Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Evergreen Springs - Review

Evergreen Springs (Haven Point #3) by RaeAnne Thayne
Rating: 4 Stars
Source: NetGalley
Description:  Christmas is the last thing Cole Barrett is thinking about 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.  In the years since her cancer treatments, physician Devin Shaw has 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 attractive gruff owner: she'll give Cole's children the magical Christmas they deserve 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? (from Goodreads)

Genre: Romance/Contemporary

Why I Picked This Book: RaeAnne Thayne is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I really enjoyed getting to know Devin in the previous book

My Impression: Once again Thayne proves why she's on my auto-buy list.  This was an incredibly sweet and Christmas-y story.  While the romance is a major plot point the story is so much more than that.  This is not just a romance but a story of hope, healing and forgiveness.
Devin is just so nice.  She's good, she's kind and optimistic as well as being smart and capable. It made sense how she became involved in Cole's life before she had really gotten to know him.  Cole's reasoning for allowing Devin into his world also made sense.  At the beginning he's so overwhelmed and is so pulled to pieces he really has no choice but to take Devin up on her offer even though he's not super enthusiastic about it.
This isn't a hot and spicy romance though Cole and Devin are very much attracted to each other from the beginning.  In fact most of the story revolves around Cole, Jazmine, and Ty learning how to be a family and become part of the community.  It's also nice to watch Devin start to feel that she's part of a family even though she really resists it.  For me, the very best kind of romance is the kind when the characters make each other better and are able to really bring comfort to the other person and that was definitely the case with this book.  Devin and Cole just work even though superficially they don't have very much in common at all.
There were a few flaws with this one.  Cole thinks something about Ty's parentage at one point that feels really out of left field and is never mentioned again.  It felt really unnecessary to the story.  As well the story did drag a bit in the last quarter.  I kind of felt like we were going over the same issues over and over again with not enough progress.  Cole thinks he isn't good enough for Devin, Devin wants Cole to forgive his father, Cole isn't going to forgive his father and repeat.  However, the ending was so satisfying that I can definitely forgive a 30 or so page lag!  In addition it was just lovely to visit Haven Point again.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Yes!  I've got another book by Thayne that's part of a different series coming up soon and I can't wait to read it.  In addition I'm already looking forward to my next visit to Haven Point.

Would I Recommend this Book?: Yes!  If you love a Christmas-y feel good book this is a series that you must read.

11 comments:

  1. I've heard good things about RaeAnne Thayne. I picked up one of her books at BEA, but haven't read it yet. I'm so glad you really enjoyed this.

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  2. Ooo I think I need this one. I've been wanting to try her and I do indeed love those Christmasy ones :D

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  3. I need to try this author. The story sounds sweet, maybe I'll see if the library has it.

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  4. I have to admit I just skimmed your review, Katherine--enough to know you liked it. I have it in my queue to read soon and didn't want to spoil it for myself. I am glad you liked it though! Hopefully I will too.

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  5. This sounds like a really nice, Christmas book, Katherine. Great review!

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  6. I should give her another try. I read one of her books and just wasn't that keen on it. However I guess one book is not a true sampling and this sounds like a good story.

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  7. I'm pretty sure I have this one off of NG too(I'm too lazy to go give a quick check) But that's great to hear that you really enjoyed this one. I'm all for getting a nice Christmas romance read in December(too early right now).

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  8. Not a huge contemporary fan but when it comes to Christmas stories I kind of branch out and read one now and then cause there are more Christmas contemporary than historical. :) Sound like a cute story.

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  9. Great review. I love this author's books.

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  10. Aw, you've started on the Christmas books! Now I want to go read some of mine too. And ''a story of hope, healing and forgiveness' that sounds like a perfect theme for a Christmas book. Pity it dragged a bit in places, I get frustrated when it looks like the same issues are being debated over and over too. Still overall it sounds very sweet.

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  11. I don’t read too many straight out romance novels but I like the Christmas theme!

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