💕 🏨 🏖️ "Falling for the Innkeeper" (2020) 🏖️ 🏨 💕 - Book Review #FIPrism

MY REVIEW

Paperback: 224 pages

Publisher: Love Inspired; Original edition (July 21, 2020)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1335488340

ISBN-13: 978-1335488343

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“She’s the home he never expected to find.

A battle for a charming Cape Cod inn…
But what happens when romance checks in?

Single mom Laura Lessoway won’t accept her mother’s plan of selling her late grandmother’s inn without a fight. But when big-city attorney Jonathan Masters arrives to arrange an offer from his client, she’s drawn to him. And working together as he helps with repairs only brings them closer. With his career and her home on the line, can they ever find common ground?”

Thank you in advance to the author, Meghann Whistler, for providing a complimentary review copy. A positive review was not required and all words are my own.

How could I not want to read and review this – favorite genre, single mom with a cute kid, cozy inn, Cape Cod – what wasn’t to like? All this from a debut author! So needless to say I was pretty excited to see this.

Right off, I simply adored Emma with her “Mr. Jonafin” and that instant connection – his way with Emma as well as the other kids, and I really liked Laura. I am deeply going to miss them, despite their early hiccups and mistrust. I really want to somehow return to this little town and see what they’re going to be up to. That is the problem with standalone reads – you want more, then again a series is a commitment. However, that doesn’t work against this book.

Whistler’s writing kept me wanting to turn the pages and NOT put this book down until the end. I was so deep into this book that I read three full chapters before I even thought about taking notes. Right off, I LOVED how the premise is already sweet and that Jonathan starts off already having doubts, self-assessing his own goals in life. So, it isn’t a stretch as he spends time with Laura and her daughter.

Another bonus was how much I really identified with Laura and Emma as my mom was a single mom (from when I was 4), so I knew how hard she worked for us. My father was not interested in me or my life so there was this “hey, I get this situation” connection. At one point, my mom was driving my grandma’s 1982 Toyota Corolla-Tercel. Adding the Toyota Corolla was a bit like having a warm blanket on the couch with a cozy fire - comfortable. In short – I definitely related.

Moving on …

Did I say how much I really loved Jonathan? I really started supporting this guy around page 41 – “You’re better off without him. You know that, right?” – his support for Laura was truly awesome! And, I was screaming “SNAG THIS GUY! For goodness sakes … SNAG THIS GUY!!”.

Another thing that drew me in – some “international” candy bars the author wrote in. Years ago, someone from Canada introduced me to Aero and Coffee Crisp which I STILL love (but I can’t find). And, had the author thrown in YORKIE – I’d have literally screamed in delight! The idea that a guy had a sweet tooth was just awesome!

The author threw in a LOT of things I could connect with. The parenting advice of kids being their own little people was spot-on from what my mom believes and how she raised me. The pineapple on a pizza was another as I LOVE Hawaiian in addition to meat lovers. Incidentally, if pineapple on a pizza is upsetting to some – I wonder how they feel about cherries. Side note: one Hawaiian pizza my mom and I got on vacation had Canadian bacon, pineapple, and cherries. Still wish I could remember where we got it.

I could probably go on for a few hundred more words as to how much I LOVED this book which was a day read for me.

Whistler actually highlighted the struggles some people face between a career or family. The boss’ unreasonable rules would’ve seen leave that place on the spot. As long as personal stuff isn’t distracting, disruptive, lewd and a desk area isn’t shared – don’t see the problem. Obviously, that boss did.

Also, Laura and Jonathan both discover that rich doesn’t equal good parents, nor does poor equal bad. There is both good and bad on the rich and poor scale.

There are a few sad moments in this novel. Then again, what would a romance novel be without them? And, I’ll admit, there were a few tears at the end.

While some Love Inspired books are of course Christian/Faith themed, some are light on that theme. This had a strong theme of faith and Christian tones, but wasn’t preachy nor was it essential to the plot and definitely fit the “theme” of the series. The quote “God doesn’t love us because we’re amazing. He loves us just because we are who we are” is spot on! The author sent a magnet with that quote, which appears on page 95. It is a good reminder and affirmation for all of us.

This is definitely geared for readers of inspirational fiction and romance. Quite honestly, this book played out more like a Hallmark movie leaving me just delighted and a hopeful believer in romance. This was a delightful, endearing, smile in a book. I definitely recommend this for readers of Christian romance who enjoy short, sweet romances.

RATING:

5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads

5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub

5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meghann Whistler grew up in Canada but spent her summers on the beach of Cape Cod. Before settling down with her rocket scientist husband and raising three rambunctious boys, she worked variously as a magazine writer, a model, and a marketing communications manager at a software company. She loves to hear from her readers, who can reach her at www.meghannwhistler.com.

You can follow her on the following social media accounts:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Meghann-Whistler-Author-105757504305937/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meghannwhistler/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeghannWhistler

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