She’s never been one to stay in the same place for long… Forester, the childhood best friend she hasn’t seen or spoken to since she abruptly left him and the small town behind.
Darby is determined to get out of Willow Creek and back on the road as soon as possible, but as she and Caleb rebuild their old friendship, feelings start to grow beyond the familiar and into something new and real and infinitely more terrifying that she’s sure will only lead to heartbreak.
Now Darby must choose between moving on and taking a chance on the one person who could finally be worth staying put for.
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2.5
I enjoyed revisiting Willow Creek.
What I liked:
The writing style
Most of the characters
Part of a series: Willow Creek
Standalone
HEA
What I didn’t like:
Darby
I look forward to reading more from this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from Tule Publishing.
I ~really~ liked this second chance romance.Willow Creek was second home for Darby, usually it was the summer time when she would visit her Aunt & Uncle. But she became close to the next door neighbors. Caleb was quite with a chip on his shoulder many would say. Darby was the”girl next door” only when she visited her Aunt and Uncle. But oh boy those days sure did count when it amounted and a special friendship grew,these two were best friends. Life has an terrible way of stepping in and making itself known in the worse way. It did and created a cavern of 7 years between these two again.
When these two re-meet life just keeps on giving. I enjoyed the way that our author gave us a true to life peek into the lives of two people who do what they can who survive. One because she feels it is her only way and one emotionally.
A great book of returning home and finding love. Darby had no choice but to return home to Willow Creek, she was broke. Caleb, her best friend while growing up is still in Willow Creek, As their friendship redevelops Darby is afraid of heartbreak, she doesn’t believe in forever but can Caleb change her mind.
Great characters, love friends to lovers. Loved how the story showed bits and pieces 0f their past while growing up. Love this little town of Willow Creek, wonderful friendships. I highly recommend this book. This is the third book in the series but can be read as a stand alone.
I received this arc from Tule Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This is the third book in the Willow Creek series. I’ve read and loved all 3 books. This story is about Darby, (the cousin to Logan from the first book), and their next door neighbor, Darby’s childhood best friend Caleb. The author uses the same format as in the prior books of the series – telling the current day story, mixing in the past happenings between Darby and Caleb. We learn that both Darby and Caleb had trouble making friends and they were each other’s only friend. Darby actually lived in NYC and only saw Caleb during the summer. until we learn, Darby ran away and left Caleb after his mom passed away. She proceeded to go from city to city, living with no steady relationships.
Darby arrived in town needing to borrow money from Logan to pay off a loan shark in Phoenix. She ends up in an auto accident and totals her crappy car and does some damage to a local equestrian center. As she has no money her uncle arranges for her to work off the debt. Since she has no car she’s unable to leave and continue her pattern of moving from town to town, never setting down roots. She finds out that Caleb works at the center and their relationship is strained from the way things were left long ago when she ran away. They work together and start rebuilding their friendship. As days go on they start to realize their feelings seem more than they were before.
This is a great second chance relationship, with Caleb and Darby. It is nice to see the other characters again too from the first book. I give this 5 stars. I look forward to more books by Shannon Stults.
Risking It All is book three in the Willow Creek, GA series by Shannon Stults. This author has surprised and intrigued me with her unique take on the second chance romance trope. This is a favorite of mine which Ms. Stults explores a little differently than most that I read.
After reading the description of the book I had wondered about the “accident” that causes Darby Watkins to stay in Willow Creek. I didn’t see how it would happen or play out. I must say that the author wrote one believable scene in which I could totally see it happening just as Darby said it did. In the beginning I was not sure what to think of this character with a gypsy soul or see how she could be happy staying in Willow Creek. The author sold me on Darby, her impassivity, her bluntness and her ability to love. Caleb was n even harder read for me since he had a very self-contained personality. I understood his wariness but hoped that he was wrong. Both characters needed to find that place where they were willing to risk it all.
More than enough drama with regrets and angst to go around for Darby and Caleb, but the story also had other characters that affect these two characters. Logan, her cousin is there for support as well as Darby’s uncle, the town sheriff. He only makes a couple of appearance but he makes a strong impression every time he does. There was more than one guy that I wished he would just arrest. Hope that there are more books in this series with more of Uncle Marshall.
