LukeThere’s no timeline for grief—at least that’s what the last five years have taught me. After losing my wife unexpectedly three months after our son was born, I threw myself into taking care of him and shutting out the world, including women. But when my mother gets hurt and can no longer care for Grayson while I work my new job, I’m forced to hire a nanny. Little did I know that hiring the … hiring the first woman I found attractive since my late wife would flip over my world and my heart as it learns to beat to the idea of someone new. The question is—will I be able to let my first love go to make room for this woman is who is reviving me one day at a time?
Rachel
I moved to Emerson Falls in search of a purpose, my old life leaving me feeling empty and unaccomplished. So when I fall head-over-heels for a little boy I end up babysitting on a whim, I’m shocked to know that his dad happens to need a nanny like yesterday. With a love of this boy and a need for a job, I take it, even though the way my heart flutters for my new boss should have been a warning sign I needed to listen to. Before I know it, I’m falling for a man that is not only off-limits, but is broken from the loss of his wife. I want him though, flaws and all. The question is—does he have room in his heart to love again and let me bring him back to life?
more
My heart!
“And then one day you realize that everything starts again… and the smile is the owner of your life again.”
Small Town Romance
Second Chance
Single Dad/Widower
An Adorable Toddler
All The Feels
I have to emphasize that one of the things I like the most about this series is how real the characters and life events that have happened in it feel. This book exceeded my expectations and went deep into my heart. It was a very emotional journey, endearing at times and heartwarming. This is the story of Luke and Rachel.
Luke is a single father and widower, who is in charge of Grayson. Time has failed to help Luke overcome the loss of his wife, erecting walls that will be difficult to tear down. But Rachel, Grayson’s nanny, comes into his life ready to finish them off and plunge into their hearts and settle permanently.
This couple has enchanted me. Rachel and Luke became my favorite couple in the series. Grayson’s innocence and personality provided a touch of humor and tenderness. The times in the plot were perfect and for me, the story itself was perfect. Harlow has polished his writing with every book. Like a rough diamond that takes shape to make it sparkle.
I received this arc in exchange for an honest review.Harlow James
Harlow James I hate you right now (and I’m willing to bet you’re not even sorry!). This book made me cry – ugly cry to the point where I couldn’t read the words anymore. How could you do that to me? To moi – One of your biggest fans and lover of the Emerson Falls series?
To me, Luke Henderson is perfect on paper. He’s a single daddy, ex law enforcement officer, turned professor – need I say more? Luke is the holy trinity of book boyfriends. But not all that glitters is gold. He lost the love of his life, his wife in the most tragic of ways leaving him to pick up the pieces and care for his newborn son. And this is where I become consumed by him and his struggle, his pain becomes my pain and I feel for him on all levels.
Rachel is an angel. She is sweet, loving, compassionate and above all else patient. She meets Luke and his son Grayson on campus and offers to help Luke out of a jam. One afternoon turns into a permanent job as his live in nanny. She immediately falls in love with the five year old boy and develops feelings for his father.
Luke has been emotionally closed off for the last five years and has every intention of remaining that way until a certain nanny worms her way into his head and heart. His internal struggle consumes him and the guilt he feels is tangible. You want to reach into your Kindle, stroke his hair, and say “there there”. Inevitably you know that he is going to run from the light that Rachel brings to his life but it’s how he overcomes his fears and makes room for her, both in his heart and in his life that makes this the emotional Five Plus Star read that it is. Watching Luke, Rachel and Grayson (and Hannah) get their happily ever after makes this perhaps my favorite book in the Emerson Falls Series. TBR it and Enjoy (keep the tissues handy).
P.S. Harlow James I can safely say I love you again now that I’ve gotten a hold of myself and have finished writing this review.
Looking for your next sweet and steamy read? Check out Luke and Rachel in Revived, the latest installment of the Emerson Falls Series by @ . It has all the feels. Luke is a single dad learning to love again while Rachel is a young hopeful looking for a fresh start and finds it as a nanny for Luke’s son. There’s the sexy taboo of dating the nanny paired with genuine tenderness & confusion that comes with human growth. This is a sure-fire feel good HEA with plenty of steam seeping from the seams. Read it
Harlow James continuously makes me fall in love more and more with her writing. Her words absolutely pour off the page like honey! Her small town romance really hits you emotionally. She knows how to pack an emotional punch with each of her books.
Her characters in this book are broken and grieving. What they find is something they weren’t even looking for. You can relate to these characters and see how grief effects each one of us differently. Their interactions scream chemistry throughout the whole book.
Luke and Rachel are thrown together through fate and being at the right place at the right time. Their interactions are innocent in the beginning, but you can see the chemistry grow with each interaction. Luke is overcoming grief and he wears it like a shirt. Rachel just happens to come along and provide a safe place for him and his son. Fate definitely plays a part in their story.
