PRIMROSE LANE by Debbie Mason

Publisher:   Forever
Published:  June 27, 2017
ISBN:        978-1455537235
Genre:       Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction
Format:     Print
Obtained via:  Publisher  
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

 

THREE-1/2 HEARTS

 

Olivia Davenport has been living a secret life.  Or is it Dana Templeton? But things have finally settled down for her and she’s close to enjoying her life. She is finally on the mend from losing her son and husband.  But a voice from her past keeps reaching out to her—a voice she doesn’t want to hear.

Finn Gallagher, a doctor who has been working with Doctors Without Borders, has been stuck at home for the past few months. Not that he doesn’t love his family—but he’s ready to return to his work. He cannot, however, until he’s recovered from the injuries that sent him home in the first place. And really, the last thing he wants, is for his match making relatives to find him a wife. And…he definitely does not want to get matched up with Olivia. Not because she isn’t attractive—it’s just that she’s got too much baggage for a man who just doesn’t want any commitments. But when that voice from Olivia’s past comes to her present, he cannot help but step in and help the woman out. 

Or did he create a bigger problem?

I’ve been enjoying Debbie Mason’s Harmony Harbor series and was looking forward to her latest, PRIMROSE LANE. Somehow it just didn’t evoke the same emotions the earlier books did for me.  We had bits of Olivia’s character in the earlier books. In PRIMROSE LANE, her and Finn’s story we learn more about her and her struggles.  The loss of a child, especially when the other parent essentially leaves you and the child to deal on your own is perhaps one of life’s most cruellest events. Olivia’s story is a sad one and even though she pulls out of this downward spiral, I didn’t really warm up to the character. She’s likeable and determined. She just didn’t resonate with me as a character.

The character I really didn’t like was Georgina “George”, the child foisted on Olivia. She reminded me way too much of those bratty children you see in restaurants where the parents do nothing about their acting out, forcing the rest of us to have to listen to their screaming and yelling and watch them throwing food around.  While their parents may enjoy having food tossed around and the disruption that follows in their children’s wake, I’m in the camp that does not appreciate them. 

That was George to a T.  And the way the rest of the characters catered to George each time she did something destructive was exactly the way the parents of the brats in restaurants act….they coo at the child that it’s wrong, but do nothing to put a stop to the behaviour. I cheered Olivia on when she brought George to Nathan’s parents…and thought she was an idiot when she went back and got her.  Yes, we learn what drives George and she turns out decent, but for how long until she doesn’t get her way again? If I had not committed to a review of this book I would have stopped reading at the beginning of George’s tantrums. I got it that she had to act out to make the story work...but a few less instances and some remorse on her part would have made her a bit more likeable to me.

I did enjoy Jasper, Colleen and, most of all Simon. Those three make the stories fun and entertaining. Okay--admittedly, I adore Simon.  They make the series—and would make for great characters in a cozy mystery series. They gave the ending a wonderful dramatic turn.

 

It wasn’t a bad read—just not my favorite in the series.

 

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