A
Chesapeake Shores Nov, Book Eleven
Harlequin MIRA
Harlequin MIRA
October
1st, 2014
978-0-7783-1662-6
Contemporary Romance
E-ARC
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)
Obtained by Publisher via Netgalley
3.5 hearts
For driven Caitlyn Winters, her life was all mapped out. Sure falling in love with fellow doctor Noah McIlroy but now she is pregnant on top of it all. Caitlyn blames the Christmas bridal bouquet she caught at her cousin Jenny’s wedding a year earlier as the culprit that turned her carefully planned out world into chaos. But Noah is determined to see that Caitlyn sees her pregnancy as a blessing and not the death of her dreams. All she needs is a little help from the O’Briens and maybe, just maybe, Noah will get the wish he wants this Christmas….that Caitlyn will see how much he loves her and their upcoming baby and that dreams can change and grow, especially when the O’Brien’s get their heads together.
I love Ms. Woods’s stories. They always charm me with wonderful mix of characters, a plotline that steals your heart and each book has heart. But my lord I was ready to shake Caitlyn to pieces after one too many passages of why she felt her dreams end with this surprise pregnancy. It took all my strength to not smack her silly for being spoiled, whiny and a bit miserable. I get that her dreams of being a doctor and to help out countries with poor medical needs is the basis of her dreams but life interferes and basically shows you that dreams are fluid and can change. It is a testament to this author’s storytelling that I didn’t toss the book (or my nook) across the floor in disgust over another whine-fest by Caitlyn. I loved how Noah gave her the time she needed even as her O’Brien family tried to force her to do what they thought was best for her. That right there saved the entire book in my opinion. Noah’s unfailing love, support and determination to be there for Caitlyn showed me a stand up guy who knew Caitlyn a bit better than her family did at times. All the characters are well written, flawed yet strong just like humans can be and I loved the way this family meddled in the affairs of family members. Felt just like my own family at times.
I love reading this author’s books for the families she creates and I absolutely loved coming back to the O’Brien’s. The problem I saw was with Caitlyn really. I had a hard time sympathizing with her. Maybe because she seemed so insulated and spent her life under the care of the O’Brien family in one or another that she never had experience with change in her life. It took me quite a while to warm up to her, almost ¾ of the book really until she finally got a clue and I saw the person she was underneath it all. That personality is what I loved about her, not so much her whiny, needy self she was portrayed as having for most of the book. Ms. Woods delivers a story not so much with a Christmas message but more centered around family and dreams. The ending is a bit pat and quite predictable but overall, quite satisfying. What I want to know is what is going on with Caitlyn’s twin sister, Carrie as that sub-plot left me hanging to know more.
If you enjoy a family centered storyline then make sure to pick up a Chesapeake Shores novel. All the books are stand alone but I recommend reading them in order to get the full O’Brien effect. Now I can’t wait to see how the next book will play out and maybe get a hint at who is next to come to his tiny seaside town.
This is an objective review and not an endorsement
978-0-7783-1662-6
Contemporary Romance
E-ARC
Reviewed by Dawn (love2read28@gmail.com)
Obtained by Publisher via Netgalley
3.5 hearts
For driven Caitlyn Winters, her life was all mapped out. Sure falling in love with fellow doctor Noah McIlroy but now she is pregnant on top of it all. Caitlyn blames the Christmas bridal bouquet she caught at her cousin Jenny’s wedding a year earlier as the culprit that turned her carefully planned out world into chaos. But Noah is determined to see that Caitlyn sees her pregnancy as a blessing and not the death of her dreams. All she needs is a little help from the O’Briens and maybe, just maybe, Noah will get the wish he wants this Christmas….that Caitlyn will see how much he loves her and their upcoming baby and that dreams can change and grow, especially when the O’Brien’s get their heads together.
I love Ms. Woods’s stories. They always charm me with wonderful mix of characters, a plotline that steals your heart and each book has heart. But my lord I was ready to shake Caitlyn to pieces after one too many passages of why she felt her dreams end with this surprise pregnancy. It took all my strength to not smack her silly for being spoiled, whiny and a bit miserable. I get that her dreams of being a doctor and to help out countries with poor medical needs is the basis of her dreams but life interferes and basically shows you that dreams are fluid and can change. It is a testament to this author’s storytelling that I didn’t toss the book (or my nook) across the floor in disgust over another whine-fest by Caitlyn. I loved how Noah gave her the time she needed even as her O’Brien family tried to force her to do what they thought was best for her. That right there saved the entire book in my opinion. Noah’s unfailing love, support and determination to be there for Caitlyn showed me a stand up guy who knew Caitlyn a bit better than her family did at times. All the characters are well written, flawed yet strong just like humans can be and I loved the way this family meddled in the affairs of family members. Felt just like my own family at times.
I love reading this author’s books for the families she creates and I absolutely loved coming back to the O’Brien’s. The problem I saw was with Caitlyn really. I had a hard time sympathizing with her. Maybe because she seemed so insulated and spent her life under the care of the O’Brien family in one or another that she never had experience with change in her life. It took me quite a while to warm up to her, almost ¾ of the book really until she finally got a clue and I saw the person she was underneath it all. That personality is what I loved about her, not so much her whiny, needy self she was portrayed as having for most of the book. Ms. Woods delivers a story not so much with a Christmas message but more centered around family and dreams. The ending is a bit pat and quite predictable but overall, quite satisfying. What I want to know is what is going on with Caitlyn’s twin sister, Carrie as that sub-plot left me hanging to know more.
If you enjoy a family centered storyline then make sure to pick up a Chesapeake Shores novel. All the books are stand alone but I recommend reading them in order to get the full O’Brien effect. Now I can’t wait to see how the next book will play out and maybe get a hint at who is next to come to his tiny seaside town.
This is an objective review and not an endorsement
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