Courting Susannah - Linda Lael Miller (Pocket - Oct 2000)

When Susannah McKittrick leaves Nantucket for the boomtown of Seattle, she is hardly looking to strike it rich; she is headed west to care for a newborn left motherless after Susannah's friend died. Although the rigorous trip depletes all of her savings, Susannah is certain she is doing the right thing. She is less sure when she meets the infant's father, wealthy businessman Aubrey Fairgrieve - who seems embittered toward love and marriage, and indifferent toward the precious baby Susannah is so eager to care for.

Gradually, Susannah discovers that Aubrey's marriage to her friend was far from perfect - and she comes to see the brusque but handsome man in a new light. But when Aubrey makes her a most practical offer, it is a far cry from the heartfelt proposal Susannah desires...If he truly wants to win her hand, he will have to learn to trust once more - and sweep her away with the bold passion of a man in love.

Very good book. Susannah had promised her friend Julia she'd look after her baby if something happened to her. When she learned of Julia's death, she left for Seattle immediately, not knowing what to expect. Julia's letters to her had changed over the course of her marriage, going from ecstatic to miserable. When she arrived, she discovered a man who had nothing good to say about love or marriage and was uninterested in anything to do with the baby.

Aubrey had begun his marriage deeply in love with Julia. But she turned out to be rather immature, selfish and vengeful. Over the months of their marriage she started behaving erratically, claiming multiple lovers, including Aubrey's brother Ethan. By the time the baby is born, Aubrey doesn't believe that he is the father and resists getting emotionally involved. When Susannah arrives she throws his life into confusion. He doesn't know if he can trust her, as she could be just like Julia. But he is also attracted to her, which he tries to fight. As he gets to know her he realizes that she is very different than Julia, and slowly begins to trust her. However, he is still unwilling to trust his heart again.

All Susannah can see at first is that Julia had been right about Aubrey. He certainly seems to be cold, and completely uncaring about the baby. It doesn't take too long before she starts to see that there is more to his attitude than she thought. The more she learns about her friend, she realizes that Aubrey may have good reason for the way he feels. She also starts to have feelings for him, which make her feel guilty, because he had been her friend's husband. 

The relationship between Aubrey and Susannah is a slow growing one. There is a physical attraction, but both have much to overcome. Susannah still believes in love and wants that for herself someday. Aubrey comes to trust Susannah, but he is unwilling to open himself up to love. He wants her and believes that they would deal well together if they were to marry. When he proposes marriage, he insists that he doesn't love her. Susannah is torn. She wants his love, but she loves him so much that she hopes maybe he will come to love her anyway. 

I really liked watching the changes they went through. Susannah becomes much more confident in herself, thanks to taking care of the baby and the friends that she makes. Aubrey's attentions make her feel more attractive than she ever has before. I also liked seeing her gain the confidence to stand up for herself. She pursues the things she feels are right to do, even if she knows that Aubrey won't like it. I also liked her determination to see Aubrey and his brother mend their relationship. Aubrey had more changing to do. He had to let go of the bitterness about his marriage if he was going to move on. This was difficult for him because of the things that Julia had said and done. I loved seeing the signs of the caring man he could be on those occasions when he'd relax. Aubrey's growing love for Susannah was something that others could see, but he refused to admit until a near tragedy opened his eyes.

I really enjoyed the secondary characters of Maisie and Ethan. They had well-drawn stories of their own that added to what we know about Susannah and Aubrey. I loved Maisie's blunt way of telling Susannah what she needed to know. She was also kind-hearted and a really good friend. Ethan's story was complicated. He was furious and hurt by Aubrey's accusations, but there for his brother when he was needed. His personal love story was heartbreaking to see, especially with what is disclosed at the end of the book. There is also an interesting twist that connects that love story to trouble that he and Aubrey encounter. The resolution of that mess is an interesting part of the book.

Together - Linda Lael Miller (Harper Torch - Aug 1996)

IN ALL SEASONS
Together as two hearts once torn apart by greed and deception are united by a vow of eternal love.

Christian and Melissande had fallen in love young. Shortly before they were to marry, Mellissande was told that Christian had died when his ship sank. Distraught, she tried to kill herself, but was stopped by Christian's older brother who offered to marry her instead. Rather than do so, Melissande enters a convent, where she hopes to become a nun.

