reduced me to tears... If you love a book with HEA.. this is a beautiful sweet story you should be reading...I had to download all the other books in the series.. so looking forward to catching up with the Fabulous Four and their lives !!!
November 1, 2016
Confesso que este livro foi uma desilusão.
Já tinha lido outros livros desta autora e gostei sempre, mas este, que tem tudo para ser uma história interessante foi chato.
Creio que esta é mesmo a melhor palavra para o descrever: chato.
A Amanda é uma heroína de 27 anos que parece ter 14 e o Justin um homem de 30 anos que parece um miúdo mimado de 12.
:(
Já tinha lido outros livros desta autora e gostei sempre, mas este, que tem tudo para ser uma história interessante foi chato.
Creio que esta é mesmo a melhor palavra para o descrever: chato.
A Amanda é uma heroína de 27 anos que parece ter 14 e o Justin um homem de 30 anos que parece um miúdo mimado de 12.
:(
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October 14, 2021🎁FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBook today (1/21/2021)!🎁
September 10, 2013
I am giving two stars; one I loved the characters second there was chemistry, a story to tell.... Beyond that there was nothing...I was waiting for something! I found myself flipping through the pages without reading it... It had a lot of potential but it just went downward.there was hardly any Amanda/Justin time...I loved her friends but I wish there was more scenes with the hero and heroine... but considering it's one of their first novels and after reading the crossroad series am sure they have come a long way...BUT am still contemplating reading the rest of hope fall chronicles...though am intrigued about the charterers....
April 29, 2015
Amazon Freebie. I liked the idea. Just not the follow through. It was written about as well as fanfic. I think this was a debut novel though so it may get better. I just can't go on reading about this group of friends who all somehow grew up to have what I'll call super jobs. The pop star, snowboarding super star, and rich business woman. Somewhere between 2-3 stars.
May 4, 2015
Awesome little story
Amanda's father passes away unexpectedly. Her three friends come in to be with her. On the day of the reading of the will Justin shows up. Justin left ten years ago and was never heard from again, until now. He has loved Amanda for years and she him. This story is about forgiveness, love, friends and a little sex.
Amanda's father passes away unexpectedly. Her three friends come in to be with her. On the day of the reading of the will Justin shows up. Justin left ten years ago and was never heard from again, until now. He has loved Amanda for years and she him. This story is about forgiveness, love, friends and a little sex.
July 4, 2018
Nothing about this book stood out to me. It was a fairly pedestrian love story, with friendship side tours that distracted rather than enhanced.
July 22, 2016
Amanda feels truly alone for the first time in her life. Her rock, her only real reliable support is gone. Her dad is gone. He was loved by the whole town, so loved that everyone turned up to honor him and say goodbye. Including him. Justin left 10 years ago and missed Amanda every day ever since. Now that he is back, making things right between them is going to take a heck of an apology, a lot of convincing and the will to take roots. As usual, Melanie Shawn has a way to wrap her characters with traits that captures us from the get go. The story is moving, sexy, funny, and full of family and fierce friendship love. I look forward to Sweet Harmony.
June 7, 2015
CUTE, SWEET AND ANGST FILLED STORY LINE WAS VERY HOT NEAR THE END (you had to wait for it) THEY DIDN’T KISS TILL 62% OF THE BOOK. I DID FIND MOST OF THE CHARACTER’S BEHAVIOR VERY JUVENILE TO BE THE AGE THEY WERE (27+). I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE GIVEN THIS THREE AND THREE FOURTHS STARS BUT ALAS THEY DON’T OFFER THAT OPTION. ;D
June 25, 2015
Sweet romance
This was a sweet love story about Justin and Amanda and some of the trials and situations that they went through. True love conquers all. I recommend the book if you like romance!
This was a sweet love story about Justin and Amanda and some of the trials and situations that they went through. True love conquers all. I recommend the book if you like romance!
July 4, 2016
I've like all the books I've read in this series. I don't have them in order but the ones I do have are good. The characters are fun and easy to like.
August 3, 2018
The perfect mix of plot, character development, and steam.
