Susan's Review of Suddenly Mine by Samantha Chase

New beginnings are irresistible…

Christian Montgomery is burnt out. The family business is his entire world, and Christian has never stopped trying to atone for a mistake made years ago. His only break from grueling work is sitting on his beachfront deck, watching the California surfers, and wishing he could be that carefree.

Sophie Bennington was happy living in her small Kansas hometown…until she learned her entire life was a lie. So she hightailed it to the West coast, where she loves to surf, even though she’s no good at it, and she’s hoping to start a new career.

A chance encounter shows Christian and Sophie that no matter what happened in the past, the future is bright and new…but only if you have the courage to open your heart…

Samantha Chase pairs stressed out, executive Christian Montgomery with Sophie Bennington, a shy, determined nurse from Kansas in Suddenly Mine. Christian and Sophie’s story is a fabulous journey filled with emotion, great dialogue and a healthy dose of Montgomery matchmaking.

Samantha Chase has created two unique characters in this novel; a Montgomery who isn’t sure if he wants to continue his career in the family business and a nurse who moved cross country to start over with a blank slate. I enjoyed reading this novel because the characters grew with each chapter of the book. Christian and Sophie are not cookie cutter romance characters-they have flaws, job pressures and family issues which made them relatable to me.

Sophie’s life is turned upside down when her grandmother admits to a family secret. She leaves Kansas for California hoping to sort through her feelings and resume her career in nursing. I loved Sophie’s can do attitude. She was determined to learn how to surf—and she got up every time a wave knocked her down. I really liked that Sophie stood up for herself-she was shy and a bit reserved but she was not a pushover! Christian’s life is his job. He needs to atone for a mistake he made years ago. He feels pressure from his father to focus, focus on the family business. Christian feels trapped—he runs an important division of his family business and has no time to himself.

The Montgomery family dynamics are very important in this novel. Samantha Chase makes an excellent, bold decision which shapes the plot. This choice made Suddenly Mine an excellent read because Ms. Chase stayed true to her characters. Suddenly Mine remained Christian and Sophie’s story; not a family drama. Ms. Chase’s fabulous dialogue is showcased when Sophie and Christian come to terms with their reality. Sophie speaks up for herself and their relationship and challenges Christian to see that someone else’s expectations shouldn’t define him. Loved the conversation between Christian and his uncle William Montgomery. Christian’s charming, matchmaking uncle is my favorite character in this series—he knows what to say and when to say it. William words have a huge impact on Christian. Family expectations lead Sophie back to Kansas to face her fears.

In my opinion, Suddenly Mine is Samantha Chase’s best work—this couple has a strong bond but, they have a lot of issues to work through. The book is rich in detail, characters and plot. Ms. Chase’s descriptive voice keeps the reader on the edge of their seat—I wasn’t sure how the last few chapters would play out.

Suddenly Mine is a fabulous romance filled with love, passion and the Montgomery clan. I am SO looking forward to A Dash of Christmas -Carter’s story!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by the Author