Two years later a badly beaten man is found outside the gates of the convent. Melissande is overjoyed to discover that it is Christian. Her joy soon turns to heartbreak as he accuses her of betraying him and sending him to slave in the galleys of her father's ships. He wants nothing to do with her now, but must accept her assistance while he heals. Christian refuses to believe her protestations of innocence.

Over the next month, as he heals, Melissande is horrified to hear about the conditions on the ships. Now that her parents are dead, she is the owner and she is determined to make changes. Though he claims to have nothing but hatred for her now, Christian won't let her go to London alone. During the journey and after they arrive, Christian finds that he can't help being protective of her.

Melissande knows that she still loves Christian and tries to get him to accept the truth. She finds that she needs his help to accomplish her goals, just as he needs her assistance for his. I loved seeing Christian confronted by the truth when they reached his lands, and seeing him admit his fears to Melissande. I loved seeing them work together to achieve their goals. The ending was very nicely done.




THE SCENT OF SNOW
Together when true caring overcomes desperation and turns mistrust into devotion.

Very good story. Rebecca had brought her two young sisters to Cornucopia, Washington from Chicago in order to give them a better life. It isn't easy and things are tight, but they have a stable life there. Then one day Lucas Kiley comes riding up to the house, a man she never expected to see again. Lucas was just as stunned to see her. They had known each other in Chicago, where they had grown very close. When her father showed up and left her sisters with her, Rebecca had to find a way to support them all. At the same time, Lucas had been involved in an accident and was reportedly dead of his injuries. When she was given his effects she found the deed to the Cornucopia property and moved there, calling herself his wife.

Rebecca fully expects Lucas to kick her out of his home, but he doesn't. He begins to act as if they are really married. She is surprised and confused by his care and kindness, and by the way she feels when he is near. It doesn't take long for her to fall deeply in love with him. But she has a secret that has followed her from Chicago and she's afraid of what Lucas's reaction will be.

Lucas was surprised to find his home occupied when he arrived, even more so by who was there. His memories of Rebecca were one of the things that kept him going through the long days of his recovery. He discovered that he liked having Rebecca and her sisters there, and the idea of being married is growing on him. The revelation of her secret shakes his faith in her and his feelings, and he has to make a decision about what to do.

In spite of this being a short story, I really felt the progression of their romance. I loved how Lucas saw that Rebecca had never really had anyone take care of her, and how sweetly he did it. Rebecca's growing desire for Lucas was beautifully done. Her unhappiness after her big revelation had me in tears for her and waiting anxiously to see what Lucas would do. I loved the ending.




THAT OTHER KATHERINE
Together for a second chance at life and love.      

The story begins with Katherine beginning to regain consciousness after being in a car accident, but it doesn't last. She pleads for her life with the "bright light" and suddenly comes to in the middle of labor in a strange place. She's quite disoriented, but within a few hours discovers that she has been transported into the body of a woman from the late 1800s.  She quickly realizes that all is not well between the woman and her husband, who has accused her of infidelity.

Katherine can see that the baby is indeed Gavin's child. She knows that if she is going to be stuck in this time she is going to have to repair her relationship with her husband, but has no idea how to do it. So the first thing she does is to learn all she can about the other woman. She is also determined to be herself, which really confuses the people around her.

Gavin doesn't know what to make of the changes in his wife. He had married her for love and was hurt and furious with her actions. He decides to send her away for awhile to give him some peace. But the things he hears back from the servants confuse him and when he goes to see her there's a new spark between them. He no longer trusts her and resists those feelings for as long as he can.

I enjoyed seeing Katherine make the decision to go with the life she has been given, but also to make it her own. She isn't going to sit back and suffer the consequences of the other woman's actions. She works hard to show Gavin that she's different and that they can be happy together.




STORE-BOUGHT WOMAN
Together when misdirected desire unexpectedly leads to lasting happiness.  

Bess had left Philadelphia to become a mail order bride in order to escape bad memories. She arrived only to discover that the man she was to marry had left town, leaving his brother to pick up the pieces. Will is a big man, not as polished as his brother, but very kind. He is taken by Bess right away and would really like her to stay and marry him.

Bess feels rather out of her depth with the life here so much different than her life back home. She's not too sure about Will at the beginning, but is willing to get to know him. I liked his patience with her fears and how he tried to make her feel at home. He quickly falls for her but fears that he isn't good enough for her.

Her fears overwhelm her at one point and she has to decide if her growing love for him is enough to face the risks. I liked the way it ended.

