This is book 2 in this series and I liked it even more than book one. You could easily read this as a stand alone, but you would get to know Bake Hunziker, one of the main characters, better by reading book one first ('Made to Last'). The author did a great job of showing people for who they really are deep down, and not just what some people see on the outside. There were some deep hurts in the life of some of these characters and those hurts and sorrows were handled very well in this story. That being said, it was also a very fun story of two people falling in love against all odds and enjoying the whole process.

Blake is returning home after 5 years to Whisper Shore and isn't exactly sure how to handle the reception he gets from his family and the town. He is offered a job to successfully pull off the annual Christmas festival in his home town (and maybe then people will see him in a different light). He begs the help of Autumn Kingsley, the owner of her family's inn in Whisper Shore. Autumn doesn't have good vibes about this, but sees that Blake isn't going to take "no" for an answer. So she helps him and he helps her with trying to get her Inn up and running better with repairs around the place.

There is a lot more going on in this story, but that is the jest of the story line. Blake is a guy I learned to enjoy in "Made to Last". He has a lovable personality and definitely knows how to treat a lady. Autumn was someone you can also relate to, as she has always been chasing her dream of leaving her small town behind and moving to bigger and better things (like Paris, France). But sometimes what we want is really what is right in front of us; you just don't realize it until it might be too late.

Truly an enjoyable time on the shores of Lake Michigan; a town I would love to visit and stay at the Inn. ( )

I love the characters. You do not want this couple to leave this town except for a vacation. They are this town. I received this book from bookfun.org for a fair and honest opinion. I look forward to reading many more of her books ( )

Title: Here to Stay
Author: Melissa Tagg
Pages: 368
Year: 2014
Publisher: Bethany
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Here-Stay-Melissa-Tagg/dp/0764211331/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&am...
Readers are going to enjoy the contrasting lessons two main characters represent in this tale, one is Blake and the other is Autumn. The place is Whisper Shores, Michigan, a small town that relies heavily on tourist seasons to run their respective lodging places. Blake and Autumn’s families have had a long standing feud that only grew in intensity when tragedy struck, inflicting pain in both families. Now Autumn is handed her families’ inn to run all on her own, but her heart yearns to travel to other countries and experience adventure. Blake isn’t welcomed warmly when he returns after a long absence, but the man that returns is not the same man who left. Blake was sure God led him to return home, but after a while he isn’t so certain.
I really enjoyed this novel that so eloquently shows the contrasting nature that really resides in the human race. The characters, Autumn and Blake, are each dealing with issues of the heart that run deep and trying not to let the family feud dictate their actions. Autumn is a caring, compassionate and at times a strong-headed woman who wants to get the inn on solid financial footing before she goes to fulfill her lifelong dream of working in France. She believes God has brought a gentleman from France to buy her inn where she can leave the daily managing to others. Blake is wrought with grief and guilt over losing his brother years earlier. Once he relished the nickname Blaze for it accurately described his wild and daring adventures, now it only seems to hammer blame into his heart.
When I finished reading, I thought how well the author portrayed our nature to quickly judge, bringing further hurt to others. There is also the way the characters in love are finding their way to love enough to let go and in the interim each finds that it isn’t the adventure that fulfills them, but the sharing of it with another. The novel is filled with adventure, romance, laughter, faith and more than my mere words can convey! So grab a copy, read it, enjoy the book and perhaps share it with a friend for a journey shared is so much more fun.
My rating is 5 stars.
Note: I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book from the author via www.bookfun.org
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/ . Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457 ( )

“Some people have dreams their whole lives. Others discover their dreams along the way.”*

Autumn Kingsley has an Inn she sort of inherits the responsibility for when her father passed away. She loves the place but has put aside her dreams of traveling and living in Paris to care for the historic building. Before she makes that dream come true, she must secure a good future for the Inn in order for her conscience to allow her to leave.

Then, in steps Blake Hunziker, the prodigal son of the Kingsley Inn’s competitor. After finding himself accepting the task of running things for the town’s Christmas festival, it’s suggested to him to ask Autumn to help, as she has in years past with the previous coordinator. So, despite bad blood between his family and her’s, he offers to help her get her Inn into shape by making some of the many repairs for the beautiful but old place if she helps co-coordinate the festival with him.

Autumn sets out from the get go of this story working to make her dreams finally come true. Blake returns home with no idea what his dreams are, and still suffering from the loss of his brother, Ryan, which was the reason he left in the first place.

“You see me and you know me. You know the hurt I’ve been running from.

And you love me.”*

This prayer speaks for many people in this book, as well as many readers I’m sure. When we find ourselves running from the past because it is too painful and we wonder why God wasn’t there, the truth is He was there, still is here, and see’s us for who we are. Yet still, He LOVES us.

This is a beautiful romance with lots of comedy and a few tear jerking parts as well. The characters are so real and have such vivid personalities; it was a blast living their lives while engrossed in their stories. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait to read another of Melissa Tagg’s novels.

*Quotes were taken from the book, Here to Stay by Melissa Tagg.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. Other reviews can be read at http://TMWoodsBooks.com/blog . Also follow me on Twitter @TMWoodsBooks, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/TMWoodsBooks . ( )

Here to Stay by Melisa Tagg
I wanted to read this book for a few reasons: country side of VT and running an inn and an annual Christmas festival.
This book starts out following two people: Autumn Kingsley who is helping her brother run the dilapidated inn she was handed when she mother wanted to retire. Lots of secrets we learn of from the past that play a part in the present.
Also Blake Hurizkers who run the upscale hotel in town and he's just returned to the family fold and been welecomed. Lots of secrets come out about the death of his brother and they all learn new details on the death.
When things don't go right-she needs help-manual labor at the inn, and he needs help planning the big Christmas festival they combine forces and help one another out. She's had her fill of the inn and gets the job offer in Paris-loved hearing of this part of the travel.
But things don't go according to plan when she hopes a buyer comes to stay that he will make her an offer for the place. Lots of trust in God along with scripture quotes. Loved the travel, town and new things, especially how they celebrate the holiday.
I received this book from BooksClub Network (bookfun.org) in exchange for my honest review. ( )