She’s an alcoholic. He won’t touch a drop. Will her struggle with sobriety uncork more trouble, or be the road to true love?
Amanda O’Connell tries to drown her problems with vodka. So when an attempt to lie her way out of a DWI goes wrong, her family intervenes and sets her up with a summer job on remote Whispering Pines Island. Painting the town red on her first night there, she meets a hunky, … night there, she meets a hunky, tattooed drummer… who promptly rejects her drunken advances.
Everett Ryan wishes he could trade his late father’s ferryboat for a Coast Guard cutter. And while Amanda brings a breath of fresh air to his boring island life, he’s not interested in anyone with the same addiction that killed his dad. But when she’s sober, he can’t resist their red-hot chemistry.
Determined to win over the man of her dreams, Amanda vows to break up with the bottle. But Everett fears even if she manages to stay on the wagon, their love won’t survive the end of the tourist season.
Can Amanda and Everett conquer their demons and chart a course for a beautiful new relationship?
If This Were a Love Story is the third touching standalone novel in the Whispering Pines Island series of contemporary love stories. If you like charming characters, real-world issues, and a sprinkling of laughs, then you’ll adore Sara LaFontain’s deeply drawn tale.
Author’s note: The Whispering Pines Island series is numbered chronologically, but the novels are all standalone – jump in at any point.
Read the entire Whispering Pines Island Collection:
- That Last Summer
- Say the Words: A Short Story Sequel to That Last Summer
- No Longer Yours
- Cherry Christmas, Baby! A Short Story Sequel to No Longer Yours
- If This Were a Love Story
more
When I chose this book to read from BookSirens, I knew it was about a woman who was an alcoholic and thought it would be sad and rough. But I started reading it and Mandi was the alcoholic that didn’t think she had a problem. After getting a DUI her family had an intervention and sent her away to her cousin’s inn in Whispering Pines. She decided she would go and while there she met Everett. Those two together were so good. I chuckled many times and kept on reading. It was nice to read this book because it was a difficult subject but was written with such inspiration and so much positive energy. Then came the mystery that kept me reading because I had to know who did it. After finding out who did it which that part of the story was really good but this was serious stuff, came the now what happens. That put the book soaring. Who would have thought this was what was going to happen. Not me but I loved all the characters in this book and the author kept this story flowing and as I have finished the book, some of the things Mandi went through were similar to what I had expected but the journey that Mandi went on was so inspiring. She was a girl with spunk but in many ways was trying to find herself, I think and he was a man who wouldn’t give up on his principles and the two of them together was a perfect match.
An interesting story line on a real life problem, alcoholism. Amanda has a drinking problem and Everett won’t touch a drink. He has a definite attraction to her but losing his father to alcoholism he doesn’t want to get involved with an alcoholic. Amanda is attracted to Everett too but will her attraction make her strong enough to stop drinking? The story line is heartwarming and inspirational.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Very interesting and intriguing storyline. The subject is the real life problem. Alcoholism
Amanda and Everett are two very different people but have an attraction for each other but will it be enough. Amanda has a drinking problem . Everett never drinks as he lost his father to this kind of abuse..He is attracted to her but doesn’t want to get involved . Will Amanda be strong enough and determined to give up her habit? She is falling fast for Everett.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Solid 4.5 star
Amanda is a train wreck and won’t admit how bad her life has gotten as she deflects and blames everyone else including her loving family who decide to take drastic measures. She is on her last chance now and as usual falls into her story telling mode, luckily for her Everett thinks its a fun quirk and get closer as they get to know each other more. So much hangs on Amanda being realistic bout her life and that leads to rocky relationships, heartbreak, hope, frustrations, mistrust, laughter and love. The added twist towards the end that needed to be unraveled added an extra layer to draw you in further and the ending well talk about swoon worthy!!! I can not wait to see who is up next on Whispering Pines Island!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Mandi kept saying she didn’t have an alcohol problem, when clearly she did by thinking about it constantly and relapsing despite being on probation. I was surprised she didn’t have court mandated rehab. She didn’t make a good first impression on Everett, but he couldn’t help falling for her. Still he seemed to give up too easily when it got hard. I felt for what Mandi suffered, but she was really selfish at times and didn’t care who she hurt. I had trouble liking her. The ending seemed kind of rushed. It was great to catch up with the characters from the previous books in the series.
This is heartwarming inspirational tale & I liked that the characters were just normal people. Amanda has gone off the rails with her alcohol addiction esp since her twin married. Loosing everything she is lucky enough to get a job at her cousins B & B. There is quite a bit of anger from her family in relation to her drinking & we catch up with them on their phone chats in the book.
Everetts family runs the ferry to the island where she is staying. There is an attraction between them however her drinking is an issue with him. Their banter is quite amusing esp Amanda’s snark!
There is quite a bit going on with the story & I actually felt quite sorry for her when things fell apart. (A bit like the chicken little tale to some degree.)
I don’t not think she deserved what she got which makes grateful everything worked out in the end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.