TLC Book Tours: Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter
The Story:
When Noah and Josephine Mitchell discover their divorce was never actually finalized, their lives are turned upside down.
Following his divorce, Noah gave up his dream job, settling at a remote horse ranch in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia, putting much-needed distance between himself and the former love of his life. But then Noah gets a letter from the IRS claiming he and Josephine are still married. When he confronts Josephine for the first time in months, they discover that she missed the final step in filing the paperwork and they are, in fact, still married.
Josephine is no happier about the news than Noah. Maybe the failed marriage—and okay, the botched divorce—was her fault, but her heart was shattered right alongside his, more than he would ever believe. The sooner they put this marriage behind them, the better for both of their sakes.
But when Josephine delivers the final paperwork to his ranch, the two become stranded in his cottage during the worst spring snowstorm in a decade. Being trapped with Josephine is a test of Noah’s endurance. He wrestles with resentment and an unmistakable pull to his wife—still beautiful, still brave, and still more intriguing than any woman he’s ever known.
As they find themselves confronted with each other and their shared past, old wounds surface and tempers flare. But when they are forced out into the storm, they must rely on each other in a way they never have before. Josephine finally opens up about her tragic past, and Noah realizes she’s never been loved unconditionally by anyone—including him. Will Noah accept the challenge to pursue Josephine’s heart? And can she finally find the courage to trust Noah?
“Sweetbriar Cottage is a wonderful story, full of emotional tension and evocative prose. Josephine and Noah, though deeply wounded, are easy to love in this story of second chances and unconditional love. Hunter slowly feeds critical pieces of backstory to keep the pages turning. You’ll feel involved in these characters’ lives and carried along by their story as tension ratchets up to a climactic and satisfying conclusion. Terrific read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.” —FRANCINE RIVERS, bestselling author of Redeeming Love
“Denise Hunter’s newest novel, Sweetbriar Cottage, is a story to fall in love with. True-to-life characters, high stakes, and powerful chemistry blend to tell an emotional story of reconciliation. Readers will sympathize with Josephine’s tragic past and root for a happy ending as old wounds give way to new beginnings.” –BRENDA NOVAK, NYT bestselling author
“Hunter crafts Noah and Josephine’s convoluted relationship with remarkable depth, immersing readers into a fragile and soul-searching experience.” —Publisher’s Weekly
Connect with Denise:
Read what others are saying about the book!
My Thoughts:
I've been a fan of Denise Hunter's book since I read her Heartsong Presents stories way back when. BTW, do you still have those books? I was so disappointed when they were discontinued. I always did prefer them to the Love Inspired lines! Anyway, back to the book at hand, Sweetbriar Cottage.
It has actually been a few years since I have read a book by Ms. Hunter, so Sweetbriar was a nice refreshing "welcome back" story for me. I liked that this time around, our heroine is quite a bit flawed and struggling with a darker past than any of the characters I remember in Hunter's past books. Of course, Noah Mitchell is too perfect for words, so this book still has that unrealistic-but-still-enjoyable vibe going for the hero. Even though Josephine is struggling to come to grips with abuse she suffered at the hands of men, and it's a pretty heavy topic, Sweetbriar Cottage manages to grant Josie and readers a happy ending (Not a spoiler! All romances have a HEA/HFN!) in a way that doesn't feel like a cop out so to speak. I thought it was handled nicely and it is always nice to see a character whose suffered so much, gain a little happiness.
Sweetbriar Cottage is a contemporary romance that fans of Hunter and Christian fiction should enjoy. I like the Georgia countryside setting and hope more of her books are set in little Copper Creek! Who doesn't love a small-town love story?!
~ My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars ~
*I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*
Happy Reading!
Thanks for being a part of the tour!
ReplyDelete