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Cedar Springs #3
A Light at Winter's End
Holly Fisher opens her door one day and finds her estranged sister Hannah standing there with a glassy look and her nine-month old baby on her hip. Before Holly knows what is happening, Hannah has left her baby with Holly and disappeared. Three months later, fresh out of rehab for addiction to painkillers, Hannah shows up sober, contrite, and wanting her son back. But Holly is in love with the baby and not willing to give him up to the mother who abandoned him.
Into the middle of this extraordinary conflict between two sisters walks a lonesome cowboy, Wyatt Clark ( Summer of Two Wishes) who knows a thing or two about childcare and fractured families. He’s had his own troubles and has stayed away from women the last couple of years, but he can’t resist Holly and the baby. But when Holly is delivered a devastating blow and returns the baby to his mother, Holly is too distraught to continue her relationship with Wyatt. It will take an extraordinary turn from Hannah to bring Holly and Wyatt together so that they both may find the happiness that has eluded them.
Into the middle of this extraordinary conflict between two sisters walks a lonesome cowboy, Wyatt Clark ( Summer of Two Wishes) who knows a thing or two about childcare and fractured families. He’s had his own troubles and has stayed away from women the last couple of years, but he can’t resist Holly and the baby. But when Holly is delivered a devastating blow and returns the baby to his mother, Holly is too distraught to continue her relationship with Wyatt. It will take an extraordinary turn from Hannah to bring Holly and Wyatt together so that they both may find the happiness that has eluded them.
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Julia London
201 books3,226 followersJulia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than two dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch, and The Perfect Homecoming.
Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon
Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
January 22, 2011
I loved this book! Something about the storyline and characters touched me in a big, emotional way. This is a sequel of sorts to Summer of Two Wishes (another emotional winner) as this is Wyatt Clark's story.
Wyatt is the handsome, urbane businessman A reeling Wyatt has since retreated to his ranch outside of Austin and has become almost hermit-like, hiding from the pain of his ruined fairytale marriage, afraid to risk his heart on a woman ever again. But then he meets his pretty new neighbor Holly, an aspiring songwriter and somewhat of a black sheep of her family, who was never able to measure up to her more beautiful/smarter/successful sister (Hannah) in her late mother's eyes. When Hannah inexplicably dumps her baby son on Holly's doorstep, with only a vague explanation and a promise to return one day, it turns Holly's whole world upside down. She loves baby Mason, but she has a career to think about. She has no time or desire to raise a baby. But how can she turn her back on her innocent nephew? When she moves back to the family homestead, she meets her gruff, sexy neighbor (Wyatt), who has his own emotional baggage. Holly and Wyatt forge a friendship based on their similar circumstances (both are raising toddlers), and grow closer and closer as they spend a lot of time together with their makeshift 'family'. But then six months later Hannah returns, and Holly can't bear the thought of losing Mason. Will she push Wyatt away before she risks losing him too?
Wyatt...
What a wonderful story, with outstanding, complex characters. There's sibling rivalry, jealousy, envy, love, and respect between the sisters. One of the characters deals with taking care of a terminally ill parent, alcoholism, drug dependency and adultery. There's motherly love, sisterly love, and auntie love. There's a man grieving for the end of a perfect marriage, and resistant to moving on. There's passion between two people not really looking for a romance, but helpless to stop it. I loved every page of this book. The characters were not perfect, they did some foolish things and were sometimes hurtful to each other. But that's what made them seem so real. I loved the leads--Holly and Wyatt, and I could also sympathize with the 'good' sister Hannah and the hell that she went through. All the major characters were extremely relatable, and I even enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Wyatt's good looking charming farmhand, Jesse.
The romance was sensual, never explicit, but that was okay. I definitely felt the love between Holly and Wyatt, and didn't need it spelled out for me. My favorite made-me-cry scene of Holly and Wyatt's romance was the song she wrote for him as a Christmas present. It summed up their romance perfectly:
The tears just flowed for me after that scene...
If you've read Summer of Two Wishes, you might be surprised at the change in Wyatt's character (I mean physically as well as emotionally). In the previous book, Wyatt was a sophisticated, classy kind of guy, a millionaire businessman with no rough edges. In this book, he's a gruff, scruffy rancher, who wears his longer hair in a ponytail, a quiet loner who was hiding from the world with just his dog for company, who hated the thought that people were probably talking about him and pitying him over the collapse of his marriage. I liked this Wyatt better--who doesn't like a sexy, brooding cowboy trying to get over a lost love? If you haven't read Summer of Two Wishes, this book can be read as a stand-alone, but I wouldn't suggest it. You'll want to experience the hurt that Wyattt went through, to see the kind of man he became because of it--that will make his HEA more satisfying.
If you're looking for a good story, I can't recommend this book enough. I enjoyed every momment of it, and didn't want to put it down. I didn't want it to end, yet I had to know if Holly and Wyatt would make it, and how Holly would cope if she had to give back baby Mason. I shed more than a few tears, experienced some real sigh-worthy moments, and a few chuckles. Wyatt Clark was one mighty fine man, and Holly Fisher was his worthy heroine. The book would've been sheer perfection if only there was an epilogue...I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to this emotional story! 5 stars
Wyatt is the handsome, urbane businessman A reeling Wyatt has since retreated to his ranch outside of Austin and has become almost hermit-like, hiding from the pain of his ruined fairytale marriage, afraid to risk his heart on a woman ever again. But then he meets his pretty new neighbor Holly, an aspiring songwriter and somewhat of a black sheep of her family, who was never able to measure up to her more beautiful/smarter/successful sister (Hannah) in her late mother's eyes. When Hannah inexplicably dumps her baby son on Holly's doorstep, with only a vague explanation and a promise to return one day, it turns Holly's whole world upside down. She loves baby Mason, but she has a career to think about. She has no time or desire to raise a baby. But how can she turn her back on her innocent nephew? When she moves back to the family homestead, she meets her gruff, sexy neighbor (Wyatt), who has his own emotional baggage. Holly and Wyatt forge a friendship based on their similar circumstances (both are raising toddlers), and grow closer and closer as they spend a lot of time together with their makeshift 'family'. But then six months later Hannah returns, and Holly can't bear the thought of losing Mason. Will she push Wyatt away before she risks losing him too?
Wyatt...
What a wonderful story, with outstanding, complex characters. There's sibling rivalry, jealousy, envy, love, and respect between the sisters. One of the characters deals with taking care of a terminally ill parent, alcoholism, drug dependency and adultery. There's motherly love, sisterly love, and auntie love. There's a man grieving for the end of a perfect marriage, and resistant to moving on. There's passion between two people not really looking for a romance, but helpless to stop it. I loved every page of this book. The characters were not perfect, they did some foolish things and were sometimes hurtful to each other. But that's what made them seem so real. I loved the leads--Holly and Wyatt, and I could also sympathize with the 'good' sister Hannah and the hell that she went through. All the major characters were extremely relatable, and I even enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Wyatt's good looking charming farmhand, Jesse.
The romance was sensual, never explicit, but that was okay. I definitely felt the love between Holly and Wyatt, and didn't need it spelled out for me. My favorite made-me-cry scene of Holly and Wyatt's romance was the song she wrote for him as a Christmas present. It summed up their romance perfectly:
The tears just flowed for me after that scene...
If you've read Summer of Two Wishes, you might be surprised at the change in Wyatt's character (I mean physically as well as emotionally). In the previous book, Wyatt was a sophisticated, classy kind of guy, a millionaire businessman with no rough edges. In this book, he's a gruff, scruffy rancher, who wears his longer hair in a ponytail, a quiet loner who was hiding from the world with just his dog for company, who hated the thought that people were probably talking about him and pitying him over the collapse of his marriage. I liked this Wyatt better--who doesn't like a sexy, brooding cowboy trying to get over a lost love? If you haven't read Summer of Two Wishes, this book can be read as a stand-alone, but I wouldn't suggest it. You'll want to experience the hurt that Wyattt went through, to see the kind of man he became because of it--that will make his HEA more satisfying.