After this book, I am definitely a Melanie Shawn fan.
After this book, I am definitely a Melanie Shawn fan.
July 24, 2020
Amanda and Justin
Trivia:::”Her boyfriend of two years, ‘his blonde hair fell perfectly in place, as if he were able to keep as tight a reign on each individual hair as he did on his bearing and emotions’”. Does that mean he’s effeminate since ‘blonde’ is the feminine form of the adjective of blond.
Hope Falls mountain village (an idyllic place, lush with deep green pine trees and dotted with colorful aspens in shades of brilliant yellow and shocking red).
Population 5,000
The heart of the town was Downtown Main Street, a five block stretch of small storefront businesses, lined on each side with wooden, almost porch-like sidewalks. Downtown Main Street was where many of Amanda's favorite places were.
Sue Ann's Cafe was there, which was the main eatery in town. The proprietress, Sue Ann Perkins (her grandson Ryan is eventually paired with Karina Black) part of the Fabulous Four. Sue Ann was a longtime fixture in Hope Falls, someone that Karina and Amanda had known since they were born. She was a cheerful woman with springy grey hair and delicate-looking glasses that she wore on a chain around her neck. She always dressed in some variation of a floral skirt/button-down shirt/matching cardigan ensemble. Best of all, she always greeted the patrons of her shop like they were long lost friends, even if they had just been in earlier in the day.
Then there was Read Between the Lines, the used bookstore.
Hope Falls Twin Cinemas, the tiny two-theater movie house which was Hope Falls' only real entertainment venue. The proprietors had, in a very savvy move, begun showing independent films on weekends to lure up the artsy crowd from Lake Tahoe. They showed the big blockbusters during the week, to attract the local clientele, and on weekends they devoted one of the two theaters to showing art house movies that were making a big splash in metro areas, and that small film buffs from Lake Tahoe would have otherwise had to drive all the way to San Francisco to see.
Two Scoops, the ice cream shop.
In the several blocks surrounding Downtown Main Street in all directions were all the buildings that made the town function – City Hall and the municipal complex, the library, schools, churches, parks, the community center. Spreading out past the main part of the town were neighborhoods filled with homes that contained the true heart of Hope Falls – its people.
Lauren, Karina, Samantha and Amanda - they’d spent every waking moment either together or talking on the phone aptly named, The Fabulous Four.
Lauren, tall and statuesque, her platinum blonde hair swept back in a chignon, her deep brown doe-like eyes sparkling with excitement at seeing Amanda. At five foot eleven, she stood tall – the tallest of the four of them – and elegant, like some gorgeous and enigmatic Greek goddess statue come to life.
Sam, short and cute as a button, a strong, capable and athletic woman with medium length auburn hair and a spray of freckles dotting her nose and cheeks.
Karina, the lone dark beauty among the bunch, having a natural dancer's build. Her long glossy black hair hung down her back in waves, falling nearly all the way to her waist, and her onyx eyes twinkled in the sunlight, setting off the golden tones in her olive skin and let’s not forget her 71 year old Native American grandmother, Renata Blackstone.
Maybe she had been spoiled by her father, and his constant concern for her. There was nothing more important that Parker Jacobs than if he saw his only daughter crying. When she cried, she hadn't needed anyone. He would fold her up in his arms and utter the phrase that had been effective when she was 2, and had remained so well into her 20s. “Tell me about it, baby,” he’d say. There was nothing she could keep from her father.
Geoffrey, her douchewaffle boyfriend commandeers their relationship as a ruse to get his hands on either Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures or the land it sits on – he's just too interested in the property, the will, and in pressuring Amanda to sell as soon as possible. He treats her with disdain, her lure being her father’s financial assets, it’s all he ever mentioned helping her with.
Justin and Amanda haven’t set eyes on one another in eleven years. He returned for the reading of her father’s will. Justin is a runner, not in an athletic sense rather when he’s faced with what he perceives as rejection.
Lauren texted Geoffrey, pretending to be Amanda saying she’d decided to sell Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures.
