Sweet Love is a boxset of the first eight books in the USA Today bestselling Long Valley series. This is the SWEET version of these books, meaning that there is very little sex and very little swearing.
Come on down to Long Valley, where the cowboys are real fine… the case is hot. Jennifer doesn’t mind a tough job, but handsome Stetson is trouble. And then came the night she had to spend on the farm. Can she find a way for him to save his farm? And if she can’t, will he ever forgive her?
Blizzard of Love – Luke never expects to end up spending Christmas at the Miller farm. Everyone knows he hates Christmas. But Bonnie adores Christmas, so when her best friend invites her to the Miller farm, she jumps at the chance. When a blizzard hits, sparks fly. Can the magic of mistletoe tear down the barriers between them?
Arrested by Love – When Wyatt Miller ended up in the Long Valley County Jail over Christmas, he never expected to receive the greatest gift of all: Love and forgiveness…from his jailer.
Returning for Love – If Declan could turn back time, the rugged cowboy would do things differently. For one, he would’ve never let go of Iris Blue McLain. Fifteen long and lonely years, and the ache in his heart is as painful as ever. When he sees her again, he can’t deny his feelings any longer, and vows to win the only woman he’s ever loved.
Christmas of Love – This December, Ivy wishes she could just skip all the festivities. Parties? No thanks. Getting together with family? Not even. Mistletoe? Let’s not go there. But everything changes when she meets a rugged cowboy with a slow, sexy smile. Austin’s kiss melts her heart, but can two people with painful secrets have a chance at happily ever after?
Overdue for Love – Dawson was traveling through Long Valley when a stop at a diner revealed a secret he’d never expected: A boy who looked just like him, and an ex-girlfriend who’d been hiding out in the mountains of Idaho…
Stampede of Love – Rex Kingsley’s spent most of his life chasing the dream of riding Bodacious for a full eight seconds…until he met Kimber, and was forced to make a choice between eight seconds of glory, or a love of a lifetime.
Flames of Love – Jaxson’s not interested in love; his priority is caring for his two small boys, and being fire chief of Sawyer. Everything changes the day he catches sight of Sugar. He wants her all to himself – a no-strings arrangement that won’t break what’s left of his heart. But love’s as unpredictable as fire…
***
Sweet Love is a bundle of the first eight novels in the Long Valley world. These stories have very little sex or swearing in them. The sweet versions cannot be found elsewhere; they are only available in this bundle, not as individual books. Enjoy!
more
I loved this book, especially the letters written between the the two main characters. The H was very arrogant in the beginning and made a quick change once he realized who wrote the letters. Still enjoyable, though.
I have previously read and reviewed all the books in this boxset, each one of which is well-written, deals with real-life issues and love wins the day.
Accounting for Love: A delightful story, the plot draws the reader into the life and emotions of Stetson and Jennifer from the opening page, where the electricity is off the charts and the story is laced with humour. One experiences Stetson’s deep frustration and his feelings of lack of worth, as well as Jennifer’s nervousness at being in a hostile situation whilst trying to please everyone. There are laugh-aloud moments and some situations generate anger at the unfairness of the accusations being leveled. I especially laughed at the closing paragraphs and thoroughly enjoyed Stetson’s boyishness. The story would have been incomplete without Carmelita, who played an integral role.
Blizzard of Love: is a novelette, and can be read in an evening. Despite its length, however, it is a well written entertaining read. Luke and Bonnie’s initial meeting is hilarious and a real ice breaker, snow and ice being the defining factor of this book. The connection between them is palpable in the fishbowl setting with three other people present. When a storm downs the electricity, the small group of people are forced to share a room to preserve heat and candlelight. Luke is so certain that he will never marry and certainly not to a city dweller and makes his feelings clear. Disappointed, Bonnie accepts his verdict and when the snow clears, leaves the farm with a heavy heart.
Arrested by Love: Wyatt is a hurting man, and like any dangerous animal, he settles differences with his fists and asks questions later. In a small town run by authoritarians who have no liking for him, Wyatt is an outcast and unpopular. It took me time to warm up to him as a hero, but as he is brought to a place where he has nothing else to do other than think about how he reached that state of affairs, he starts to acknowledge that perhaps there are other ways to deal with conflict. Abby is the police officer who is assigned to keep watch over him whilst incarcerated, and although she is cautious, she is also fair. Unlike her father who cannot view the matter other than with negativity. Abby becomes a light in Wyatt’s life and as one day rolls into the next, they find that they have more in common than they first believed possible. Set against the backdrop of a small town where it is impossible to keep secrets, Wyatt and Abby’s relationship has very little hope of succeeding. However, when destructive forces go too far in trying to make Wyatt look bad, the situation finally begins to turn around. I enjoyed the interaction between Wyatt and Abby and how her kindness towards him is a healing balm to his broken soul, bringing change in its wake.