If you're looking for a good story, I can't recommend this book enough. I enjoyed every momment of it, and didn't want to put it down. I didn't want it to end, yet I had to know if Holly and Wyatt would make it, and how Holly would cope if she had to give back baby Mason. I shed more than a few tears, experienced some real sigh-worthy moments, and a few chuckles. Wyatt Clark was one mighty fine man, and Holly Fisher was his worthy heroine. The book would've been sheer perfection if only there was an epilogue...I wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to this emotional story! 5 stars
July 1, 2011
Wyatt. My Wyatt. I felt for this man when I read and reviewed A Summer of Two Wishes. I wanted more about him when his life and world crashed at the end of that book, but we got only a smidgen, and I was unhappy about that. Because I’m always so behind on who’s got what book releasing when, I didn’t know Julia London had written Wyatt’s story. So you can imagine my happiness going through the roof when I picked this book up and started reading.
After Wyatt’s meltdown in ASoTW and he walks off into the sunset, so to speak, in this book we find him on a ranch he’d bought to get away from everything and everyone. Wyatt is not a pity man and the looks he got in Cedar Springs weren’t for him, so he left. The ranch needs work, he has the time. His assistant takes care of his land development business, so fence repairing and feeding the cows fill his days. He’s thinking about approaching his neighbors to perhaps buy their property to expand his own. The first time Wyatt visits he meets Holly, and to his amazement he’s attracted to her, despite his vow to stay away from women and the pain that goes with them.
Holly has just had her own meltdown when her sister Hannah out of the blue drops her son Mason off at Holly’s and walks out. Holly is dumbfounded, angry, and terrified. But she has no choice but buck up and take care of her nephew the best she can. Needing more space for both Mason and her songwriting, Holly moves them to the homestead she recently inherited from her mother, and there they both flourish as Holly learns to be a mother. Then Wyatt rides into her life and they begin play dates with Mason and Grace, his daughter. She’s smitten once they make explosive love, he supports her career choice as no one else ever has, and he does little things around the ranch. He’s perfect.
It does my heart good to see Wyatt happy again. And he is happy with Holly. Of course, we know that their little family can’t last, Mason’s mother will come home some day, and when that happens, it’s Holly’s world that falls apart. Only Wyatt can understand what it’s like to have the rug pulled out from under you, but while Holly realizes this, she just can’t let Mason go, and she pushes Wyatt away in the meantime. I wanted to scream when that happens. Wyatt has given his heart once again, and - once again - he’s filled with nothing but pain. He goes back to his life pre-Holly - alone, isolated, devastated.
Holly’s way of dealing with her grief is the exact opposite. She heads to Nashville where a couple of doors have opened for her and her songwriting career gets a huge boost. Of course, I wasn’t too happy with her when she walks away. Dammit. But I know she doesn’t do it light-heartedly. I just want my Wyatt to be happy and she makes him happy. The only way he’ll even think of giving them another chance is if she comes to him herself, not friends and family telling him how Holly feels. When he learns she’s headed to Nashville, his final hope is lost.
I am so glad Ms. London has given Wyatt his story. I had no idea which direction he needed to go, I just wanted him to have his happily ever after, especially after the emotional turmoil he went through in the previous book. I’m very satisfied with what Ms. London has given him and us. She does Wyatt proud and gives him the perfect heroine, someone who brings him back to life and who really needs him in her moment of crisis.
Happiness forever, My Wyatt.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
After Wyatt’s meltdown in ASoTW and he walks off into the sunset, so to speak, in this book we find him on a ranch he’d bought to get away from everything and everyone. Wyatt is not a pity man and the looks he got in Cedar Springs weren’t for him, so he left. The ranch needs work, he has the time. His assistant takes care of his land development business, so fence repairing and feeding the cows fill his days. He’s thinking about approaching his neighbors to perhaps buy their property to expand his own. The first time Wyatt visits he meets Holly, and to his amazement he’s attracted to her, despite his vow to stay away from women and the pain that goes with them.
Holly has just had her own meltdown when her sister Hannah out of the blue drops her son Mason off at Holly’s and walks out. Holly is dumbfounded, angry, and terrified. But she has no choice but buck up and take care of her nephew the best she can. Needing more space for both Mason and her songwriting, Holly moves them to the homestead she recently inherited from her mother, and there they both flourish as Holly learns to be a mother. Then Wyatt rides into her life and they begin play dates with Mason and Grace, his daughter. She’s smitten once they make explosive love, he supports her career choice as no one else ever has, and he does little things around the ranch. He’s perfect.
It does my heart good to see Wyatt happy again. And he is happy with Holly. Of course, we know that their little family can’t last, Mason’s mother will come home some day, and when that happens, it’s Holly’s world that falls apart. Only Wyatt can understand what it’s like to have the rug pulled out from under you, but while Holly realizes this, she just can’t let Mason go, and she pushes Wyatt away in the meantime. I wanted to scream when that happens. Wyatt has given his heart once again, and - once again - he’s filled with nothing but pain. He goes back to his life pre-Holly - alone, isolated, devastated.
Holly’s way of dealing with her grief is the exact opposite. She heads to Nashville where a couple of doors have opened for her and her songwriting career gets a huge boost. Of course, I wasn’t too happy with her when she walks away. Dammit. But I know she doesn’t do it light-heartedly. I just want my Wyatt to be happy and she makes him happy. The only way he’ll even think of giving them another chance is if she comes to him herself, not friends and family telling him how Holly feels. When he learns she’s headed to Nashville, his final hope is lost.
I am so glad Ms. London has given Wyatt his story. I had no idea which direction he needed to go, I just wanted him to have his happily ever after, especially after the emotional turmoil he went through in the previous book. I’m very satisfied with what Ms. London has given him and us. She does Wyatt proud and gives him the perfect heroine, someone who brings him back to life and who really needs him in her moment of crisis.
Happiness forever, My Wyatt.
See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com
January 16, 2020
An up to date book.great read
March 22, 2011
This book is the story of Wyatt Clark who was left heartbroken at the ending of Summer of Two Wishes. I have not read Summer of Two Wishes but I thought this book read fine without having read the previous book. Julia does a good job of giving enough background information on Wyatt, that allows the readers to understand Wyatt's character.
I really adored Wyatt very much. He's a bit standoffish and a loner. He is gruff, tough and still hurting. The explanation of what happened with his previous marriage and how much it hurt when he lost his wife allowed me to understand why he was the way he was. Let me clarify, his previous wife, did not die. She is still very much alive in this book. She had to make the hard decision between her first husband and her second husband (Wyatt). Everyone thought that the first husband had died overseas while serving his country but he had been a POW and escaped. When her first love came back from the dead she chose to be with him leaving Wyatt devastated and lost. The only one Wyatt really cares about now a days is his baby daughter Grace. She's all he has left from his previous marriage.
Wyatt has been living on his ranch for a year now away from town. He doesn't have much interaction with people and that's they way he likes it. He hasn't made any kind of commitment or settled in one place too long since his world fell apart.
Holly Fisher is a songwriter. Songwriting is her passion. She's been living off her passion while juggling one part time job after another. She has always felt like the black sheep in the family when compared to her older sister Hannah. Hannah with her beautiful family and perfect career has always been the daughter that their mother would compare Holly to. Holly and Hannah use to be close. The constant comparison between the sisters by their mother which often put Hannah in the limelight while Holly was left feeling less has left a gap between the sisters. During their mother's illness Hannah took care of everything while Holly went about her life.
The one emotion I felt when reading about Holly at the beginning was annoyance. Her character came off as whiny, selfish and flighty. When their mother was sick Holly really didn't make much of an effort to help take care of her. Her excuses were flimsy and weak. It was all about when things were convenient for Holly. I get that she didn't have the best relationship with her mother but really? The middle half of the book I started liking Holly. Holly didn't annoy me as much when she bucked up and took care of her nephew. All the emotions Holly felt when she was suddenly thrust into being the sole caretaker of Mason was genuine and real. Her character grew in leaps and bounds and I cheered her on.
