Are death and a 48-year separation enough to extinguish the flame of a first love?When Charlie comes face to face with the man she thought died almost fifty years ago, she’s flooded with memories and regret. Would he ever be able to forgive her?Mark knew his wife had the marriage annulled and moved on with her life. But he never knew why. When he meets her again after so many years, he learns he … so many years, he learns he has a son … and grandkids.
Getting reacquainted sparks the same old feelings, but they aren’t young anymore. Facing a life-threatening diagnosis, he can’t offer more than friendship, but his heart won’t let him stay away.
A freak San Antonio snowstorm will change everything.
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The great plot was well written and the characters were so well developed that as I turned each page the chemistry between the characters kept me totally hooked until the very last page!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Charlie just moved to San Antonio, helped by her oldest son, happy to spend her old age with her friends, her children coming by occasionally for the holidays. While helping his mother move her son gets the notification that a DNA test on a genealogy site found a close match – and that person is also in San Antonio.
They agree to meet. He asks his mother to join the meeting, as he has no ties to his father’s family and his father had died in Vietnam before he was born.
Charlie is shocked to see that the close match is actually her former husband and Josh’s father.
50 years apart, can they have another chance at their love?
A wonderful story of vivacious characters, where age does not really matter, except more experience. Love does not really change, no matter how old you are.
Lovely.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Just Us is the third book in Pamela Humphrey/Remi Carrington’s Cheesecake, Margaritas & Candlelight series. This heartfelt book is an extremely emotional read which brings Charlie face to face with Mark, her deceased husband, who her parents had told her was killed in the war fifty years ago. Unbeknownst to Charlie, her parents annulled her marriage. When Mark received the annulment papers he believed Charlie had changed her mind about their marriage and found a different life until he accidentally runs into Charlie. I highly recommend this well written book with its endearing characters and a highly emotional read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Book three in Cheesecake, Margaritas, & Candlelight series a well written story that kept me turning pages. A second chance after fifty years apart for Charlie and Mark, they had their marriage torn apart by her parents. This is an emotional story that I found myself both smiling and crying as I read. I recommend this book. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Just Us is an emotional and heartwarming read. It is about Charlie and Mark. They were young lover that got married and were separated by her parents. Charlie was told that Mark had passed away in the war by her parents. Fast forward 50 years, what happens when you see someone that is supposed to be dead? This book was very well written with realistic characters. You won’t be able to put it down until you are finished.
Enjoyed this emotional story with older couple Mark and Charlie/Lottie. They married very young but their marriage was annulled and he went to war only to be declared dead. Fast forward forty eight years and the son she had as a result of her short marriage to Mark runs a DNA test and finds a match to Mark. Loved this story and the fact that Mark had some serious health issues decides not to tell Charlie and tries to distant himself from her but those long forgotten feelings come roaring back.
After many tissues and lot of feels, I just finished reading Just Us and WOW! It blew me away! Such a powerful love story! It is one of the most touching, heartrending, and satisfying stories I’ve had the blessing to read. Due to her parents’ conniving and manipulation, a judge annulled Mark and Lottie’s marriage when Mark went off to war. Lottie planned to remarry Mark when he returned. When they learned Lottie was pregnant, they shipped her off to a relative to have her baby and then lied by writing her that Mark had been killed. Lottie grieved, then married a good man and added children and grandchildren to her family. Many years and a whole lifetime later after she became a widow, her son did a DNA test and learned that he had a close relative living nearby…and that’s what bring us to the best second chance romance of all time! You’ve got to read this one! Keep a tissue handy! Highly recommend! I received an ARC and this is my honest and voluntary review.
Just Us #3 (#6) – This is my favorite! Every addition to this series is so much better than the previous, and each one is jam up. This one pulls on the heartstrings without mercy. Expect tears in unexpected locations: a simple sentence; a look; a feeling. Wonderful storylines bring the previous stories into the perfect blend with Mark and Charlie’s story into a tapestry woven with loving, caring characters, a volume of emotions and perfect storytelling from a talented writer. Like before with this series, I did not put this book down until the last page. Charlie’s parents certainly needed to be whooped like a sharecropper whooping his mule. 5*
Margaritas, Cheesecake & Candlelight Series:
Just You #1 (#5) – It is so great to return to this series; it is one of my favorites. Ms. Humphrey did another wonderful job with this fast paced, intriguing addition. The storylines pick up from the previous book with the wedding preparations for Kate and Alex. The clean romance between Kate’s father Travis and his PA Mari is a delightful read. There are a few twists, but no stupid formulas, that help keep the reader immersed in the story.
