Discover the magic of New York Times bestseller Melissa Foster’s writing and see why millions of readers have fallen in love with the fiercely loyal and sassily sexy characters in the Love in Bloom big-family romance collection. Love in Bloom novels are written to stand alone or may be enjoyed as part of the larger series, so dive right into this fun, sexy romance.In USA TODAY bestseller … TODAY bestseller SEARCHING FOR LOVE…
Zev Braden and Carly Dylan were childhood best friends, co-explorers, and first loves. Their close-knit families were sure they were destined to marry—until a devastating tragedy struck, breaking the two lovers apart. Over the next decade Zev, a nomadic treasure hunter, rarely returned to his hometown, and Carly became a chocolatier and built a whole new life across the country. When a chance encounter brings them back into each other’s lives, can they find the true love that once existed, or will shattered dreams and broken hearts prevail? Find out in Searching for Love, a deliciously sexy, funny, and emotional second-chance romance.
Love in Bloom novels feature alpha male heroes and smart, empowered women. They’re flawed, funny, passionate, and relatable to readers who enjoy contemporary romance and women’s fiction.
THE BRADENS & MONTGOMERYS (Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls). Order of future books is subject to change.
Embracing Her Heart
Anything For Love
Trails of Love
Wild Crazy Hearts
Making You Mine
Searching for Love
Our Wicked Hearts
Summer of Love
Hot for Love
Claiming Her Heart
Sweet Sexy Hearts
Winter of Love
“When it comes to contemporary romances with realistic characters, an emotional love story and smokin’ hot sex, author Melissa Foster always delivers!” The Romance Reviews
“You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that’s fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won’t want to stop reading. Every book’s a winner!” New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak
“With her wonderful characters and resonating emotions, Melissa Foster is a must-read author!” New York Times Bestseller J. Kenner
“Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!” New York TimesBestseller Lauren Blakely
“Melissa Foster writes her romance novels similarly to my favorite adult romance author, Danielle Steel: the perfect blend of drama, romance, friendship, love and passion.”- Andrea Buginsky, author
“I highly recommend this book to fans of Nora Roberts (one of my personal faves) and fans of a sweet story filled with heat and heart.” – Tia Bach, author
“Melissa Foster is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Fated For Love was amazing. It kind of reminds me of Jill Shalvis’ books and they are my benchmark for contemporary romance awesomeness.” –Books Like Breathing (on Fated for Love)
“I highly recommend the Snow Sisters all the Braden and Remington books….I am sure there are going to be other family’s that intertwine and that is what I love most about these books. They remind me of the McCarthy of Gansett series and The Green Mountain series. I am a huge fan of Marie Force. And now Melissa Foster has joined her ranks….” – I Love NY, Reviewer
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Melissa Foster hits another home run with this wonderful story! I am a sucker for second chance romances, and Searching for Love hits all my buttons. And as a plus, Zev has got to be one of my all-time favorite hero names! Fabulous story!
A beautiful second chance romance with characters I fell in love with. Adore Melissa Foster’s writing – another winner!
Searching for Love is fabulous second chance romance. I couldn’t put this one down and fell in love with Zev and Carly from the start. You will laugh over Bandits antics as you tear up over Zev’s and Carly’s reunion. I love that Carly made Zev work for it just a little. There is so much heart and love in this book and how can you forget all the favorite people: the Whiskey’s, the Braden’s and Montgomery’s. I love the tie ins from all the other series. Zev and Carly have this magical love that everyone wishes they could have even a moment of it. The pull between them is undeniable. This is such a sweet, pass the tissues, hot read. You will just love ever moment that is Zev and Carly as they start on this new adventure of getting to know each other all over again.
5 stars
Zev and Carly had been friends since they met in grade school. They spent all their time together and went on adventures. In college, a tragedy falls on their little town and none of them will ever be the same. Zev leaves Carly, thinking he’s doing what is best for her, and goes treasure hunting. Ten years later, Carly is running her aunt’s chocolate shop and has settled down. She’s at her friends wedding when Zev shows up. He’s been hunting for the pirate ship that he and Carly always wanted to find. He’s in town for six days and plans to do everything he can to win Carly back. Between old hurts and new difficulties, can they get over their pain and be happy?
Let me just say, this is the hottest book I’ve read in a while. Zev cannot stay in one place and is sort of an adrenaline junkie. Carly used to be wild and free but now has plans and to-do lists. Be prepared for a very cold shower and some crazy sex. Can’t wait to see who is next in this series.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for the author *
Ms. Foster has created another passionate love story that pulls on the heartstrings. This is a second chance trope about Zev and Carly, who became friends when they were very young and hand their relationship progress all the way to lovers. They had their future planned out, but than a tragedy sent Zev leaving their home town. He and Carly are reunited and slowly work their way back together temporarily. They have very different lives now–their dreams are no longer the same. Zev is still searching for the sunken boat and treasure that they planned on recovering together. Could he discover that Carly is the most priceless treasure of all?