“I knew from the first minute I met this slimy guy that he was up to no good. He was just so obsessed with you selling Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures. It didn't add up. Like Henry said, he didn't have a horse in that race. It should never have mattered that much to him. I asked my lawyer to run a check on him – background check, financials, the whole thing. I did manage to find just one person close enough to know his dirty little secrets, and who I thought might be interested in what was going on out here.”
“Who?” Amanda asked weakly.
“Her name is Helen, she did know so many of his secrets! Of course, the one thing that she didn't know was anything about his relationship with you. She was pretty angry when I explained that part.”
“You talked to my wife?!” Geoffrey roared furiously.
“Your what?!” Amanda demanded
“He's been married for almost fifteen years, has two boys in private school in Boston. He also has a neat little Ponzi scheme operation that's about to fall apart. He viewed Parker's death as just about the most fortuitous event that could have happened to him. He knew Parker didn't carry any debt on the resort. A sale would have netted millions of dollars in pure profit. His plan was to convince you to sell and then somehow steal the money from you, thereby propping up his Ponzi scheme and helping him to evade detection for at least a while longer.”
“I don't have to take this from you,” he said forcefully, flinging the door open.
“Oh, but you do have to take this from me,” said the waiting SEC commission officer waiting on the other side of the front door, snapped handcuffs onto his wrists, and read him his rights.
Trivia:::”Her boyfriend of two years, ‘his blonde hair fell perfectly in place, as if he were able to keep as tight a reign on each individual hair as he did on his bearing and emotions’”. Does that mean he’s effeminate since ‘blonde’ is the feminine form of the adjective of blond.
Hope Falls mountain village (an idyllic place, lush with deep green pine trees and dotted with colorful aspens in shades of brilliant yellow and shocking red).
Population 5,000
The heart of the town was Downtown Main Street, a five block stretch of small storefront businesses, lined on each side with wooden, almost porch-like sidewalks. Downtown Main Street was where many of Amanda's favorite places were.
Sue Ann's Cafe was there, which was the main eatery in town. The proprietress, Sue Ann Perkins (her grandson Ryan is eventually paired with Karina Black) part of the Fabulous Four. Sue Ann was a longtime fixture in Hope Falls, someone that Karina and Amanda had known since they were born. She was a cheerful woman with springy grey hair and delicate-looking glasses that she wore on a chain around her neck. She always dressed in some variation of a floral skirt/button-down shirt/matching cardigan ensemble. Best of all, she always greeted the patrons of her shop like they were long lost friends, even if they had just been in earlier in the day.
Then there was Read Between the Lines, the used bookstore.
Hope Falls Twin Cinemas, the tiny two-theater movie house which was Hope Falls' only real entertainment venue. The proprietors had, in a very savvy move, begun showing independent films on weekends to lure up the artsy crowd from Lake Tahoe. They showed the big blockbusters during the week, to attract the local clientele, and on weekends they devoted one of the two theaters to showing art house movies that were making a big splash in metro areas, and that small film buffs from Lake Tahoe would have otherwise had to drive all the way to San Francisco to see.
Two Scoops, the ice cream shop.
In the several blocks surrounding Downtown Main Street in all directions were all the buildings that made the town function – City Hall and the municipal complex, the library, schools, churches, parks, the community center. Spreading out past the main part of the town were neighborhoods filled with homes that contained the true heart of Hope Falls – its people.
Lauren, Karina, Samantha and Amanda - they’d spent every waking moment either together or talking on the phone aptly named, The Fabulous Four.
Lauren, tall and statuesque, her platinum blonde hair swept back in a chignon, her deep brown doe-like eyes sparkling with excitement at seeing Amanda. At five foot eleven, she stood tall – the tallest of the four of them – and elegant, like some gorgeous and enigmatic Greek goddess statue come to life.
Sam, short and cute as a button, a strong, capable and athletic woman with medium length auburn hair and a spray of freckles dotting her nose and cheeks.
Karina, the lone dark beauty among the bunch, having a natural dancer's build. Her long glossy black hair hung down her back in waves, falling nearly all the way to her waist, and her onyx eyes twinkled in the sunlight, setting off the golden tones in her olive skin and let’s not forget her 71 year old Native American grandmother, Renata Blackstone.
