Danielle Thorne

I am feeling the pull to the holiday season early this year and decided to dive into my holiday reads with a sweet Love Inspired romance.

Ben and McKenzie have both lost sight of what matters in their lives. Ben is too focused on his career to be bothered by his young daughter, leaving her with his parents while he pursues his medical aspirations. McKenzie is working the same job in the same small town she’s worked at since high school and has allowed her fear to keep her frozen instead of moving forward. The pair were friends in high school but grew apart when Ben confessed feelings that weren’t reciprocated and then moved away. Now he’s back in town for the holidays and they are again back in one another’s lives.

Their story is sweet but there wasn’t really anything that made this novel special. I was hoping for something more that never came, which made me a little wistful. Ben’s character really rubbed me the wrong way. He comes across as selfish and self-centered and honestly, he never truly redeemed himself to me. I am glad that his eyes were eventually opened, especially when it came to sweet little daughter Megan, but I still found myself struggling to like him. I know that him and McKenzie have a past friendship and, not to be harsh, but I didn’t see much for her to fall in love with. I did, however, see how well McKenzie balanced Ben out, as she is a selfless and giving individual, and she truly one of the characters that redeemed this story for me.

The dance classes brought me right back to my dance classes as a child, making me feel all the nostalgic feels, and I loved that! The recital especially brought back bittersweet memories for me, but it was my favorite part of the entire novel. Ben stepping up and doing what he did solidified his relationship with his daughter, which is what I was rooting for most of all, and to see it come to fruition was wonderful.

Overall, this was a nice, relaxing escape. I would’ve loved to have seen a little something unexpected, even if it was something small. The characters are truly what makes this novel, and I adored the picturesque small-town setting. I absolutely adored Megan and Bailey and the dance aspect brought back fond memories that I had long forgotten about. I just wish there had been a little something more.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher through JustRead Tours. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.… (más)

This story pulled me in, and at times I wanted to shake Dr. Ben, look at what is in front of your eyes!

Ben Cooper grew up a geek, and was teased and ridiculed for it, but he is an over achiever, and he has so many goal with no end in sight!

Life has called him back to the town he said goodbye to a long time ago, of course his parents and four year old daughter live here. His Dad needs him and his skills, and this little town needs him, but he can't wait to leave!

McKenzie Price loved this young man, but as a teen she wasn't ready to leave her small town Georgia. Yet, she sure has a heart for her family, and is there for her niece. She also is there for Ben's daughter!

This story gives a lot, family, jobs, and some sweet romance!

I received this book through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.… (más)

I received a complimentary copy of “Josette" direct from the author Danielle Thorne in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

What was wonderfully enticing is seeing each of these characters a bit outside of their usual routines - how Josette and Amy were to perform in a sequence of performances whilst it gave us as readers a chance to see Carter in a light not shaded by Josette's view of him. In that regard, we saw a different kind of man emerging out of Carter, one who has a kind heart and who feels deeply for those of whom he considers close to him. Interestingly, it was Josette who is struggling to find her way forward, whilst owning to the fact that not all her feelings towards Carter are tame nor believable as to her anything other than distain would feel like a distraction from her brother George's recent passing.

It was here where you can sense more overtures of Austen's style - of seeing how whenever you gather a certain group of individuals together, they will either get on famously or they will continue to find reasons to exclude each other from their social circles. The interesting bit of course is the formality of it all - as this was the Regency and how despite the fact some women were outspoken, Josette is one woman who attempts to rein herself in a bit before finding that she would be seen as being unladylike in her reactions. And, yet despite that, I found Josette was betwixt and between understanding why Carter was getting to her as much as he was as he simply wasn't the kind of bloke she felt she would be attracted too. This sequence for me felt similar to when Lizzie Bennett was contemplating why she was as vexed and keenly interested in hearing everything Darcy had to say about any topic he felt he could divest his opinions upon. Whilst Carter also had a foreboding nature about him suited to Darcy whilst also sharing the former bloke's sincerity for both safekeeping of information known to him and the guardianship of children.

It took me a bit to realise there is a key scene that was re-worked for Josette from Pride and Prejudice - as I was lost in the throes of the storyline and of hugging close to Josette herself who has been wrestling with her heart, her thoughts and what to do about her future. The incident which involves Lydia and how Darcy leapt to the rescue has become reworked in this story - in lieu of Lydia we have Amy and in lieu of the exact circumstances we have a cleverly spun alternative which produces the same results - a young girl's reputation is at stake and an unassuming bloke is making an attempt to right the wrong. Thorne even kept the disdain Darcy felt in the eyes and heart of Captain Carter whilst she kept the fluttering of stress alive in Josette as Austen had in Lizzie.

Similar to Austen, Thorne doesn't ready give you a measure of knowledge how her story will conclude and how the entanglements of her characters will resolve. She makes you wait for those revelations - to feel as strongly as her characters who are moving through their own obstacles to find restitution in the future and giving us as readers a lot of worriment over their affairs! The joy truly is in how the story is told - the choices Thorne made in its telling and how the characters, especially make the journey such a welcome respite from the tides of our lives.

I truly connected with Josette - it was giving me a chance to settle into a Regency Romance in homage of Austen during a moment this Summer wherein I was aching to read an Austen inspired #HistRom. Thorne alights you into this world with a gentle guiding hand and lets you see her characters flaws, their curiosities and allows them to tell their own stories. It is a delight for any Janeite and I hope others will give this a chance to warm their own readerly heart with joy. It further left me with a smirk to realise I have kept myself enthralled with more Pride and Prejudice inspired stories than I have of any other Austen novel. What bounty of loveliness it is to re-see a story play out I have truly loved discovering!

// This is a quotation of my full review originally shared via jorielovesastory.com… (más)

I received an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book it was OK,.We have our heroine Julia Scott travelling to join her uncle in the Indies after being sent her away by her cruel stepmother from England.
On-course her ship is attacked and Julia meets the mysterious John Smith who proceeds to rescue her time after time from one scrape or another eventually placing her with his cousin and wife after her identity is called into question.
we learn that John Smith is actually Mr George Greenway and what follows is a sweet love story with the token villain thrown in for good measure and Julia our heroine realises people are not always what they seem and sometimes what you are seeking can be right beneath your nose.… (más)