There’s a new breed of Fortune in town… In the small Texas burg of Rambling Rose, real estate investor Callum Fortune is making a big splash. The last thing he needs is any personal complications slowing his pace–least of all nurse Becky Averill, a beautiful widow with twin baby girls. Callum’s past has convinced him he’s not cut out for commitment. Yet, drawn to Becky in ways he can’t … can’t understand, Callum is torn between moving on…and moving in!
more
FORTUNE’S FRESH START is book one of The Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose by Michelle Major. In the small Texas burg of Rambling Ros, estate investor Callum Fortune is making a big splash, so he has no plans to slow down, but he is drawn to nurse Becky Averill, a beautiful widow with twin baby girls in ways he can’t understand. Callum is torn between moving on or moving in. Michelle Major’s writing style brings details of strong family ties between Callum and his family and his tender romance with Becky and her twin daughters in FORTUNE’S FRESH START. I received this complimentary copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.
“Fortune’s Fresh Start (The Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose)” by Michelle Major is the the first book in this particular series. We meet Callum Fortune and Becky Averill in this book along with Callum’s Fortune family. Callum took to Becky right away. The widower with twin girls made their way into his heart. It was a wonderfully written story that takes us into this new series, and new Fortune family.
Fortune Brothers Construction, owned by Callum Fortune and his two brothers are rejuvenating a small town in Texas. Several new businesses are going up and one is a pediatric hospital. Callum first met Becky Averill and her twin daughters at the opening. They’re attracted immediately but he’s certain he’s not made for commitment after failing in his first marriage. Becoming a widow before the babies were born has made her determined to raise her girls on her own. She’s independent and won’t accept help from anyone, let alone get into a relationship.
I liked the small town of Rambling Rose and how the large Fortune family always supported each other. There were lots of surprises in this story, including family changes and renovation issues.
This is a good start to a new series. I’d like to hear more about this family and hope they all get a HEA.
Heartwarming!!
A truly great heartwarming story! Michelle Major is always able to bring out the smiles and the heart melting emotions. I instantly fell in love with these characters and I absolutely became invested.
I devoured this story. I couldn’t get enough. I truly enjoyed my escape into Rambling Rose. I am such a fan of Michelle Major’s writing. Her books feel like home. I am anxiously waiting for her next book!
Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over: https://margaretmcgaffeyfisk.com/category/reviews/
I haven’t been a dedicated follower of the Fortune family romances, but the ones I’ve enjoyed combine conflicts around economic imbalance with characters trying to find their roots. It’s a strong enough connection that this title caught my eye when I was looking for a contemporary romance to read. Add in two small children, and this book hits one of my sweet spots.
Fortune’s Fresh Start earns its title because Callum Fortune, after failing at his first marriage, has decided he does not have what it takes to maintain a relationship. He’s unwilling to hurt those he cares for, nor does he want to experience that pain himself. Instead, he throws everything he has at making the latest renovation project succeed. This ignores, as he does, all the energy he pours into making sure his four sisters and three brothers are happy and cared for.
In walks Becky Averill with her twin daughters and strong spirit. She is tough, capable, and able to achieve whatever fate puts before her, or so it looks on the outside. Like Callum, she fears any sign of how ragged her life as a widowed mother of two toddlers is will bring her parents or the authorities to rip her away from a town she loves and even take the twins away. She closes herself off from everyone to hide her struggles, but Callum has been the one to step in unasked since his mother needed help with his younger sisters when he was a child.
Their economic disparity is a minor subplot compared to how both need to learn to trust and love again. Becky isn’t aware of how she holds herself separate, friendly, but not friends, with many. Almost without realizing it, she comes to rely on him, the first man to raise feelings since Becky’s husband died in a car accident when she was pregnant. The trust he provokes gives her the confidence to make real friends and accept offers of help as kindness rather than pity.
Callum knows he denies himself. He’s so sure he’s right, he’ll throw away the most important thing to happen in his life, and break one adult and two little hearts doing it. But despite his confidence in this, he is drawn to Becky and her daughters, unable to keep himself away even when he knows he should.
Their relationship develops from instant attraction into something deeper every time they cross paths. But Callum keeps shying away, which confuses Becky and frustrates his siblings. Becky might be intimidated by his wealth and unsure what he sees in a struggling single mom, but with a little help, she could make her own good fortune in helping him come to terms with his past.
This book shows the complications of dating with small kids and an active, involved family. It is set in the welcoming community (with hints of conflicts to come) of Rambling Rose, Texas, and has low detail, but open door scenes. I enjoyed spending time with the main characters, and the way their greater relationships shored them up until they were capable of accepting each other. If you like babies and strong communities, you might enjoy a visit to Rambling Rose.
