Review: The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

Publish Date: February 26, 2013
Mass Market Paperback {p. 432}
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Blue Heron #1
Source: Publisher
Faith Holland, Levi Cooper

Sometimes the best man is the one you least expect… Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she's ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family's vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there's some great scenery there….

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief—and best friend of her former fiancé. There's a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it's not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she's having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.

Faith has finally returned home after years away in San Francisco after being jilted at the altar. Upon her return, she gets herself in some pretty comical situations trying to avoid seeing Jeremy, the man she almost married. And of course they have to be witnessed by the person she hates most, Levi Cooper.

The Best Man is a non-stop laugh fest. Faith is highly entertaining. And of course what good romance doesn’t have a handsome brooding male; in this case, Levi. The two of them didn’t seem to get along well in the beginning, but once that changed they couldn’t stay out of each other’s bed.

Of course everything wasn’t rosy, they had their issues. One was being Levi’s lack of communicating. Even with that, they were still great together.

The secondary characters were also amazing. Faith and Levi had a great set of people around them. Not one character, other than Levi’s father, did I not love.

Review: The Wanderer by Robyn Carr

Publish Date: March 26, 2013
Mass Market Paperback {p. 384}
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Thunder Point #1
Source: Publisher
Sarah Dupre, Hank Cooper

Nestled on the Oregon coast is a small town of rocky beaches and rugged charm. Locals love the land's unspoiled beauty. Developers see it as a potential gold mine. When newcomer Hank Cooper learns he's been left an old friend's entire beachfront property, he finds himself with a community's destiny in his hands.

Cooper has never been a man to settle in one place, and Thunder Point was supposed to be just another quick stop. But Cooper finds himself getting involved with the town. And with Sarah Dupre, a woman as complicated as she is beautiful.

With the whole town watching for his next move, Cooper has to choose between his old life and a place full of new possibilities. A place that just might be home.

I was so excited and hesitant when I learned of the new series by Robyn. My thinking was, how can it anywhere near as good as Virgin River when it’s already perfect. But Thunder Point is just as perfect. Robyn is one of the few authors I’ve come across who manages to make the town feel like one of the lead characters along with the hero and heroine. I always love and dread reading Virgin River series because I always finish the book wanting to pack my bags and move there. That’s when the disappointment sets in, when I remember it’s not a real place.

Thunder Point, to me, is the younger crowd version of Virgin River. The high school crowd played just as much of an important role as the adult crowd. Thunder Point added the excitement of Friday night lights to the small, close-knit seaside town. I immediately fell in love with the town Robyn created with words that came to life in my imagination.

Cooper and his relationship with Sarah’s brother Landon was a major highlight for me. I’m glad Robyn chose to develop their relationship first before developing Cooper’s relationship with Sarah.