She ran from a past that defined her. He ran from a secret that could destroy her. Thirteen years later, they run into each other… When Claire Cunningham was five years old, she was taken. She’s spent the rest of her life running… from her past, from her pain, from that day. Fate brings Claire back to her tiny hometown of Clover Creek, Texas to care for her gram. The minute she runs into her … her gram. The minute she runs into her old high school sweetheart, Claire realizes some old flames never burn out. The man in front of her is very different from the boy who walked away from her thirteen years ago. Being with Jayce Sterling again would be so easy, so right.
There’s just one thing holding her back-a secret she’d rather keep hidden from the judgmental eyes of a small town. Soon, she’ll find out she’s not the only one with secrets. Jayce has one too, and this one could cost him everything.
Book One of three in the Sweet Southern Heat Series. May be read as a standalone.*
more
Claire and Jayce grabbed my heart and didn’t let go. This is a fast-paced, page-turner. I thoroughly enjoyed their story
This story grabbed me from the first page. Claire is sick with worry but the author’s description of the situation had me laughing! This story has its ups and downs of emotion, but its a great second chance romance! The characters are believable and are people that you’d love to know, as well as Clover Creek, the community where most of the story takes place. Jayce’s best friend is so much fun! I loved their banter! But I really enjoyed the reconnecting of Jayce & Claire!
The author also tastefully includes family members with a disease that is effecting more and more families: Dementia. So much to learn from the interaction within this story line.
This is well written with a dual POV and I’m excited that it’s Book 1 of Sweet Southern Heat Series because that means there’s more to come!
I loved this book so much! Claire and Jayce had been high school sweethearts and then Jayce leaves town without a word to Claire. Years later circumstances bring them together again and sparks still fly between them. What will happen when they finally face the past? I especially enjoyed the banter and dynamic between Claire and Jayce. A terrific second chance romance and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Holy smokes, I fell hard!
This story is an absolute necessity for anyone!
Seriously, get it!
If I am wrong I’d eat my hat
He ran. He couldn’t handle he weight of the truth he carried, the pain it would cause the person he held closest to his heart. She ran. She couldn’t handle the devastating loss of control, her mother, loosing him, it was all too much. He thrived. She survived. Neither healed. Now their back facing all of the lies and pain, the truth and consequences. This is a book about two that face all of the past demons to find their forever. The guilt and neglect and all that the 13 years allowed to fester. It’s a great read from an author that is new to me. The characters are naturally drawn together and the healing is so complete that you feel it. It’s an emotional read that will tug at your heartstrings. It’s got some steam that doesn’t take over the story yet leaves you with a smile. This standalone read is a great lead into the series with characters that carry over into the other books.
When your heart gets broken by not only one man but two, can you love and trust again?
Claire is headed home, where it all started. Maybe, just maybe it will all work out.
Jayce is going home, for his family. What he never expected was to see Claire again.
Can two hearts heal, can they get past the hurt and lies?
If you haven’t read Delaney Foster yet, what are you waiting for? Her characters are amazing with an equally amazing storyline that will keep you turning pages till the very end!
4.5 Cranky Stars
The minute I found out Delaney Foster had a new book out I was sold! She writes such sexy alpha heroes with big hearts and feisty women who love them. Sterling didn’t disappoint. Jayce Sterling and Claire Cunningham have loved each other since he slid a ring made of clovers on her finger in elementary school. Not even time and distance could ever dampen that love even if there was a huge secret between them.
Claire escaped her tiny town the minute she could. She did a little bit of everything but landed on being a teacher. Her ex husband broke her heart and she just needed to heal. When she found out about her Gram, she set foot back in the one place she vowed to never stay long at again. While visiting her parents one night to let them know she was in town she opens their door to Jayce and sparks fly. She’s angry and hurt still 13 years later but she can’t help the pull to him. Over the course of her stay they reconnect and mend old hurts. Truths are told and Claire learns that home isn’t so bad after all.
Jayce Sterling is a well-known jewelry designer. He sinks himself into his work because it’s not like he has anyone at home waiting on him. He has always loved Claire, yet he fled when things got tough. He prides himself on his fancy company and his penthouse apartment. When he receives news about his father he heads back home. He knows that he has squandered his time with his father over his own stupid lies. When he pulls up to the Cunningham house, he isn’t expecting his past to be there. He sets out to win her over and tell her the truth hoping it doesn’t destroy them in the end.