The middle part of this book was great. When Holly heads back to the homestead to raise Mason she runs into her neighbor, Wyatt. When they meet Holly is instantly drawn to Wyatt. The development of this relationship was sweet. That's the best way to describe it. Every moment they spent getting to know one another made me sigh! Holly begins to grow and become someone less self absorbed during this time. With Wyatt's love and her baby nephew depending on her you see Holly in a new light. Wyatt is wonderful. He's understanding and supports Holly at every moment. After what he'd been through before I wanted to see him happy. Holly made him happy.
When Hannah comes back into the picture after going through rehab for her addiction with meds my emotion went back to being annoyed again. I get that Hannah put Holly in a bad situation by just dropping off Mason without any explanation of where she was going and for how long. I get that Holly now loves Mason so much and can't imagine him not being in her life. But when Hannah tries to talk and explain things to Holly of how she became addicted to pain meds I thought Holly came off annoying again. Neither sisters are perfect and Hannah has her faults but the whole interaction between the sisters especially Holly's reaction annoyed me. Then Holly goes and hurts Wyatt and annoys me even more! By the end I just wished Wyatt would go off and meet someone else.
Wyatt, Mason, and Grace saved this book for me. Julia's writing is wonderful and she tackles a whole a lot of complicated issues in this book. I just wish Holly hadn't annoyed me so much. LOL! Notice ANNOYED is the word today folks. Anyway I enjoyed all the parts with Wyatt and the kids. This book didn't entirely work for me mainly because of the heroine but I think many would still enjoy this well written book that deals with family issues, addiction, love and second chances.
I really adored Wyatt very much. He's a bit standoffish and a loner. He is gruff, tough and still hurting. The explanation of what happened with his previous marriage and how much it hurt when he lost his wife allowed me to understand why he was the way he was. Let me clarify, his previous wife, did not die. She is still very much alive in this book. She had to make the hard decision between her first husband and her second husband (Wyatt). Everyone thought that the first husband had died overseas while serving his country but he had been a POW and escaped. When her first love came back from the dead she chose to be with him leaving Wyatt devastated and lost. The only one Wyatt really cares about now a days is his baby daughter Grace. She's all he has left from his previous marriage.
Wyatt has been living on his ranch for a year now away from town. He doesn't have much interaction with people and that's they way he likes it. He hasn't made any kind of commitment or settled in one place too long since his world fell apart.
Holly Fisher is a songwriter. Songwriting is her passion. She's been living off her passion while juggling one part time job after another. She has always felt like the black sheep in the family when compared to her older sister Hannah. Hannah with her beautiful family and perfect career has always been the daughter that their mother would compare Holly to. Holly and Hannah use to be close. The constant comparison between the sisters by their mother which often put Hannah in the limelight while Holly was left feeling less has left a gap between the sisters. During their mother's illness Hannah took care of everything while Holly went about her life.
The one emotion I felt when reading about Holly at the beginning was annoyance. Her character came off as whiny, selfish and flighty. When their mother was sick Holly really didn't make much of an effort to help take care of her. Her excuses were flimsy and weak. It was all about when things were convenient for Holly. I get that she didn't have the best relationship with her mother but really? The middle half of the book I started liking Holly. Holly didn't annoy me as much when she bucked up and took care of her nephew. All the emotions Holly felt when she was suddenly thrust into being the sole caretaker of Mason was genuine and real. Her character grew in leaps and bounds and I cheered her on.
The middle part of this book was great. When Holly heads back to the homestead to raise Mason she runs into her neighbor, Wyatt. When they meet Holly is instantly drawn to Wyatt. The development of this relationship was sweet. That's the best way to describe it. Every moment they spent getting to know one another made me sigh! Holly begins to grow and become someone less self absorbed during this time. With Wyatt's love and her baby nephew depending on her you see Holly in a new light. Wyatt is wonderful. He's understanding and supports Holly at every moment. After what he'd been through before I wanted to see him happy. Holly made him happy.
When Hannah comes back into the picture after going through rehab for her addiction with meds my emotion went back to being annoyed again. I get that Hannah put Holly in a bad situation by just dropping off Mason without any explanation of where she was going and for how long. I get that Holly now loves Mason so much and can't imagine him not being in her life. But when Hannah tries to talk and explain things to Holly of how she became addicted to pain meds I thought Holly came off annoying again. Neither sisters are perfect and Hannah has her faults but the whole interaction between the sisters especially Holly's reaction annoyed me. Then Holly goes and hurts Wyatt and annoys me even more! By the end I just wished Wyatt would go off and meet someone else.
Wyatt, Mason, and Grace saved this book for me. Julia's writing is wonderful and she tackles a whole a lot of complicated issues in this book. I just wish Holly hadn't annoyed me so much. LOL! Notice ANNOYED is the word today folks. Anyway I enjoyed all the parts with Wyatt and the kids. This book didn't entirely work for me mainly because of the heroine but I think many would still enjoy this well written book that deals with family issues, addiction, love and second chances.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2011
A very fine conclusion to the story that began in "A Summer of Two Wishes." Wyatt redeemed himself in this book and I admired and cheered him on from the beginning. It was nice to meet his little baby girl and watch his interaction with her.
January 5, 2016
What I liked the most in this book was how much love had the hero and how hard it must have been to return her nephew to his mother after everything that happened. It just broke my heart...
December 21, 2017
This was a story that was heartbreaking yet had a happy ending. I think there are so many people that have been in this situation and have had to make tough decisions as Hannah had to do to make sure her son was cared for while she got help for her addictions.
I really liked this book and loved reading about Mason and Gracie. Little kids are so precious and so fun. I miss those days when my daughter was a toddler and all the fun things we did together.
Good Read!
I really liked this book and loved reading about Mason and Gracie. Little kids are so precious and so fun. I miss those days when my daughter was a toddler and all the fun things we did together.
Good Read!
July 11, 2018
This was an okay book, I'm not a huge fan of the romance genre in general, but I picked up this paperback from a grocery store when I needed a new book to read and I enjoyed it. The emotions and feelings that Holly has in regards to carry for her nephew we're heartbreaking and realistic, that story line interested me more than the romance.
December 12, 2016
1st book that I read by Julia London. I loved this story. Easy to read and understand. A good and happy ending.
August 30, 2018
A good read and a good storyline. What would you do in Holly's situation? A little to perfect ending but I enjoyed reading it.
June 30, 2019
I liked this contemporary by an author more usually known for her historicals.
July 14, 2020
Predictable
This is a cute love story, but it was very predictable from the beginning which took away from the plot.
This is a cute love story, but it was very predictable from the beginning which took away from the plot.
February 12, 2022
I really liked this book. This is the first book I've read in english, and I love it. There's feelings, and som much going on. The ending was both sad and perfect at the same time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 12, 2026Family drama saga with addiction, loss, love and 'finding yourself'.
May 15, 2011
One man is given a second chance at love, and another woman gets the opportunity of a lifetime to realize her dreams...and fall in love.
On all accounts A Light at Winter's End was a great story. A man who is stable, alone, and needing to find his way back into living. A woman who is carefree, far from settled and without a care in the world. A distant relationship with her sister only magnifies how hollow her world is. There is a lot they can learn from each other and a lot to root for as they find their ways.
Holly Fisher has never been the responsible, perfect daughter. That role belongs to her older sister Hannah. Instead of bearing the burden, risking failure Holly is a free-spirited butterfly, fluttering from one job, one man and one day to another. It is not until one unexpected day when Hannah drops her son, Mason off with her that the roles are reversed.
Bearing an adorable bundle, and mysteries is Hannah. She leaves Mason with Holly, promising to return and is gone. The care-free, care-for-nobody lifestyle vanishes and Holly must finally step up to the plate. She takes herself and Mason to the family homestead and there she meets Wyatt Clark. He is moody and mysterious, but amazingly helpful. The more Holly falls for Wyatt and the closer she bonds with Mason, the more she has to lose.