An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is a new author for me and after treading this book I will be looking for book one and two to read It is a sweet romance with a little angst between the main characters that give the book enough depth to make a read that I thoroughly enjoyed
Darby Watkins has finally returned to Willow Creek the last place she wants to be but she needs the help of her cousin What she didn’t expect was to have a car accident meaning she would be trapped in the town for a while That puts her back in contact with Caleb Forester when she has to work at the equestrian centre that her accident damaged. These two where sweethearts when they where younger and she broke his young heart when she left with no warning. As their fried ship starts to reconnect will feelings also come to the fore and can they have a future together You will have to read to see
Risking It All by Shannon Stults
She’s never been one to stay in the same place for long…
Darby Watkins hasn’t been back to Willow Creek in years, and with good reason. But when an accident causes damage at the local equestrian center, what’s meant to be a quick visit turns into an indefinite stay while she works to pay back the owner. And as if that weren’t bad enough, she is also forced to work with Caleb Forester, the childhood best friend she hasn’t seen or spoken to since she abruptly left him and the small town behind.
Darby is determined to get out of Willow Creek and back on the road as soon as possible, but as she and Caleb rebuild their old friendship, feelings start to grow beyond the familiar and into something new and real and infinitely more terrifying that she’s sure will only lead to heartbreak.
Now Darby must choose between moving on and taking a chance on the one person who could finally be worth staying put for.
This is Darby Watkins and Caleb Forester’s story.
Darby Watkins’s red curls ruffled in the wind of the open window as she drove down Main Street toward the center of town, her eyes drifting over the familiar line of historic homes and storefronts. She pulled her car into an empty spot just outside the small art gallery she’d visited occasionally during her annual summer stays with her aunt, uncle, and cousin as a kid.
Her stomach clenched as she surveyed the calm street, the nearly empty sidewalks, searching for any faces she might recognize or who might recognize her. But, truth be told, there was really only one face she was worried about.
Her fingers instinctively brushed the charm hanging from a chain around her neck—a five-sided pendant of thick, pressed silver with tip pointing downward. She undid the clasp and tucked the necklace safely away in the glovebox of her old, beat-up Buick LeSabre, just in case. It wasn’t the reason she was here, and the quicker she got what she needed and got the hell out of Dodge—or, in this case, the small Georgia town of Willow Creek—the better it would be for everyone.
Caleb sat cross-legged at the head of his bed and stared at the TV screen as a player in a white uniform with a giant red “43” on his back stepped up to the plate.
Caleb sat completely still, the sounds of the crowd and announcers’ voices filling his bedroom. The room wasn’t huge, just big enough for a full-size bed, a cedar desk, and matching dresser where the TV sat.
Risking It All by Shannon Stults is a 4 star book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy.
Shannon ‘s Books with Tule:
Keeping Score
Willow Creek
Daring to Fall
Willow Creek
Risking It All
Willow Creek
It took me a few chapters to get into this storyline.I liked Darby and her gypsy lifestyle going from one town to the next working any job she could pick up from being a Bartender to a waitress.Now she finds herself in trouble and back home in Willow Creek,Georgia asking for help from her cousin Logan who hasn’t seen her in several years.
A sweet tale about two old friends reuniting and falling in love.
The last place Darby Watkins wanted to be stuck was Willow Creek. The town holds too many memories of her best friend, Caleb Forester, who she hasn’t spoken to in seven years. Darby’s plan was to swoop into town and ask her cousin for a loan to pay off a guy who is tailing her and then move onto another town to start over. But a car accident keeps Darby in town longer than expected when she has to work at the equestrian center to pay for the damage she caused. As it turns out, Caleb is also working at the equestrian center and will be Darby’s supervisor.
As Darby and Caleb reignite their friendship, they start to fall for each other. But there are other factors in the mix and some just might ruin what they have started. The ups and downs of a new relationship, lies and jealousies could ruin everything between Darby and Caleb.
I have enjoyed Willow Creek series quite a bit and this book was a perfect addition to it. A great storyline and lots of wonderful characters make this book one to remember.
This is a lovely novel with multilayer characters and a complex plot. It is thoroughly enjoyable!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The third book in the series, Risking it all. Darby passes through town to ask Logan (from book 1), her cousin, for a favor. She realizes she can’t ask that of Logan and decides to move on, but a car accident gets her stuck in town. She is obligated to pay of damages she caused and she runs into her teenage love, Caleb.
Just like in the first books, we get flashbacks to tell us the story of young love. When Darby left Caleb years ago, she left a huge gap in his heart. Can she mend that gap?
This author has a way with words, so I really enjoy the books. I do think the way the heroines leave town are a bit too alike. I also did not get Darby. She traveled a lot, but has this naive outlook on things sometimes. I could not believe her reason to loan money for example. I will not expand as not to spoil anything. On the other hand, she is a hard worker.
Overall a solid read if you like small town stories and second chances.
I received an ARC via the author but this is my honest and voluntary review. I also have a pre-order copy lined up.