Snowfall on Haven Point - RaeAnne Thayne (HQN - Oct 2016)

Series: Haven Point (Book 5)

There's no place like Haven Point for the holidays, where the snow conspires to bring two wary hearts together for a Christmas to remember

It's been two rough years since Andrea Montgomery lost her husband, and all she wants is for her children to enjoy their first Christmas in Haven Point. But then Andie's friend asks a favor -- to keep an eye on her brother, Sheriff Marshall Bailey, who's recovering from a hit and run. Andie will do anything for Wyn, even park her own misgivings to check on her grouchy, wounded bear of a brother.

Marshall hates feeling defenseless and resents the protective impulses that Andie brings out in him. But when a blizzard forces them together for the holidays, something in Marshall begins to thaw. Andie's gentle nature is a salve, and her kids' excitement for the holidays makes him forget why he never wanted a family. If only he and Andie can admit what they really want -- each other -- their Christmas wishes might come true after all.

This was another great visit to Haven Point, just in time to celebrate Christmas in the small town. Andie is a relative newcomer to Haven Point. She and her children were secondary, yet important, characters in the previous book (Riverbend Road). There we saw that Andie grieved the death of her cop husband, and fled from a dangerous stalker, hoping to start anew in Haven Point. When her stalker followed her to Haven Point, it was her new friend Wyn who stepped between Andie and danger. So when Wyn asked Andie to keep an eye on her brother Marshall, Andie felt she couldn't say no - even though Marshall intimidates the heck out of her.

Sheriff Marshall Bailey was the victim of a hit-and-run driver, leaving him with a badly broken leg and a forced leave of absence from work. He's hurting, hates feeling helpless, and just wants to be left alone. He's also convinced that the hit-and-run was no accident and wants his chance to find out the truth. This makes him quite grumpy and uncooperative when the lovely widow shows up at his door.

I loved Andie's first visit to Marshall. He was rude and recalcitrant, doing his level best to discourage Andie from following through on her promise to Wyn. But Andie had a pretty good stubborn streak herself and refused to be scared away. She didn't yell or threaten; she simply refused to be run off. It was fun to see him realize that he wasn't going to win and finally give in. Over the next few days, Andie and Marshall developed a tentative friendship.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Andie and Marshall. Underneath the growing friendship was also a simmering attraction, something that neither one was happy about. Marshall was convinced that he wasn't cut out for a family of his own. Because of that, he tried to keep his attraction buried. For Andie, having lost her husband in the line of duty, she wasn't interested in taking that risk again. I loved seeing Marshall's crusty exterior soften, especially around Will and Chloe. He was so fantastic with them. I loved Marshall's protectiveness during the tree episode, and how he insisted that Andie and the kids stay with him. It didn't take long for Marshall to discover just how much he yearned for the situation to be permanent. But Andie was still unwilling to risk her heart on another law enforcement officer. I ached for Marshall as he put his heart on the line and Andie pushed him away. Her eyes were opened to her feelings in an unexpected way, and I loved seeing her display the courage she didn't know she had. The epilogue was great and showed just how much all their lives had changed in a year.

During the book, Marshall had to deal with two big issues. First was the hit-and-run attack on him. He was certain it wasn't an accident and believed it had to do with an investigation he was involved in. It was easy to see his frustration at the lack of progress and his own inability to be as involved as he wanted to be. He also had some problems happening inside the department, adding to the possibilities for the attack on him. The resolution of the attack was unexpected and heartbreaking. The second issue involved a secret Marshall had kept for many years. He's haunted by the consequences of his actions, and unsure how to make it right. It was interesting to see how quickly Andie figured it out and tried to help him work through it. That resolution had a much happier ending.

 

Season of Wonder - RaeAnne Thayne (HQN - Sept 2018)

Series: Haven Point (Book 9)

It’s a long way from New York to Idaho…but could they have found a home at last?

Dani Capelli has never truly belonged anywhere. And from her earliest days as a foster child in Queens, she would have been lost if it weren’t for her love of animals. Until high school, when she fell hard for the wrong boy, and found herself pregnant -- and married -- by graduation. Two daughters later, Dani realized her mistake and filed for divorce, and with the help of scholarships and loans -- and a lot of macaroni and cheese dinners -- she enrolled in vet school. Things were finally looking up…until her ex-husband became her late husband, in the most notorious way possible.

Now Dani and her daughters need an out-of-town pass more than ever. So when the retiring Haven Point veterinarian offers her a chance to settle in the small Idaho town and take over his practice, she jumps at it. But adjusting to the charming mountain community isn’t easy; thirteen-year-old Silver begins acting out while six-year-old Mia is growing too attached to Haven Point and everything in it, especially their next-door-neighbor, Deputy Sheriff Ruben Morales. And Dani can’t blame her. Ruben is everything she’s secretly wanted -- and everything she can’t bear to risk loving…and losing.

As the holidays draw near, their shared concern for Dani’s daughters brings them closer together, giving Ruben the chance to show this big-city woman just how magical Christmas in Haven Point can be...and that the promise of a home at last is very real in the most wondrous season of the year…

Good story about starting over. Dani moved herself and her two daughters across the country to get away from the mistakes of her past. After she finished veterinary school she was offered an internship in Haven Point, with the possibility of taking over the practice when the current vet retired. She loves her work, but life in a small town is very different than life in Queens and Boston, and all of them have some trouble adjusting. Dani isn't accustomed to the friendliness and interest of the people around her, six-year-old Mia has become shy and withdrawn, and thirteen-year-old Silver is grouchy and defiant. When Silver is caught tagging the next door neighbor's boat, life becomes much more complicated. Ruben is a deputy sheriff and her boss's son. He is kind, compassionate, and sexy. He was intrigued by Dani from the start, but hesitant about getting involved with the single mom. He had a similar relationship go bad, which has left him wary, but resisting Dani and her girls proved to be impossible.

