Spring into Summer Blog Hop Giveaway

Watch this blog for the super exciting Spring into Summer Blog Hop Giveaway.

Lilacs for Laura by Dianne Miley

Blurb:
Laura James loves working in her family's flower shop, but has to ward off advances from her brother-in-law. She distrusts men but cannot deny her attraction when she stumbles into Brett Mitchell. Drawn to one another despite their conflicting goals, Laura longs for a secure future in her Ohio hometown, while Brett yearns for adventure and an escape from his abusive father. When he lands a NASCAR job in North Carolina, Laura fears she will never see him again. Devastated, she withdraws just when she needs help most. Her brother-in-law is murdered and all evidence points to Laura.
 
Brett knows members of her family, as well as the town gossip share motive and opportunity. Will he return to help clear her?
 
Who will reveal the killer in a shocking twist? And will Laura ever find security in love?

Review:
Laura James is a strong woman who is determined to do everything on her own. She feels that God hasn't been there for her so she'll just handle everything herself. Brett is at a crossroads. He needs to get out of Crystal Falls and show his father he wants nothing to do with him. The one thing making him doubt himself is Laura. He wants her, she wants to stay in Crystal Falls. Brett also feels as though God is not listening but both have deep seeded faith that helps them through.

Laura's character has to deal with some overwhelming circumstances and events that unfold in her life. Jake Santos, being one of the more prevalent. How does one go about telling their sibling that their spouse is constantly making passes at them? By trusting in God that's how. But remember, Laura is doing this all on her own so Laura decides to not tell Rachel because it would hurt her so badly. I could actually feel Laura's pain as she had to keep the secret and ultimately the separation she felt from her sister.

Being a Nascar fan, Brett's character was exciting. He's my kind of guy and I instantly fell in love with him. I laughed so hard at the gazebo scene. Laura and Brett made me so frustrated and then they turned around and made me laugh so hard I cried! The tension (both good and bad) between Laura and Brett was outstanding. I never knew what would happen next but loved that he was there for her whenever she really needed him. There is one scene that I really didn't see coming. I can't tell you what it is but will tell you that it is when he takes his job with Nascar. I thought that was PERFECT!

I am in love with this entire series. Lilacs for Laura was an action packed read that I just could not put down. Crystal Falls now feels like my home away from home and I know everyone in the little town. Some really irk me (Myrtle), some disgust me (Jake) and some just make me sigh that dreamy sigh (Brett). Ms. Miley is a favorite author and I can't wait to read Sunflowers for Sarita, book four in the series. After that, look for the Charleston series that focuses on the daughters of those in the Crystal Falls Series.

Click on the books below to take you to the page to purchase.

Lilacs for Laura Book 1
Roses for Rachel Book 2
Violets for Vanessa Book 3
Sunflowers for Sarita Book 4 (coming soon)

Roses for Rachel by Dianne Miley

Blurb:
Young widow Rachel Santos raises her daughters alone and tries to get past the pain of losing her cheating husband. Attracted to pretty boys, she goes from one bad relationship to another. When she dumps her cheating boyfriend, someone vandalizes her home and sabotages her job. Faithful Elliot Truman catches this demented stalker... and convinces her some men are worth loving.


Review:
I believe Roses for Rachel is my favorite of the series and mostly because of Elliot Truman. A geeky architect, Elliot's character brings to mind the old adage "let's just be friends". He's the dependable guy that Rachel turns to in a best friend but she never looks beyond friendship. He's the source of her strength and she doesn't even realize it. Meanwhile, all Elliot can think of is Rachel. It was so funny when she would ask him a question and he would try to do whatever made Rachel happy, while snapping out of a Rachel fantasy. My heart simply melted during the scenes Elliot deals with Rachel's children. To me, the way a man deals with children is what really makes him a hero.

Rachel's character is a strong woman who has her moments of weakness and feels as though God has forsaken her. The heartache of not having Elliot around is palpable but Rachel has to somehow learn her lesson. A single mom dealing with more than her share of stumbling blocks, Rachel's character is as realistic as they come. I've been where Rachel is (minus the whole dead husband thing) and found that Ms. Miley hit the nail on the head with Rachel's reactions.

I enjoyed the way Ms. Miley added other people to the potential relationship between Rachel and Elliot. Wade, the slimy salesman and Brandy, the rich young woman who would do anything Elliot wanted, were attainable but at what cost? I think these relationships were pivotal in Roses for Rachel because without them, neither Rachel or Elliot would have known how strong their love for each other was.

Roses for Rachel is a character driven story with unexpected twists and turns. At times during this book, I was left scratching my head as to whom the stalker could be. I love mystery in the stories I read and this was a phenomenal mystery. I highly recommend the entire Crystal Falls series and look forward to reading Sarita's story in Sunflowers for Sarita. After that, there is a spin off of this series called the Charleston Series which deals with the daughters in the Crystal Falls series. I just can't wait! I will own all of these books in paperback so that I may revisit them whenever I like.


Lilacs for Laura Book 1
Roses for Rachel Book 2
Violets for Vanessa Book 3
Sunflowers for Sarita (coming soon)