Evergreen Springs - RaeAnne Thayne (HQN - Oct 2015)

Series: Haven Point (Book 3)

Christmas is the last thing on Cole Barrett's mind this year. He's barely hanging on trying to care for his two grieving children since his ex-wife died in a tragic accident. For the reclusive Cole, this is no time for gift-giving and celebration -- and certainly not for a sunny-natured optimist to blow into his screwed-up life.

Physician Devin Shaw has long researched the curative powers of Lake Haven's mineral waters. Unfortunately, the hot springs are on Barrett property, forcing Devin to strike a bargain with the ranch's attractively gruff owner: she'll give Cole's children a magical Christmas, and Cole will allow her patients access to the springs. But can she work her holiday magic to heal the Barrett family's battered hearts -- and her own?

Very good book about redemption and second chances. Devin is one of Haven Point's doctors and is working in the ER when Cole brings in his very pregnant sister. She has fallen and is in premature labor, so she is ordered to bedrest at the hospital. This leaves Cole, a single father who has recently gained custody of his children, without any help. Devin steps in to give him a hand.

Devin is a woman who is a fixer at heart. She is a cancer survivor who has found meaning in helping other people. There is something about Cole and his children that has her getting really involved in their lives. I loved seeing how she mobilized her friends to make meals that she delivered to him, and how she stayed to build snowmen with the kids. She sees that Cole is overwhelmed by everything going on and offers to help him prepare for his first Christmas with the kids. Though he seems rather cold and grumpy at the beginning, she soon discovers that there's a good man underneath, one she'd like to get to know better.

Cole came back to Haven Point to try to put his life back together. When his mother died and his father abandoned him and his sister, Cole reacted by going a bit wild. He became a rodeo cowboy, and lived a life filled with booze and women. He married a buckle bunny who got pregnant, later divorced and had to deal with her erratic behavior. He ended up spending some time in prison for an event he can't even remember. Since getting out, he has worked to get his family ranch back in working order, avoiding most people while he was at it. When his ex-wife is killed in an accident, Cole gets custody of his children, but is at a loss on how to deal with them. Losing his sister's help makes things even more difficult. He's stunned when Devin shows up at his door and doesn't understand why she is so determined to help him.

I loved seeing the relationship develop between them. Devin has found an outlet for all the love and mothering she has in her heart. She is cautious at first, knowing that she could get really attached to the whole family. Her attraction to Cole is strong, and she finds herself unable to resist getting closer. The more time she spends with him, the deeper she falls. Devin has doubts about her ability to win the love of a man because of her inability to have children. Cole is very attracted to Devin, and also drawn to the love she shows his children. But he believes that there is too big a gulf between the beautiful town doctor and himself, as a recovering alcoholic and ex-con. When the strength of his feelings gets to be too much, he tries to drive her away. It was an emotional scene, as Cole does everything he can to make his point. Devin is initially devastated, but I loved seeing her natural optimism and intelligence come through as she realizes the truth of what happened. The ending was sweet as Devin finally gets Cole to accept that he's a much better man than he wants to admit. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in later books.

There were a couple of secondary stories in the book also. First is the story of Cole's sister Tricia and why she is staying with Cole. They are very protective of each other, as is shown by her concern over what will happen to Cole and the kids while she's in the hospital. Cole is also worried about her and her separation from her husband during her pregnancy. There were times I wanted to shake her and tell her to suck it up and talk to her husband. As the story went on, her reasons and motivations are explained. It all came to a head as she went into labor for real, and the drama was quite riveting. I liked seeing how it worked out. There was also the story of Cole's father, who returned to the ranch a few months earlier. He wants to mend his relationship with Cole, and Cole wants nothing to do with him. Cole harbors a lot of bitterness about his father, and he doesn't believe the man can change. I loved seeing the slow thaw of the ice between them, and how it's the kids who start the process.

I liked the group of seniors that Devin brings to Cole's hot springs. They are a very fun group. Devin's friends "The Helping Hands" were also great. All of them showed the positive aspects of life in a small town, where everyone watched out for everyone else.

Redemption Bay - RaeAnne Thayne (HQN - July 2015)

Series: Haven Point (Book 2)

McKenzie Shaw would do anything for her hometown of Haven Point. It may be small, but it's never let her down…unlike gorgeous, infuriating Ben Kilpatrick. He was her childhood hero until he closed his family's factory, leaving the town's economy in shambles. Now his tech firm is considering opening a local facility. For Haven Point's sake, McKenzie has to grit her teeth and play nice.