I adored Mason. I was rooting for Wyatt. I did not like Holly. I tried too, found myself justifying her actions for her, but alas my impression did not waver, if anything her actions only affirmed them. Holly came off as self-absorbed, needy and quite unreasonable. All this isn't a crime, but when Hannah's "good" attributes (an adulthood's worth) are minimized, while overlooking Holly's immaturity, it gets cringe-worthy. The scales have been tipped but the balance is noticeably absent.
Holly liked being needed and depended on by Mason. He and Wyatt gives her stability and the fantasy of a ready made family has gotten to her head. She is quick to make judgements on her sister, all without providing support or understanding. When it comes to helping her sister, she takes a very non-proactive approach. Waiting for the phone calls, expecting explanations; she does not reach out. Each connection that is attempted to by Hannah is looked at with suspicions and ready condemnations.
At one point in the story (p. 327 Pocket Books paperback) Holly says that Hannah cannot simply just "wreck [her] life" and come back to claim Mason. Yet, the tune she maintains is that she was more than happy to take Mason and her sister's "abandonment" is proof that Hannah is an unfit mother. Evidently, her own flaws and mistakes are forgotten while Hannah's are maximized.
As time went by, Holly's biggest gripe was that Mason's parents kept their son with her so long that he belongs with her. Ironically, throughout the story (after some weeks) his parents do reach out with request to see him but Holly kept denying them. They may not be the best parents, but the attempts were made.
Hannah on the other hand, interested me. Despite Holly lashing out, when she made mistakes, when she needed someone the most, she turned to her sister. Despite an estranged relationship and Holly's immaturity. Hannah trusted and believed in Holly. I really hope Hannah gets her own story. As a secondary story, it wasn't developed enough.
As for Wyatt, I would hope that he has found someone to love. I think he has, but I'm not convinced that he has found his true love. Whether that title will always belong to his first wife, Holly or someone else remains to be seen. It is evident in the story, even after meeting Holly, that he cares a great deal for his former wife. That is not unlike reality and very believable. I'm still rooting for him.
To be realistic, no one is perfect, and everyone make mistakes. It's how they learn from them that shows what a person is really made of. I'm glad Holly stepped up to the plate, made mature decisions and found her own piece of happiness. To think, a little bundle of joy set all this in motion. Mason brought stability and love into her life. Without it, she would not have realized what she had with Wyatt and go on to fight for it.
A realistic and heartwarming story. If you enjoyed this story, I recommend Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas. It has a similar story line, is very romantic and the characters were great.
On all accounts A Light at Winter's End was a great story. A man who is stable, alone, and needing to find his way back into living. A woman who is carefree, far from settled and without a care in the world. A distant relationship with her sister only magnifies how hollow her world is. There is a lot they can learn from each other and a lot to root for as they find their ways.
Holly Fisher has never been the responsible, perfect daughter. That role belongs to her older sister Hannah. Instead of bearing the burden, risking failure Holly is a free-spirited butterfly, fluttering from one job, one man and one day to another. It is not until one unexpected day when Hannah drops her son, Mason off with her that the roles are reversed.
Bearing an adorable bundle, and mysteries is Hannah. She leaves Mason with Holly, promising to return and is gone. The care-free, care-for-nobody lifestyle vanishes and Holly must finally step up to the plate. She takes herself and Mason to the family homestead and there she meets Wyatt Clark. He is moody and mysterious, but amazingly helpful. The more Holly falls for Wyatt and the closer she bonds with Mason, the more she has to lose.
I adored Mason. I was rooting for Wyatt. I did not like Holly. I tried too, found myself justifying her actions for her, but alas my impression did not waver, if anything her actions only affirmed them. Holly came off as self-absorbed, needy and quite unreasonable. All this isn't a crime, but when Hannah's "good" attributes (an adulthood's worth) are minimized, while overlooking Holly's immaturity, it gets cringe-worthy. The scales have been tipped but the balance is noticeably absent.
Holly liked being needed and depended on by Mason. He and Wyatt gives her stability and the fantasy of a ready made family has gotten to her head. She is quick to make judgements on her sister, all without providing support or understanding. When it comes to helping her sister, she takes a very non-proactive approach. Waiting for the phone calls, expecting explanations; she does not reach out. Each connection that is attempted to by Hannah is looked at with suspicions and ready condemnations.
At one point in the story (p. 327 Pocket Books paperback) Holly says that Hannah cannot simply just "wreck [her] life" and come back to claim Mason. Yet, the tune she maintains is that she was more than happy to take Mason and her sister's "abandonment" is proof that Hannah is an unfit mother. Evidently, her own flaws and mistakes are forgotten while Hannah's are maximized.
As time went by, Holly's biggest gripe was that Mason's parents kept their son with her so long that he belongs with her. Ironically, throughout the story (after some weeks) his parents do reach out with request to see him but Holly kept denying them. They may not be the best parents, but the attempts were made.
Hannah on the other hand, interested me. Despite Holly lashing out, when she made mistakes, when she needed someone the most, she turned to her sister. Despite an estranged relationship and Holly's immaturity. Hannah trusted and believed in Holly. I really hope Hannah gets her own story. As a secondary story, it wasn't developed enough.
As for Wyatt, I would hope that he has found someone to love. I think he has, but I'm not convinced that he has found his true love. Whether that title will always belong to his first wife, Holly or someone else remains to be seen. It is evident in the story, even after meeting Holly, that he cares a great deal for his former wife. That is not unlike reality and very believable. I'm still rooting for him.
To be realistic, no one is perfect, and everyone make mistakes. It's how they learn from them that shows what a person is really made of. I'm glad Holly stepped up to the plate, made mature decisions and found her own piece of happiness. To think, a little bundle of joy set all this in motion. Mason brought stability and love into her life. Without it, she would not have realized what she had with Wyatt and go on to fight for it.
A realistic and heartwarming story. If you enjoyed this story, I recommend Smooth Talking Stranger by Lisa Kleypas. It has a similar story line, is very romantic and the characters were great.
May 27, 2011
Warning: If you haven't read Summer of Two Wishes this review will contain major spoilers for that book. In fact, just reading the backcover blurb will give you major spoilers for the previous book. To get the full impact of this book, Two Wishes should be read first.
Sometimes I read a book because I need closure for characters in a previous book. A Light at Winter's End was one of those books. Part of me knew I shouldn't read the book, because I was still miffed about the resolution of the first book, Summer of Two Wishes. But I came across this book at a used book store and decided I had to see what became of Wyatt.
In Summer of Two Wishes Wyatt comes out the loser in a heart-breaking love triangle. His wife Macy's first husband Finn, thought dead, returns from Afghanistan after being held captive for several years. The book deals with Macy trying to decide which man to stay married to. I disliked her because she seemed passively selfish, allowing both men to have sex with her. In fact, she has unprotected sex with Wyatt after knowing Finn was alive, and she actually daydreams of Finn during sex! The woman needed to keep her pants on until she made up her mind. Then, knowing she was pregnant with Wyatt's baby, she still chose Finn.
Fast forward two years: Wyatt is a shell of the man he was, with his love for his daughter Gracie the only thing keeping him grounded. He meets Holly, who has just had her almost one year old nephew Mason dumped on her. Holly's sister disappears and leaves her to scramble and take care of Mason. Holly and Wyatt bond over toddlers and cookies, and a shared understanding of having your life disrupted through no fault of your own.
Macy is just as irritatingly clueless in this book. She's always so chipper with a "See, we can still be friends" attitude when she interacts with Wyatt. I was so pleased when I realized the author purposefully wrote Macy this way, and didn't try to pass her off as the perfect person. Here is part of an exchange on page 263 where Macy is dropping Gracie off and asks Wyatt if he's having Thanksgiving with his "girlfriend" (wink, wink, nod, nod):
"What is it to you?" he said sharply.
Surprised, Macy blinked. "Wow, I didn't mean to pry."
"What do you want from me. Macy. You act as if we're old friends."
I just want you to be happy. Is that so bad? And when I hear you're dating someone, I hope you are happy. That's all."
"I think you hope that you won't have to feel guilty anymore."
