I really dig Mayberry as an author. She writes about people with issues, often serious issues (here, healing after spousal emotional/psychological abuse), with sensitivity but without allowing those subjects to overwhelm the story either. Because of that, her characters feel more real but I can read her books knowing that a happy ending is achievable. However, I do feel that the moment where the characters have that flash of insight is way too pat. People can have that a ha! moment and still struggle with applying it to their life/lives, and that's where her books go from a 5-star to a 4-star, for me. This is in part a length restriction of the Super Romance line, but her books would benefit from an additional couple of chapters or having the denouement take place slightly earlier.
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Sarah Mayberry is one of my favorite romance writers and this is a terrific example. Heartwarming and sexy. Deals with hard, real life issues in a totally believable and engrossing way. ( )

Ever since I discovered the Harlequin SuperRomance line not all that long ago really, Sarah Mayberry is an author I snatch up as soon as I see her newest release. Some are good and some are incredibly wonderfully good. This book for me, falls somewhere in between.

I found Melanie to be a very unusual heroine. She’s taller than normal, and bigger than life though her ex-husband has tried his very best to drum that out of her. It was a very emotionally abusive relationship and understandably Melanie is very wary of getting into another one with Flynn so shortly after getting out of it. She has taken her money and opened a B&B. While she’s met Flynn a few times in the past and he has certainly noticed and been attracted to her, Melanie doesn’t know him that well. At the beginning of the book, Flynn stays at her B&B with his girlfriend at the time. But he realizes he admires and is developing deep feelings for Melanie so breaks with his girlfriend in a real emotional scene.

As I said, Melanie is very gun shy about getting involved with Flynn, and then when they do begin a relationship, she is most reluctant to let it progress further. But Flynn is the definition of patience and understanding and doesn’t pressure her at all.

And Flynn – what a hero. He’s almost too good to be true. He is dealing with his fathers advancing Alzheimer’s, a wonderfully written, realistic side line story, and gives up his own business to take on his fathers company. His feelings and admiration for Melanie keep growing and although he finds it difficult not to push her, he manages not to. He allowed her to make her own choices in her own time and I really appreciated that about him.

This isn't my very favourite Mayberry book, but it's certainly up there in the top percent. ( )