Jayce and Claire will make you swoon, but boy will they make you fan yourself. Delaney always gives us a blend of both worlds in her books. I get why her mom was the way she was toward Claire but man I felt Claire’s pain. Her ex husband can go play in traffic he’s a douche canoe. Jayce has this giant heart underneath all his dominate male. I related to Claire with seeing someone you love tackle such a scary disease. My great aunt had it and so did my grandfather so that part really touched home for me. So welcome back Delaney Foster!! I can’t wait to read Kane!!
Absolutely loved this Second Chance Romance!
Secrets made Jayce walk away from Claire 13 years ago. Now all these years later they are thrown together by unfortunate circumstances and he will not let he go again.
Sterling is very well written with amazing characters and a great, page-turning story line. I loved Jace & Claire!
WOW! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED, LOVED, LOVED THIS BOOK! I was in love before I finished the Prologue. Claire is so sweet and beautiful but also strong. Sterling is strong and smart and gorgeous. When Claire come home for her Gram who has Dementia it brought me to tears. More than once. The characters are so believable. Gram reminded me of my grandma. But instead of cooking together we used to sing and dance. This story made me feel and remember things I haven’t felt or thought about for a long time. Sterling and Claire are like peanut butter and jelly, they are meant to be together. The way they talked and teased each other had me laughing. It was fun. When I got to the end I stared shaking my Kindle hoping more story would come out. I didn’t want it to end. I need more. I want to more about Claire and Sterling’s hea. I EXTREMELY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO EVERYONE! Delaney, you hit it out of the park. Welcome back girl friend, we missed you.
4 stars
There’s a lot to like about Sterling by Delaney Foster. The storyline was a little underdeveloped for me, (as the two main characters mainly reconnect by chance but apparently carried a torch for each other for over a decade) but they were great characters. I especially loved the author’s depiction of the characters relationship with their aging parents and grandparents. Added bonus, there’s a super yummy recipe in the book!
AnnMarie – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
This story was great! Jayce and Claire have history together. They both have also been running from something for years, but when they meet it’s clear that they haven’t outrun their feelings for one another.
I loved these two so much! Delaney Foster does fantastic work of bringing their story and them to life through her writing that I felt every emotion right along with them. It was heartbreaking to see how they had been torn apart and watching them struggle to get back to each other. Still, I cheered them on every step of the way.
This was my first book by Delaney Foster and what a introduction! I’m a huge fan of second chance romances and being lost in an ocean of feels. Sterling was that and more. It’s a heart achingly, beautiful romance about second chances and moving forward that I couldn’t put down. I’m
I loved this tale of a second chance love. Claire and Jayce both have things they ran away from, but situations brought them both back home, causing their paths to cross. The events and characters were relatable, even delving into dementia, how it affects the individual, and their loved ones around them.
There were some giggle worthy moments, as well as the longing these two characters felt. I certainly fell in love with them, hoping things work out, all while falling in love with their small town. I hope we get to see more of them, and learn more about Clover Creek.
Oh my…I absolutely loved this book, this story, these characters! This story is well written and gives you a look at a small town with it’s quaintness and people, nosey one’s too as well as the families of two children who grew up together, fell in love and lost each other due to a secret that the boy couldn’t have come to light because of the girl he loved. Now they are grown, living their own lives away from that small town until family emergencies bring them both back to where everything started; where they started. Can they find that love they once had all those years ago?
I loved Claire and Sterling and their story. I even loved how he thought to protect her by keeping a secret that probably would have kept them together if he would have told her upfront, yet managed to keep them apart for years. Now here they are, face to face, both harboring the feelings for each other that they never let go of. Will Claire’s broken heart be mended by the handsome man she knew as a boy? Will Sterling finally reveal the real reason he took off after graduation, never to return again? And will Claire finally stand up to her ridged mother??? Yea, she was a real peach!
A beautiful story with some very heartwarming as well as heartbreaking moments, this story will captivate you and bring you right along with Claire and Sterling as they try to rekindle what once was, all while trying to take care of their ailing family members. I absolutely loved this book and cannot recommend it highly enough! 10 stars for this 5 star read!
