A generations-old feud is about to come to a head—and the stakes couldn’t be higher with two hearts on the line—in this novel set in the small town of Harmony, Texas.Cord McMillan gave up his freedom at eighteen when he went to jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Now, ten years later, he’s about to give it up again for a piece of land. Nevada Britain, his neighbor, has just made him an offer he … him an offer he can’t refuse: If he’ll marry her, she’ll sign over a section of property that their families have been fighting over for a hundred years. Nevada refuses to explain why, but Cord knows the bargain is in his favor. He just has one condition—she has to sleep in his bed every night for as long as their doomed marriage lasts. Nevada only wants to maintain her family’s legacy—and redeem herself for a wrong she did Cord years ago. But as she spends more time with her husband by necessity, she discovers something unexpected—a love so deep it takes her breath away.
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Wow. What an awesome book. Awesome writer. Love this series.
I have been lucky enough to read and review most of this series. I feel like the characters are old friends and I always enjoy a return visit to Harmony.
While the blurb for this novel mentions Cord and Nevada’s story, there is actually another main plot running through the book. We finally reunite with Ronny and Marty. I was excited to see Marty return, but at the same time, I was heart broken. This story line had me in tears every time it returned. If you’re an emotional sap, like me, you’ll want a box of Kleenex handy.
But on to Cord and Nevada’s story. These two have been neighbors their whole lives, but never friends and they’re from “opposite sides of the tracks”. Neither has sterling reputations, so when Nevada needs some help, she goes to Cord. And while he doesn’t exactly jump at the chance, it is an opportunity to make something of himself.
I loved the pairing of these two. They’re both so wounded and flawed, but good for each other. I enjoyed watching them fall in love, but also grow as individuals and a couple. While I couldn’t relate to either of them, I felt they were believable and kept turning the pages because I wanted to see them get their happily ever after.
Ms Thomas has a winner on her hands. I loved all the characters and my emotions were so very much engaged. I wasn’t able to put this book down until I reached “The End”.
My review originally posted at Romancing the Book.
Every time author Jodi Thomas takes me to Harmony, TX, she shows me something new. Ms. Thomas is a superb storyteller, and my admiration of her grows with each book. The sixth book in the “Harmony Series” is “Can’t Stop Believing”, and it will make a believer out of you. Cord McDowell was imprisoned at age eighteen for a crime of which he was innocent. A decade later, having been free for several years, Cord works as a mechanic to keep from losing his family farm. Both of his parents died while he was in prison, and by the time he made it home, their savings had vanished. His time in prison had hardened his heart, and the only thing he really cared about was keeping his homeplace, which bordered the land of his rich neighbors, the Britains. An age-old boundary feud still simmered between the two families. Cord is stunned when his wild-woman neighbor, the beautiful and much-married Nevada Britain, makes him an offer he can’t refuse. She proposes a marriage of convenience for eight months in order to pool their land and resources, plant a crop and sell a herd of cattle. In exchange, Cord will be given clear title to three hundred acres of the border land, as well as other financial incentives. Nevada expects Cord to live in her home for the duration of the marriage, and he expects her to sleep in the same bed with him as long as they are married. When Cord presses Nevada for further explanations about her impulsive, intriguing offer, she admits that one of her former husbands is bothering her, and she hopes he will be deterred by her marriage to Cord. A relationship that starts as a business deal becomes much more complex when hearts and hopes and mutual attraction are added to the mix. Two people who thought they knew what life held in store are surprised and enriched by an unexpected emotional connection. The town of Harmony and its history, the wonderful secondary characters, and the humor and heartache, all add to the incredible appeal of this story line. If you’ve ever thought you’d lost it all, and then somehow, you found a second chance and held on for dear life, then you will absolutely love “Can’t Stop Believing”. Harmony, I hope to visit you again–very soon.
Book Copy Gratis Berkley Books