This is a beautiful love story that will stay with you long after you finish!
My poor, poor heart you guys. Harlow ruined it! But in a good way hehe.
I have been waiting impatiently for Luke’s story. I have been dying to get inside his head and figure him out. We all know he was a single daddy after losing his wife in a car accident but that was all we knew. There had to be more to him and boy was there! Add in his adorable son Grayson, and you are a goner. I loved Grayson, such a sweet smart little guy. But seeing Luke as a dad to Grayson was the best. He was trying to be the best dad and mom to him but he was starting to get busier and didn’t want to rely on his parents anymore than he already was.
That brings us to Rachel. How she ends up meeting not only Luke but Grayson too was my favorite. I just loved Rachel from the very beginning. She surprised me and wasn’t what I was expecting her to be, I mean she is from rich town New York so you can imagine what my image of her was going to be lol. But she totally bested me.
Does she have what it takes to break through with Luke? Can she win over his son? You will have to read to find out because you won’t be eating any answers outta this girl!!
I will add that this was my absolute favorite outta the series so far!
5⃣
recommendation!
So, so, good! I have been waiting for Luke’s story. I really liked the whole series but I think Luke’s and Rachel’s story is the best so far. I can’t imagine what Luke’s life had to have been like after losing his wife and finding out about her death the way that he did. But the story of how Rachel brought Luke back to life was quite a heartfelt journey to experience with Revived. I definitely recommend this book but have you tissues close. Harlow James
Revived is book 4 in the Emerson Falls and follows Luke & Rachel’s story. This is a slow burn romance between a Widowed Single Father and his Nanny. Its about dealing with the pain and guilt that is brought on from losing the woman Luke thought he was going to be with for the rest of his life. Its emotional, heart breaking, messy but ultimately beautiful.
Luke has it all. A wife and son he adores, a job he is good at and a life he is building until one fateful night when it all came crashing down. Losing his wife in a horrible accident when their son Grayson is only a couple months old Luke is left heartbroken and is dealing with the emotional and well as psychological affects the best way he knows how, to be strong and their for his son who needs him more than ever. Luke is an amazing father. He’s kind, caring and patient. He is also reasonably distant and not open to the idea of moving on so when he needs to hire a nanny to help out with his son he is left confused and conflicted when feelings he thought could never happen start to stir.
Rachel is new to town, she doesn’t know many people but when her best friend tells her about a job to nanny for an adorable, smart and inquisitive little boy Rachel knows this is a right fit for her. Knowing a bit about what Luke has been through she is incredibly compassionate, understanding and patient towards him as well as being sweet, funny & loving.
Luke & Rachel’s story tore my heart apart more than once. I absolutely LOVED Rachel and she is by far one of my favourite heroines in this series and I’m so glad she has decided to make Emerson Falls her new home. I can’t even begin to imagine what Luke had to go through and how he felt. There were times he frustrated me, times he had my heart breaking and times he had me swooning. I’m not used to this kind of story nor have I read anything similar with one character being a Widower so I really didn’t know what to expect and I know everyone deals with grief and loss in a different way and there is no right way to grieve but this story pleasantly surpised me with how much I loved it even though it was a rollercoaster of emotions. I love Luke & Rachel and loved their HEA and every single scene involving Grayson as he often stole the show.
I was given this book by the author in return for an honest review.
This book is book 4 in the Emerson Falls series, it could absolutely be read as a stand alone but I think you will enjoy it more knowing all the characters.
We met Luke in the other books and got to learn about his wife passing and some of what he was dealing with. However with this book we really got in to the head of him and see just how much his wife passing devastated him.
Sadly his son was only a few months old when Hannah passed so Grayson has grown up not knowing his mother, though he definitely hasn’t missed out on any love as he is adored by many people in his life.
Rachel turns up in town as Pipers friend at just the right time to become graysons nanny, and in doing so this changes all of their lives for ever.
Luke really struggles with his feelings for Rachel and fights them hard, he is determined not to move on with anyone. Unfortunately he doesn’t really have any say in it as the everyone else is pushing for them to be together. This book is a real tear jerker full of emotions and ups and downs.
Luke needs to listen to his heart and not his head on this.
As always I loved the characters in this book and love seeing peaks of how they are getting on after reading their stories previously.
Harlow always writes beautifully, she makes you want to visit Emerson Falls and hang out with everyone. They are a group of friends that anyone would be lucky to be a part of, I can definitely imagine sharing a glass of wine with the girls.
Thanks for the chance to read this book, I can not wait for Jess’s story.