What could a town filled with painful memories ever offer Ben? Yet seeing the town through the eyes of McKenzie -- its fiery young mayor -- he suddenly has his answer. If only he can resolve the animosity crackling between them, Ben may have found the place where he can build ties and find healing…a place where love arrives when it's least expected.

Very good small town romance between two people who are a lot alike, yet also very different. McKenzie was briefly introduced in Snow Angel Cove as the new mayor of Haven Point. Ben is mentioned as the hometown boy who moved away, and when he inherited the family business closed it down. His neglect of the business properties he owned in town added to the general opinion that his actions have been responsible for the town's economic woes. McKenzie is not happy to discover that Ben is back in town after so many years away.

McKenzie loves the town that she has called home since she was ten years old. As the mayor, she is determined to make it the successful town it was back then. When she discovers that Ben is back in town and living next door to her, she has no problem letting him know just how low her opinion of him is. What she doesn't expect is that the remnants of her childhood crush on him are still there, and being fanned by a very adult attraction to him. When she finds out that Haven Point is in the running for a branch of his business, she realizes that she needs to attempt to be nice and show him everything that the town has to offer.

Ben is really not happy to be back in Haven Point. He left when he finished high school and has never returned, not even for his father's funeral. He is Aidan's business partner (Snow Angel Cove) and the one in charge of checking out possible new locations. Aidan has also told him that he needs a vacation and this will kill two birds with one stone. The problem is that he can't look at the town without remembering why he wanted out. 

I loved McKenzie. She's an upbeat person who tries to keep a positive outlook on things. Even when she's dealing with grumpy neighbors/townspeople, she keeps in mind what makes them that way. I understood her grudge against Ben and how hard it was for her when she realized that she was going to have to "court" him for the town. By spending time with him, she soon learned that there was more to what happened than she knew, and her attitude began to soften. I loved seeing her show Ben the side of the town he hadn't really seen as a kid.

Ben was terrific. Through McKenzie's memories, we saw the boy who loved his sister and mourned her illness and death. We also got to see the memories of his father and how his emotional abuse affected Ben. Though he seems cold when he first comes to town, there are glimpses of the man underneath, such as when he's playing with the dog. I liked that he told McKenzie why he was there, but was also honest that his intention was not to use Haven Point for the business. He didn't mislead her there. As the days went on, I loved seeing how he started to relax and open up a bit, such as inviting McKenzie and the boys on his boat. He also began to see the town in a slightly more positive light. Then the revelation of a secret from his past changes everything he thought he knew.

I loved seeing the relationship between them develop. The attraction is hard to resist, even though they try. McKenzie will start to respond, but then is reminded of her anger with him and her mistrust of his motives, and will pull away until the next time it flares up. Ben is just plain reluctant to get involved. He knows she is tied to the town, and it is the last place he wants to be. The attraction that pulls them together begins to develop deeper roots, and sharing their pasts increases the understanding between them. Then a misunderstanding about the new facility causes a big blowup between them, with hurtful things said. It doesn't look good for the relationship or the town. Then a disaster threatens the town and Ben sees McKenzie and the people in action, showing him just what she had been trying to tell him all along. I loved his "aha" moment, when he finally understood. Even better, was when each realized that to have it all they had to risk it all. The epilogue was great, and tied up the book quite neatly.

I also liked the continuing theme of family, with all its good and bad sides. McKenzie's past shows how her arrival in Haven Point could have turned out far differently. I liked how her relationship with her father and sister were shown to be so good, but that her relationship with her stepmother was understandably strained. It wasn't made out to be a terrible thing, it just was what it was and was accepted. Ben's family relationships, on the other hand, were terrible. As each bit of it was revealed, it became more understandable why Ben was the way he was. His interactions with his mother were hard to see because he was so conflicted. I did begin to suspect what the secret was before it was revealed. I also liked that it was handled in a realistic manner, with Ben struggling to accept it all, though there seems to be hope for it all to work out.

Snow Angel Cove - RaeAnne Thayne (HQN - Nov 2013)

Series: Haven Point (Book 1)

Nothing short of a miracle can restore Eliza Hayward's Christmas cheer. The job she pinned her dreams on has gone up in smoke -- literally -- and now she's stuck in an unfamiliar, if breathtaking, small town. Precariously close to being destitute, Eliza needs a hero, but she's not expecting one who almost runs her down with his car!