P.S. I received this Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Fortune’s Fresh Start by Michelle Major
Becky Averill and Callum Fortune meet at the opening of the pediatric center that he had just finished getting ready to open. Becky is a nurse and Callum is a real estate investor who goes into towns and tries to get them going again. Becky has two twin daughters that she is raising alone after her husband was killed in a car accident. Becky and Callum fall in love and have to work through a few issues in order to live happily ever after. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone looking for a good romance to read.
Hot hero who’s good with kids: check. Adorable twin toddlers: check. A HEA that will make you swoon and sigh: check. Major is top of her craft and this novel does not disappoint.
Fortune’s Fresh Start
The Fortunes of Texas, Rambling Rose
by Michelle Major
224 pages
Publisher Harlequin Special Edition
Publication date December 17, 2019
5
Description :
There’s a new breed of Fortune in town…In the small Texas burg of Rambling Rose, real estate investor Callum Fortune is making a big splash. The last thing he needs is any personal complications slowing his pace—least of all nurse Becky Averill, a beautiful widow with twin baby girls. Callum’s past has convinced him he’s not cut out for commitment. Yet, drawn to Becky in ways he can’t understand, Callum is torn between moving on…and moving in!
MY REVIEW
This story is a reminder of how beautiful and sad love can be. Fortune’s Fresh Start is a heartbreaking yet heartwarming story about Callum Fortune and Becky Averill, a widow with twin baby girls. I really liked both Callum and Becky but as with any good romance i found myself wanting to shake Callum at times while screaming at him why ????? The Book moves at a good pace and all of the characters are well developed and likeable. Once I picked up this book i couldn’t put it down. (Read all of it in one setting ) .
Right from page one it drew me in.The heartbreak that both main characters had been through pulled at my heartstrings. I loved the authors writing style and the fact she described all of the scenes so well. It was as if i was standing right there with them. By the time the story ended I wanted more. Can’t wait to read the other books in this series. I am especially looking forward to reading Stephanie Fortune’s story and finding out what happens with the sweet baby boy. This is Definitely a 5 star read. If you are looking for a great short romance story to pull at your heartstrings this story is for you.This is one romance you will not want to miss. This is the first book I’ve read by the author, but will definitely not be the last. I will be reading her other stories now that I have found her. And as with any book you read PLEASE leave the author a REVIEW. Reviews are very important to authors and is what keeps them writing.
Another branch of the beloved Fortune family has stolen my heart! The kick-off to a new Fortunes of Texas series is always exciting, and Michelle Major brought her A game with FORTUNE’S FRESH START, the start of the Rambling Rose sub-series! I’m super excited to get more of Callum’s sibling’s stories in the future books.
Callum catches a reader’s eye immediately with his self-assured way and when we see him jump to the aid of a single mother, we start to melt from the start. Watching him interact with family, friends and Becky and her kiddos keeps us entertained throughout.
Becky is appealing from the moment we meet her starting anew as a widowed single mother of adorable twin daughters. She’s fresh and like-able and the more we see her start to fall for the self-proclaimed bachelor, we can’t stop watching … even if her heart might be on the verge of being broken at any moment.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast paced story filled with love, laughter and a close-knit cast of family and friends. I’m looking forward to more to come in the series!
Michelle Major begins a new Fortune family saga with a sweet, heartwarming story of a perfect couple.
Becky Avrill and her husband Rick decided Rambling Rose, Texas was the perfect place to set down roots and raise a family. They were both thrilled when the home pregnancy test showed positive. Becky’s joy was shortly to be destroyed when Rick died in an accident early on in her pregnancy. It’s two years later and Becky and her sixteen-month-old twins, Luna and Sasha, are doing just fine. Becky, a pediatric nurse, is looking forward to the opening of the new Rambling Rose Pediatric Center so she brought her twins to the ribbon cutting ceremony. That’s where she meets him – real estate developer Callum Fortune. He stopped to help her with the twins’ stroller. What an attractive man! What a surprise when he continues to visit her at the center. This guy is perfect! He’s great with the twins and makes Becky feel alive again. Whoa! Maybe he’s not so perfect after all because he insists he won’t be staying in Rambling Rose. He says he will move on when his projects in town are finished. Could Becky change his mind? She sure hoped so since she was falling for him.
Fortune’s Fresh Start by Michelle Major is the first book in the Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose series. This is a great introduction into the branch of the Fortune family who has moved to Texas from Florida. It was great getting to meet almost all of the family. I love series with close-knit families who love and support each other. I enjoyed riding along on Becky and Callum’s HEA journey. This couple seems to be made for each other and the twins are adorable. This book is a super beginning to this new series.