Susan's Review of Falling For You by Barb Curtis--Sapphire Springs #3

Just when recently evicted yoga instructor Faith Rotolo thinks her luck has run out, she inherits a historic mansion in quaint Sapphire Springs. Though Faith never imagined putting roots down anywhere, small-town life is growing on her, as is her fixer-upper house. If only her handsome new contractor, Rob Milan, would stop spoiling her daydreams with the realities of a major rehab…and his generally grouchy vibes.

A single dad of two, Rob doesn’t have much time for fantasy wish-list ideas his clients can’t afford. Then again, Faith’s creative energy might be exactly what he needs right now. But while Rob and Faith work to give her home the second chance it deserves, their spirited clashes wind up sparking a powerful attraction. As work nears completion, and Faith’s house becomes the shining jewel of the neighborhood, will she and Rob realize that they deserve a fresh start too?

                            

Barb Curtis pairs grouchy contractor Rob Milan and free spirted yoga instructor Faith Rotolo in Falling For You. I have enjoyed each one of the Sapphire Springs books and have been waiting patiently for Rob’s story—and it was fabulous!

Rob Milan’s story has been brewing since he was introduced in Forever With You. His world was turned upside down in Only For You when his marriage imploded. Even though he was the primary parent, one impulsive act may cost him custody of his daughters. Rob’s character was well developed and his journey to rebuild his life and career was not easy. Barb Curtis does a fabulous job describing the impact of divorce from Rob’ perspective – he’s hit rock bottom-he’s lost his job, his family and self-esteem.

Faith Rotolo returned from a yoga retreat in Fiji and learns she has inherited a historic house in Sapphire Springs. Faith considers selling the house as it needs to be restored from top to bottom. She visits the home and feels connected to the run down mansion because her mother lived there Faith hires Rob to restore the Romano Estate. Rob and Faith work together on the house project and they uncover a set of journals which appeal to Rob’s love of history and Faith’s desire to know more about her family. Their romance develops as they read the journals and are transported back in time—loved that this book had two love stories.

I adored Faith and Rob and rooted for their romance—there were so many obstacles and so many hoops for this couple to jump through! I liked that Faith and Rob supported each other and Faith understood that Rob’s daughters came first. Each of the secondary characters: Issey, Hazel, Tim, Emily, Jay and Layna added depth and drama to the storyline. Loved that both Faith and Rob wanted to build a life together—in Sapphire Springs, in her family’s house which was now their home.

Faith and Rob’s story will tug at your heartstrings. I was invested in their story from the first page of the novel. Thank you Barb Curtis for a fantastic read—am definitely looking forward to your next book!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

Book purchased through Amazon

Links to Susan's reviews of: 
Forever With You

Only For You

Susan's Review of Only For You by Barb Curtis-Sapphire Springs #2

Author Barb Curtis returns to Sapphire Springs with this heartwarming romance where a small-town bakery owner finds herself in a fake relationship with the man she's always pined after.

Will a fake relationship between two friends lead to true love?

After having his heart broken on national television, Tim Fraser knows only one way to stop the gossip about his love life-a new girlfriend. The problem is, he's done with romance forever. A fake relationship with his friend and Sapphire Spring's sweetest baker, Emily Holland, seems the perfect solution to getting rid of his newfound fame, but their fleeting fauxmance is stirring up the kinds of feelings Tim has sworn off for good.

Emily has secretly lusted after Tim for years, but pretending her feelings are all for show never factored into her fantasy. Still, her decades-long crush makes it impossible to say no to Tim's proposal. But with each date, the lines between pretend and reality blur, giving Tim and Emily a tantalizing taste of life outside the friend zone . . . if they can find the courage to give real love a chance.

Barb Curtis writes an engaging friends to lover’s romance for Emily Holland and Tim Fraser. Tim and Emily appeared in this first book in the series- Forever With You – I couldn’t wait to read their story!

Emily Holland has made two New Year’s resolutions. She is reorganizing her life –she’s tossing out her old clothes and shoes. And, she’s determined to kick her secret crush to the curb with the Goodwill bags. Tim Fraser has vowed never to fall in love again after his actress girlfriend dumped him on her reality TV show. Tim is so over the unwanted attention and publicity. His solution? Ask his friend Emily to pretend to be his girlfriend.

