Wish I’d read the series in order
3 stars

This was a really difficult book for me to review, to be honest. From start to finish - it took me a looong time to get through to the end. While that would normally tell me all I need to know about a book - there were lots and lots of things that I really enjoyed about it.

For the first half of the book, I felt all I was doing was learning about who the characters were. Not learning about how they interacted with each other - well, except for Skylar and Wren - just about them and their outlook on life. We have our three main characters and a myriad of other players - and it was just so confusing at times, I found myself rereading passages just trying to figure out who was who - who was sleeping with who - and other confusions. After a while, I decided I didn’t care and just would continue on with the story.

I mention that there were three main characters - our hero - Trigg, our heroine - Wren, and Skylar - Trigg’s 12 year daughter/ Wren’s niece.

And that is one of the other reasons I disliked the first 50% of the book. Skylar had whole chapters dedicated to her thoughts and feelings. The thoughts and feelings of a bratty, entitled 12 year old girl. There are no words to tell you how much I do not care about these things. I understand she was an integral part of the story - but it really moved this book from a romance into the territory of a family drama/saga type story.

However, the book definitely picked up after the first 50%. The romance started (seriously, there was nothing before that) and things finally got interesting. At first I thought that it was because the book was better in the second half, but now I wonder if it was because I hadn’t read the first two books in this series, On the Edge and From the Top. If I’d read them, perhaps I would have been more interested in the scene setting and I wouldn’t have been so confused by the large cast of characters or how they were linked and related.

I liked both Wren and Trigg. Liked, rather than loved but that’s likely due to it taking so long before I saw some action of any kind whatsoever. Trigg is a funny, playboy type coming to grips with a daughter that’s just as much of a pain in the ass as he is. Wren was sweet and feisty and someone just trying to do the best for everyone. I did wish she would open up a bit more and be a bit more mature about her feelings - but then again she herself was only 23 (sigh - I’m so bloody old!) so I guess I should forgive her! But I won’t - because I’m old and bitter about all these young folk!

Despite all my complaints, the writing was excellent. Descriptive, fast paced and I could see the mountain resort of Blue Spruce Lodge as clear as if the author had painted the picture before me. The scenes with Wren’s sister’s diary absolutely killed me. I’m a cryer by nature but oooft - those passages hit me hard in the feels.

Having come to the end of the book, strangely enough, I really want to read more about these people. I’m off to get my hand on the first couple of books in the Blue Spruce Lodge series - and suggest that you do the same before reading this. While the love story in this book is a standalone - I don’t feel that the book itself is. Had I read the first couple of books first, I feel this would have been a solid 4 or even 5 star read. As I was coming in blind (and confused), I can only give this 3 stars. ( )

I absolutely loved the story line of this book, wishing I had read the first two in the series. Still, it was a complete story with no real need to have read the first two. What I did not like about it was the excessive use of inappropriate language. Granted, I read a lot of clean Christian fiction, but I read Grisham and Lee Child as well. There is not as much cussing and use of the "F" word in their novels as there was in this one. The story would be just as good, if not better, without the overuse of the cuss words. Just my opinion, of course. The language is the only reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 5. ( )

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t like reading a book in a series unless it’s the first, or I’ve read its predecessors. However, In Too Deep holds its own as a stand-alone without needing know previous events.
This is marriage of convenience/secret baby with a twist in that the ‘baby’, Skylar, is 12, the mother has passed and the Aunt, Wren, is raising her.
Three POV’s was unexpected but considering the plot of the story involved a 12-year-old, a probably very confused 12-year-old, it was interesting to have her perspective.
Wren has been raising her niece since her sister died. Wren essentially became a teen mom and selfishly (in her opinion) kept Skylar to herself because the only person who ever loved her was her sister, Mandy. Perhaps it is this fear of being unloved that causes Wren to allow Skylar to mistreat her so much.
I feel a lot of empathy for Wren and let out a small ‘whoop’ when Wren finally stood up to Skylar.
Skylar has a lot of misplaced resentment, she doesn’t know what Wren has been through and it truly seems as if she doesn’t care. She is angry, belligerent and even though she forced Wren’s hand in meeting her birth father, she hates Wren for taking her to him.
Trigg Doesn’t know how to act. He found out he has an almost teenage daughter. Things moved swiftly on the legal side, but Trigg doesn’t know who to blame. Does he blame her deceased mother? Does he blame her Aunt? Does he blame himself?
Once Trigg recognises family features in Skylar it’s like a bolt of lightning and he really realises she is his daughter. He uses this as something that excuses and justifies Skylar’s atrocious behaviour.
It’s an interesting development and reminded me of various nature vs nurture debates.
As the book progresses it became frustrating that Skylar being Trigg’s daughter in DNA and attitude exempted anyone from taking her to task for the way she mistreats her aunt.
The first half of the book moves slowly, once Trigg realises Skylar is his in a more hereditary characteristic sense, the book moves ahead quickly. Once the pace picked up I couldn’t stop reading. Wren finally finds a backbone and Skylar finally grows up.
I wish we had found out how Mandy died, for a while I thought it might have been their father.
This is a good book. I may even seek out and read the previous two books. ( )

A fantastic contemporary romance! Wren and Trigg have a whole lot of obstacles to their happily ever after! This story will be right up your alley if you enjoy stories about blended families. Skylar is a very challenging preteen and I thought the author did a great job with her character. This story works on every level and was a delight to read! ( )

In Too Deep by Dani Collins is the third book in The Blue Spruce Series. As always Dani Collins has written a story full of life, and In Too Deep is a great addition to the Blue Spruce Lodge series. The lodge is warm and welcoming and it is fascinating to read about the inner workings. The cast of characters are like a family, with all that implies. And of course the surrounding and the scenery are breath-taking.

In this story we learn Trigg Johanssen has a twelve-year-old daughter he knows nothing about. Wren Snow is at wit’s end with her niece, Sky, and takes the manager’s job at Blue Spruce Lodge so Sky can get to know her father. Trigg takes his new-found responsibilities seriously, but Sky is a handful. Throw in the chemistry that flames as Trigg and Wren try to co-parent, outside forces that threaten the ski resort Trigg is rebuilding, and a marriage of convenience and you know things are not going to go smoothly. Did Wren make the right decision bringing Sky to the lodge? Can she and Trigg make this work and give Sky the love and family she needs?

In Too Deep is an enjoyable romantic story that works wonderfully as a standalone and is also the perfect continuation to the Blue Spruce Lodge series. Dani Collins always keeps me turning pages as fast as I can and leaves me completely satisfied, and this book was no exception. Thanks to LibraryThing for providing a copy of In Too Deep via Smashwords. I was not required to write a review and all opinions are my own. ( )