ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE by Marie Force

Publisher:  Berkley
Published:   February 4, 2014
ISBN:  978-0425266762
Genre:   Contemporary Romance
Book format:  Print - ARC
Obtained via:  Publisher
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Gina@loveromancesandmorereviews.com

Three -1/2 hearts

Cameron Murphy is off to Vermont for the job that could make her break her company.  On the edge of not meeting payroll and not so many prospects this job creating a website for a family store could be the ticket she and her friend/business partner, Lucy need.  Before she makes it to Butler, Vermont where the story is located though, one or two mishaps kinda slow things down.  First of all she hits a rather large object in the road just outside town.  The object turns out to be Fred, the town’s moose—and townfolk do love their moose.

With her brand new, just off the lot, mini Copper all be totalled she steps out of the car and into the mud, literally.  But even worse is the surly guy who stops and reluctantly offers to help her out of the mud and into town.  Things look like they are going to go even further downhill when she learns said man is William Abbott, one of the store’s owners sons and he so does not want a website.  And neither do his siblings.  With a majorly bruised face and black eyes Cameron heads off the next morning to do her dog and pony show the morning after before half the Abbott clan.  Things aren’t looking all that friendly, but Cameron soldiers on.

Will Abbott isn’t too happy with his father, Lincoln.  Things at the store are just fine.  They really don’t need some outsider, especially an outsider from New York City, doing a website for their family business.  But Cameron isn’t quite what he expected and it doesn’t take long before her warm and friendly personality start to take hold of his heart. 

But Cameron and Will come from different worlds with different lives.  She loves fast paced New York with its Broadway shows and never ending night life.  Will loves his mountain cabin with hiking trails and great snow sports outside his back door.  Can two such different people open up their hearts to find that all you need is love?

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE is my first Marie Force story and I’m wondering how I could have missed this author.  She creates such memorable characters with realistic issues and concerns.  I felt like I could walk out my door and find Will just up the street.  And her secondary characters are by turns entertaining or heart tugging.  We see well woven glimmers of their stories coming down the line and I can’t wait to read more.

If it were me I’d rethink a bit of the ADD story line or do a bit more research. But having someone with a disability seems to be part of the story line du jour in contemporary romance these days along with someone having someone who died in either Iraq or Afghanistan.  I take nothing away from the pain people feel about those they have lost in those battles—and I myself had a close friend die under friendly fire so I do understand the pain and need to do something to give recognition to those men and women who do so much for us for so little in return.  It would just be nice to read a contemporary romance that doesn’t have those two elements for a change. 

In her intro Ms. Force talks about her own visits and research on Vermont and I have to admit she has me wanting to hop a plane and take a long visit myself.  You can feel the cold, wet snow when the characters venture out and feel the cocooning warmth of the fires in the fireplaces.  I love how she weaves the dogs’ characters into the story as well. 

I’m not sure if the final version will include the short story that is at the end of the ARC but I hope so because it’s a great touch.  We have a conclusion at the end of ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE, but instead of having to wait months (such a bummer when you find such great characters in a story) you get to catch up with Cam and Will in a fun novella.

And now I really do need to pull Ms. Force’s back list because if her other stories are half as good as this one I’ve got some great reading ahead of me.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.