Macy gasped."What's that suppose to mean?"
"You know exactly what it means. You feel guilty and you fall all over yourself trying to be nice to me."
Bingo.
London writes another very flawed heroine in Winter's End. Holly is easier for me to like, or at least understand, than Macy, and she also grew in maturity and character throughout the book. I liked Wyatt from the beginning, and am glad to have some closure to his story.
I thought the very end of this book was weak, and all the emotions of the preceding 300 pages needed a better wrap-up than they got. The reader needed to see inside Wyatt's head more toward the end, and Holly needed to do more groveling for her selfishness. But I could still accept this happy ending much better than the one in Two Wishes.
The skill level of the writing probably deserves more than 3 stars, but the rating reflects my enjoyment of the book more than the quality of writing.
Sometimes I read a book because I need closure for characters in a previous book. A Light at Winter's End was one of those books. Part of me knew I shouldn't read the book, because I was still miffed about the resolution of the first book, Summer of Two Wishes. But I came across this book at a used book store and decided I had to see what became of Wyatt.
In Summer of Two Wishes Wyatt comes out the loser in a heart-breaking love triangle. His wife Macy's first husband Finn, thought dead, returns from Afghanistan after being held captive for several years. The book deals with Macy trying to decide which man to stay married to. I disliked her because she seemed passively selfish, allowing both men to have sex with her. In fact, she has unprotected sex with Wyatt after knowing Finn was alive, and she actually daydreams of Finn during sex! The woman needed to keep her pants on until she made up her mind. Then, knowing she was pregnant with Wyatt's baby, she still chose Finn.
Fast forward two years: Wyatt is a shell of the man he was, with his love for his daughter Gracie the only thing keeping him grounded. He meets Holly, who has just had her almost one year old nephew Mason dumped on her. Holly's sister disappears and leaves her to scramble and take care of Mason. Holly and Wyatt bond over toddlers and cookies, and a shared understanding of having your life disrupted through no fault of your own.
Macy is just as irritatingly clueless in this book. She's always so chipper with a "See, we can still be friends" attitude when she interacts with Wyatt. I was so pleased when I realized the author purposefully wrote Macy this way, and didn't try to pass her off as the perfect person. Here is part of an exchange on page 263 where Macy is dropping Gracie off and asks Wyatt if he's having Thanksgiving with his "girlfriend" (wink, wink, nod, nod):
"What is it to you?" he said sharply.
Surprised, Macy blinked. "Wow, I didn't mean to pry."
"What do you want from me. Macy. You act as if we're old friends."
I just want you to be happy. Is that so bad? And when I hear you're dating someone, I hope you are happy. That's all."
"I think you hope that you won't have to feel guilty anymore."
Macy gasped."What's that suppose to mean?"
"You know exactly what it means. You feel guilty and you fall all over yourself trying to be nice to me."
Bingo.
London writes another very flawed heroine in Winter's End. Holly is easier for me to like, or at least understand, than Macy, and she also grew in maturity and character throughout the book. I liked Wyatt from the beginning, and am glad to have some closure to his story.
I thought the very end of this book was weak, and all the emotions of the preceding 300 pages needed a better wrap-up than they got. The reader needed to see inside Wyatt's head more toward the end, and Holly needed to do more groveling for her selfishness. But I could still accept this happy ending much better than the one in Two Wishes.
The skill level of the writing probably deserves more than 3 stars, but the rating reflects my enjoyment of the book more than the quality of writing.
March 3, 2011
I really think Julia London outdid herself with "A Light at Winter's End," the last book in her contemporary Cedar Springs trilogy. All three books were excellent, really, but in my opinion this last book was particularly moving. It was hard not to empathize with both Holly, the heroine, and her sister Hannah, who leaves her infant son in Holly's care while she goes to rehab to overcome her addictions to prescription painkillers and alcohol. At first, Holly is overwhelmed and tries to get out of caring for her nephew, Mason, but she soon learns to cope with the demands of a small child and comes to love him as if he were her own son. Therefore, she is distressed when Hannah returns from rehab and Holly must face the prospect of giving Mason up. She worries about what will happen to Mason if Hannah has a relapse or if he begins to feel abandoned and unloved after being passed back and forth from sister to sister.
Holly moves into her dead mother's house with Mason because she doesn't have enough space in her apartment for both of them. While staying there, she meets her mother's neighbor, Wyatt Clark, who was the odd man out in "The Summer of Two Wishes" (the first book in the Cedar Springs trilogy). Wyatt is still getting over the end of his marriage to Macy and must overcome his fear of being hurt again if he opens himself to love. Holly has issues of her own to overcome before she and Wyatt can have a lasting relationship. Aside from the problems with Hannah and Mason, Holly must learn to believe in her own self-worth and to value her talent as a songwriter. Her mother never believed in Holly and always belittled her talents, encouraging her instead to be more like Hannah, go to college and get a "real" job. However, Holly finally begins to achieve some success after signing a contract to write three songs for an up-and-coming artist. Quincy, the artist, offers to introduce her to his manager and enourages her to move to Nashville, where he believes she will be in demand as a gifted songwriter.
The last 100 or so pages of the book are wrenching as Hannah returns from rehab to reclaim her son from Holly. Unable to cope with the thought of losing Mason, and scared of failing if she moves to Nashville to pursue her songwriting dreams, Holly pushes Wyatt away. He is supportive and encourages her to work things out with Hannah and also to pursue her dream of being a songwriter, but she finds his understanding to be too much to deal with. Holly breaks up with Wyatt, and after Hannah has proven her ability to take care of Mason, she leaves for Nashville. Fortunately, she soon realizes that she loves Wyatt and can't live without him, so she reaches out. He comes to Nashville to attend Quincy's album launch party, and Wyatt and Holly happily reunite.
The 3 main characters were all so believable in their struggles, and I was happy for each one of them to end the book in a good place. There are a number of secondary characters (ie. Jesse, who works with Wyatt on his ranch) for whom I wish Julia London would write stories, but my understanding is that she plans to end the Cedar Springs series with this book. If so, she is going out on a high note. I highly recommend this book.
Holly moves into her dead mother's house with Mason because she doesn't have enough space in her apartment for both of them. While staying there, she meets her mother's neighbor, Wyatt Clark, who was the odd man out in "The Summer of Two Wishes" (the first book in the Cedar Springs trilogy). Wyatt is still getting over the end of his marriage to Macy and must overcome his fear of being hurt again if he opens himself to love. Holly has issues of her own to overcome before she and Wyatt can have a lasting relationship. Aside from the problems with Hannah and Mason, Holly must learn to believe in her own self-worth and to value her talent as a songwriter. Her mother never believed in Holly and always belittled her talents, encouraging her instead to be more like Hannah, go to college and get a "real" job. However, Holly finally begins to achieve some success after signing a contract to write three songs for an up-and-coming artist. Quincy, the artist, offers to introduce her to his manager and enourages her to move to Nashville, where he believes she will be in demand as a gifted songwriter.
The last 100 or so pages of the book are wrenching as Hannah returns from rehab to reclaim her son from Holly. Unable to cope with the thought of losing Mason, and scared of failing if she moves to Nashville to pursue her songwriting dreams, Holly pushes Wyatt away. He is supportive and encourages her to work things out with Hannah and also to pursue her dream of being a songwriter, but she finds his understanding to be too much to deal with. Holly breaks up with Wyatt, and after Hannah has proven her ability to take care of Mason, she leaves for Nashville. Fortunately, she soon realizes that she loves Wyatt and can't live without him, so she reaches out. He comes to Nashville to attend Quincy's album launch party, and Wyatt and Holly happily reunite.
The 3 main characters were all so believable in their struggles, and I was happy for each one of them to end the book in a good place. There are a number of secondary characters (ie. Jesse, who works with Wyatt on his ranch) for whom I wish Julia London would write stories, but my understanding is that she plans to end the Cedar Springs series with this book. If so, she is going out on a high note. I highly recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2023
Beim 1. mal abgebrochen.
