Frazier Falls Collection: A Small Town Romance Collection

I have previously read and reviewed all the books in this boxset as follows:

Rescue Me: At first glance, this novel seems lighthearted and witty, but there is underlying tension as both Carla and Owen have to deal with issues that may well change their lives. Carla and her brother are at risk of losing their parents’ dream, namely the mill that has sustained the family for many years. Owen, on the other hand, has a dream but has to overcome a debilitating disorder if he is to make a success of his plans. As Carla and Owen get to know one another, they begin to realize just how much they need each other’s strengths if they are going to get over the difficulties facing them. The novel is generally well written with witty banter and siblings that know which buttons to push, making both Owen and Carla dependent on one another. I enjoyed the interaction between Carla and Owen and the build-up of their relationship under the microscope of small-town living.

Shelter Me: This is a lighthearted novel and hits all the right spots with romance, humor, and small-town living. When Emily and her mother left their tiny village in Ireland, she turned her back on small-town life with its gossip and everyone-in-your-business. She’s a city girl and she loves it. However, with her mother being ill Emily is forced to make regular visits to Frazier Falls, much against her will. When a massive snowstorm hits the town, she encounters the grumpy Eli Cooper, who has a tendency to speak his mind without apology. This puts them on the wrong footing, both literally and figuratively. As they are thrown together more and more often, the rising attraction between Emily and Eli takes on a life of its own and before long they find themselves depending on one another for companionship. However, the city calls, and when Emily can no longer delay her return to her job, Eli is devastated. This is an enjoyable contemporary romance with plenty of humor as the residents of Frazier Falls band together in rooting for Eli and Emily.

Defend Me: This novel speaks to most people, as we have all made youthful mistakes. Some haunt us for years as Rose discovers when she returns to Frazier Falls. At a time when she was too immature to handle the threat facing her, Rose makes a declaration that impacts Paxton’s life negatively. Having returned home after a disastrous discovery in New York, Rose finds that the taciturn Paxton is even more devastatingly handsome than he was in high school, but her past behavior gets in the way of her future. This novel is painful in so many ways as the past comes back to torment both Paxton and Rose. Whilst Rose comes across as a spoilt princess, she is beginning to understand the impact of her foolish words and even though it may be too late, she nevertheless realizes that she needs to take responsibility for her past actions and to put matters right. Paxton has allowed others to speak for him for far too long, and when he is faced with the truth he has to choose between allowing the past to intrude on the magic that he has found with Rose or to continue wallowing in his misery. The plot is well written and emotional with characters we have met in previous books in this series.

I received a copy of this boxset as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.