Returning for Love: A tender second chance romance, Declan and Iris meet again after a number of years of being apart. They now both come with so much baggage that it is a wonder they ever manage to talk to each again after the intervening period. However, the same easy flow of conversation takes them by surprise as they start to reconnect. Unfortunately with all that is unsaid between them, misunderstandings arise, and when it seems that the relationship is getting serious. Iris tries to shut him out. Declan has a disability that he has learned to hide but it comes with a price. Nevertheless, it has taught him how to circumvent the problems in his life by being an all-round nice guy. Fear of being ridiculed and exposed keeps many people from dealing with disorders but we are fortunate that we live in a much kinder world today, as learning disabilities are being diagnosed so much earlier. I enjoyed the gentle humour in this story, the internal conversations that Iris held with herself and the obvious connection between Declan and Iris. I loved Declan’s caring nature and even when he didn’t know how to handle a situation with Iris, he found a way to give her what she needed.
Christmas of Love: On the surface of things, Ivy McLain appears to be a bright, happy and smiling artist, but beneath the mask, she is suffering from the same insecurities she experienced growing up in the small Idaho town. She has hardly been back in town a few hours before running into her nemeses and rubber-banded back into her high school years. Austin Bishop, on the other hand, has had his life torn apart by his parents’ betrayal, which resulted in his fiancé breaking off their engagement. Just when he begins to trust Ivy, he finds that she has been keeping secrets and he experiences her lies of omission as a major betrayal. Ivy and Austin have an undeniable attraction that zaps between them, but due to their brokenness, they both have difficulties fully committing to one another. This story highlights the impact of childhood bullying on a person and the insecurities that it creates. It also shows how in spite of the fear of rejection, that a person can nevertheless grow into a talented adult, especially after they have faced their childhood fears.
Overdue for Love: A delightful second chances love story, this novel touches all the right spots. Born out of betrayal the book speaks of the fires of attraction that burned between Chloe and Dawson although never acted upon, until the fateful night when Chloe’s father drops his bombshell. Anyone who has been betrayed by someone they trusted can identify with the hurt, shock and deep sense of betrayal that Dawson experienced. When Dawson walks into the diner where Chloe is working 9 years later, the arc of attraction between them is once more electric and the reader is drawn into the simmer and then burn that sparks between them. This is a passionate love story, leaving one rooting for the star crossed lovers and trusting for a hopeful outcome.
Bundle of Love: This romance takes one on a roller coaster ride, from laughing oneself silly to feel the depths of the characters’ despair. Adam wears his heart on his sleeve and when it gets broken, he has difficulty in putting his life back together again. His life is also out of control with too much to do and too little time in which to do it. He hits a brainwave – hire a receptionist. Which is just was Kylie needs. She has arrived back in the town she swore never to return to, pregnant and broke. When her mother bullies her out of her funk, she discovers that there is a job opportunity for her. Her biggest surprise comes when she finds she is hired. However, keeping her pregnancy a secret in a small town seems a wise choice, that is until malicious characters do their best to destroy her. And then her baby isn’t a secret anymore, with resulting complications. When her past comes back to haunt her, further complications emerge, and Kylie has a choice to believe the lies or to take hold of her new reality. I loved the characters in this book, the witty banter and the hilarious circumstances they found themselves in.
Lessons in Love: In this heartwarming romance, two awkward people find each other in the most unexpected circumstances. From the viewpoint of storytelling, Ms. Wright has once again pulled the rabbit out of the hat. Both Hannah and Elijah are carrying baggage from the past and despite Elijah’s lack of finesse, he is exactly what Hannah needs to deal with her unresolved issues. On the other hand, Hannah is exactly what Elijah and Brooklyn need to bring healing to their wounded spirits. Living in a small town where everyone knows each other’s business, it isn’t easy to hide. Thus, when the budding romance between the teacher and school janitor becomes public knowledge, they are devastated by the results.
I received free copies of the books in this boxset and this is my honest and voluntary review.