February 26, 2011
Holly Fisher is the sister who always feels like she isn't quite good enough, her career as a song writer wasn't good enough because she was perceived to be the slacker in the family she sort of just fell into that roll. Her mother always compared her to her sister Hannah, whose life seems to be totally together, she has a happy marriage, a good job and Mason, her nine month old son. But when Hannah's life spirals out of control, she "dumps Mason on Holly and takes off saying she will be back. While Mason, starts out as an inconvenience to Holly he soon becomes the center of her world, she even moves back to the old home place, which she inherited after her mothers death because she thought it was more child friendly. The last thing she was looking for when she moved back to the homestead was a romance but when her neighbor Wyatt Clark comes riding in she soon finds herself falling in love with him, but not just him but the ideal of the family they could be. When Hannah returns wanting Mason, how will Holly handle it, and what will become of the relationship between Holly and Wyatt?
I loved this story. The author writes her characters with such depth. While the sisters were quite different, they also had alot in common. It was easy to sympathize with Hannah and Holly. Hannah loved her son Mason, but she had no choice but to get help. When she leaves Mason with Holly the bond that develops is quick and strong. I could feel Holly's fear and dread when she knew that she might have to give Mason back. By the end of the story I felt like the author had made them better versions of themselves, allowing what they had been through to actually bring them closer.
Wyatt was one of those guys every girl dreams of finding. It was so nice to see his broken heart find someone else to love. There were a few times when Holly was pushing Wyatt away that I just wanted to kick her. The author wraps up the story nicely with a somewhat expected ending.
I also liked the secondary character of Jesse Wheeler, the ranch hand, he was a fun loving guy who brought a bit of humor to the story.
This book is a sequel to "Summer of Two Wishes" but can easily be read as a stand alone work. I didn't read the first book in the series and had no problems jumping into this story, although I really wish I had read the first story because it tells the story of Wyatt and how his heart was broken.
If your a fan of contemporary romance that has very well developed characters and a story that will also tug at your emotions then your going to enjoy this one.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this story. The author writes her characters with such depth. While the sisters were quite different, they also had alot in common. It was easy to sympathize with Hannah and Holly. Hannah loved her son Mason, but she had no choice but to get help. When she leaves Mason with Holly the bond that develops is quick and strong. I could feel Holly's fear and dread when she knew that she might have to give Mason back. By the end of the story I felt like the author had made them better versions of themselves, allowing what they had been through to actually bring them closer.
Wyatt was one of those guys every girl dreams of finding. It was so nice to see his broken heart find someone else to love. There were a few times when Holly was pushing Wyatt away that I just wanted to kick her. The author wraps up the story nicely with a somewhat expected ending.
I also liked the secondary character of Jesse Wheeler, the ranch hand, he was a fun loving guy who brought a bit of humor to the story.
This book is a sequel to "Summer of Two Wishes" but can easily be read as a stand alone work. I didn't read the first book in the series and had no problems jumping into this story, although I really wish I had read the first story because it tells the story of Wyatt and how his heart was broken.
If your a fan of contemporary romance that has very well developed characters and a story that will also tug at your emotions then your going to enjoy this one.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 8, 2011
A light at Winter's End...Wow. This was a beautiful story. So, beautiful, so realistic.
I read A Summer of Two Wishes a few years ago. That book was very good too but I was left feeling extremely sad, even heartbroken for Wyatt. Wyatt was/is such a great guy. He didn't deserve what happened to him in A Summer of Two Wishes. There were no real winners and no real losers in that book. I was glad Macy picked Finn, but at the same time I wanted her to pick Wyatt. So, when I read the synopsis on the back of A Light at Winter's End, and saw Wyatt had finally gotten his story, I knew I had to read it.
There's so much I want to say about this book. When it begins, it's about 2 years after Macy left Wyatt for Finn. Wyatt has withdrawn completely from society because he can't stand all of the pitying looks he gets from everyone in Cedar Springs. He's extremely sad and extremely lonely. It's so heartbreaking!! The only thing that really keeps him going is Gracie.
Then, Wyatt meets Holly and there is an unexpected attraction and a wonderful love story develops from there.
Which leads me to my next point - and this is just my opinion, but...
Holly is to Wyatt what Wyatt is to Macy
Macy is to Wyatt what Finn is to Macy
I like that the author didn't try to write the story as if Wyatt had only THOUGHT he'd been head over heels in love with Macy when they were married. In real life, sometimes you love someone more than they do you, and sometimes that person will pick someone else over you. That's life. I believe Wyatt loves Holly and vice versa and I believe they'll get married, have children and live happily ever after. BUT I also believe Macy is and always will be the great love of Wyatt's life. That's why I say this story is very realistic. Life isn't always fair. It will throw you curve balls that you never saw coming. One moment you can be as happy as a lark - living on cloud nine, and the next, your entire world comes crashing down around you. All you can do is pick up the pieces as best you can, and keep it moving. So, even though Wyatt didn't get the woman he wanted in a Summer of Two Wishes, I'm glad he got his happy ending in A Light at Winter's End.
I read A Summer of Two Wishes a few years ago. That book was very good too but I was left feeling extremely sad, even heartbroken for Wyatt. Wyatt was/is such a great guy. He didn't deserve what happened to him in A Summer of Two Wishes. There were no real winners and no real losers in that book. I was glad Macy picked Finn, but at the same time I wanted her to pick Wyatt. So, when I read the synopsis on the back of A Light at Winter's End, and saw Wyatt had finally gotten his story, I knew I had to read it.
There's so much I want to say about this book. When it begins, it's about 2 years after Macy left Wyatt for Finn. Wyatt has withdrawn completely from society because he can't stand all of the pitying looks he gets from everyone in Cedar Springs. He's extremely sad and extremely lonely. It's so heartbreaking!! The only thing that really keeps him going is Gracie.
Then, Wyatt meets Holly and there is an unexpected attraction and a wonderful love story develops from there.
Which leads me to my next point - and this is just my opinion, but...
Holly is to Wyatt what Wyatt is to Macy
Macy is to Wyatt what Finn is to Macy
I like that the author didn't try to write the story as if Wyatt had only THOUGHT he'd been head over heels in love with Macy when they were married. In real life, sometimes you love someone more than they do you, and sometimes that person will pick someone else over you. That's life. I believe Wyatt loves Holly and vice versa and I believe they'll get married, have children and live happily ever after. BUT I also believe Macy is and always will be the great love of Wyatt's life. That's why I say this story is very realistic. Life isn't always fair. It will throw you curve balls that you never saw coming. One moment you can be as happy as a lark - living on cloud nine, and the next, your entire world comes crashing down around you. All you can do is pick up the pieces as best you can, and keep it moving. So, even though Wyatt didn't get the woman he wanted in a Summer of Two Wishes, I'm glad he got his happy ending in A Light at Winter's End.
March 11, 2011
This review is from: A Light at Winter's End (Mass Market Paperback)
What I Can Tell You:
Have there ever been two sisters more different? Hannah has always been her mother's favorite, especially at the end. She took her mother to her doctor appointments, made funeral arrangements and always did the right thing according to mom. Then there is Holly who plays guitar, never had time to visit mom, struggles as a song writer and works part time to pay the rent. So it was quite a surprise when Holly was given the "homestead" in her mother's will.
Holly's life is suddenly altered when Hannah knocks on Holly's door, hands her son Mason over to her and says she has to leave but will be back. Holly finds herself instant mom to her nephew and unsure where her sister is or how to take care of a baby.
She heads home to the homestead and meets cowboy Wyatt Clark a weekened father of a little girl. Can Holly be an instant mother? Will Hannah come back? What of Mason's father? Can Holly and Wyatt find their way to each other in the midst of family conflict? All will be revealed my friend.
What I loved about this book is how real the sister's relationship is. As a sister of two I know how very different siblings can be. Do we really know our family as well as we think we do? I also appreciated how Holly handled the "add water instant mother" spin of the book.
The story moves nicely and other than one character, I liked them all. I walked away with two thoughts; What would you do for family? AND You can love children with your whole heart even if you didn't give birth to them.