I listened to the audio version of this book. The narration by Virginia Rose and Brian Pallino were spot on.
Thanks to Melissa Foster for the gifted copy of this audio book.
This is the sixth book in The Bradens and Montgomerys: Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls Series. I love this Series! Zev and Carly’s second chance romance is beautifully written, emotional, sexy, and beautiful. They are both beautiful characters. The supporting characters are great. Virginia Rose and Brian Pallino did an amazing job with the narration. I enjoyed it.
Overall 5 out of 5 stars
Performance 4 out of 5 stars
Story 5 out of 5 stars
sometimes time is what is needed to make it last
Melissa Foster takes me to a second chance romance that has been in the making for years. Following along with the Braden’s and all the friends and families of the Love in Bloom World (including many series) have allowed for a community of love and renewal. There is a love that will appeal to most every lover of love, romance, new chance, second chance, new love, old love, all love. Melissa Foster brings her various worlds of love to life with amazing characters both primary and secondary.
This time around we are finding love with Zev and Carly had their chance at love and it was blown apart by one act of selfless determination. One reckless action and loss of life broke apart more than one relationship. The breakup was painful. Their coming together for one night was passionate and heartbreaking at the same time. In this romance we get two couples that find their way to each other. One for the first time and the other for another chance to make their love the magical story that it could have been years before.
Was the right choice made when things fell apart? That would be a question you will have to figure out as you find yourself lost in the world of the Zev and Carly. Watching them become reacquainted with each other’s new lives was beautiful. Melissa Foster gave us a detailed back history of Zev and Carly. This was a good thing for me. I love seeing where each came from. What pushes them forward.
The was pain, sorrow, life, love, and hope for the future. This was a story to curl up and get lost in. There are times when a separation is necessary to have a future. For Zev and Carly time apart allowed them to grow in to that something more. That something more was needed for them to make their relationship more and last forever.
Virginia Rose and Brian Pallino narration duo brought to life the story of Zev and Carly. I was not disappointed.
I would read anything with Melissa Foster’s name on it……..but we all have our favorites and this (part of a series) did not disappoint……her stories are always just satisfying……good characters….some introduced in previous books….just enough heat with tenderness and real feels……good original stories……
4.5 stars. Carley and Zev were best friends since the were in grade school and then were high school sweethearts. They experienced a tragedy that pulled them apart. Now years later they see each other at a wedding and their connection is as strong as ever. They have both changed and need to get over the hurt they caused each other to find their way back to each other. I enjoyed this second chance story as they found their way back to each other. I also enjoyed how once they get back together they then have to figure out how to mesh their current lives, which made the story much more realistic. I also enjoyed meeting all of the Colorado Whiskey’s and am looking forward to their stories.
I’ve read close to 70 books by this author with most of them being 4 to 5-star ratings from me. Every once in a while, I just don’t connect the same way with her characters or with the story as I usually do. I’m never totally disappointed, her stories are always great. I just sometimes have to go with a 3-star rating (which is still good!) because there is a little of the magic missing. That’s what happened with this story. I liked the characters, I liked the premise, but it wasn’t meshing the same way in my brain as usual.
Zev and Carly have known each other most of their lives. They’ve spent the last 10 or so years apart. Like, really apart. No contact, not even asking their families about each other. There was a tragedy in their lives (as well as Zev’s brother’s life, which led to his amazing story in Anything for Love) that tore them apart. I’m a fan of the second-chance romance trope, and enjoyed that aspect of this story. When Carly and Zev first meet up again and start slowly feeling each other out I was all in. There were butterflies and anticipation as to what would happen next.
As I was reading this story and felt my mind wandering over and over, I tried to pinpoint why it wasn’t holding my attention. I love all of Carly’s friends and can’t wait to read more about them, especially the Whiskeys whose relatives in the east hold a special place in my heart. There is adventure, fun, and love. What was my problem? All I can come up with is that it seemed a bit repetitive. I enjoy finding out about a couple’s past when reading about a second chance, but there seemed to be a bit too much rehashing after a bit. Too much telling and not enough showing.
Again, a 3-star rating is not bad. It’s just not what I’ve come to expect from Melissa Foster. I still laughed and cried. I still rooted for these two to figure it out. And I’ll still be coming back for more.
