A Father’s Dying Wish . . .Miserable after the failure of her restaurant, chef Grace Cooper receives a deathbed letter from the father she thought was already dead, offering a free vacation at an Alaskan island resort. Exhausted, Grace jumps at the chance to escape, and to learn about the father she never knew.Polaris Island and the Northern Lights Retreat seem to offer everything—ocean, … everything—ocean, mountains, forest and isolation. Then she bumps into Connor Reed, a humiliating nightmare from her past, and resort owner Derek Wakefield reveals upsetting truths about her dad.
Connor has no idea why Grace hates him. But one look at the woman he’s carried in his heart for the last seven years convinces him not only that he needs to find out, but that his philosophy of living only for today has to change. As Grace’s brittle shell crumbles, Connor starts dreaming of his future—with her.
As she struggles to separate truth from lies, Grace comes to rely on Connor’s masculine energy and solid support—until the final shocking truth about her father obliterates her ability to trust her feelings. She only wants to run. But where else can she find what she’s been looking for all her life?
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This is my first book to read by Noelle Fox, but it definitely won’t be my last. I loved the start to her Northern Lights trilogy and I’ve already purchased books two and three. Written in the Stars is the story of Grace and Connor being reunited after seven years. He turned down her proposition back then, so she wasn’t happy to see him on the island,lol. I loved the story of how Derek has three daughters and he has his lawyer send each of them a letter telling about a two week all expenses paid vacation at his retreat. Will the other two react the way Grace did when they find out their father is actually very much alive? Grab your copy and get ready to want to go on an Alaskan adventure.
Written in the Stars – I contacted the author and received this story, lucky me! There’s a Prologue, which is funny and sets up the pace for the rest of the story, as well as the topics of two more books in this new series. This is a well written, well thought out story with some likable, caring characters that entertain continuously. I steady belly laughed my way through this humor filled, but with some drama – not hysterics, drama – story of a lost father, lost daughter, lost love, lost chance, etc.; it has it all, including romance and some magic.
Alaska is a wonderful character all on her own. I had a wonderful day reading both Blame it on Mistletoe and Written; sadly, I don’t have any more Fox books in my library, sob. 5*
Blame it on Mistletoe – This is my first book by this author and I loved it. While it was sad that the wife and son lost their Marine to death, the book was filled with humor, joy and pleasant surprises. This well edited, well written and well thought out story keeps the reader immersed in the pages, which quickly end too soon. The characters are likable, realistic and don’t have any of the stupid tendencies given so freely with Indie writers.
There were a few kinks and twists in the story, but nothing mean, just caring and love. There was some sexual tension but not the-in-your-face-continuously type and no vulgar language. A story that can be read by all ages. This town of Christmas was magical for a mom and her son. 5*
I received a free, advanced copy of this book form the author. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.
Some lies are told out of maliciousness, wanting to hurt. Some to avoid hurting someone else. And others out of cowardliness. Derek Wakefield’s lie is the latter. After surviving leukemia, he wants to get to know his 3 daughters and hired a PI to find them. He has always lived in Aurora, Alaska, on Polaris Island. Northern Light Retreats was started by his father in the 1950’s for running fishing trips, but Derek had expanded and refined it, becoming the main source of the island’s economy. When the PI locates his middle daughter, Grace Cooper, he has no idea what lies her mother had told her. One day his wife and baby daughter were there and the next they were gone. He has his lawyer write a letter with an offer for 2 weeks all expensive paid vacation at the Northern Lights Retreat, set up by her recently deceased father. He lies because he is afraid she will not come to meet him.
Grace Cooper, was lied to by her mother, her whole life. She was told that her father was abusive and dead. She was never even told his name. She should have had a clue, when she witnessed throughout her life, that her mother went from one man to the next, never faithful to her husbands or they to her. Nevertheless, she managed to graduated from culinary school, worked her way through restaurants, until she open her own, A Touch of Grace, with a classmate. Unfortunately, after 3 years, it failed, as so many restaurants do. At a crossroad, she decides to go Alaska. Right off the boat, she runs into a man from her past, Connor Reed, with whom she had worked on an organic farm one summer. Due to a misunderstanding, she was hurt by him and he is clueless why, but unlikely in these kinds of stories, they actual talk it out. Will she allow her father the same curtesy, when he finally reveals his true identity? Can she forgo her dream of running a restaurant in NYC and trade it in for running the restaurant in the family retreat, with her new found family and a man she can trust and love?
The author weaves a lovely story about how people who come from dysfunctional families, can still succeed in life and love, when they learn forgiveness and find the right person to share their life. The characters are appealing, the town folk charmingly quirky and the scenery artfully described.
I enjoyed reading all three of the books in this series.
A wonderful story of youthful mistakes, failures, lies, love, forgivness. Definitely worth your time.
I absolutely love this author. I don’t think that I’ve read a single piece of her work that hasn’t held me captive. This story definitely holds up to that standard. It takes place in a small town in Alaska. The descriptions were so vivid you got a sense of the locale and feel of the town. I liked how these people handled their challenging family issues and tried to work everything out. The heroine had a lot of surprises when she got to Alaska; least of which was finding love.
As a whole, this was an enjoyable read with a mixture of heart-wrenching moments, surprises and romance that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.
Written in the Stars: A Sweet Island Resort Romance Series Set in Alaska (A Northern Lights Romance Book 1) by Noelle Fox
Stars out with Grace and she’s just sold her restaurant an is at odds with what to do next when she sees the letter from the week before.
A letter from a lawyer who under her dead father’s wish wanted her to visit the resort he had made in Alaska, all expenses paid for a few weeks.
Story is also following Derek, Grace’s dad and he’s never been in her life but wants to get to know her and her other sisters….
Grace had heard a lot of things from her mother but as time goes on she really doubts anything she ever told her.
Like that she meets a man she had once worked with in CO, at the resort but she has to explain to him what really happened. He was in a bad time of her life and he needs to tell her, no hard feelings…
Love the events that take place, locations and all things relating to beauty and nature. Love also the food as she’s a chef and her dad wants to persuade her to stay there and run the kitchen at the lodge…
Lots of scary moments in the wild….
Excerpt from next book in the series in included.
Can’t wait to read the next…
Love all of her books. I can see home.
I skipped some of it. Too predictable.
It was ok, not great. The premise was good but the story was rather contrived and it ended too neatly.
This is a delightful easy read and enjoyable story. It’s full of fun, quirky and loveable characters. Set in a great small town with majestic mountains and Alaskan stars. I enjoyed reading and following as Grace and Conner have a second chance at romance. The story is well written and I enjoyed to the last page. I can’t wait to read the next books in the series.
The Stars Were Written
(Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of the book and decided to provide my honest review, which I have.) Written in the Stars by Noelle Fox is a wonderful contemporary romance with humor, surprises and wonder that creates an enjoyable quick read. The primary reason the main character came to the island after some fits and starts ends on a positive note. This has to do with the very important secondary and tertiary relationships. There is an important re-uniting of the main character with the secondary and tertiary characters from the past fraught with misunderstandings. Once these characters willingly spend time together with a clean slate they find forgiveness, friendship and then love. Written in the Stars is a story of positivity and what can result because of the belief in love. Also, many kudos to the author for her writing prose which lent a lot to the readability to the storyline. My RECOMMENDATION: If you want a little love with chuckles, read Written in the Stars. You will not be disappointed. –Tex.