Maybe she had been spoiled by her father, and his constant concern for her. There was nothing more important that Parker Jacobs than if he saw his only daughter crying. When she cried, she hadn't needed anyone. He would fold her up in his arms and utter the phrase that had been effective when she was 2, and had remained so well into her 20s. “Tell me about it, baby,” he’d say. There was nothing she could keep from her father.
Geoffrey, her douchewaffle boyfriend commandeers their relationship as a ruse to get his hands on either Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures or the land it sits on – he's just too interested in the property, the will, and in pressuring Amanda to sell as soon as possible. He treats her with disdain, her lure being her father’s financial assets, it’s all he ever mentioned helping her with.
Justin and Amanda haven’t set eyes on one another in eleven years. He returned for the reading of her father’s will. Justin is a runner, not in an athletic sense rather when he’s faced with what he perceives as rejection.
Lauren texted Geoffrey, pretending to be Amanda saying she’d decided to sell Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures.
“I knew from the first minute I met this slimy guy that he was up to no good. He was just so obsessed with you selling Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures. It didn't add up. Like Henry said, he didn't have a horse in that race. It should never have mattered that much to him. I asked my lawyer to run a check on him – background check, financials, the whole thing. I did manage to find just one person close enough to know his dirty little secrets, and who I thought might be interested in what was going on out here.”
“Who?” Amanda asked weakly.
“Her name is Helen, she did know so many of his secrets! Of course, the one thing that she didn't know was anything about his relationship with you. She was pretty angry when I explained that part.”
“You talked to my wife?!” Geoffrey roared furiously.
“Your what?!” Amanda demanded
“He's been married for almost fifteen years, has two boys in private school in Boston. He also has a neat little Ponzi scheme operation that's about to fall apart. He viewed Parker's death as just about the most fortuitous event that could have happened to him. He knew Parker didn't carry any debt on the resort. A sale would have netted millions of dollars in pure profit. His plan was to convince you to sell and then somehow steal the money from you, thereby propping up his Ponzi scheme and helping him to evade detection for at least a while longer.”
“I don't have to take this from you,” he said forcefully, flinging the door open.
“Oh, but you do have to take this from me,” said the waiting SEC commission officer waiting on the other side of the front door, snapped handcuffs onto his wrists, and read him his rights.
October 12, 2019
*4.5
This was a complete hit for me, I think this is one of my favorite Melanie Shawn books, I really enjoyed the relationship which I thought was really sweet, I also really liked the characters that were introduced for future books. There was one scene where I wish we could have Justin's input on the scene that was happening, and then there was another scene we could have seen play out instead of being told about if after the fact, and then just seeing the after effects of it all. Other than that I really enjoyed this book, this was a great start to a series that I'm really excited to get to.
This was a complete hit for me, I think this is one of my favorite Melanie Shawn books, I really enjoyed the relationship which I thought was really sweet, I also really liked the characters that were introduced for future books. There was one scene where I wish we could have Justin's input on the scene that was happening, and then there was another scene we could have seen play out instead of being told about if after the fact, and then just seeing the after effects of it all. Other than that I really enjoyed this book, this was a great start to a series that I'm really excited to get to.
Want to read
November 21, 2022November 20, 2022 Amazon purch
May 14, 2015
I came across Sweet Reunion by Melanie Shawn rather by accident, but I am truly grateful to have found it. From start to finish, I was pulled into the story. The chemistry and connection between the characters completely pulled at my hearstrings and at times, ripped me apart. I could not get enough of this book.
In this story, Amanda Jacobs has just lost her father and is struggling to get through it. To help her with this loss, her three best friends swoop into town, surprising Amanda. But they are not the only ones who arrive. Justin Barnes also has returned to Hope Falls. Justin was her dad's right hand man when they has been younger, and the love of Amanda's life. He had left 10 years ago, in the dead of night, and hasn't been back since. She is elated to see him, but wonders what will happen when he leaves.
