Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter

Honeysuckle Dreams: After Brady Collins’ ex-wife dies, he receives devastating news—his nine-month-old son Sam isn’t his son at all. And Sam’s wealthy maternal grandparents want custody of the child. Brady knows he’s in for the fight of his life. But regardless of what any blood test says, Sam is his son, and Brady will go to any lengths to keep him.

Brady’s attorney tips him off that one major life change would virtually assure him of winning guardianship of baby Sam at the final hearing: an impending marriage. And his friend Hope is willing to step in as the loving and devoted fiance.

Local radio celebrity Hope Daniels has been driven by a solitary goal her entire life, and after a happy accident she’s finally offered her dream job. But if the truth comes out about her arrangement with Brady, she may miss the chance of a lifetime and stand in the way of a dear friend’s dreams.

As Brady and Hope make sacrifices to help each other in their times of need, they risk uncovering a truth neither of them expects to find.

Heidi here. I loved the premise of this story: Brady Collins needs a wife to secure custody of his baby boy, Hope Daniels never wants to fall in love again so a ready-made family sounds like a dream.

This was such a quick read, and I think it was my favorite Denise Hunter novel thus far! The characters were multi-dimensional and flawed. There was great conflict, which ebbed and flowed well. There were several conflict-inducing secondary characters. Such a fun page turner ~ highly recommend Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter!

Blue Ridge Sunrise by Denise Hunter

Blue Ridge Sunrise: When Zoe returns home with her daughter and boyfriend Kyle, she finds that she's the only person in town who doesn't expect her to give up the life she's established far away from Copper Creek. Everyone believes she was born to run the orchard, but how can she make it her home after so many years?
Cruz Huntley never quite got over his first love, Zoe Collins, the little sister of his best friend Brady. Not when she cheated on him during their "break," not when she took off to parts unknown with good-for-nothing Kyle Jenkins, and not even now--five years later.
As life-changing decisions and a history with Cruz hang over Zoe's head, tensions rise between her and Kyle. Even as she comes to terms with the shifting relationships in her life, Zoe still isn't sure if she can remain in Copper Creek with her new responsibilities . . . and her first love.

Heidi here. Blue Ridge Sunrise by Denise Hunter is fabulous. The novel starts with the amazing premise of Zoe returning home for a funeral and reading of the will, only to discover that maybe she isn't ready to leave Copper Creek for good.

The backstory is deep and wide, allowing the author to explore deep feelings and hurts. The plot is fast-paced and the characters three-dimensional. Blue Ridge Sunrise was a quick and fun read!

Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter

Sweetbriar Cottage: When Noah and Josephine Mitchell discover their divorce was never actually finalized, their lives are turned upside down.

Following his divorce, Noah gave up his dream job, settling at a remote horse ranch in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia, putting much-needed distance between himself and the former love of his life. But then Noah gets a letter from the IRS claiming he and Josephine are still married. When he confronts Josephine for the first time in months, they discover that she missed the final step in filing the paperwork and they are, in fact, still married.

Josephine is no happier about the news than Noah. Maybe the failed marriage--and okay, the botched divorce--was her fault, but her heart was shattered right alongside his, more than he would ever believe. The sooner they put this marriage behind them, the better for both of their sakes.

But when Josephine delivers the final paperwork to his ranch, the two become stranded in his cottage during the worst spring snowstorm in a decade. Being trapped with Josephine is a test of Noah's endurance. He wrestles with resentment and an unmistakable pull to his wife--still beautiful, still brave, and still more intriguing than any woman he's ever known.

As they find themselves confronted with each other and their shared past, old wounds surface and tempers flare. But when they are forced out into the storm, they must rely on each other in a way they never have before. Josephine finally opens up about her tragic past, and Noah realizes she's never been loved unconditionally by anyone--including him. Will Noah accept the challenge to pursue Josephine's heart? And can she finally find the courage to trust Noah?

Heidi here. This was yet another absolutely wonderful book by Denise Hunter! The majority of the book happens in the span of a few days, yet Denise masterfully makes Sweetbriar Cottage a riveting read as she plays into the characters deep emotions and feelings for each other. The romance illustrated on the page is sweet and deep.

Even though Josephine could be an unlikable and unrelatable character, as she has a sordid past, she is both likable and relatable from page one. That sordid past is integral to not only the events happening, but to her current spiritual life.

Funny story about this novel: I pre-purchased this novel back in March, but chose to read and review the ARC instead because she is such an amazing author and the storyline sounded so intriguing. Let me tell you, it was worth it! So, yes, I did receive this book in exchange for a review, but the thoughts in this review wholeheartedly represent my views and mine alone. Just got my real copy on the release day (June 12, 2017), think I might read Sweetbriar Cottage again!