Abby Callier is more in love with Shakespearean heroes than any real man, and she’s beginning to wonder if there is life for her outside the pages of a book. It doesn’t help that her esteemed parents tend to view her as they would one of their science experiments gone wrong. On the eve of finishing her dissertation, she escapes her staid existence to live in the house she inherited from her Great … Great Aunt Evie in the small town of Echo Springs, Colorado. Because, let’s face it, when a woman starts comparing her life to horror films, it might be time for a break.
Sheriff Nate Barnes believes in law and order and carefully building the life you want. In his spare time, he has been remodeling his house in the hope that one day it will be filled with the family he makes. But Nate doesn’t like drama or complications and tends to avoid them at all costs. And yet, when Miss Abigail Callier, his newest neighbor, beans him with a nine iron, he can’t help but wonder if she might just be the complication he’s been searching for all along. It doesn’t hurt that he’s discovered a journal hidden away by the previous tenant, and decides to use Old Man Turner’s advice to romance Abby into his life.
Abby never expected her next-door neighbor, the newly dubbed Sheriff Stud Muffin, to be just the distraction her world needed. The problem is she doesn’t know whether she should make Echo Springs her home, or if this town is just a stopover point in her life’s trajectory. And she doesn’t want to tell Nate that she might not be sticking around – even though she should, because it’s the right thing to do, the honest thing – because then all the scintillatingly hot kisses with the Sheriff will come to an abrupt halt. Did she mention that he’s a really great kisser?
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An entertaining read but it needs a good edit. There was a lot of inner repetitive thoughts by Abby so much so that I skipped those parts. I was also getting frustrated with Abby and her heart warring with her head. She was constantly comparing how at home she felt in Echo Springs, the close friendships she had with the residents, the off the charts fiery connection she felt for Nate with the parental expected move to a city college and the academic environment which she was not happy with. What Nate says encapsulates what she should really be considering.
“ Because what I’m gleaning from Turner’s story is that you have to grab joy and life by the throat. Not to waste time over trivialities and things that don’t matter.”
The doll zombie references were funny at first but their repeated, sometimes unnecessary, occurrence became too much. I liked the journal story that ties into Abby and Nate’s romance. Looking forward to reading about Nate’s friends’ stories.
I received a free copy from Booksprout. This review was posted voluntarily.
Abby Callier was a young woman working on her PhD, a disappointment to her parents whose interest was in academics more than the healthy growth and development of their children and in forcing Abby to comply with their own wishes. Abby was well aware of disappointing them, being the black sheep of the family who didn’t do exactly what they expected of her. She had more of a relationship with her Great-Aunt Evie who encouraged her dreams and with whom she corresponded until Evie died and Abby inherited her house.
In the hope for self-examination and finding the real her and what she wants from life, Abby moved from New York into Aunt Evie’s completely furnished home – now hers — in Echo Springs, Colorado. In a humorous scene, she heard someone downstairs, grabbed a nine iron, and went after a man she thought was a burglar. It turned out to be her new neighbor, Sheriff Nate Barnes who had similarly thought that someone was breaking into the empty house he had been watching out for. This was the start of something positive in both their lives, the chemistry between them quite palpable! Will it last? She has to decide about her future and what she intends to do with her life. What if she decides the best thing is to leave here, to leave Nate?
This was a very intriguing story that had another story running parallel from an old journal, where the writer also needs to make a decision about the future. It gives the reader something to think about as mental comparisons are made. Great story line and wonderful characters will make this a worthwhile book to look into. Grab a copy and find out!
The first book in a new series called Echo Springs and I know I want to read the next book. The story happens in Echo Springs, Colorado and is Abby Callier and Sheriff Nate Barnes’ story this story makes you feel like you are there watching it unfold. I enjoyed reading. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What more could a gal want? A handsome puppy dog and a sometimes sweet Sheriff just might be the solution Abby never really knew she was looking for.
After losing her Aunt, Abby is looking forward to a different life. Finishing her doctorate is a priority. Her new work st the local community college will be a little less than she needs to keep busy once her work is done.
The hound and the hunk might be trouble- or they could prove more trouble than they are worth.
Charming KU romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The characters are a bit older but so good.