Operation Unleashed - Justine Davis (HRS #1803 - June 2014)

Series: Cutter's Code (Book 4)

Stepping up to the plate will put him in the line of fire...

For Drew Kiley, married life isn't what he had in mind. Driven to "I do" by a sense of familial responsibility, he assumes the role of husband to his brother's wife, Alyssa...and the role of father to his nephew, Luke. It seems to be the logical solution in light of his brother's abandonment. But Drew doesn't know the whole truth about his brother's past. A rescue from a canine companion sets Drew and Alyssa on a perilous course of extortion, kidnapping and secrets unveiled. United in their determination to protect Luke, Drew and Alyssa learn to depend on each other. But as tensions escalate, so does a deep undercurrent of desire that casts their marriage in a different light.

Another fantastic Cutter story.  Cutter the dog drags his owners, Quinn and Haley, into the life of a little boy named Luke. His parents aren't getting along, and while it's not the kind of case that Foxworth normally gets involved in, Cutter isn't giving them any choice.

Drew and Alyssa had married three years earlier, after the death of her husband who was also Drew's younger brother. He and Alyssa had eloped when she was seventeen, and their life hadn't been a good one. Alyssa had adored Doug, but he died while committing a robbery, leaving her and Luke alone and broke. Drew found them while Alyssa was in the hospital and married her to provide for her and Luke.

Drew was the older brother, serious and responsible. Doug had been the spoiled younger son, skilled at using charm and manipulation to get his way. Drew had resented Doug for years because he was always stuck cleaning up Doug's messes. Even after Doug's death, all he can see is the terrible things Doug did. He was determined to be the best father he could be to his nephew, but dealing with Alyssa's perpetually rosy memories of Doug was driving him nuts. Their marriage had started out as a purely business arrangement, but over the last year Drew's feelings have changed. He is in love with Alyssa, but can't see her ever returning his feelings.

Alyssa is very grateful to Drew for everything he has done for her and Luke. Her life with Doug hadn't been great, but she had loved him and knew that he loved her too. She refuses to believe all the things that Drew says about Doug, preferring the things that Doug had told her. The constant strain of the two opposing viewpoints creates a lot of stress between the two of them, but she tries to let it go. Drew is such a good father to Luke that she can forgive a lot of things. 

Cutter's arrival, leading Luke back home after he ran away, brings a new element into their lives. Quinn and Haley offer to help Drew and Alyssa get the full truth about Doug and his activities so that they can lay their conflict to rest. Just as that process starts, Alyssa receives threats from Doug's former partner in crime, who has just been released from prison. He wants the money from the last robbery which he is sure that Alyssa has. Suddenly Foxworth's involvement goes from research to protection.

I loved seeing the way that Drew and Alyssa are mostly able to put their differences aside when it comes to doing what is best for Luke. The danger that they are now in changes the dynamics of their relationship. Alyssa starts seeing Drew as more than just her partner, but as a man who will do anything to protect them. As more information comes out about Doug, she begins to let go of the idealized vision of him and seeing him for the flawed man that he was. She also begins to discover that her feelings for Drew have changed and she's not sure what to do about it. She doesn't want to make him regret what he has done for them, but she really wants a chance to make it real. I was happy to see Alyssa finally start to move toward a real relationship with Drew. It was easy to see how much he cared for her and she was so blind to it for so long.  It was fun to watch them react to Cutter's attempts to get them together.

I always love Cutter's role in the books. He has his way of doing things and no human is going to interfere with it. In this one he is protector and companion for Luke. I loved the way he could go from playtime to attack dog in the blink of an eye. He also did a great job as marriage counselor for Drew and Alyssa, practically forcing them to talk to each other. It's always fun to see people go from disbelief to acceptance as they get to know him and see him in action.

I really enjoyed the suspense part of the story. It wasn't particularly intense until the very end, but it was a good vehicle to get Drew and Alyssa working together. I always like seeing the Foxworth people do their thing and this was no exception. I liked catching up with people from earlier books and trying to figure out who will be next. I have a feeling that Rafe's will be the next story and have a sneaking suspicion of who will be his love interest.