What I Can Tell You:
Have there ever been two sisters more different? Hannah has always been her mother's favorite, especially at the end. She took her mother to her doctor appointments, made funeral arrangements and always did the right thing according to mom. Then there is Holly who plays guitar, never had time to visit mom, struggles as a song writer and works part time to pay the rent. So it was quite a surprise when Holly was given the "homestead" in her mother's will.
Holly's life is suddenly altered when Hannah knocks on Holly's door, hands her son Mason over to her and says she has to leave but will be back. Holly finds herself instant mom to her nephew and unsure where her sister is or how to take care of a baby.
She heads home to the homestead and meets cowboy Wyatt Clark a weekened father of a little girl. Can Holly be an instant mother? Will Hannah come back? What of Mason's father? Can Holly and Wyatt find their way to each other in the midst of family conflict? All will be revealed my friend.
What I loved about this book is how real the sister's relationship is. As a sister of two I know how very different siblings can be. Do we really know our family as well as we think we do? I also appreciated how Holly handled the "add water instant mother" spin of the book.
The story moves nicely and other than one character, I liked them all. I walked away with two thoughts; What would you do for family? AND You can love children with your whole heart even if you didn't give birth to them.
June 18, 2011
Wynn is still trying to recover from the blow that was dealt to him and Macy last year...Macy's first husband "returning from the dead" after being a prisoner of the Taliban and reported dead by the Army. Not only that, Macy is pregnant with their child. Gracie is a beautiful little girl who Wynn is completely enamored with.
Holly and Hannah have just lost their mother. Hannah is all over Holly for never helping take care of their mother and is even more upset when she finds out everything has been left to Holly. She never amounted to anything spectacular so Hannah can't figure it all out. After all, what good is a songwriter who jumps from job to job? Hannah is married to a successful lawyer and her life is on the up and up....or is it?
Hannah rushes over to her sister Holly's house (when was the last time they talked? Oh, right, the funeral when Hannah chewed Holly out for everything) and dumps off her adorable son Mason. Hannah needs Holly to watch her kid but won't give her any specifics for anything. Holly doesn't know the first thing about taking care of a child! How can Hannah do this to her? Holly can't figure it all out...where to keep Mason in her small studio apartment, how to continue to work, and how to shut him up when he cries.
Holly decides to take Mason to her mom's old house. There is more room and she will be able to write her songs there. She runs into Wyatt and suddenly, her life isn't so bad.
I have always loved Julia London's books for my "guilty pleasure" reading. She weaves beautiful love stories and this one was particularly inspiring. I look forward to reading even more of her stories!
Holly and Hannah have just lost their mother. Hannah is all over Holly for never helping take care of their mother and is even more upset when she finds out everything has been left to Holly. She never amounted to anything spectacular so Hannah can't figure it all out. After all, what good is a songwriter who jumps from job to job? Hannah is married to a successful lawyer and her life is on the up and up....or is it?
Hannah rushes over to her sister Holly's house (when was the last time they talked? Oh, right, the funeral when Hannah chewed Holly out for everything) and dumps off her adorable son Mason. Hannah needs Holly to watch her kid but won't give her any specifics for anything. Holly doesn't know the first thing about taking care of a child! How can Hannah do this to her? Holly can't figure it all out...where to keep Mason in her small studio apartment, how to continue to work, and how to shut him up when he cries.
Holly decides to take Mason to her mom's old house. There is more room and she will be able to write her songs there. She runs into Wyatt and suddenly, her life isn't so bad.
I have always loved Julia London's books for my "guilty pleasure" reading. She weaves beautiful love stories and this one was particularly inspiring. I look forward to reading even more of her stories!
February 2, 2011
A contemporary romance about what could very well be, real life emotional and heart breaking struggles of current families. It’s about family conflicts, divorce drama, addictions as well as strong emotions of hope and love. Decisions taken will send them in an emotional rollercoaster, but where love, understanding and family will help move forward and bring them together.
This book is the sequel of Summer of Two Wishes. You would want to read it first, so you can understand why the main character Wyatt is where he is, you do not need it to immerse yourself in the plot of this book.
Holly was the sister that was always left in the wake of Hanna which was the perfect student, daughter, wife and mother and felt that she will never be good enough. One day Holly’s world is turn upside down, when her sister disappears leaving her son in her care. Different events bring Holly to the family home, which her mother left to her when she died, hoping to be able to cope with her new life. There she finds Wyatt, who is battling his own demons after his divorce. Day by day they grow to love each other only to have everything taken away again when her sister returns for her son. The intervention of her sister brings them together again to share their love at the end.
It is not an easy book to put down until you finish reading it.
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2011...
This book is the sequel of Summer of Two Wishes. You would want to read it first, so you can understand why the main character Wyatt is where he is, you do not need it to immerse yourself in the plot of this book.
Holly was the sister that was always left in the wake of Hanna which was the perfect student, daughter, wife and mother and felt that she will never be good enough. One day Holly’s world is turn upside down, when her sister disappears leaving her son in her care. Different events bring Holly to the family home, which her mother left to her when she died, hoping to be able to cope with her new life. There she finds Wyatt, who is battling his own demons after his divorce. Day by day they grow to love each other only to have everything taken away again when her sister returns for her son. The intervention of her sister brings them together again to share their love at the end.
It is not an easy book to put down until you finish reading it.
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2011...
March 27, 2011
I met Wyatt Clark in Summer of Two Wishes and although I sympathized with him, I wasn't that big a fan of the guy in the end. Truth be told, he received the worst smelling end of the stick when his wife left him for her first husband. Wyatt was destined to come out the loser; he couln't possibly fight against a war hero coming back to claim his bride. And now, after to years, Wyatt has come home and made himself into a hermit---only coming to town to sign checks and pick up his daughter.
Holly Fischer also comes home after her mother dies and her older sister drops her nephew at her doorstep and makes a run for it. Holly hasn't been on tea drinking terms with her family in ages and is placed in an impossible situation. She gives up what little life she has to go home and raise her year old nephew until her sister comes back. Only thing is, she falls in love: with he baby and Wyatt.
You can tell that this is going to end up badly for a few people when the book opens itself up. However, since it is wonderfully and emotionally written, the cliche doesn't even matter. You really begin to feel for this man who had everything that money could buy but lost his family. Wyatt and Holly slowly fall for one another and build a relationship when they both can see that things are destined to fall apart. Great story but I would have liked for the end to be a bit tidier. This is a one hanky book, unlike Summer of Two Wishes which rivaled a Nicholas Sparks book for tear factor.
Holly Fischer also comes home after her mother dies and her older sister drops her nephew at her doorstep and makes a run for it. Holly hasn't been on tea drinking terms with her family in ages and is placed in an impossible situation. She gives up what little life she has to go home and raise her year old nephew until her sister comes back. Only thing is, she falls in love: with he baby and Wyatt.
You can tell that this is going to end up badly for a few people when the book opens itself up. However, since it is wonderfully and emotionally written, the cliche doesn't even matter. You really begin to feel for this man who had everything that money could buy but lost his family. Wyatt and Holly slowly fall for one another and build a relationship when they both can see that things are destined to fall apart. Great story but I would have liked for the end to be a bit tidier. This is a one hanky book, unlike Summer of Two Wishes which rivaled a Nicholas Sparks book for tear factor.
August 24, 2011
When Holly's sister dropped off her nine month old son and disappeared, she didn't know what to think. Holly moves back to the house she inherited after her mother died and tries her best to care for Mason. When she finds out that Hannah was in rehab, her thoughts turn to permanent custody of the nephew she loves like a son. In the middle of all of the conflict, Holly meets her neighbor,Wyatt, who wins her heart. When Hannah eventually returns and wants her son, Holly has some big decisions to make.
