By Susan Gable
Harlequin Super Romance – May 2011
4 Heart Review
He's seen what loving Ronni gets you.
Ronni might be back in his life, but Hayden's going to watch her life a hawk! He thought he'd seen the last of her when she broke his brother's heart years ago. Ronni's betrayal hurt that much more because she was the only woman Hayden could've seen himself settling down with...except his brother wooed her first.
So now she's in trouble and needs his help? Well, that's payback for you. But then, there's the promise Hayden made to his dying brother – to take care of the struggling mother and her kid. Guess a guy's got to do what a guy's got to do. Even if a guy likes doing it a little too much for his own good.
Cheeky Summary: This book blew me away with how real and emotional it was. Susan Gable has won a new fan with this book – It was my first of hers and will not be my last. This book knocked my socks off and I totally wasn't expecting it!
This was not only my first Susan Gable book, but my first time trying out the Harlequin Super Romance line and I was extremely surprised by how much I loved it. Knowing that the line does include many books with children as part of the story, I've shied away as babies and kids as plot points usually aren't my thing.
What I discovered in this book was that I shouldn't have worried about it. I enjoyed the part the part that Hayden's family plays in this story very much as well as Ronni's son Nick. Instead of taking away from the story, as I usually feel about babies and children, they added so much depth and emotion that I feel totally in love.
I'm also not usually a fan of heroines that stay in bad situations and don't take control of making their life better, but Ronni was so well-written and the story so perfectly layered and plotted that I cringed every time she did. I worried and smiled when she did. I lived this story with the heroineand all becuase of some terriffic writing by Susan Gable. Seriously, if the writing hadn't been so good I might have hated this heroine. In a different author's hands this might have been a wall-banger!
Hayden's just one of those heroes you instantly fall for and so perfect for Ronni. As he stands by her side and fights for her you can't image anyone else being so right. He's just so right in general. Sigh.
There's a small scene at the very end of the book that in some ways was exactly what I wanted, and in other ways I kind of wanted more from. It didn't affect the book for me, but it was the only thing I could say with certainty that I thought twice about.
If you've never read a Harlequin Super Romance, this is definatley a great one to start with. You will not be disappointed as this is a highly detailed and unique story that drew deep emotions from me.
Are you a Super Romance fan? Do you like family-based stories or plots that include kids and families? What do you like or don't like about them? Any favorites? I'd love to hear from you!
Happy Reading!
Cheeky Reads
I love the super romance books, I am ordering this one now. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeletePenney
Is it bad form for me to say THANK YOU, and I'm delighted to know that you enjoyed the book? LOL.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, thank you. It's always fantastic to hear that a reader has enjoyed one of my books.
Hayden's brothers Finn & Greg have had books of their own if you want to read more Hawkins family stories. (They both have kids in them, too. More than Nick appeared in this one. So maybe not your cuppa, which is fine.)
Finn's book, The Family Plan (ugh on the title. I have no control on titles. lol.), is currently a finalist in The National Readers' Choice Award and The Booksellers Best Award contests. (Greg's book was a NRCA finalist, too.)
I like writing stories with kids because you never quite know what they'll do or say. LOL. And I strive for as much realism in my books as I can.
Thanks again for picking up the book. I'm really delighted to know you enjoyed Hayden and Ronni's story.
I love the HSR line - it's the only line where I always feel like I'm going to get a deep, emotional story - sometimes focusing on really hard issues. And it seems like they're moving away from so many baby stories (thank you!!). Other authors in this line you should try are Janice Kay Johnson, Karina Bliss, Sarah Mayberry, Beth Andrews, and Kay Stockham. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I haven't read this one yet, so am now heading over to get it. Thanks!!
Hi Susan! Thanks for stopping by and commenting - I think sometimes its good for readers to hear from the authors - somtimes not. :) But your post was lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me know the brothers had books too - I'll be looking for those!
If you stop back by, what do you have coming out next?
@Lori thanks for the list of additional Super Romance authors to try!
ReplyDeleteI was surprised by how emotional the story was and from your comment it looks like the whole line is that way. Very excited to have finally tried it!
I tried to comment last week, but blogger was having issues with me or something. LOL.
ReplyDeleteNext up for me...well...I'm going rogue. Indie. I plan to write more SUsan Gable books, but they won't be Superromances. They will be the same type of thing, very emotional, very realistic, a little bit bigger. (I'm wondering if the scene towards the end of the book, the one you wanted a little more from was a "victim" of the tight word counts at Super, which I generally push to the max. I may have been running tight on word count.)
But they will be indie-pubbed by me.
I also actually have a love story (Not a ROMANCE, and I will be sure to label it as NOT A ROMANCE so as not to mislead any romance fans of mine) that I'm working on getting whipped into shape.
And I am hoping to take a walk on the wild side under a pen name, too. SO I guess I'd better get writing. LOL.
Thanks again!