Kerry EvelynCritiques

Set aside an entire day for this sweet and wholesome contemporary marriage of convenience of two shy people in a somewhat bullying culture. I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Have a tissue handy and set aside a day for this sweet, clean, and wholesome small-town second-chance family-centric romance about two neurodivergent under-thirties who were separated as tweens but are now both in Palmer City, Colorado. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I guess I'm in the minority but I didn't like these stories. There's so much horror, occult references, murder. It's not really my thing. I'm not sure why it's labeled Christian fiction for the above-mentioned reasons.
I was provided a copy from Book Sirens. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A story for everyone

This charity anthology has a story for everyone; whether you like shifters, same-sex, mature or historical, you will find something to enjoy. Two dozen stories, and almost as many variations of second chances. This was a bit of a rush job and it shows in the need for editing, some tales more than others. My favourite stories include Aria Bliss' Renewing Hearts, part of her Watercress Falls series, and CK O'Connor's Once Burned, Twice Loved, appealing for Bake Off fans. I should also mention Lia Davis, Linzi Baxter, and RC Wynne, and for me, these five stories more than justified the cost.

Fun mixture of time-travel and magic. Leda is a former detective who has been in witness protection for several years. She decided that she wants her life back and slipped away from those guarding her. Her destination is Moon Mist Manor on a island in Cat's Paw Cove, a place she heard about from her former partner. During a brief stop in the Cove itself, she makes the acquaintance of a very special cat named Davy, who follows her to the Manor. Though she made her reservation under an assumed name, everyone at the Manor seems to know her real name, something that disturbs her. Then, while exploring the island, she finds a compass which whisks her back in time 300 years when she opens it.

Captain Drake Reid is a Royal Navy captain who is on a secret mission for the king. A storm forced him to stop at Cat's Paw Cove for repairs. He is frustrated at the delay, and also by his sister. Eleanor traveled with him so she could stay with an aunt In Charles Town and look for a husband. Instead, she spends way too much time with the son of the local Indian chief. While trying to track her down yet again, Drake spots a woman sitting on the rocks.

I enjoyed the first meeting between Drake and Leda. He is determined to keep her from being seen by his crew and takes her onboard his ship. Leda isn't happy about being there at first, especially after she learns WHEN she is. If she's going to get back to her own time, she thinks she should stay put. But Drake is in a time crunch and insists she goes along. He'll bring her back when he has what he needs. Drake was amazingly accepting of Leda's time travel claim, thanks to stories heard from his grandmother. He's a little warier of her other secret, an ability to shape-shift into a swan, and fears she'd be burned as a witch if anyone else discovers it.

I liked seeing the relationship develop between Drake and Leda. There were sparks from the beginning, and an undeniable fascination with each other. But both were also aware that Leda would likely return to her own time. A fun twist enabled Drake to get a taste of Leda's world, however, the question remained. Would they find a way to be together in the past or the future, or would fate separate them forever? Both Drake and Leda had some serious soul searching to do to discover what was meant to be. I loved Leda's conversation with one of the fairies, who gave her some pretty blunt advice. The ending was sweet and romantic.

I also enjoyed the mission that Drake had to complete. He has some secrets himself, one of which adds complications to his plans. Though he and his partner-in-crime thought they had everything covered, an unexpected appearance threw those plans into disarray. There were some very tense moments when the success of the mission and their safety were in doubt. It was fun to see how the mission was saved and the unexpected and important results of it.

Good second chance story that takes place in the magical world of Cat's Paw Cove and Guinevere Island. When Rachel and Javier were teenagers they were best friends, until Rachel confessed her love for him. Javier panicked and ran. He was the boy from the wrong side of the tracks and felt she would be better off without him dragging her down. Javier leaving without a word broke Rachel's heart. For the next fifteen years, her track record in relationships was awful, with the most recent one being the last straw. She left her job in Atlanta and went home to Savannah, where she was offered a dream job. The only problem was that it would force her to see Javier almost every day. Torn over what to do, Rachel fled to Moon Mist Manor to reconnect with her magical feline advisor, and get some much-needed advice. She didn't expect Javier to follow her.

Javier regretted breaking Rachel's heart, but still thinks he did the right thing. He's never lost the feelings he had for her, and seeing her again stirs them up. He's no longer the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Instead, he is a renowned chef, cooking for the rich and famous and giving back to his community. When Javier's mother tasks him with convincing Rachel to take the job, he knows it's also his chance to make amends. So off he goes to Guinevere Island.

I liked the rekindling of the relationship between Javier and Rachel. She was not expecting him to show up at her hideout and was less than pleased that he would have to stay with her in her villa. Having him so close stirs up feelings she thought she buried long ago. Javier is determined to make amends and goes all out to win her over. Things get complicated when mischievous Pukwudgies threaten to take over the island and one of them attaches itself to Rachel. Javier is unaware of the magical side of the island and it takes some drastic measures to get him to see the truth. I liked seeing them get to know each other again as adults as they worked together to protect the island. But even after that problem is solved, Rachel's emotions are still all over the place. It takes a stern talking to from a fairy to open Rachel's eyes and reinvigorate her confidence. For Javier, it was a kick in the seat by a cat that opened his eyes. I loved his big moment at the end. It was sweet and romantic and bodes well for their future.

I also enjoyed the family and friends who made various appearances in the book. Family support for both Rachel and Javier is an important part of who they are, as knowing they have that security net gives them a little extra confidence. I also loved the scene with Jordyn and the kitties which showed another side of Rachel and gave Javier a little more insight into her. I loved the scene at the end when the whole family showed up on the island.

Welcome (or welcome back) to Cade’s Cove. This small community supports and encourages its own while welcoming newcomers with warm words and smiles.

From the first pages of Love on the Beach, the attraction sparking between Shelby and Damon is obvious. Even their friends see it.

Damon’s persistent pursuit of his girl is sweet. As he strives to find out her likes, be a listening ear when she needs one, and comfort in her pain, I couldn’t help but like the guy.

However, connecting with Shelby took much more time. Her focus is so set on her work and her plans, she fails to see what’s right in front of and all around her. Plus, her hot and cold reactions to Damon didn’t endear her to me right away. Once her backstory is fully revealed, some of those grievances were wiped away.

Kerry Evelyn gives readers a full-on romance with memorable characters (the first two books are now on my TBR after meeting some of the others) and an ending that doesn’t disappoint.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.