Perfect Partners - Jayne Ann Krentz (Pocket - Apr 1992)

SHE JUST INHERITED HIS COMPANY

HE WANTS TO GET IT BACK

EXECUTIVE ACTION: A TAKEOVER OF THE HEART

Midwestern librarian Letitia Thornquist didn't have the right stuff to run Thornquist Gear, Inc. That was the bottom-line opinion of Joel Blackstone, the seasoned CEO who had built the small Seattle sporting goods store into an industry giant. But Letty's rich Uncle Charlie willed her the company, and now she was bubbling with enthusiasm to have Joel, a perfect mentor, show her the ropes.

Teaching her the business was all Joel grudgingly planned to do ...until the sensuous curves under Letty's navy suit and the unabashed desire in her wide, innocent eyes left him longing for a personal kind of merger. Soon his sizzling kisses convinced her that she wasn't in Kansas anymore. But no matter how skilled Joel was in the art of love, Letty knew she was at risk in his arms. Behind his tough facade she sensed a world of hurt that cried out for her warmth and understanding. She realized the "L" word might never be spoken if trust didn't make them perfect partners 9 to 5...and in the loving after-hours of midnight to dawn.

Fun book as both Letty and Joel go through some emotional growth.  Letty has been a small town college librarian for the past several years.  When her Uncle Charlie leaves her his sporting goods company, she decides it's time for a change.  She quits her job, breaks things off with her cheating fiance, and heads for Seattle to run the company.  Joel had an agreement with his boss that Charlie would sell him the company, as Joel was the one who took it from a little store to a major company.  But Charlie died before they could do it and now Joel is stuck with a woman who wants him to teach her what to do.

Letty is pretty naive as she thinks that she can step in with her ability to research how to do anything, plus getting Joel to teach her what to do.  She's made the decision because she needs a change.  She feels that she's been going through life more as an observer than a participant and this is what she needs to shake her up.  She doesn't seem to really understand how furious Joel is that she's basically stolen the company from him and expects him to be just fine with teaching her.  She has a lot of confidence that she will be able to handle things just fine.  Where she is lacking confidence is in her personal life.  She caught her fiance cheating with one of his grad students, which he blamed on her poor performance in bed. She's "read articles" that some women just don't do well that way and thinks she's one of them.  She doesn't expect the sizzle that she feels around Joel and wants to keep things purely professional between them.

In spite of her apparent ditziness, I loved the way that Letty had some real ability to contribute to the business.  Joel does his best to keep her involvement limited, but she finds a way to get involved.  Her tent raising efforts with their new line was a perfect example, as she showed Joel where some mistakes had been made with the tent instructions.  She was not going to back down in her opinions even though Joel was doing his best to intimidate her.  She also had strong opinions about the takeover that Joel had planned and she wasn't going to just sit back and let him run it all.

Joel had gotten involved in the business from the very beginning when he was hired to work there.  Letty's uncle wasn't a great businessman as  he'd rather be fishing.  So whenever Joel made a suggestion, Charlie told him to do whatever he felt was best, and soon the business was thriving.  He had great plans that came to a halt with Charlie's death.  He was stunned by Letty's plans and furious that she wouldn't just do what she was told.  He decided the easiest thing to do was humor her by letting her think she was doing important things, but he kept her limited in what she was actually exposed to.  He especially wanted to keep her away from his takeover plans for a small company in his hometown.  Joel is bent on revenge against the owner of that company and plans to acquire it and dismantle it.  He holds that owner responsible for his father's death, a death that has haunted him for fifteen years.  He's not happy when Letty finds out about it and tries to interfere.

Joel is also attracted to Letty and has no problem with the idea of sleeping with her.  His attraction takes him by surprise because she isn't like anyone he's ever been involved with before.  In spite of his frustration with her, he is also amused and fascinated by her.  When he finds out about her ex-fiance's opinion of her sexuality he tries to let Letty know it isn't her, that he ex is the one with the problem.  I loved seeing the two of them as they gave in to the attraction.  Joel gave Letty the confidence she needed to see that there was nothing wrong with her as a woman.  Letty gave Joel the kind of care for him as a man that he had never had from anyone else.  

She also got him to tell her just why he was so intent on destroying that other company.  It took some real work on her part and the ability to break through his walls to get him to see that he could destroy the owner without destroying the company.  I loved the way that she kept after him until she could get him to see things the way she did.

I had a lot of fun seeing the way that Letty was more capable than anyone thought she was.  I also had fun seeing her deal with her ex when he showed up and tried to take things over.  I could sense her building frustration with him and the way he totally ignored what she said, and loved the restaurant scene where it all boiled over.  There was one more scene with him later where she really made her point with him.