What a Wonderful Storyline. The author did an amazing job with Sterling. The storyline is touching, heartwarming and so believable. I don’t know the author but from this story I have to believe she has lived through a part of the events that unfold in this story. I don’t do spoilers so at this point all I can say is, there is no way the events, maybe not all of them but some of them, won’t touch your soul and cause you to remember a time in your life or perhaps a time you are currently living through. Cryptic I know but once you read this amazing book you will totally understand my comments and yes I have lived through many of them myself.
Young and dumb fearing the truth will destroy Claire, the woman he loved then and still loves to this day (14 years later), Sterling runs from his small hometown to hold onto a secret that he feels if it gets out it will destroy Claire. But in his wake he left a devastated young woman who struggles to this day. Both desperately looking for happiness but knowing their hearts will never get past their first love. When events in both their lives bring them back to their hometown, what happens when they have to face the past and each other, absolutely took my breath away. My emotions took a heck of a ride through this heartbreaking, heartwarming, fun, romantic storyline. I Highly Recommend grabbing this one up, curing up on the couch and simply enjoying. You won’t be sorry you did. 2 Thumbs Up and 5 Outstanding stars for Sterling.
Loved every word of this delightful, steamy 2nd chance romance. Watching 2 people try to understand what happened then and try again now has always been one of my favorites and this one certainly gave me all the feels!!
Slow burn passionate second chance romance – I loved it
Delaney Foster is a new to me author and straight out of the gate the humour drew me in; I knew I was going to love this book! Second chance romances are a favourite of mine and I was completely into this reasonably quick and easy read. For me, Sterling was a slow burn, but the passion between Claire and Jayce was high as they rediscovered their love.
In fact, I loved everything it. It encompassed the reason I love the small town trope. It’s the character of the people surrounding our lovers, their quirky motivations, the closeness of the inhabitants whether it’s a good or a bad thing, and the way that a town almost breathes with a life of it’s own. I write this with Mrs Abraham and her B&B in mind.
Sterling is also a book that speaks of life’s lessons if you care to listen. It shows that forgiveness gives back to the person who was wronged and that running away from problems can punish the wrong people. It also tells of the sneaky way that dementia can steal loved ones away from not only their families, but themselves. Some of the most beautiful of life’s words that I have read in a long time are between the pages of this book, so I can honestly say I’ll be looking to read more from Delaney Foster in the future.
It’s also the type of book to read when you are looking for a slice of heaven on a dreary day, or for a light read among the dark. I’ve heard lovers of dark reads say that it is necessary to lighten the mind at times, and this book is most definitely one I would recommend. 4.5 stars for all of the love and all of the feels.
Sterling is a second chance romance. I loved Claire and Jayce and how they try to figure out what went wrong, and then to move on and try again. It gave me all the feels. I loved the dynamic between these two. It’s a must read.
Sterling was sooo good!!!!! Delaney Foster did an amazing job with this book!!!! I absolutely loved it!!!!
Avoiding Clover Creek was where Claire avoided, her parents and her past were there, where Jayce Sterling left her with no explanation. A call from her mother has her heading back, leaving her parents she didn’t expect to see Jayce at their door looking as sexy as he ever was.
Seeing Jayce at the B & B she knew she still wanted him, arriving at her grandmother’s she noticed things weren’t the same, her Gram had let things go. Spending time with her Gram, Claire forgot why she left Clover Creek, and seeing Jayce fixing the fence shirtless didn’t help.
When Claire showed up to dinner, they have some small talk she wants to know about his company, she’d kept up with him, thinking he’d moved on to something better, it was time to let her know. When he tells her everything, he’s ever done was for her she runs.
Claire knows she can’t loose herself with Jayce again he left her, she wouldn’t survive again, and she pushes him away, there both leaving again, but he says he doesn’t want anyone else, or anyone else to have her, nothing can stop them from happening it’s that simple, but can she believe him.
Finally hearing why Jayce left, why he thought he ruined her life, she knows they could have talked about it then, but he wouldn’t have made something with his life, they wouldn’t be who they are now.
“Not all secrets are kept to hurt people, Claire Bear. Sometimes we keep secrets out of love.” – Gram
Is her Gram right, can they have a second chance, can she let go of the past.