This was a beautiful love story and Nate and Abby were fantastic characters. Abby has come to town clean out her great aunt Evie’s home and settle her estate and the first night there she has a run-in with the local sheriff. Some really good heat to this one too now the only question is will Abby leave or stay? The last chapter was so good high marks for this gem. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.
Echo Springs…
This is the first time I have a read a book by this author. Well, that’s not exactly true. I have read several books written under another pen name. I enjoyed the story-line, characters and the running joke about the dolls was priceless. So, why am I only giving it 4 stars instead of 5? That would be because I was able to lay the story down for long periods of time. If not for that fact, this would have been a 5 star. I hope we make several more trips to Echo Springs. There are several secondary characters that need a HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
And a Half
Well, well, well Maggie Mae Gallagher has taken me by surprise with this fantastic book! I absolutely loved “The Fixer Upper” from page 1. Abby is an incredible woman, she’s smart, sassy and quirky. After trying to live up to her parents expectations she makes the decision to forge her own path and do what she wants to do not what is expected of her. She inherits a beautiful house from her favorite aunt and decides to move across the country and teach. Living next door is Nate a.k.a Sheriff Stud Muffin, he is handsome, charming and caring. Moving back to his hometown after a stint in the city he buys a house and takes on the renovation project. He is fiercely strong, sexy and loyal. While renovating he comes across a journal belonging to the previous owner and discovers he had a secret relationship with Abby’s aunt. After their first encounter involving a golf club, the sparks fly between Nate and Abby and things start to get hot and heavy. By far the scene stealer of the book is Rufus the great dane who loves both his owner Nate and Abby in equal measure. One of the best parts of the book is reading Evie and Bill’s love story. This book is a wonderful read and highly recommend you add it to your TBR list. (I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review).
I’ve been anticipating this book for some time now and was quite pleased with the outcome. This is the first book I’ve read listed under Maggie Mae Gallagher and the first book to the series “Echo Springs.” The two main characters are Abby and Nate who become new neighbors. The chemistry, camaraderie, and sense of humor will pull you in all the while the plot flows through keeping you engrossed with the story. Now I have to say there are several side characters that only add to this story but my favorite has to be Nate’s Great Dane who somehow has a tendency to steal the show. What a wonderful introduction to what appears to be the beginnings of an entertaining series. Congratulations! I received a copy of this book from Booksprout and this is my honest, voluntary review.
LOVED!! Abby & Nate both feel like something is missing from their lives and when they find themselves living next door to each other, it seems as though they’ve found it! I loved how HOT their chemistry was, and those love scenes….WHEW! So steamy. I enjoyed that there was very little drama and that they were able to find their HEA.
Engaging romance
Maggie Mae Gallagher’s The Fixer Upper the first book in her Echo Springs series was an enjoyable read. The pacing of Nate and Abby’s story using the diary excerpts was an interesting twist. I thought the chemistry between them gave the story some steamy moments. There was a small underlying mystery, just enough to keep the reader curious. I look forward to reading more books in the Echo Springs series.
I received an advance reader copy via Booksprout.
Abby is in an stale academic life rut. She inherits her Aunts house and sees a way to escape. Local sheriff Jake has nears about his new neighbor from her aunt but never knew how amazing she is. The two try to start something but his job and her goals are making it hard. This is an awesome book that really keeps the readers interest.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved this one. It was entertaining, and full of great characters. Abby and Nate made quite the pair. Their first meeting was one of my favorite moments, but I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow throughout the book. I laughed and cried. Rufus was amazing. I adored how Gallagher added in a love story from the past, and tied it to Abby and Nate’s story. It was just really well done. If you are looking for a little extra encouragement to step outside of your comfort zone, I recommend this book. It shows that sometimes, it’s worth taking a risk.
The author is great at her sexual scenes and describing little nuances that make the book more easy to relate to and enjoyable for me personally. The book follows Nate who is the sheriff of Echo Springs and his new neighbor Abby Collier, who lives in her aunt Evie’s house following Evie’s death, to work on finalizing her PhD. The relationship between Nate and Abby blooms over time, and gets interesting at times to say the least. The other characters are also entertaining and I hope there are further books that go though some of there lives too.