Joel had a lot of baggage that he'd been dragging around since he left his hometown.  Once Letty got involved in his plans, he ended up having to face a lot of things he had been ignoring.  On their visit to the town I loved seeing the way that Letty supported him but still didn't let him run roughshod over her.  I liked seeing how he was so great with Letty once he realized how badly her ex had treated her.  It was also fun to see him actually start to listen to some of the things she had to say about the business.

I liked the whole takeover part and how Letty's influence made such a change in Joel.  I also enjoyed seeing her look at different things than Joel did and how it added to the overall picture.  There were times I wasn't sure how that was going to turn out, especially with the past Joel had with the owner's daughter.  Things got kind of intense when Joel put the plans in motion.  It was great to see the teamwork that made everything work out at the end.

It was great to see Letty's confidence in herself grow as she learned more about the business.  There were a couple great scenes where that confidence enabled her to stand up to Joel in ways he really didn't expect.  I also liked seeing how Joel finally started to accept that there were things that Letty could do for the business that he couldn't, and that maybe they could end up being perfect partners after all.

Once Upon a Valentine - Allison Leigh (HSE #2311 - Feb 2014)

Series: Hunt for Cinderella (Book 11)

Shea Weatherby doesn't believe in fairy-tale endings, especially after watching her mother have so many of them with so many different husbands So when Shea's Prince Charming comes along, she's skeptical. When she gets pregnant after a one-night stand with said Prince Charming, she panics.

Paxton Merrick made millions crafting custom yachts for Seattle's uberwealthy. But now, with Shea, his very own ship has come in. If his futile efforts to get her to be his Valentine are any indication, there are stormy seas ahead. But he'll do anything to get Shea to the altar when he finds out he's going to be a father.

Very good book.  I liked both Shea and Pax.  Shea is a very independent and doesn't want to depend on anyone.  She is very cynical about love having seen her mother go through seven marriages and then being dumped at the altar by her own fiance.  As a journalist she spends a lot of time doing stories about Pax and considers him quite a flirt.  She doesn't understand why he is pursuing her.  When an ice storm strands them together their attraction takes over.  Two months later Shea knows she is pregnant and has to tell Pax.  She doesn't expect his insistence on being completely involved.  The closer Pax gets to her the more nervous she gets.  She's afraid to let him get too close because she has no confidence that any relationship will last and fears getting hurt.  The contrast between her family and his just adds to her feelings that there's no chance of a future between them.  Pax's persistence starts to get to her but she is convinced his attentions are just because of the baby.  Her feelings for him are growing but she has so much trouble trusting him.  Shea has to decide if she can let go of her fears and reach for the happiness she wants.

Pax has had it bad for Shea since he met her.  He has tried so hard to get her to go out with him but she keeps shutting him down.  After the night they spent together during the ice storm he really hasn't been able to get her off his mind.  I loved the way he would go to the office where she worked just to get a cup of coffee and have a chance to talk to her for a few minutes.  He gets very frustrated by her lack of trust.  I loved the way he got her to his grandparents' anniversary party and how much he liked introducing her to his family.  He was stunned but happy when Shea told him about the baby.  I really enjoyed the way he had no problem announcing it to his family.  I also liked the way he had gotten to know Shea well enough that he realized he could not force the issue of marriage.  His protectiveness was so sweet and I loved seeing him get her to move in with him.  He tried so hard to show her how he felt, but is constantly frustrated by her lack of trust.  I loved the fact that he never gave up on her.  

I also enjoyed the secondary story that involved Shea with Fairy Godmothers Inc and the newspaper she works for.  Cornelia shows great confidence in Shea's abilities to help pick the people to help, even though Shea doesn't share that confidence.  Shea does have confidence in her abilities as a reporter, but is frustrated by her boss's insistence on giving her fluff assignments.  When trouble hits the paper I loved the way that Pax is there to support Shea.  I also loved seeing the solution that Cornelia came up with and what it did for Shea's entire outlook.

The Christmas Wedding Quilt - Emilie Richards, Janice Kay Johnson, Sarah Mayberry (Harlequin-Nov 2013)

A FAMILY'S GIFT

When they were young, cousins Ella, Rachel and Jo were always together at their family's lake house. As they grew up, though, they grew apart…until now, as the three must band together to grant a beloved aunt's dying wish: to finish the quilt she began as a gift for her daughter's Christmas wedding.