Oh my heart! This book hit me right in the heart and gave me all the feels. From the very first page I was instantly drawn into Luke and Rachel’s story and I couldn’t put this book down. Luke has dealt with a loss that no one should ever have to face and moving on and picking up the pieces has been hard and devastating for him. When Rachel walks into his life, his world is literally turned upside down and I thoroughly enjoyed Luke’s journey to his happy ending. This story has so much heart and soul in it, the story is captivating and keeps your attention from start to finish, the characters are relatable and such a joy to read about and don’t get me started on Grayson! This kid, will literally melt your heart! If you are a fan of small town romances, single parent romances and heartfelt romances that will stay with you for years to come, then this book is for you!
“…despite all the obstacles life throws at you, there is always someone encouraging you on the other side of the stars.”
Luke. The story we’ve been waiting for. So many emotions. So much heartache and hope. I kept telling myself I wouldn’t cry, but I didn’t last very long.
Raising his son, Grayson, alone, Luke is barely living life – having buried his heart with his wife. Then Rachel appears and everything changes. She makes him feel again.
Revived is a beautifully written book about love after loss. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. There is no expiration date on grief. And no one can tell someone else how best to or when to move on. A person needs to come to that moment themselves. Some people just need a sign or some sort of validation that it is okay to love again. And a reminder that moving on doesn’t have to mean letting go.
Have your tissues ready because this one will have you tearing up!
Emerson Falls keeps getting better and better! I can’t get enough of this series and I am going to be completely distraught when this series ends because I love this world Harlow has created so much! Totally one of my top favorite small-town romance series! I also love romances that involve kids and babies so this is definitely one of my favorites so far! This book is a single parent/nanny romance that will pull on all of your heartstrings!
Luke is one amazing hero. He is raising his son on his own after a tragic accident left him widowed. Seeing the toll this has taken on him is absolutely heartbreaking. Many moments throughout this book I found myself wanting to tear up and I hardly ever cry over books! Harlow really got me with this one! And seeing Luke with Grayson melted my heart! Rachel was the perfect person for this father/son duo! She is beautiful inside and out and that really showed in this book. Her heart is so big and her love for these two overflowed on the pages. I hope we get to see more of this beautiful new family in the next book.
Small town romances are one of my favorite tropes and Harlow is one of my favorite authors to pick up one from. She really has a knack for transporting you into this community or rather family of characters she has created. She makes you feel like you are one of them and I can’t tell you how many times I so desperately wished I was! I can’t say it enough but let me say it again. I love Emerson Falls. So much so and after getting a glimpse into Brooks and Jess’s book I know that I am going to love there’s just as much as the rest! Is it July yet?
Harlow James has outdone herself again. Revived is my absolute favorite from the Emerson Falls series. In book 4 we are reacquainted with Luke and Rachel. Luke’s story is one of love, loss, regret, and triumph. Luke’s faced the most difficult tragedy one can face. As a single dad he’s finding his footing with the help of his parents, which proves hard at their age. One cold winter day, in lieu of a family emergency, Luke’s stuck in a jam. He has to work but needs a sitter for his son. That’s when a chance encounter with a mysterious girl feeding geese, changes his whole life. Rachel is from a well-to-do family, and is also Piper’s best friend. She followers Piper’s steps and moves to Emerson Falls to start a whole new life. One with less pomp and circumstance from her frou frou hometown. The two have teaching in common. Luke is an English teacher and Rachel is studying to become one to give back. They also have grave differences in their upbringings. But somehow they gel and create the steamiest chemistry. The love they share is heartfelt and real. This book deals with tragedy in the gentlest tone and fills your heart with hope of second chances. I was an emotion wreck at times, in the best way. You can’t help but feel immersed in their world. Which is why I rated this book at 5 stars.
Thank you Harlow James for creating this breathtaking story. I’m grateful for the opportunity to review and rate this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Oh my goodness where do I even start with how much I loved this book. I usually struggle with books where one of the characters has lost their spouse because I never want to think about it happening. Then there is the issue of are they over the dead spouse or did they get over him/her too fast for my liking. I thought this book had the perfect balance. Luke mourned his wife and knew he had to move on but there was guilt about doing that. And I absolutely loved how supportive Rachel was through the whole book. She is such a beautiful, loving character. She quickly became one of my favorite characters from any book I’ve read this year.
Did I cry while reading this book…well of course. But to me that is a sign of how well it was written. I became invested in their story and their lives and when they hurt, I hurt.
I cannot recommend this book enough to readers. And while it is a stand alone in the series, I really think you the other books to get everyone’s backstory.
This is another beautiful story by the amazing Harlow James. I devoured this book in one sitting, honestly this whole series is one of the best I ever read. But no worries each book can be read as stand-alone.
Revived is the fourth book in the Emerson Falls series. This book is A heart wrenching story about second chances, been able to move on and that love comes in different ways and that is ok to feel again.
Now is Luke’s turn. We knew of him from the previous books. But now we go into detail of what happened to him and let me tell you, is tragic and sad. After loosing the love of his life , he is left raising his adorable son Grayson.