I loved the development of the relationship between Dani and Ruben. He could have been a hard-nose about Silver's vandalism, but instead found a way to work with her to get her back on the right track. This frequently put him and Dani in each other's company. I loved seeing all of them grow closer as the days went on. There's no doubt about the attraction between Ruben and Dani, but she is determined to resist it. I loved Ruben's patience as he found various ways to spend time with her and show her what could be. I ached for Dani, who was so certain that Ruben would hate her if he found out about her past. There are some very sweet scenes between them as Dani let down her walls a little. But Dani's fears about her past came rushing back when there was another problem with Silver, causing her to jump to conclusions and push Ruben away. It took some words from an unexpected source to show Dani that her fears were ungrounded. I loved that Ruben never gave up on Dani, and showed her that he could be trusted to stick with her.

I loved the family theme of the book. Dani's past choices were caused by her desire for a family of her own. Those choices have made her who she is, which is a woman who will do anything to protect that family. Ruben's family is loving, boisterous, and always there for each other. I loved the way that he drew Dani and the girls into his family's life and holiday traditions. I also loved the connection that Ruben had with both Mia and Silver. It was sweet to see little Mia come out of her shell around him. I especially liked the relationship that grew between Ruben and Silver. He had the firmness that she needed, but also an excellent way of making her look at her actions from a different perspective. I loved how he stood by her at the end and discovered the truth of what had really happened. The epilogue was a nice glimpse into the future of the new family.

 

Riverbend Road - RaeAnne Thayne (HQN - June 2016)

Series: Haven Point (Book 4)

Protecting the streets of Haven Point isn't just a job for police officer Wyn Bailey, it's a family tradition. But lately she's found herself wanting more, especially from her boss -- and overprotective brother's best friend -- sexy chief of police, Cade Emmett. The only problem is getting Cade to view her as more than just a little sister.

Cade's hands-off approach with Wyn isn't from lack of attraction. But his complicated past has forced him to conceal his desire. When Wyn is harmed in the line of duty, Cade realizes the depth of his feelings, but can he let his guard down long enough to embrace the love he secretly craves?

Good romance with a bit of suspense to up the tension. The story grabbed me from the opening pages and didn't let go until I finished it. Wyn is a police officer in Haven Point, a job she took after losing both her twin brother and her father in the line of duty. She likes helping the people of her hometown and knows that she is pretty good at it. But she has also had a feeling of restlessness lately, of wanting more out of her life. When she is suspended for a week for disobeying a direct order from the police chief, those feelings gain strength, including her frustration with the chief himself.

Cade is the current Chief of Police. He trained under Wyn's father, a man who was his friend and mentor. It was thanks to Chief Bailey that Cade ended up on the right side of the law, in spite of the way he grew up. Cade's father was an abusive drunk, so the chief included Cade and his brother in as much as possible with his own family. Cade and Wyn's oldest brother Marshall became best friends.

When Wyn rushes into a dangerous situation, Cade's reaction is a bit stronger than it might be for another officer. The sparks that flew between them were strong and unexpected. Wyn has had feelings for Cade for years but believes that he only sees her as his best friend's little sister. But the strength of his reaction makes her wonder if maybe there is something there after all. Their emotions are still running pretty high later that evening when she goes to talk to him about another matter, and Wyn takes matters into her own hands. The passion that flares between them is intense, and freaks Cade out. He's been attracted to Wyn for a while, but she's his employee and his best friend's little sister, and he can't go there. But putting those feelings back in the box he's had them locked in proves to be much harder than he expected.

I liked the development of the relationship between Wyn and Cade. They already know each other well and have a great deal of respect for each other. Cade's attempts to fight his feelings for her seem doomed to failure when every subsequent encounter increases either his desire or his admiration for her. I loved his observation of her self-defense class and laughed out loud when she roped him into helping demonstrate some moves. There was a look in her eye that told him that he was in trouble, and he was right. Cade also holds himself back because there are things in his past that he thinks would make it impossible for her to care for him. Once Wyn gets the idea that Cade isn't as disinterested as she had thought, she seems to enjoy pushing his buttons. She also decides that now is the time to make some changes in her life. There are things in her past that had altered the course of her life, and she's ready to take it back. Those changes will also put an end to at least one of the obstacles that Cade has thrown up between them. Wyn also has a feeling that Cade is keeping some kind of secret from her. When she stumbles on some information about her father's death, she is sure of it. I ached for both of them, but especially for Cade, because of the guilt that was eating him up. I liked the courage that Wyn had in going after what she wanted. It took nearly losing her for Cade to realize how deep his feelings for Wyn were. I enjoyed seeing them come together at the end, including some rather amusing scenes with members of her family.

There is a bit of suspense involving a woman and her children who move in near Wyn and Cade. Wyn's instincts tell her that the woman, Andrea, is in some kind of trouble. I loved the way that Wyn's innate kindness and empathy enable her to get through to Andi. What was happening was so much worse than what I had initially suspected. It was interesting to see that Wyn's instincts were also right on the money when it came to a phone call she received and what she did with the information she got. I especially liked that she didn't try to keep it from Cade, and got him on board also. The ending was very satisfying, and not just because the bad guy got what was coming to him. I loved that Cade and Wyn worked together as a team, thanks to the respect they have for each other's abilities.