Let It Snow by Emilie Richards
Searching for vintage quilting fabric, independent Jo is reunited with the man she thought she'd marry—and proves that sometimes the second time's the charm…. 

Jo returns from an overseas trip to find the beginnings of a wedding quilt from her aunt who had passed away.  She is supposed to do part of the quilt, then pass it on to her two cousins for them to do their parts before giving it to another cousin as a wedding gift.  In order to do it justice she takes vacation time and returns to her aunt's hometown to search for the right material.  She arrives in the middle of a blizzard and is rescued by her old flame Brody.  They had gone their separate ways ten years ago, but now have a chance to start over.  Jo has been feeling unappreciated by her boss and is enjoying being back in Kenowa Lake.  She finds that being around Brody again has reignited her old feelings and she really wants to have the time to spend with him.  Brody remembers how much he loved Jo and is thrilled to have her back in his life.  He'd like nothing more than to make it permanent but he's in financial trouble and feels it wouldn't be fair to ask her to share those problems.  Jo's job involves helping businesses improve their procedures and she would love to help Brody out but he hasn't confided in her or indicated what his feelings for her are.  She's considering striking out on her own and moving to Kenowa Lake but hesitates to tell him about it.  Like their favorite Christmas story, The Gift of the Magi, they're willing to give up their own dreams to help the other.


You Better Watch Out by Janice Kay Johnson
Ella is desperate when the unfinished quilt goes missing in her care. But a cocky lawyer might just help her find it— and find love. 

Ella has finished her part of the quilt and is ready to send it on to Rachel when her car, with the quilt boxed and ready, is stolen.  She nearly knocks Brett over as she tries to chase after the car.  He offers to help her follow it and as they do he hears the story behind the quilt.  When they lose sight of the car he offers to help her again the next day.  Brett is a defense lawyer who has not been having a good time of it lately.  He's a bit burned out on working for the bad guys instead of seeking the justice he dreamed of when he was younger.  Instead, he's trying to live up to what he see as his father's expectations.  Helping Ella over the next few days as they search for the missing car and quilt helps him see where his heart really lies. Ella herself has been dealing with a lot of emotions lately.  Working on the quilt has reminded her how much she misses her cousins.  She's not sure she feels worthy of working on such an important project as she still carries a lot of guilt from the death of her mother.  She blames herself for the distance between them at the time, as she was thirteen and in the midst of a really obnoxious time.  Brett helps her let go of those feelings as they get to know each other.  I loved the way each of them was able to help the other sort out the feelings that were bringing them down.  I loved the way Brett was able to save the day.


Nine Ladies Dancing by Sarah Mayberry
Shy Rachel risks exposing her secret life when she falls for her quilting teacher's seemingly perfect son.

Rachel had moved to Australia with her mother when she was a teen.  Her high school years had not been the greatest and Leo was one of the problems.  He'd been a really obnoxious teenage boy and she overheard him making very derogatory comments about her.  More than ten years later it still hurts.  When she receives the quilt she knows she's in trouble.  It's been so long since she did any quilting she's afraid of ruining it.  One of the patrons at the library where she works is a quilter, so she asks for help.  Gabby offers to teach Rachel what she needs to know to do her part of the quilt.  Rachel doesn't expect to see Leo there and is very cold to him at first.  After he discovers why and makes a proper apology they begin to get to know each other.  Leo is recovering from injuries received as a firefighter in a blaze that also killed his best friend.  He is having a hard time dealing with the grief and guilt.  Rachel doesn't try to do anything to cure him, she just provides a sympathetic shoulder to lean on.  I loved seeing the way that he really opens up to her.  He begins to feel a real connection to her and picturing a future, but doesn't know if she can ever forget his past.  Meanwhile, Rachel discovers that he has matured from that odious teenager and that they have a lot in common.  I loved seeing them hanging out together and getting to know each other.  I really liked his coolheaded approach to her crisis at the end and how it all came together for them.


Together, Jo, Ella and Rachel create a Christmas heirloom that's both a wish and a promise—of happiness, hope and love everlasting.

I loved the last chapter as we see Olivia waiting for Eric's arrival home from the war.  Their happiness at being reunited is added to by the arrival of Jo, Ella and Rachel.  The reunion of the four girls brings home to them just how important their family is to them.