Rachel is just such and amazing and lovable character. She comes to Emerson Falls to stay with her best friend Piper and wants a new life for herself. She is caring, novel, loyal, beautiful and just the whole package. She ends working for Luke as his babysitter.
Now the chemistry between Rachel and Luke is just amazing. The attraction between them two is super hot. But guilt and shamed of moving on may cause Luke to loose an amazing second chance at love.
Like I said before and I’ll say again this book is just beautiful and you might cry but you’ll also laugh and most definitely feel revived at the end of this story.
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
Revived is book four of the Emerson Falls series and it seriously was everything. I have been waiting patiently for Luke’s book, especially after learning a little more about him through each of the previous books. Each book in the series is a standalone so you don’t need to read them prior to reading this one. But I highly suggest that you do read them because they are amazing!
Luke and Rachel are beautifully put together, and I fell for them so much. They both captivated me from the very start. Luke’s backstory held me so tightly that I couldn’t put it down. I needed his happily ever after so badly, especially after everything he went through.
Harlow weaved a tale of such emotional grit that you cannot help but be immersed in her world, standing right there watching it all happen as though you are in a movie theater and it’s playing on a giant screen in front of you. You are a held captive in each and every moment, feeling every single emotion they feel as though you were there.
Five stars for this beautifully captivating story that will have you on your knees when it is all said and done.
Revived by Harlow James
I am voluntarily reviewing this ARC.
Revived is romance in its purest form. I was drawn into this sweet, heart warming, heart breaking, beautiful love story and found myself fighting back tears a lot. A beautiful man, a widow and now, single dad, hires a nanny for his four year old son. Rachel connects with both Luke and his son, Grayson, instantly. The beauty in thier story is that it’s just that, their story. There’s no added plot twist…it’s not needed. And I love this author’s restraint in writing and letting their story speak for itself. It makes it so much more potent.
As straight forward as this story is, it still managed to surprise me and hold my attention. I have to warn you, you’re going to fall head over heels in love with Grayson, Luke’s son. That love story… Grayson and his dad, Grayson and Rachel, even Grayson and his mommy in heaven…there are no words. Even writing this, I feel my heart swelling.
This is such a good read and I whole heartedly recommend it.
I want to give 5 stars, but because my heart is so full, I’m giving it five hearts!!!
Revived is a single dad, a forbidden romance which is told from the first-person point of view and is an emotional and heart-gripping addition to the Emerson Falls series. “See you on the other side of the stars”
Luke was loving his life as a Sheriff’s deputy, newly married man and father until one dreadful night when he lost his wife unexpectedly. He shut himself out from the world until his family brings him back into the world. When Luke’s mother gets hurt and can no longer take care of Grayson, he is forced to hire a nanny. Rachel has just moved to Emerson Falls to start her own independent life away from her empty feeling life in New York. She is forced to wait until the fall to start her dream job so she agrees to meet Piper’s friend who is looking for a nanny like yesterday. Shocked to find out it is the same dad of the little boy she fell in love with only the day before. Luke is having feelings again for the first time since his late wife and Rachael are slowly falling for her boss who is broken. Rachael’s hope is that she can help Luke come back to full life again and move on but not forget his first love.
Harlow James has a serious way with words and the emotional fierceness of this story was unbelievable and I totally ugly cried. Grayson was one of the most energetic little boys and so loveable. Rachael was perfect for Luke with her love and patience. It was great to also connect with the other couples in Emerson Falls and they are a great group of friends. I highly recommend this entire series and I am excited to see what comes next from Harlow James.
*ARC was generously provided in exchange for my honest review*
Heartbreaking and beautiful. I love a good small town, single dad/nanny romance!!
Get you tissue box close by because you are going to need it. This book will have you crying from the very beginning. Luke has been a favorite of mine since Enticed. He has become my favorite book character.
Luke has been a single dad since his wife passed away when their son was only a few months old. When his mom has an accident he has no other choice but to hire a nanny.
Rachel just moved from NYC to start a new life. She is planning to finishing her degree to become a teacher. When the opportunity to become a nanny for a little boy who has already stolen her heart, she takes it.
The chemistry is there for Luke and Rachel from the very beginning of the story and so is the guilt that Luke is feeling. He is feeling emotions that he only felt with his wife. This is the most romantic story I have read.
I love it and know that our loved ones are looking down at us from the other side of the stars.
4.5*
I received an ARC of this from the author and I volunteered to leave an unbiased review.
Let me just say, my heart is in pieces at my feet right now and I’m wiping tears from my face. I might be broken. But this, this book that broke me? Worth it.
Small town single dad romances aren’t always done well, and add in the taboo element and then you might be on a sticky wicket, but man, this was done so well. I cherished every word of this and every twist and turn of the journey of Luke and Rachel. And don’t be forgetting about Greyson. Heart eyes.