Artist Livy Johnson needs a fresh start. That’s what a broken heart and forgotten dreams can do to a person. On little more than a whim, she reclaims her grandmother’s old home in quaint Laurel Cove, North Carolina and vows to restore its original charm. When she literally collides with childhood friend, Jack Bowdon, Livy wonders if she’s back for an entirely different reason. Jack can’t believe … can’t believe his childhood crush is back. As the owner of Bowdon’s Supplies, and once again the town’s most eligible bachelor, he offers to help Livy with repairs. Together they embark on the project—and an undeniable whirlwind romance.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. Can they survive the destructive pain of their pasts to discover God’s grace waiting to renovate their hearts?
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We, each of us, have baggage from our pasts that weigh us down. In this story, the two main characters each think they have dealt with their past, but it seems like the past keeps popping up. All they want to do is move forward with their lives, but first, they need to resolve their issues.
They also have a sweet connection from when they were younger which helps bond them together.
This story was so sweet and charming. It flowed wonderfully and smoothly. The dialogue was fun and sometimes flirtatious. There were some tense times of passion, but this author worked hard to have her characters stay true to their morals.
I also enjoyed many of the extra characters in this book, they were funny, supportive, and sometimes a bit quirky!
Throughout this story, the author wove beautiful words of God’s forgiveness, grace, and acceptance. This makes a book stay longer in my mind.
Teresa Tysinger is a new author for me to read and I look forward to reading more of her books. She is gifted and her story is delightful. I love books where I come away with lessons I can apply to my own life. This story is packed full of life lessons.
I highly recommend you pick this book up!
A fantastic debut novel! I am not usually that taken by a cover of a book. To me what is important is the story and the characters. But this cover caught my eye a long time ago. I can’t even remember if I saw it on Facebook or Goodreads but I KNEW I HAD to read this book. And I am so glad that Teresa Tysinger sent me an advanced copy to read because it was AMAZING. And I’m not just saying that because I got a free early copy. It truly was a wonderful book for many reasons.
I loved the characters. Livy and Jack both have such depth to them. It was great to see them grow and develop throughout the book. And I also loved the small glimpses into their childhood too. I find there are too many novels out there where the characters fall in love for the first time or have never had a truly serious relationship before. And while those stories are good…. This book offers a view of a relationship where the previous relationships have to be overcome in order for the new one to take hold. It was a nice change of pace. I love how the characters grew and how they overcame their pasts.
I’m not going to lie. I loved the romance too. I love Christian Fiction that is clean but still shows what a dating relationship is really like. That things get heated up and passionate. That it shows on the pages of a book that two people can be in love, hot for each other and still make good decisions. I think it is important for young people to read Christian fiction that doesn’t end with a peck and a friendly hug.
Another aspect of this book that was so very well done was Livy’s past relationship. Too often we gloss over the bad things that happen in relationships and we don’t talk about the hard things. I appreciate Tysinger tackling the hard conversation of verbally abusive relationships. I hope that if a woman reads this and realizes it is happening to her that she can find the help she needs.
I also really liked how Tysinger ended this book. I won’t give it away but the reconciliation and forgiveness involved was truly inspiring. I was very encouraged by the ability Livy had to be such a wonderful example.
Jack and Livy feel like old friends now. I loved the setting of the book too. And I hope that Tysinger has a second novel up her sleeve before too long because I need to read more of her writing!
I was given an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest review and all opinions are my own.
This is the first book in the Laurel Cove series by Teresa Tysinger. I was so excited to read this book because it is set in the mountains of North Carolina. I was even more excited when reading in chapter three that the main male character went to North Carolina State University. And then later found out that his degree was in architecture which was what I originally wanted to do but it didn’t work out. I loved the beginning of this book when the two main characters, Livy Johnson and Jack Bowdon, meet or shall I say re-meet because they knew each other as kids. The way Teresa writes that part of the story really made me realize I was going to love the rest. This novel definitely had me wanting to visit Laurel Cove.
“He said that the love they shared flooded into the deep cracks of his grief like grains of sand. That it didn’t stitch the cracks closed, just filled in the wounds so that they were bearable.”
This is the first book by Teresa Tysinger that I have read and it was enjoyable. The book combined raw emotion, heady romance, good friendships, and memorable characters with a distinct theme of grace, forgiveness, and second chance. Anyone who enjoys a good contemporary romance will enjoy this book.
Jack is a swoon-worthy hero, capable, dependable, and straight-forward. Unfortunately he’s been struggling with his ex-wife and the ugly divorce that occurred after her multiple incidences of adultery. He seems incredibly put-together and in control of his relationship with Livy but his inner turmoils and unresolved anger surface in the middle of the book to make him more real.
Livy is an artist who has been crushed by a controlling and degrading boyfriend. She returns to her grandmother’s cottage and hopes to restart her life at a place that holds love and good memories. Their romance is swift but they both have baggage that needs to be sifted through and the plot focuses mainly on the process of their healing from the brokenness.
Jack’s couple friends are fun additions to the plot and definitely help keep the book moving.
I was given a copy of this book from the author/publisher via Celebrate Lit Tour. I was not required to write a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
What a breath of fresh air this story is. Livy is a wonderful character who decides to fix her grandmother’s cottage up. It’s time for a new start for Livy after a relationship that was unhealthy for her ends. When the author described the cottage and all the repairs needed, it made me remember this little shack my husband and I built . We had some land and decided to build a one room cabin . It was hard work, but as it started to come together, I feel in love with the place.
Reading about Livy bringing life back to her grandmothers place was a sweet way to honor someone she loved. I liked how she came back to the little town and seemed to fit in right away. What I really liked abut this story was the vulnerability that Livy exhibited and how she needed to get past hurtful words her ex-boyfriend had said to her. It’s hard to believe in yourself when you continuously are belittled.
Jack is a welcome addition to this story that brings hope for happiness in his and Livy’s life. Jack has been deeply hurt by his ex-wife and has had a hard time trusting anyone. I liked how Jack and Livy seemed to hit it off and become comfortable with each other. The story brings up a great subject about forgiveness. Can Jack forgive his ex-wife? Will Livy be able to allow God to show her how special she is? The story is very well written and brings two people face to face with hindrances that have kept them from letting go of the past. I loved the part in the story when Owen tells Jack,”Unresolved anger and resentment can eat away at your spirit without you even knowing it. Then it becomes a big problem.”
Jack and Livy each will face what has hurt them and make a decision that could set them free from bitterness, rejection and anger. Can they let go and allow God to show them grace and experience what forgiveness is? The ending is very emotional and I felt tears steam down my face. The story allows readers to feel the emotions of freedom when you allow God to embrace you with open arms. Thank you for a story that is filled with a love that sets us free from our past mistakes.
I received a cop of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Sweet romance novel with drama and suspense mixed in. The story went straight to the good stuff but kind of lingered in the middle with a little back and forth drama before hitting you full force with the drama and suspense at the end of the book. Can’t wait to see what else this author will come up with.