This storyline gripped me from the start. It is a very emotional read and I could not help but fall in love with the characters. Their trials and tribulations captured me and I did not want this book to end. I am thankful that this is the first in the series, so I know there will be more to come by this amazing author.
In this story, Amanda Jacobs has just lost her father and is struggling to get through it. To help her with this loss, her three best friends swoop into town, surprising Amanda. But they are not the only ones who arrive. Justin Barnes also has returned to Hope Falls. Justin was her dad's right hand man when they has been younger, and the love of Amanda's life. He had left 10 years ago, in the dead of night, and hasn't been back since. She is elated to see him, but wonders what will happen when he leaves.
This storyline gripped me from the start. It is a very emotional read and I could not help but fall in love with the characters. Their trials and tribulations captured me and I did not want this book to end. I am thankful that this is the first in the series, so I know there will be more to come by this amazing author.
May 25, 2015
4.5 stars.
I stumbled upon this book on a website showing free and discounted books. After reading the blurb, I decided to download it and give it a try. I'm so glad I did. This is the type of romance I love to read. The characters were well developed and it wasn't all about getting to the next sex scene. This book was about the relationship, the romance.
Amanda and Justin were both easy to relate to. The way they reacted to things, as well as their past relationship made for an intriguing story. I read a review that complained the two weren't together enough, but I completely disagree. It was important to see how Amanda was with her best friends and how Justin dealt with his family. It made them richer characters.
The only thing that kept this from being a five star read for me were a few technical issues. For example, there was a scene where Amanda walks into a room with a tray full of mason jars. Something happens and she ends up dropping the tray and the mason jars...but none of them break.
I would highly recommend this book to those who love a good, realistic, romance. This is the first book in the Hope Falls Series and they are all going on my TBR list.
I stumbled upon this book on a website showing free and discounted books. After reading the blurb, I decided to download it and give it a try. I'm so glad I did. This is the type of romance I love to read. The characters were well developed and it wasn't all about getting to the next sex scene. This book was about the relationship, the romance.
Amanda and Justin were both easy to relate to. The way they reacted to things, as well as their past relationship made for an intriguing story. I read a review that complained the two weren't together enough, but I completely disagree. It was important to see how Amanda was with her best friends and how Justin dealt with his family. It made them richer characters.
The only thing that kept this from being a five star read for me were a few technical issues. For example, there was a scene where Amanda walks into a room with a tray full of mason jars. Something happens and she ends up dropping the tray and the mason jars...but none of them break.
I would highly recommend this book to those who love a good, realistic, romance. This is the first book in the Hope Falls Series and they are all going on my TBR list.
May 22, 2015
Amanda Jacobs is dealing with the pain of losing her father and taking over the family business, Mountain Ridge Outdoor Adventures. Growing up she had amazing friends, The Fabulous Four, and she was madly in love with her Dad's right hand man, Justin Barnes.
Justin Barnes had a tough life with his alcoholic father, and his escape was working for Parker Jacobs, Amanda's dad. Justin being 5 years older than Amanda, knew he could not act on his attraction to his mentor's daughter, so through a string of crazy events, left in the night without a goodbye.
With the death of Parker, Justin is back for his funeral, and for Amanda. Amanda, Justin and the Fabulous Four are all reunited in this sweet story of second chances.
Great first book the series, sets up the rest of the series nicely!
Justin Barnes had a tough life with his alcoholic father, and his escape was working for Parker Jacobs, Amanda's dad. Justin being 5 years older than Amanda, knew he could not act on his attraction to his mentor's daughter, so through a string of crazy events, left in the night without a goodbye.
With the death of Parker, Justin is back for his funeral, and for Amanda. Amanda, Justin and the Fabulous Four are all reunited in this sweet story of second chances.
Great first book the series, sets up the rest of the series nicely!
