Can a city boy and a country girl meet in the middle?Rachel Tanner tried city life but the fast pace wasn’t for her. Returning home to small town Iowa, she built a satisfying life for herself. Jay Nordstrom couldn’t wait to leave Millville for bigger and better. He worked hard and his network anchor star was shining brightly until an accident left him scarred and broken.Forced to recuperate at … broken.
Forced to recuperate at his parents’ farm, Jay finds himself enchanted by “nurse” Rachel. It isn’t long before he’s fallen hard. Jay can’t imagine his life without her in it. And Rachel has found the love she’s been waiting for…
When the time comes for Jay to return to Los Angeles, he and Rachel must look at what sacrifices they’re willing to make for love. Will they find a way to meet in the middle? Or will this sweet interlude simply be another summer romance that ended far too soon?
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I love Cindy for coming up with this series. This story wasn’t only about the city boy and the country girl, it had so much more. It involved faith, abuse, sacrifices, accepting change, and knowing what you want in your head isn’t always the same as what your heart wants.
This story is about Jay and Rachel. I must admit I wasn’t too fond of Jay and Wayne in Charmed by Claire as one of them wanted April (young teen) and Claire to be more than friends, but out of the two Jay wasn’t as bad. Rachel also was in the previous book as one who baked awesomely and who flirted with Pastor Tony, without knowing he was in a fake engagement who ended up marrying Claire.
In this book Jay returns home to Iowa to recuperate from an accident before going to back to LA to return to his life as an anchor and well know GQ model. He made himself well known and is the star of the town where he grew up in. Now with this accident, he feels the news station will not want him back as he is scarred and in the business of the camera, you must look good.
Rachel is taking on the role of caretaker for Jay as she needs the extra income while waiting for school to return as she is a teacher. She is in a relationship with Tom when she meets up with Jay, but she has been questioning their relationship as he has physically abused her twice and promised to get help. Her mind is set to the small home with a husband who believes in her strong faith and dreams which would be someone that will be home every evening to have dinner and help with the kids. Unfortunately, Jay is not that man.
Jay becomes her protector because he has grown to love her without knowing that is what he wanted. I love the banter between the two as it seems to be fitting for the situation. She doesn’t allow self-pity and it becomes funny after he tries to milk his injury. In order to protect her while he is gone back to LA, he comes up with a plan to have a fake engagement after they are caught kissing. His idea is that Tom will leave her alone while he is out and eventually, they will plan a breakup where he looks bad and not her.
In the end does the fake engagement turn into a real one. Are either of them able to sacrifice what they love most to make it happen? I obtained an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher and I am voluntarily reviewing it. Cindy is a great author as I love all of her books especially the Good Hope series.
A sweet clean romance that is faith based. Rachel has been hired to “nurse” Jay back to health after a terrible accident. They soon become friends that leads to a fake engagement, after Rachel breaks up with her abusive boyfriend. The problem lays that Jay works in LA as a broadcaster and Rachel is content being a schoolteacher in the small town of Millville.
A short story that can be read in one afternoon. This story has so many life lessons that we all need to follow, ” Home is where the heart is.” and “Marriage is about caring . It’s about compromise. And it’s about sacrifice.”
This book is the third in the series but can be read as a stand alone. I read this book through my kindle unlimited.
I am not a fan of the fake fiancé trope, but of the three “Fiancé for the Summer” novels, I found the set-up in Romancing Rachel the most believable. Because of the believability, the rest of the novel flowed well.
Rachel Tanner was introduced briefly in the preceding novel, Charmed by Claire, and I thought the brief scenes with Rachel made her appear somewhat desperate. However, that desperation is certainly not evident in the current novel.
Jay Nordstrom left his Iowa hometown to make a name for himself in Los Angeles, and he succeeded, being a network anchor. However, an auto accident damaged his body, requiring recuperation, as well as his face. Jay retreats to his Iowa hometown to hide out and recuperate. Rachel, a teacher, is hired by Jay’s mom to help him out as he recuperates.
Rachel, though sympathetic to Jay’s condition, brooks no self-pity from Jay, nor bad behavior. As Jay recuperates, his feelings for Rachel grow, as Rachel’s feelings for Jay also grow. Although Jay lives in an isolated area, local busybodies stop by, and one sees something and spreads rumors that can endanger Rachel’s teaching job. Jay volunteers to be the “fake fiancé” for the rest of the summer, to quiet the gossips and keep Rachel’s job secure.
But as summer’s end nears, Jay plans to return to LA, and Rachel has no intention of moving to a big city again. Can the two resolve their differences? I loved the advice Rachel’s mom provides, which leads to a solution.
Although I enjoyed the previous two books in the series, I liked this book the best of the three.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing the book.
