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About the Book

Title: Mulberry Hollow
Series: Riverbend Romance #2
Author: Denise Hunter
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Publishing: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: April 19, 2022

Living life to the fullest always requires sacrifice.

Avery Robinson decided to be a physician after helplessly watching her mother lose a battle with a terrible disease. Now at risk of developing the same illness, Avery guards her heart from love. She’s driven to protect her loved ones as a workaholic doctor in the tiny mountain town of Riverbend Gap, North Carolina.

Contractor Wes Garrett is hiking the Appalachian trail, in memory of the man who died saving his life, when an illness racks his body. After an agonizing fifteen-mile hike to Avery’s clinic, he collapses on her doorstep. He recovers to find himself in debt again, this time to a beautiful doctor.

When he decides to help her renovate a rundown carriage house, the obstacles to their attraction sprout like weeds—starting with the woman waiting for Wes at the end of the trail. Will he be able to relinquish the debt he owes his best friend? And will Avery find the courage to risk everything for love?

The second book in Denise Hunter’s popular Riverbend Romance series explores what it might be like to live fearlessly and free.

Grab your copy here!

About the Author

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 25 books, including A December Bride and The Convenient Groom, which have been adapted into original Hallmark Channel movies. She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Carol Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are rapidly approaching an empty nest.

Connect with Denise: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

My Review

Mulberry Hollow
by Denise Hunter
Book 2 in the Riverbend Romance series
Rating: 4.5/5

Yay for sequels! After loving Riverbend Gap from Denise Hunter, I was excited to read the next book Mulberry Hollow and discover Avery’s story. However, this story can be read as a standalone but where’s the fun in that? 😉

First, the book cover is stunning. I did not think they could outdo the first book’s cover, but the design team did an amazing job and it looks like a place that I would love to visit.
Second, the premise got me because I am a soon-to-be doctor (I graduate in May) and was very interested to see how the author portrayed a small-town rural doc. Let’s just say I feel like she did a great job. I also liked how the author was not afraid to address Avery’s fears regarding her mother’s illness and how it affected her. And since I’ve never read Wild or seen the movie – only seen that special Gilmore’s Girl episode), it was interesting to address some of the conditions with Wes’ character. Wes’ background was also very interesting with his work overseas and with his PTSD. The author gave a brief glance at what living with PTSD was like for Wes.
Third, the chemistry between the two main characters was swoon worthy and so romantic. I loved them together and felt the bond between them.
Fourth, I always love when the author can weave their faith into the story and bring a message of hope and healing.

Highly recommend if you enjoy Christian romance with humor, small-town charm and second chances.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

More in the Series

Read my review of Riverbend Gap here.

About the Book

Title: The Do-Over
Author: Bethany Turner
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: March 15, 2022

Sometimes dreams come true. Other times, the best outcome begins with an epic fail.

Career-driven McKenna Keaton has devoted her life to attaining the senior partnership at her law firm. So asking a man on a date should be nothing. But the past four days have been the worst of her life and have called everything she thought she knew about herself into question. Besides, she can’t remember her last real date—one that didn’t involve using a blind date as an opportunity to get a stranger’s perspective on effective cross-examination techniques. (It’s like sharing fondue with a jury!)

But a real date? And with shy, nerdy Henry Blumenthal—McKenna’s high school rival for valedictorian who once took three hours to beat her at chess? Scratch that. He’s Hank Blume now, the famed documentarian, Durham’s darling son, who has attained all his dreams and more. He also happens to look like he stepped out of an Eddie Bauer catalog.

Whereas McKenna is a disgraced workaholic from New York on unpaid leave, accused of a white-collar crime she would never commit, succumbing to panic attacks, watching her dreams unravel. At age thirty-eight—and destined by the family curse to die before she turns forty, it appears—it’s absolutely the wrong time to have a major crush on a man. Especially one who treasures his memories of McKenna as the girl Most Likely to Succeed.

Grab your copy here!

About the Author

Bethany Turner has been writing since the second grade, when she won her first writing award for explaining why, if she could have lunch with any person throughout history, she would choose John Stamos. She stands by this decision. Bethany now writes pop culture-infused rom-coms for a new generation of readers who crave fiction that tackles the thorny issues of life with humor and insight. She lives in Southwest Colorado with her husband, whom she met in the nineties in a chat room called Disco Inferno. As sketchy as it sounds, it worked out pretty well in this case, and they are now the proud parents of two teenagers. Connect with Bethany at seebethanywrite.com or across social media @seebethanywrite, where she clings to the eternal dream that John Stamos will someday send her a friend request. Text her any time at (970) 387-7811.

Connect with Bethany: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

My Review

The Do-Over
by Bethany Turner
Rating: 4.5/5

“You know . . . You probably won’t actually die if you’re not married by forty.”

Wow. Bethany Turner does it again! I can’t believe I devoured this book and read it in one day. I couldn’t stop LOL.

First, the cover is stunning. I LOVE the cover. It is eye catching and beautiful with whimsy.
Second, Henry Blumenthal is my favorite. He is smart and artistic. I fell in love with him as McKenna was re-falling in love with him. The author is so good with her characters and the chemistry between him and McKenna was well written and believable.
Third, I loved all of the pop culture references that the author always incorporates. She is so creative in the way she weaves them throughout the story in such unique ways that make you laugh and sigh. She has a true gift that I’ve come to expect in her stories but I feel like this one goes above and beyond.
Fourth, the author really puts you inside McKenna’s head and it can get intense but it’s so worth it. I sort of wish she did dual POVs so I could get inside Henry’s head too.

Highly recommend if you enjoy a swoon worthy hero and a fiercely independent heroine on a journey back to each other.

PG-13.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.