May 3, 2015
A great start to the hope fall series. Amanda has loved Justin all her life and was very devastated when he left town without any warning. Fast forward ten years later Justin has come home for the funeral of her father. Lovely plot about recognizing true love at a young age. We meet her friends( who will later on get their own books). Though this classified as romance it is not limited the main characters there are other stories going on. Amanda has a beau who is not what he seems to be Justin finds out the father that abused him for so many years had gotten married again and had another child. As a previous reader said I would have love more of Amanda and Justin but understood that the author was setting up and establishing other characters who would have their own story to tell.
August 8, 2013
There was a lot I liked about this book. For the most part I enjoyed all the characters. The relationship between the four girls is what we'd all want from our BFF's. I think the way Justin left was honest and to be excepted for his age. I also liked the little twice you find out about that. I loved how Justin had to deal with all his feels for his father. Both Amanda and Justin have grown in their years apart and it showed. One of the only things I didn't care for was Justin's brother Noah and how young he acted for his age. I just felt it was slightly unbelievable. Other then that it was a good story with real characters.
May 11, 2015
Twenty two year old Justin left Hope Falls after the 17 year old daughter of his employer and mentor threw herself at him. For ten years he couldn't get the love he felt for her out of his mind. When her father dies, Justin is called back to Hope Falls for the reading of the will.
Sweet Reunion is exactly what the title says, a reunion between two people who had loved each other as children and then been separated by circumstances. Will they be able to bridge the past and come together in the future?
I liked the characters. Loved the supportive nature of the small town and the fabulous four friends.
Sweet Reunion is exactly what the title says, a reunion between two people who had loved each other as children and then been separated by circumstances. Will they be able to bridge the past and come together in the future?
I liked the characters. Loved the supportive nature of the small town and the fabulous four friends.
May 25, 2015
Coming home again
Amanda's father has just passed away, and for the reading of the will Justin, the boy she has loved all her life returns. Seems her father wanted to make amends to Justin for past mistakes, so he leaves part ownership of the family business to both Amanda and Justin. Old hurts and past mistakes haunt them both, making reconciliation between them very difficult. There were times I wanted to just climb into the book and slap them both silly. All in all, a very good book.
Amanda's father has just passed away, and for the reading of the will Justin, the boy she has loved all her life returns. Seems her father wanted to make amends to Justin for past mistakes, so he leaves part ownership of the family business to both Amanda and Justin. Old hurts and past mistakes haunt them both, making reconciliation between them very difficult. There were times I wanted to just climb into the book and slap them both silly. All in all, a very good book.
January 25, 2015
This was the first Melanie Shawn book that I have read and I will be reading more.
Amanda's father has passed away suddenly and her old crush returns for the reading of the will. Justin left 10 years ago and has been running ever since. Justin finds out that lots of things are different from when he left and Amanda finds out the true story of why Justin left.
While this is a pretty simple story of love lost and then rekindled, it was very well written and sweet.
Amanda's father has passed away suddenly and her old crush returns for the reading of the will. Justin left 10 years ago and has been running ever since. Justin finds out that lots of things are different from when he left and Amanda finds out the true story of why Justin left.
While this is a pretty simple story of love lost and then rekindled, it was very well written and sweet.
March 22, 2016
More like 3,5 really... I just can't make myself give it an 4 due to the eyerolling moments.... I mean come on.... *jeez*
May 11, 2015
I really enjoyed it.
A very well written book. People and situations well fleshed out. Seems like a really good opening of a series of books written about the people of Hope Falls in N. California. Very positive and love wins. Great stand alone book but you meet characters of future books.
A very well written book. People and situations well fleshed out. Seems like a really good opening of a series of books written about the people of Hope Falls in N. California. Very positive and love wins. Great stand alone book but you meet characters of future books.
July 14, 2015
Started 5 days ago and could not put it down.. 4 best friends since childhood.. when Amanda's father passes away the 3 friends arrive from different states to support and be with her also her childhood friend with whom she had a crush arrives to that small town....
That is all I will tell don't want to break the excitement.
That is all I will tell don't want to break the excitement.
November 25, 2012
This is the story of Amanda and Justin. Two p eople who were in love 10 years ago. They reunited 10 years later at death of her father. This is a good love story along with a story of friendship of the fabulous four. Looking forward to reading the other three stories of the fabulous four.
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