This is an nice quick story regarding an elementary teacher & a tv personality back in his hometown to recover from an accident. There is conflict from the beginning between Rachel & her boyfriend Tom and later between Rachel & Jay. All parties need to learn how to resolve the conflict instead of ignoring it. As Rachel & Jay begin to get closer, their differences start to get in the way. Rachel doesn’t want to leave the small town & definitely doesn’t want to move to the city, Jay’s job recents him from moving back home but he also feels he’s a city boy through & through. They need to learn the value of compromise if their relationship is to survive. Overall, this was another sweet story from Ms. Kirk that will appeal to anyone wanting clean books to read.
We met Rachel Tanner in Charmed by Claire when she flirted with Reverend Tony before he married Claire. Rachel is a kindergarten teacher who needs to earn some money over the summer. She accepts a job as a helper for Jay Nordstrom, who has been in a bad car accident. Jay is a newscaster in LA and he is a rising star, but his accident scarred his face and his has a cast on one arm and leg. They develop a friendship, and eventually more. Both Rachel and Jay have to deal with literal and psychological scars and use their faith to move forward. This is a nice, chaste quick read. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
A sweet, clean love story that was shorter than I anticipated. It is heavily based on the couple’s relationship with God and their faith.
Rachel and Jay were an unlikely pair. Rachel had a very strong faith, while Jay had moved away from his faith as the church. With Rachel being so strong in her faith, I’m not sure how she was going to reconcile her relationship with Jay.
Their relationship grew over time and they both ended up reaching out to God for answers. They reach their HEA, and there is also an epilogue.
I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy received from the author.
What a quick, fun read!!
“Romancing Rachel” is the latest in the “Seriously Sweet” series. I love all of the characters in the little town of Millville. Rachel and Jay seem like two unlikely people to get together. When Jay needs someone to care for him after an accident, he returned to Millville and Rachel stepped in to do just that and the story that follows was wonderful. This was a quick, lovely story that I just couldn’t put down. Cindy Kirk is an awesome story teller!
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
Romancing Rachel is set in Millville, Iowa. Rachel Tanner is a teacher, and it is summertime. When Jay Nordstrom (a newscaster) is involved in a serious car wreck, his mom contacted Rachel and asked her to act as Jay’s nurse/sitter. When Rachel first arrives to help care for Jay, she realizes that she has more than she bargained for. Although Rachel is sympathetic when it comes to all that Jay is facing, she will not let him steamroll her.
While Rachel takes care of Jay, people from the town begin to stop by. When these busybodies see the sparks flying, they begin to spread rumors that have the potential to destroy Rachel’s career as a teacher.
When Jay discovers this, he volunteers to be Rachel’s fake fiancé for the summer to quieten the rumors and protect Rachel’s reputation and job. At the end of the summer, Jay and Rachel have some big decisions to make. Their feelings have flourished, but will they be able to settle their differences, or will they go their separate ways?
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book, and I am voluntarily reviewing the book.
I enjoyed this sweet summer read by Cindy Kirk. It was the third book in her new series and I liked all three. Quick read, good characters and storyline.
This is such a great book! I loved reading how Rachel and Jay’s love story came together from the beginning. In life we face obstacles and unexpected love and it was a joy to read about this journey for Rachel and Jay. Despite Rachel’s hesitation she follows her heart and the obstacles seem to disappear. As Jay is faced with frustration and worry about his career as a result of his accident, over time he is humbled by the experience that brought him and Rachel together. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and I am voluntarily reviewing it. I highly recommend this sweet love story. It is such an easy, enjoyable read.
Jay relies on his looks, but he sustains facial injuries and burns in an accident. Rachel is hired to help him get along while recuperating. Rachel and Jay went to high school together, not in the same class though. Rachel is a teacher, and she regularly attends church. Jay is a television news anchor. He was in a car accident, and his girlfriend hasn’t been to see him. He starts liking Rachel, but since she just dumped her boyfriend, after a few domestic incidents, she is staying away from relationships for awhile.
The 3 books in the series were great, and this was a wonderful addition to them. Cindy Kirk is a great author, can’t wait for more books from her.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Such a positive book!
I really enjoyed the slow way that Jay and Rachel fell in love. Rachel is the good Christian, small town girl who wants it all. Jay grew up in town but moved to California to become a top news anchor. After an accident he returns to his parents house to recuperate and then slowly fall in love. This was a nice easy read that restores things in humanity.
Rachel and Jay are great characters that really kept my interest. When they meet neither considers a relationship a possibility but as they spend time together feelings grow but there are a lot of obstacles. I really appreciated how natural the faith-based aspects of the story blended in to their everyday lives. I was really wondering how the story would end and was glad to see they both realized the value of compromise, and that home is with the one you love. The epilogue brought a very satisfying ending.