**Spoilers**
Abby drove me nuts at times through this book. She starts off saying she will not get involved with Nate, and then she winds up in bed with him several times. She talks about how scorching her times with him are and how she doesn’t want to give it up, but she has no plans to stay. I get she has other colleges that wanted her post PhD, but wouldn’t that have been like going back with her parents? She constantly said she had never been happier and her relationship with Nate is what she had always dreamed of finding. If you found what you were really looking for the rest of your life and you are the happiest ever, and if you really wanted to just be accepted for who you are, and you have that, why did you feel you have to leave it at any point in time? If you have found everything you ever wanted and could have it, I would take it in a heartbeat. In fact I did. I grew up in a big city too, I had jobs I turned down because I thought that is where I was supposed to want to be, I am not in that city anymore because I found it doesn’t matter if I am in the biggest city or the smallest town, I belong with my husband for life and the rest just worked itself out. Ryan, my husband is like Nate. He grew up on the outskirts of town in Canada, loves the wilderness and hockey, and he is currently a cop, which scares the daylights out of me. But he and my boys are the best and most important things I will ever have, jobs and cities be damned. This city girl will live in the wild with no towns for miles around as long as they are there with me. I wish Abby would have followed her heart more early on, and stopped letting her brain try to ruin everything for her. She could have saved both her and Nate some heartache, although thinking his sister was a bimbo he moved on with was pretty funny. Overall, I am happy she went with he heart in the end. ESCC is where she belonged from the start, and it is in Nate’s arms that she belongs for the rest of he life, and I know they will be happy for a long time as long as they both continue to follow their hearts and help each other through any and every hard time that they encounter.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Happiness When You Least Expect It
A fantastic new book entitled, “The Fixer Upper by Maggie Mae Gallagher,” who is a splendid author with entertaining and excellent writing skills.
This author is a great writer that takes you on a fabulous journey as you read it. The connection to the characters was spontaneous, and I loved every minute of the read.
Miss Abigail Callier refuses to have the life her stuck up parents want her to have which of course is to be like them. They were furious with her when she changed her boring major to what she liked literature.
Now she needs to buckle down and get her dissertation wrote, but first, she needs change. Not realizing how big a leap this change was going to take her. When she leaves New York she decides to go to Echo Springs, Colorado and to the inherited house her Great Aunt Evie left to her. Evie knew Abby was the only one her family who would appreciate the house.
Abby never thought about having a next-door neighbor that would be friendly having never lived in a small town before only fast-paced, crowded, busy New York so neighbors never really ended her mind until she got one.
As a way of introduction, Abby takes a nine iron to the would-be burglar she thought was breaking in. It turns out to not only be her next-door neighbor but the new town Sheriff Nate Barnes who was watching Evie’s house for her since she died until the owner came to claim it or it sold.
This book is hilarious! As I said before, I loved every minute of the read. I laughed so hard. Plus there is real burglaries, suspense, mystery, romance, and it is full of drama.
Echo Springs Community College is where Abby is working as the new professor while she finishes her dissertation.
Between the two is instant chemistry but will it be enough to make her want to stay. That was what she had planned. The main thing is she tried to find a place that would make her happy. Sometimes happiness can be right in front of us but takes forever to see it. Can the two of them make this work? You will have to grab the book to find out just as I did. Just a hint though…
It will be torture waiting until she releases her next book. Thank you so much, Maggie Mae Gallagher, for such an excellent book you pulled me right in.
I received a free copy of this book. This honest review was posted voluntarily.
What a beautiful love story. Nate and Abby, two unlikely people that meet and feel the instant attraction between them. This book was so well written. I cried. I laughed. I fell in love with them. The author has a way of describing the surroundings, the people, the town. The story made you want to be in Echo Springs, Colorado. The book had a bit of mystery in it as a
side path that blended nicely with the story. There were romantic, almost crash and burn lovemaking scenes, but they were tasteful. I loved this book. I will definitely read more of this author’s books!
This book was delightful from start to finish. The story of Abby and Nate is romantic and full of love and friendship, but also witty and hilarious. It’s a fun, easy read that explores what’s really important in life. I loved the story in the journal that Nate finds and the way it unfolds throughout the book. I loved Abby’s character and her sense of humor as well as her loving nature that really shines through her relationship with the dog. The supporting characters were also well-developed with unique personalities that really brought the story to life. I highly recommend this book.