Zev Braden and Carly Dylan’s story is a sweet and steamy second chance romance. They were childhood best friends and first loves. They both loved adventure and dreamed of finding sunken treasure together. They were destined to be together forever until tragedy strikes and tears them both apart, breaking both their hearts. Zev went on to have great adventures while Carly changed her path to a safe, quiet life as a chocolatier. They never forgot their other half and could never quite move on. Now, years later, they have a chance meeting, and their chemistry is still fiery as ever. Zev doesn’t recognize the woman before him, living a quiet life, but he sees glimpses of the adventurer who has always owned his heart. Now that he has Carly back in his life, he is determined to show her that he is a better man, one she deserves. But first he needs to remind her who she really is and to take a chance on him and the life they are meant to have together. But Carly has a new life that she has worked hard to build, with a successful business and great friends. Is it too late for Zev to win her back?
Narrators Virginia Rose, and Brian Pallino are so perfect as Carly and Zev. Their expressive voices and ability to easily move between fun and flirty to impassioned and poignant is incredible. I love listening to them both and they definitely make this story filled with friendship, family and a sweet and steamy romance even better.
I absolutely loved this story! Zev and Carly will make you believe that it is never too late for second chances to get things right and that true love always prevails. You never forget your first love and if your lucky, he/she becomes your last love!! Sometimes you don’t have to travel very far to find the treasure of a lifetime. This book is everything I have come to expect in a Melissa Foster romance! My heart is so happy and full! This is a fun, sexy, flirty, adventurous and emotional book. I listened to the Audiobook and the narration is wonderful and really brought this incredible love story to life. Brian is amazing as Zev! And Virginia did a great job as Carly too. I love the way they voiced the other characters as well. As with all the books in this long running series, we get to see many of the other characters we know and love again as well as new ones! That’s because besides love, family is always at the heart of these books.
Audio Review
This is book 6 in this series and is Zev and Carly’s story.
Zev Braden has loved Carly Dylan since they were children. They planned their adventures and planned their lives together. That is until tragedy struck and changed their paths forever. Now fate with a little help has intervened and they are forced to see one another and when they do all the feelings from the past come rushing back. Can they survive this time since they live so far apart and do different things? This is a love story that has a past and hurts that must heal before they can move forward. There is romance, heat, and treasure hunting for not only lost gold but for each other heart.
Virginia Rose and Brian Pallino did a great job narrating this book. Virginia was a perfect Carly and Brian with his deep voice gave my the perfect Zev. I enjoyed listening to them both.
I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. There are lots of great characters along with our hero and heroin and it is entertaining and romantic.
Searching for love will have you swooning so hard as you laugh, cry and grin your face off. Zev and Carly are two broken souls who deserve a second chance at their own happily ever after. I adore them both so much! This book will shock you and break your heart, but it will also make you whole in the most breathtaking way. You need to read this book for the Lucky Charms, the treasure, the photos, the tattoos and the festival alone. Searching For Love will have you diving heart first into this beautiful journey of forgiveness, adventure, and life changing love.
Tracey, Life Reads with Friends
This was a good second chance romance as Zev and Carly find love with each other again. The pair have suffered loss of a friend as well as guilt of actions leading up to the grief that they suffered as teens. They then reunited a few years later where they had a one night stand but Carly felt that she needed to protect herself and left before they could attempt to resolve anything with their pasts. The pair are then reunited a second time where they find love with each other and resolve their feelings and issues from the past.
The characters are both well written with chemistry that was off the charts. I enjoyed the family orientation that they characters have as well as the return of characters from previous books and series. The story moved along well an kept me interested throughout as the story flowed.
In the audio version, the narrators, Virginia Rose and Brian Pallino, performed the story well doing a great job bringing the story to life. Overall, this was a good book that I would recommend to others.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE a great second chance story and Zev and Carly’s story was so so good.
Zev and Carly have been best friends since they were in elementary school. All through high school – they became more and had planned a life full of adventure together after graduation. But after a tragic accident, Zev left, leaving Carly spinning on what went wrong. Now years later the two are thrust together again in an act of fate some would say. But Carly is cautious. She knows she only has days with Zev before he disappears again. But she soon finds out that everything she thought she knew about her childhood sweetheart is not always as it seems.
These two were magnetic together and their love never died – even with their hearts breaking multiple times. I really loved their story and devoured the book once I starter, staying up until the early morning finishing the book.
‘Searching For Love’ is book 6 in the ‘Bradens and Montgomery’s : Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls Series’ and what a book it was! Zev Braden and Carly Dylan have known each since they were children, they grew up together and all the signs pointed to them spending the rest of their lives together, and that would have been the case until an accident saw a death of a close friend to both of them, makes Zev see live differently and in the cloud of his bereavhement he runs and breaks Carly’s heart.
Carly is not only grieving the loss of a good friends by her true love at the same time, I have to admit I hated Zev for how he treated Carly all those years ago with his actions. But many, many years later they both meet at his brothers wedding and it is clear that all those years apart has done nothing to how these two feel about each other as they have been loving the other from a far.