I was given an advanced reader copy of this title by the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
A sweet read that has an underlying theme of finding self worth. Rachel is a kindergarten teacher who is looking after Jay who was in a car wreck. He is concerned about his appearance as he is a tv anchor in LA. She is having second thoughts about breaking up with Tom who had been physical with her. She needs Jay’s support in standing firm against Tom. Jay needs her and her faith to realize his injuries aren’t that bad. They get caught kissing and begin a fake engagement. However, Jay doesn’t want to end it when he goes back to LA. Rachel does not want to leave Millville. They have to find home is where the heart is to find a HEA.
Jay is a successful network anchor. who was in a bad accident. Jay ends up returning home so he can recuperate. When his family has other responsibilities, he ends up finding he still needs help. Rachel ends up taking the extra job to help Jay, since she could use the extra money.
While taking care of Jay, Rachel is found in a predicament when a nosey townie comes to the house. They go along with that they’re engaged, so people will keep to their selves. Rachel isn’t too excited about this at first, but goes along with it. Jay doesn’t understand why he likes the idea so much.
When the feelings start to grow, Rachel understands she cannot be with Jay, due to his career. She’s tried the whole big town life, and she’s comfortable in her small town. This is a sweet book, I love how they deal with common relationship hurdles.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing the book.
I finished reading Romancing Rachel with a smile on my face and a happy heart (which is what I’m always looking for when I read). At first, I thought it was going to be one of those “grouchy famous patient falls in love with nurse” stories, which has been overdone, but I really should have trusted Cindy more – she never falls into the “overdone story” trap. I really liked the genuine affection I felt between the characters, and I really liked Jay – he was a very well-created character. Even though he had a pretty big ego, it was tempered by his insecurities and a good heart, a really good heart. I love that he stood up for Rachel with her ex. I also love that he dug out his grandmother’s engagement ring to make their engagement seem more real. Bottom line, I really liked all that he did to protect Rachel, from her ex as well as from the malicious gossip in the town. I love that they finally both realized that people are the most important parts of life – there’s a message, a life lesson, in there for us all about sacrifices made for love, true love. Thank you, Cindy, for providing an epilogue so we got to see a glimpse of what their future looked like. This book made my heart smile.
I received a copy of this book before it was published in exchange for an honest review.
Again, a quick, fun, easy read by Cindy Kirk. I devoured this one in three days (I think) and even though the ending was semi-predictable, only because I’ve read a lot of her books, I wanted to know how this one ended! I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a fast summer beach read.
I received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the Publisher.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book for free and I am voluntarily reviewing it honestly. As with all the books in this series, this book is seriously cute and sweet. We are still in Millville and have caught up with Rachel Tanner. She’s the cute lady that almost caused a little bit of confusion with Claire and her Pastor. Rachel is a teacher and off for the summer. Jay Nordstrom is in need of a nurse/babysitter after having a serious car wreck that left him with several limbs in casts and the possibility of losing his career as a Newscaster.
In addition to dealing with Jay’s issues, another issue has surfaced that leads to Rachel and jay pretending to be married. With Rachel’s job hanging in the balance, both feel that this is the only way out. They don’t count on enjoying each other’s company and liking the person they are getting to know while keeping up the rouse of a relationship.
This novel is similar to the others in the series, as there is not a lot of steamy, sex scenes. Don’t get me wrong, Ms. Kirk can have you panting from a simple kiss. She can definitely set the scene. You will grow to love the characters as you love the other characters you’ve met through Cindy’s series. I can’t wait to see who we meet next in Millville. I’m liking this town more and more.
I especially appreciate the wrap up and the epilogue. Readers are able to get a glimpse into the future of the couple that you have grown to love. Great read. You knocked another one out of the park, Cindy. Keep up the good work.
Rachel and Jay’s story is so sweet, loving and romantic. Like the first two books in this series the characters get into a fake engagement and I like how this time not only it helps Rachel not get in trouble but it also protects her. I think Jay is great and I love the characters chemistry and story. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
Romancing Rachel is a story of finding value in yourself above your looks. Jay relies on his looks for his job as a television news anchor but a serious car accident has left him with facial and other injuries. He is home in Millville to recover and Rachel has been hired as his temporary caregiver. Rachel has always considered herself as the plain one compared to her sister but when she ends her relationship to Tom because of his abusive ways, Jay starts showing interest in her. They become “pretend” engaged to protect Rachel but as they spend more time together, feelings change. They both must decide how much they are willing to compromise to have the future they want. This is a sweet, faith-based story with a great character base.
I was given an advanced reader copy by the publisher, but all thoughts and feelings are my own.