I found this book on sale and decided to give it a try. I know everyone rolls their eyes at romance novels, and this is definitely a romance novel, but admit it, ladies, we all read them every now and then. This one had some unexpected plot lines that I found a little surprising. It's not typical for romance novels to delve into dark subjects, like taking care of an infant when you're high on painkillers, but the author manages to address the subject of addiction without becoming too dark. The characters, especially Wyatt, were very typical for the genre, but it was still a good book with just the right amount of heartache that makes you keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. The ending was happy, with a touch of bitter-sweetness. On a personal note, I like reading books set in a place that I know well, like Austin. I gave it 3 stars.
I found this book on sale and decided to give it a try. I know everyone rolls their eyes at romance novels, and this is definitely a romance novel, but admit it, ladies, we all read them every now and then. This one had some unexpected plot lines that I found a little surprising. It's not typical for romance novels to delve into dark subjects, like taking care of an infant when you're high on painkillers, but the author manages to address the subject of addiction without becoming too dark. The characters, especially Wyatt, were very typical for the genre, but it was still a good book with just the right amount of heartache that makes you keep turning the pages to find out what happens next. The ending was happy, with a touch of bitter-sweetness. On a personal note, I like reading books set in a place that I know well, like Austin. I gave it 3 stars.
April 23, 2012
I accidentally found Julia London's book One season of sunshine last winter when it was on sale. I decided to give it a try and loved her writing style. There story goes forward and I really like her characters. Especially in this series.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!
Okay, so there's Wyatt who became familiar in the book Summer of two wishes. His story is kind of sad. He fell in love with a woman, Macy, whose husband had died at war. But Wyatt and Macy fell in love and eventually got married. And just as they had begun their life together, they received some shocking news. Macy's first husband was alive! After everything, she chose her first husband... and that left Wyatt heartbroken.
This book tells what happens to Wyatt when he tries to get on with his life. He's bought his own ranch and is fine with living there all by himself and with his dog, Milo. He doesn't need or want anyone.
Until he meets his new neighbour, songwriter Holly, who is looking after her nephew. Little by little she wins his trust and against his own rules, he falls for her. But things aren't that easy and they have to learn what it really means to love another person.
Okay, I'm starting to sound like a bad romance writer, so I'm going to stop, but before I do that, I just want to say that I reaaaalllllyyy liked this book, hopefully there's a part 4!
SPOILERS AHEAD!!
Okay, so there's Wyatt who became familiar in the book Summer of two wishes. His story is kind of sad. He fell in love with a woman, Macy, whose husband had died at war. But Wyatt and Macy fell in love and eventually got married. And just as they had begun their life together, they received some shocking news. Macy's first husband was alive! After everything, she chose her first husband... and that left Wyatt heartbroken.
This book tells what happens to Wyatt when he tries to get on with his life. He's bought his own ranch and is fine with living there all by himself and with his dog, Milo. He doesn't need or want anyone.
Until he meets his new neighbour, songwriter Holly, who is looking after her nephew. Little by little she wins his trust and against his own rules, he falls for her. But things aren't that easy and they have to learn what it really means to love another person.
Okay, I'm starting to sound like a bad romance writer, so I'm going to stop, but before I do that, I just want to say that I reaaaalllllyyy liked this book, hopefully there's a part 4!
March 4, 2011
Sometimes a lady just needs a good Cowboy. Holly Fisher’s story is one of abandonment, and hope intermixed with lost and love. Julia London brings us to a town Texas that has a tale of two sister and the cowboy between them.
Holly’s dreams have always been second to her sister Hannah’s and one day after a stint in rehab, Hannah drops a baby at Holly’s door thus halting all plans of future fame and happiness for Holly. Enter in Wyatt. Now having not read the previous book (in which Wyatt was a forerunner) I had never been in these character’s world. I loved the detail in the scenery that Julia London inspires and I love the emotion rolling between all of the characters.
A Light at Winter’s end is ultimately a tale of love and all the joy and hardships that it takes along the way to make a path for family and then making a whole new family. The characters really felt real as I was reading. Their want s and hopes and dreams were very concrete and real and as the story reached the hard points, I felt the pain and want the characters were expressing.
Bring a little light in these dark months, with a great read such as this.
Holly’s dreams have always been second to her sister Hannah’s and one day after a stint in rehab, Hannah drops a baby at Holly’s door thus halting all plans of future fame and happiness for Holly. Enter in Wyatt. Now having not read the previous book (in which Wyatt was a forerunner) I had never been in these character’s world. I loved the detail in the scenery that Julia London inspires and I love the emotion rolling between all of the characters.
A Light at Winter’s end is ultimately a tale of love and all the joy and hardships that it takes along the way to make a path for family and then making a whole new family. The characters really felt real as I was reading. Their want s and hopes and dreams were very concrete and real and as the story reached the hard points, I felt the pain and want the characters were expressing.
Bring a little light in these dark months, with a great read such as this.
February 23, 2011
A LIGHT AT WINTER'S END BY JULIA LONDON is a contemporary romance set in present day Texas. It is the sequel to "Summer Of Two Wishes",but can be read as a stand alone. It is well written with depth,details and twists and turns. It has family conflict,romance, love, childcare,fractured families,forgiveness,drug addiction,following dreams,coming to terms with the past, finding your place in the world, finding true love and happiness. The characters are realistic,engaging,charming and will leave you wanting more. This is a tender story of love,forgiveness,making heartbreaking decisions,leaving the past behind and moving forward to the future.If you enjoy an emotional roller coaster ride,a tender love story,a sweet reunion and family in crisis coming together than this is a story for you.BE WARNED you will need tissues handy.I would recommend this story.This book was received for the purpose of review from Galley Books Blog and the publisher and details can be found at Pocket Books,a division of Simon & Schuster,Inc. and My Book Addiction and More.
March 24, 2011
This is a women's fiction with a nice romance included... Or maybe a good romance with a good sisterly subplot. Heroine is the "bad sister," who's been bumming around writing songs and waitressing while big sis has gone to college, married, etc. Plus, she hasn't done her share of taking care of Mom while she was dying of cancer. Now Mom's gone, and she left the family ranch and everything else to the heroine, because "she'll never be able to make a living." Except the heroine's songwriting career may finally be taking off. Then, the sister shows up and asks the heroine to take care of her year-old son while sis goes off to "take care of something." Heroine is totally not prepared to take care of a baby, or the rest of the mess left behind by sis. And she has songs she's contracted to write. Eventually she moves out to the homestead, and meets the neighbor guy (which is where the romance comes in). There is falling in love with the baby, dealing with the sister's problems, with her own problems--I liked this story a lot. It's a good one.
December 1, 2011
a light at winters end by julia london
Hannah who's heavily been taking drugs has left her son with Holly telling her that her husband has left her and she is leaving (going into rehab). Holly loves the baby even though it's a disruption of her life. Hannah's husband won't come get the baby either, tells her she can still write her songs and handle it.
Holly heads back to the house where her mom lived, she left it all to her. She meets her neighbor while trying to take care of Mason and to continue with her writing of songs.
Wyatt is a helpful neighbor=checking on her chimney, gas oven, fences, etc
he gets weekend visits with his daughter and they have playdates and become very well acquainted with one another. Her sister is going through rehab and seems to be healing.
Through their struggles Holly takes his advice and furthers her songwriting skills.
It is made all complete by the end with some turnabouts.
I rate this a 5 as so many things are brought up and dealt with that only a strong character
could achieve.
Hannah who's heavily been taking drugs has left her son with Holly telling her that her husband has left her and she is leaving (going into rehab). Holly loves the baby even though it's a disruption of her life. Hannah's husband won't come get the baby either, tells her she can still write her songs and handle it.
Holly heads back to the house where her mom lived, she left it all to her. She meets her neighbor while trying to take care of Mason and to continue with her writing of songs.
Wyatt is a helpful neighbor=checking on her chimney, gas oven, fences, etc
he gets weekend visits with his daughter and they have playdates and become very well acquainted with one another. Her sister is going through rehab and seems to be healing.
Through their struggles Holly takes his advice and furthers her songwriting skills.
It is made all complete by the end with some turnabouts.
I rate this a 5 as so many things are brought up and dealt with that only a strong character
could achieve.
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