Rescuing Eliza is pure instinct for tech genius Aidan Caine. At first, putting the renovation of his lakeside guest lodge in Eliza's hands assuages his guilt -- until he sees how quickly he could fall for her. Having focused solely on his business for years, he never knew what his life was missing before Eliza, but now he's willing to risk his heart on a yuletide romance that could lead to forever.

Wonderful start to the new series. Eliza has come to Haven Point to start a new job as a hotel manager only to learn that the hotel has just burned to the ground. With no job and no home, she's not sure what she's going to do. As she and her daughter are crossing the street, she is hit by a car that hit a patch of black ice. Aidan is horrified by what happened, and how much worse it could have been. As he takes Eliza and her daughter back to his home for the night, he wonders what he can do to help. With his family coming to visit for the holidays, he hits on the idea of asking Eliza to help get his huge new home ready for his family.

Eliza isn't too sure about accepting the job. She's very wary of Aidan. Unknown to him, her husband had died, possibly intentionally, after unsuccessfully trying to sell a software idea to Aidan's company. Her husband had been obsessed with trying to make as much money as possible, but took so many risks he ended up leaving Eliza in poor financial shape. She is now wary of anyone she thinks is more interested in money than people. But she is desperate for employment that will give her what she needs to support her daughter, as she has learned that she can only depend on herself for what she needs. The more time she spends with Aidan, the more she discovers that he is very different from the man she thought he was. She's attracted to him, but even more than that, she sees a man who is in need of someone to love him and show him how to reconnect with the people around him.

Aidan is the middle child in a large family (the Caines from Hope's Crossing) but has always been the different one. The family is big and outgoing, where Aidan was always the quiet, focused, bookish one. After he graduated from college and started his business, he found himself working long days and pushing his relationship with his family into the background. In the last few years he has seen them only a few times during the year. After a recent health scare, he has realized that he wants to be part of the family again, but he's not sure how to accomplish it. With the purchase of his huge home, he came up with the idea of having them all visit for Christmas, but now he's beginning to wonder if it was such a good idea. Though he offered the job to Eliza out of guilt, he quickly comes to see her as far more. 

I loved seeing Eliza and Aidan together. The attraction between them is strong, but both are wary about getting involved. Eliza's initial dislike of Aidan is quickly overcome as she sees how nice a guy he really is. Once she learns about his medical issues, she starts to understand his motivation for his holiday plans. I loved seeing her fuss over him, but also not pull any punches when she doesn't agree with something he does. One of the things that really softens her attitude toward him is seeing how wonderful he is with her daughter. She starts to fall for him, but doesn't see any possibility for a future between them.

Aidan sometimes seems like a bundle of contradictions. He really is a nice guy, but his people skills are sometimes a little lacking. He is much more comfortable with computers than with trying to figure out emotions. He really wants to reconnect with his family after his health scare, but he also doesn't want to tell them about it. He's not really happy when Eliza tells him that he's an idiot for shutting them out. Though he had hired Eliza out of guilt and wanting to help her, the more he's around her the more he discovers that he needs her. That need sometimes scares him into pushing her away, but he can't maintain the distance for long. He has a hard time expressing his feelings, but with her help he gets better at it. I loved the way he went about trying to show her how he felt. His Christmas surprise for her was terrific.

As always with RaeAnne Thayne's books, family is a central theme. Aidan's love for his family is obvious in everything he says and does as he tries to get his house ready for their visit. I loved hearing him tell Eliza all about them. Their love for him is just as obvious, both in their treatment of him, but also the teasing among them all. I loved the way his sister and sisters-in-law all noticed the changes in him and tried to get Eliza to say something about it. I loved seeing them all together for Christmas, and how Aidan finally saw the truth of what Eliza had been telling him about confessing to his family.

I'm really looking forward to reading more about the town and people of Haven Point. I liked the way that they so quickly made Eliza part of the community. Her acceptance also started to pave the way for Aidan. Most of the people weren't very nice to him at all as they waited to see what he was going to do with all the property he now owns. I liked the way that Eliza used what she learned to explain to Aidan what was happening with the town. I expect the stories for the people of Haven Point are going to be just as wonderful as those about Hope's Crossing.