The wonderful characters are realistic, know many of them, and their dialog is real, heard it before. The vivid descriptions make the reader fall in love with the beauty of Texas, the Hill Country is an important character, too. The best friends Remi and Charlie add a depth to the story and relationships. Even if you haven’t read the previous books, you will enjoy reading Just You; no confusion, just a standalone that’s a must to read. I contacted Ms. Humphrey to review her books. 5*
Just Me #2 (#6) – I never get tired reading this series. Heartwarming and romantic, this is another perfect addition. The storylines are great and the characters are wonderful. I had a kick out of a few dates where they ended the night together – read the book, it’s worth it. There was no drama, just soul searching. Add in plenty of humor, love, support and two people who deserve each other and the wonderful group of friends they now share together. Although all the books are standalone, I recommend reading them all. This series is s lot like good chocolate, addictive. 5*
Margaritas, Cheesecake & Candlelight Series end.
The Wrong Path – I enjoyed this short story. It was well written, shocking and funny. The characters were just introductions so it would take a longer story to know more about them. The author did do a good job of describing them and the events as they unfolded. Perfect for a coffee break or a few minutes relaxation. 5*
I chain read these three stories and couldn’t put any of them down until I was finished. It helps to read Just A Friend before reading Finding Kate, but it’s not necessary.
Finding Claire #1 – Mesmerizing! Heartbreaking! I dislike stories about kidnappings, but this one was written in a way that was beautiful and heartbreaking. The kidnapping was just a foundation for a wonderful story. This book is a fast paced, well written suspense with realistic characters and dialogue and an interesting plot. This is the first story I’ve read by this author and I’m looking forward to reading Finding Kate. 5*
Finding Kate #2 – Heartwarming. Finding Kate picks up where Finding Claire stops. I really recommend reading FC first. Another well written, suspense-filled story with believable characters, realistic dialogue and a twisting plot. This story is a fast paced, action packed thriller. 5*
Just A Friend (#1.5?) – What can you say? This story started great and then, the truth appeared. A well written, but quickly read short story about young love and life; it brings strong emotions out in the reader. I read Finding Kate next and discovered this story is part of Finding Kate and then, I understood the abrupt ending of JAF. 5*
Finding Treasure #3 – Heartwarming and full of happy surprises. This has been an interesting series to read. FT is easy to get immersed into and the bits of Texas history seen through the eyes of an early Texian adds to the richness of the story. There’s more than one mystery going on, both past and present, and the story lines are well thought out and interesting. The characters keep the reader interested in them and their stories; and it’s great when an author actually knows Texas and can make it a character on its own. As with Ms. Humphrey’s other books, this one is rich in multiple stories while sharing the past, which brings in the writer’s love of genealogy. 5*
The Chase #4 – I wish I could have read The Chase side-by-side with Finding Treasure. I had read eight percent before I had gotten FT and started it; so it was interesting to see the parts mesh. The mesh didn’t last long and The Chase took off on its own two feet running. The story is interesting, along with the characters. I did find Marissa a little too extreme; after what she had gone through with Paul, it seems her personality was altered too much into irrational behavior. But she has good taste in reading material. Interesting romance with a very good, suspenseful story line and vivid descriptions keep the reader immersed to the last page. 5*
48 years of life.
Separate Charlie “Lottie” from a hasty teen marriage and annulment. She had a son after she was told by her parents that her husband died (in guessing Vietnam). Now, 48 years later and one DNA test, she and her former husband Mark find each other again and Mark meets his son. But Mark has a serious health issue.
What I liked?
Mature love, people! So tired of 18 yo virgins and way too old men. Mark and Charlie have a middle aged son.
Props.
This one really tugged at my heart. Meeting your 1st husband again after you were told he was dead. Then he sees her again & wonders why they didn’t stay married. He has a BIG secret about his health that he feels he can’t divulge to her. Marriage after 40 yrs-does it happens again? You have to read to find out. I loved this book. I was given a free copy by the author. This is my honest, voluntary review.