She could be The One If he’ll let her in. The rustic mountain town of Golden, Georgia, is the ideal place for crime scene investigator Deke Matthews to heal after a tragedy left him questioning everything. But there’s another reason he’s here, and moonlighting as an adventure guide provides the perfect cover. It doesn’t include falling for his boss. Attorney Grace Harper is back in Golden only … back in Golden only long enough to save her family business. Just when Deke has found the woman to share his life with…
Meet Me at the Altar
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Ever since meeting Dante Matthews in The Lawman’s Secret Vow I’ve been eagerly waiting for more Matthews brothers stories. As such I was delighted to see Deke as the hero in this second book in the series.
The setting is quaint and so well-drawn that you can almost smell the pine trees and hear the waterfall in Grace’s happy place. And poor Grace definitely needs a happy place where she can go to decompress from trying to run the world – or at least her family. Deke, too, needs a place to heal after a tragic loss and the subsequent self-guilt he’s put upon himself. These two characters are perfectly suited for each other – to be a soft place to land & an advocate and support. As well as some pretty swoony kisses and spark-filled chemistry!
Bottom Line: This is a great series for readers who love a clean and sweet romance that still has some sizzle. The continuing storyline from the first book carries well into this book – tantalizing us with tidbits of information while also leaving us dying to know more & easily catching readers up who haven’t yet read book #1. Tender & swoony, the plot, characters, and setting are set smoothly against the writer’s easy read flow.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
His Honor, Her Family is a well-written romance with lots of character depth, and I enjoyed it very much. This story stands alone, although there’s another book in the series that I’m eager to read.
Setting is a strong element, for it just happens to take place in my state, and the small-town north Georgia area of Golden came alive. Grace’s family business of outdoor activity tours allowed for some vivid nature scenes.
The lead characters of Grace and Deke are realistically drawn with flaws and are easy to connect with. Past events in Deke’s law-enforcement career had left him questioning his work and even life in general. Grace, who has a strong drive to control, finds herself in over her head in taking care of her mother, working to save the family business, and trying to repair strained relationships. The chemistry between these two is strong, with some great kissing scenes.
My favorite element was the relationship drama within Grace’s family, fueled by the dad’s criminal behavior and neglect, and guilt over being the cause of his capture. Most troubling, however, is the negative way Grace’s controlling nature affects her mom and siblings … very true to life. As the sweet relationship between Deke and Grace grows, it’s easy to see how good they are together, and that Grace had touched the empty places inside of him.
There’s room for more development in Deke and Grace’s story, as well in each of their families – not to mention another Matthews brother or two. Hopeful for more stories in this series!
Recommended.
I received a copy of this book through Prism Book Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Can Deke and Grace get over their problems so that they can be together?
His Honor, Her Family by Tara Randel is a fantastic read. Deke and Grace were so realistic, and I loved how they both had problems that they had to face and deal with. Will they succeed in doing that or will they both be stuck doing what the same thing they have been doing?
Grace Harper
Grace Harper is the main female character of the book, and she’s a pretty great character. Sure, she has her flaws, but what reasonable person doesn’t have those? She mostly wants what is best for her family yet doesn’t know how to let them take control. Yes, Grace Harper is a control freak and wants to fix everyone’s problem. The cause has a deep meaning that is uncovered in the book.
What I like about Grace is that she is a go-getter because she wants to help her family and be there for them. Another thing that I like about her is that she loves her family a whole lot. Seriously. Would a normal person drop everything to deal with what she has to handle? The last thing that I like about Grace is that she knows when she is in the wrong but doesn’t always know what to do with that knowledge.
What I don’t like about Grace is that she pushes everyone away that wants to help her because she thinks she can handle it herself better. Which leads me to my other dislike of her and that she thinks she can control everything when she can’t.
Deke Matthews
Deke Matthews is the main male character of the book and the love interest of Grace. He is another fantastic character because he also comes with baggage. Not only the reason why he is there but what lead him to be near where his brothers needed him to be. Deke, much like Grace, has issues to deal with.
What I like about Deke is that he is an excellent balance for Grace which you can see clearly in the book. Another thing that I like about him is that he is trying to help out everyone that he can. Deke has a hard time talking about what lead him to where he is at but Grace helps him, and he helps her. The only thing I didn’t like about Deke is that he quickly blames himself, even when it isn’t his fault.
Five Stars
His Honor, Her Family by Tara Randel is a great read near Valentine’s Day. It has a mystery to it, along with romance, and having to deal with family drama. Ms. Randel has a great writing style and she actually had me thinking that I was in Georgia during the summertime instead of at home in Montana during winter. It was a great read. This book is amazing and I couldn’t put it down for anything. I highly recommend this book to those who love romances.
Anyways until the next time enjoy this review brought to you by,
Baroness Book Trove.
I received this book for free from Prism Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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This vulnerable sweet romance swept me away to the small mountain town of Golden, Georgia. Grace often seems tied-up in tension, stressed out over her family, and frustratingly overwhelmed. Been there, done that. I enjoyed peeling back the layers of Deke’s personality. He is genuine, steady, and hard-working. Deke is a keeper, no doubt about it!
Between family drama and a struggling business, this story has just the right amount of conflict to balance the romance factor and provide an authentic vibe for readers. This is the first book I’ve read from this author and certainly recommend it for fans of clean romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Mountain views, small town atmosphere, and family drama supplement this story of two people on different paths who find each other in the least expected place.
Deke Matthews uses the search for information about her mother’s new beau as an excuse to continue his much-needed leave of absence from work. Returning to her hometown in the mountains of Georgia is the last place she wants to be, but duty calls and she’s resigned to help her family out.
The attraction between Deke and Grace is almost immediate and builds to a roaring fire over the course of the book. Yet, the psychological and emotional journey’s each of these characters traverse that makes this story a gem worth reading.
Randel draws readers in and invites them to settle in, enjoy the scenery, and grow with her characters. And she gives a little hint of what might be coming next with the last unattached Matthews brother.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
I absolutely loved this story. This is a stand-alone book but characters from the first book pop in, and it introduces us to other characters for the next few books in this series. Deke Matthews is trying to heal from the death of his colleague and comes to Golden, GA to find out what is going on with a man his mother is dating. Grace Harper is an attorney in Atlanta but comes home to help her family with their Adventure business when her Mom is healing from an injury, her brother is MIA, and her sister has her hands full with her husband and kids. Her family relies on her and she feels guilty for having a part in putting her father in jail years ago. It’s an action-packed, romantic book that I couldn’t put down.
Heart-wrenchingly real depiction of family angst! With the next book in her Meet Me At the Altar series, Tara Randel brings us a beaten down heroine who carries the world on her shoulders. The characters are well developed and the story line is full of drama, heartache and the hopeful feeling of love saving all. I felt their relationship could have been developed slightly more once they got together, but the friendship they created along the way as they set out to tame this wild family was a breath of fresh air. Really enjoyed!
Crime scene investigator Deke Matthews is on leave at work and having some down time to himself while trying to put the pieces of his life back together again after a tragedy has left him shaken and doubting himself. When he family reaches out for some backup in a little family drama, it leads him to make a stop and keep himself busy in Golden, Georgia for a little while to see what kind of dirt he can dig up.
Attorney Grace Harper finds herself pulled home from her hectic job in Atlanta when her mother suddenly needs some TLC. In typical family fashion, only she seems to be able to do anything right in their family adventure tour business even though she has siblings “supposedly” helping out. She never expects to become attracted to her temporary hire Deke, but he seems to understand her like nobody else does. Can he convince her to take a chance on him when all is said and done or will her family continue to suck the life out of her?