This is a second chance story that see’s these two reunite after almost 10 years apart, the trials and tribulations of how they can make their relationship work with both of their jobs being so different! Growing up and dating they were a very adventurous couple – thnk skydiving, cliff diving, parasailing things like that, but when Zev ran he became the treasuer hunter he always to be and now he has made a find of a lifetime that he wants to share with Carly as it relates to something they wanted to do and find together she needs to make a decision that would changer her life.
I honestly don’t know how Melissa manages to make me feel all the emotions possible whilst reading one book but she does, she has a way that connects the reader to the characters in such a way you can not help but get immersed and invested in the story.
Another 5 star read!
Best friends as children, lovers as teens and then tragedy strikes. A heartwarming second chance romance.
Carly Dylan owns a chocolate shop called Divine Intervention in Allure, Colorado. She ended up in Allure with her mom’s best friend who Carly calls Aunt Marie. After the death of her best friend Tory and the love of her life Zev Braden left her Carly was too sad in her hometown of Pleasant Hill so she moved to Allure and learned to become a chocolatier. Then “surprise, surprise” she met up with Zev’s brother Beau who now lives in Colorado and she became good friends with Beau’s fiancee Charlotte. When Carly agreed to do the dessert table for their wedding she knew she would see Zev again. What she didn’t know was how they both would react to seeing each other again. After all it has been years since their last encounter. A year after Zev left her they bumped into each other in Mexico and spent a passionate night together but this time Carly left Zev. Now it’s Beau and Charlotte’s wedding day. Carly and Zev spot each other and make eye contact. Zing!
Zev Braden is a treasure hunter. He has just discovered what he believes is the site of the sunken pirate ship, The Pride once captained by Garrick “One Leg” Clegg. This was a dream come true but in his dream he was together with Carly Dylan sharing the excitement of the discovery as they planned when they were teenagers. He has left his boat and his further exploration to attend his brother Beau’s wedding in Colorado. No one, not one member of his family warned him that the love of his life, whom he left so long ago because he believed he’d hurt her too much by staying, would be at the wedding. Carly Dylan! He never stopped loving her but when she left him after their passionate night in Mexico he got the message she was done with him. There she is and their eyes make contact. Zev sees love in Carly’s eyes and he knows she sees love in his eyes as he never stopped loving her. Maybe there is a second chance for them.
Searching for Love my Melissa Foster is the sixth book in her The Bradens and Montgomerys: Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls series. Melissa Foster is the Queen of Romantic. She writes the most romantic scenes in her stories. In this case Carly and Zev are two halves of a whole, very much in love with each other and that’s the picture Ms. Foster paints of them in this story. The author makes their love for each other shine brightly off the pages of the book. This story sings the song of how meaningful love can be. I loved the wonderful, meaningful dialogue in this story. Melissa Foster has a way with words. I laughed at some of her phrases like, ” docking his boat in your harbor.” The romance in this book is swoon worthy. Oh yeah and the sex scenes are steamy. Enjoy!
Read: 8/8/2020
Searching for Love was the sixth book in Melissa Foster’s The Bradens and Montgomerys, Pleasant Hill – Oak Falls series. It was also one in Fosters many Love in Bloom series. It could be read as a stand-alone; however, I recommend reading Zev’s brother Beau’s story first, Anything for Love (book two), for a crucial piece of Zev and Carly’s back story.
I loved both Carly and Zev from the start. I didn’t remember much about their personalities from previous books; however, I fell in love immediately. And it just kept building. Zev’s second grade declaration summed it up for the past, present and future: “Come on an adventure Carls. You’re the only one who can keep up with me.” You have to read it in context to get the full picture, but I could totally see them as they started their first adventure together at age eight. And I loved seeing Zev’s mini adventures as he wooed Carly again. Their adventurous spirit was intoxicating.
I love second chance tropes. And I loved how Foster crafted this one. She took us through the maze of both minds, present and past, and I totally felt them. I believed their connection. “Fate is that which can’t be changed. Destiny is what comes through actively making decisions and committing to a path of changing, learning and growing.”
I read all types of forever love romances and I love variety but this one spoke to me in a way that no book has in a while. I felt every emotion as if it were my own. “You are and will always be the very air that I breathe, the only treasure to my empty chest. Forever yours.”
Here’s to Journey, Scout and Chance….until then, I can’t wait for the spinoff series, the Steele’s on Silver Island.
I enjoyed everything about this book!
It’s a captivating, steamy, funny & moving romance with characters you cannot
get enough of.
Zev & Carly’s story of their past, present
& future relationship is beautiful.
Two people that loved each other
so passionately & have had they’re hearts broken doing what they thought was best.
I loved diving & buried treasure part of
the book. It was very intriguing.
Romantic story that pulls on your
heartstrings from start to finish.
Difinite Must Read!!