4.5 Stars
I enjoyed this one start to finish. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I can tell you it won’t be the last. I loved the humor in this book. I was chuckling a lot especially with Nate’s dog. He was quite the character. Nate and Abby had me invested in their story right from the start. I just loved Abby. She doesn’t fit the mold her family has for her and she’s finding her self confidence to follow her heart. That’s one of my favorite things about this book watching Abby blossom. The mystery revolving around the break ins was also an intriguing part of the book. Trying to figure out who is behind it. I also loved the small town setting a lot. It created a pretty picture in my head. One of my other favorite parts is the journal and the little tid bits of advice before each chapter. I would highly recommend this one. I can tell you I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!
This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me. There were some parts I loved. Rufus. The ongoing joke about the dolls. The secondary characters. Both Nate and Abby were likable. The sex was hot. There was no OW or OM drama, and the ending was satisfying (albeit rushed).
However, I felt the entire book needed a good edit. There was way too many repetitive inner thoughts from both Abby and Nate. The whole side story line with the journal felt forced and unnecessary, and there was too much telling instead of showing. These things bogged down the story and made it a slog to get through at times.
That said, I was intrigued by the secondary characters enough to give the next book a chance.
This is a great book by Maggie Mae Gallagher. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved Nate and Abby. Abby had inherited her Great aunts house and Nate is the sheriff who happens to live next door. The chemistry between the two is off the charts. There’s mystery, suspense, drama, humor, passion and romance. Add in Nate’s lovable dog and his dialogues with his dog that make this book truly amazing to read! I highly recommend this book and that you grab your copy today and see if they get their HEA!!! I will definitely be looking for more from this author!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This couple is in my top 10 all-time couples. Yes, top 10. Jordan and Noah (Shadow Dance-Julie Garwood), Eve and Roarke, Jack and Cathy Ryan (Tom Clancy), Wolf MacKenzie/Mary Elizabeth (MacKenzie’s Mountain-Linda Howard), Drea/Simon (Death Angel by Linda Howard), Jaine/Sam (Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard), Raine/Zack (Sizzle & Burn-Jayne Ann Krentz) and Fallon/Isabella (In To Deep, Linda Howard) and now Abby and Nate. As you can tell, my favorite couples are from older books and I’m proud of that. I read a lot of books and let me tell you, I fall in and out of love with couples, but the list above and now Abby and Nate have stayed with me and have captured a piece of my heart that I can never get back.
I’ve enjoyed read Ms. Gallagher under her erotic name so when I was approached to read the first book in a new series under her contemporary name, I jumped on board. There is something about this book that just resounded with me. I connected with Abby on a scale that I haven’t done in a long time. I completely understood why she decided to rebel against her parents. Families can be tricky and I have a weird relationship with my own mother, so I can see why she was so close to her Great Aunt Evie. She accepted Abby for who and what she was as a person. She encouraged her to break free and to let her know that it was okay to do that. I had a grandmother like Great Aunt Evie. I miss her still.
Nate is a trip. Literally a trip. And Rufus, his dog. Oh my…the scene where everyone is spooning every one. I giggled out loud at the pool. There were so many parts of this book that had me giggling. Nate and Abby were born to be a couple. Both had their flaws but they complimented each other, too. Abby at a crossroads when it came to the rest of her life and Nate finally realizing what was missing from his. Will they make it? You need to read it and find out.
The secondary characters are top-notch. We get to know Evie and Old Man Turner through his journal and it was beautiful, if not heartbreaking at times. I loved how Ms. Gallagher weaved their romance into Abby and Nate’s. It made their relationship that much richer and truer. In fact, I believe in the Fates and they were meant to be together. I think that’s why Evie willed her house to Abby in the first place.
Nate’s friends are a hoot. I can’t wait to read their stories. And the girls that were in the book are the perfect matches for these guys. Oh yes, Abby’s new friends take no prisoners when it comes to men. They don’t put up with a lot and give Abby some great advice when it comes to Nate. I can’t wait to see how it all plays out in Echo Springs. There is so much more to that town then what I’ve only read. The break-ins were spot on and when the culprit is caught, I wasn’t shocked. I kinda figured it out but it still stung.
Ms. Gallagher has written one couple that I’m proud to say is in my top 10. Does that mean that I didn’t like all the other couples that I have read? Absolutely not. On an elemental level, I just connected with Abby and Nate. Their relationship is funny, sexy, emotional and just spot on realistic. Plus, the dolls. Yes, I would be creeped out, too. She has got to get rid of them. Yikes!