Emily’s secret crush combined with Tim’s new found social media fame entertained me from the first page. Emily’s romantic nature, her love for her family and friends and her community spirit appealed to me. Emily’s feelings for Tim resonated with me—it reminded me in a good way of a past friendship. Tim is a complex, flawed character. He believes he disappointed his late father when he left the Navy. Tim serving in the Navy was his Dad’s dream, not his. He also believes that romantic Emily is looking for a perfect Prince Charming. Tim intrigued me—I couldn’t figure out if he was afraid to commit, disappointed in love or afraid to trust his heart—and I love how his story unfolded during the novel.

Loved the sexual chemistry between Emily and Tim and the romantic buildup this story. The fake dating relationship enables the author to push the friendship boundaries… to see what might happen. This plot choice worked perfectly in this novel from their first kiss to the last page—it added drama, tension and emotion throughout the novel. Loved the author’s descriptive voice and the use of imagery throughout the novel. The characters are not perfect, they make mistakes and learn from them. Loved catching up with Layna Jay and Rob and meeting Tim’s Mom and Emily’s Dad who make significant contributions to the storyline. I love the small town feel of this series, the sense of community, the lifelong friendships and the quirky characters.

Emily and Tim’s journey is romantic, emotional and tugs at your heartstrings. I was invested in Tim and Emily’s story from the first page of the book. There were several time I wanted to tell Tim—hey, buddy—OPEN YOUR EYES- your soulmate is right in front of you!!

If you are looking for a small town romance with engaging characters --this is the book for you!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman ARC provided by Forever

Susan's Review of Forever With You by Barb Curtis (Sapphire Springs #1)

From debut author, Barb Curtis, a heartwarming small-town romance about high school sweethearts who return home and discover that first love sometimes gets a second chance. . .

Jay Wynter wants to be successful on his own merit. That's why he left Sapphire Springs and his family's winery to build a career from scratch. But now that he's successor to Wynter Estate, Jay must return to his small hometown to face everything, and everyone, he left behind-especially his high school sweetheart, who happens to be his stunning new business partner . . .

Leyna Milan knows family legacies come with strings attached, but she's determined to prove that she can run her family's restaurant. Of course, Leyna never expected that honoring her grandfather's wishes meant opening a second location on her ex's property-or having to ignore Jay's sexy grin and guard the heart he shattered years before. But as they work closely together, she begins to discover that maybe first loves deserve a second chance .

Forever with You is an engaging second chance love story set in the Niagara Falls wine country. I was intrigued by the second chance romance between vintner Jason “Jay” Wynter and restaurateur Leyna Milan and adored this dynamic couple.

The friendship between Stefan Wynter and his best friend Joe Leone plays a central role in Forever With You. Prior to Joe’s passing, they had committed to building a restaurant at Wynter Estates, the family’s vineyard. These plans put their grandchildren; former high school sweethearts Jason Wynter and Leyna Milan in an uneasy partnership. Jay has plans to for the property-he envisions growing grapes for syrah wine while Leyna wants to focus on Rosalia’s, the family’s Italian bistro.

Loved the author’s descriptive writing and dialogue! I could feel the joy and excitement in Jay’s voice when he spoke of his love for the vineyard—the soil, vines, grapes and his crew. He was immersed in his work and enjoyed every aspect of the winemaking process. Layna’s mission is to keep her family’s business out of debt. I could hear the worry in her voice when she realized that her financially responsible grandfather left her with outstanding bills. Loved the friendship between Leyna and her friend Emily—their conversations shared over Emily’s cupcakes were honest, poignant and funny.

The author effortlessly blends the romance between Jason and Leyna with family and business intrigue. The chemistry between Jay and Layna bubbled up immediately. I enjoyed reading their perfectly paced slow burn romance. I loved that the author included wine making process thread through the novel. Barb Curtis created fabulous secondary characters-Emily, Tim, Danielle, Cass and Mark- each one added to the storyline.

I highly recommend Forever With You by Barb Curtis!!! It has all the feels- an engaging couple, gorgeous setting and a heartfelt second chance at love. I can’t wait for the next book in the Sapphire Springs series!!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by the publisher

A happily-ever-after-crafter at heart, Barb Curtis’ love for writing began with a quick-witted style column, and her background in marketing led to stints writing print and web copy, newsletters, and grant proposals. The switch to fiction came with the decision to pair her creativity with her love for words, and crafting characters and settings she could truly get lost in. Barb happily lives in a bubble in rural New Brunswick with her husband, daughter, and dog. You’ll find her restoring the century-old family homestead, weeding the garden, and no doubt whistling the same song all day long.