I received this book for free from the TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Series: Blue Ridge Romance #2
Published by Thomas Nelson on May 1, 2018
Genres: Adult, Christian Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Southern
Pages: 320
Source: TLC Book Tours
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After Brady Collins’ ex-wife dies, he receives devastating news—his nine-month-old son Sam isn’t his son at all. And Sam’s wealthy maternal grandparents want custody of the child. Brady knows he’s in for the fight of his life. But regardless of what any blood test says, Sam is his son, and Brady will go to any lengths to keep him.
Brady’s attorney tips him off that one major life change would virtually assure him of winning guardianship of baby Sam at the final hearing: an impending marriage. And his friend Hope is willing to step in as the loving and devoted fiance.
Local radio celebrity Hope Daniels has been driven by a solitary goal her entire life, and after a happy accident she’s finally offered her dream job. But if the truth comes out about her arrangement with Brady, she may miss the chance of a lifetime and stand in the way of a dear friend’s dreams.
As Brady and Hope make sacrifices to help each other in their times of need, they risk uncovering a truth neither of them expects to find.
Honeysuckle Dreams is a great novel about friends entering into a marriage of convenience, and in this case it’s so a father can gain custody of the child that he thought was his from his now deceased ex-wife. I’ve never read a Denise Hunter book, but I was instantly drawn into the small southern community full of friendly, supportive people.
Brady Collins and Hope Daniels have been friends for a long time since Hope is best friends with Brady’s sister, and Hope has been babysitting Brady’s son Sam after the death of his ex-wife. When the baby’s maternal grandparents file for sole custody stating that Brady isn’t the father, Brady’s world is threatened as he will lose the son he thought he had. But he wants to fight for Sam, and his lawyer says that if he’s married with a full-time caregiver there for Sam, the court may swing in his favor for custody. Enter Hope, who readily agrees to marry Brady and build a life together based on their friendship and devotion to Sam.
I really loved both Brady and Hope. They were very likable. Brady was stable, hardworking, handsome, and a very devoted father. Hope has a promising career in radio, but she’s been a bit gun shy in the relationship department since her first love died unexpectedly. She’s friendly, loyal to her friends, and a great mother to Sam. But when Brady and Hope’s marriage seems to be going great and their relationship is developing into what a marriage should be, ugly things from both of their pasts sneak in and threaten to tear them apart.
I give Honeysuckle Dreams a four out of five. This is a charming, clean read with great pacing and enough conflict to make it interesting. Denise Hunter’s writing is descriptive and engaging, and even though this was the second installment in the Blue Ridge Romance series, I didn’t have any trouble reading this as a stand alone. While being a bit predictable at times, Honeysuckle Dreams was an enjoyable, quick read full of emotional, thought provoking scenes with complex characters who’ve thought they’ve overcome their troubled pasts–even though that past has a way of rearing it’s ugly head at the most inopportune times.
Find HONEYSUCKLE DREAMS
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About Denise Hunter
Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than twenty-five books, including A December Bride and The Convenient Groom, which have been adapted into original Hallmark Channel movies. She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Carol Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are rapidly approaching an empty nest.
Connect with Denise Hunter
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Denise Hunter’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS for HONEYSUCKLE DREAMS:
Instagram Tour:
Monday, June 18th: @read.write.coffee
Monday, June 18th: @thepagesinbetween
Tuesday, June 19th: @createexploreread
Wednesday, June 20th: @kim_reads
Wednesday, June 20th: @pnwbookworm
Friday, June 22nd: @acozyreader
Sunday, June 24th: @thecaffeinated_bibliophile
Sunday, June 24th: @girlandherbooks
Monday, June 25th: @rissi006
Review Tour:
Monday, June 18th: Fiction Aficionado
Wednesday, June 20th: Running Through the Storms
Friday, June 22nd: Blooming with Books
Monday, June 25th: The Library of Mrs. Gardner and @mrs.literarylovely
Tuesday, June 26th: The Sketchy Reader
Wednesday, June 27th: Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot
Thursday, June 28th: Write Read Life
Friday, June 29th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
Monday, July 2nd: Bewitched Bookworms
Tuesday, July 3rd: Kritter’s Ramblings
Thursday, July 5th: All of a Kind Mom
Monday, July 9th: A Chick Who Reads
Wednesday, July 11th: From the TBR Pile
Thursday, July 12th: Splashes of Joy
Thursday, July 12th: Read Eat Repeat
Monday, July 16th: A Night’s Dream of Books
Tuesday, July 17th: Empowermoms
Friday, July 20th: What is That Book About
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I’m really intrigued by this couple getting married for the purpose of custody of the child. Not just anyone would do that, and I really want to learn more about them in this story!
Thanks for being a part of the tour!
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