Ashley's Allegiance by Robyn Neeley

Title:  Ashley's Allegiance
Series:  Emerald Springs Legacy /5
Author:  Robyn Neeley
Published:  June 2/14 by Crimson Romance
Length:  194pgs
Format:   ecopy
Genre:  contemporary romance
Shelf:  review
Rating:  ★★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Meet Ashley, the fifth of five unforgettable characters in the Emerald Springs Legacy.

Life in the small town of Emerald Springs, Washington, is anything but slow and peaceful. An old feud between former business partners Whitman and Sanders keeps competition on a high burner, fueling resentment, renewing rivalries … and love. Now someone is trying to bring down Emerald Tea Farm, and it’s up to both families to protect their future while still wrangling over the past.

The last six months have been nothing short of exciting for the Whitmans and Sanders. Adam, Chad and Daniel Whitman have all begun to carve out their niche in the family dynasty. Now it’s Ashley Whitman’s turn. She’s ready to step up with her marketing ideas, talent, and drive to prove she has just as much to contribute to the family tea legacy as her successful cousins.

Deputy sheriff Jacob Sanders is closing in on who is responsible for the suspicious activities plaguing Emerald Springs Farm and Split Acres. When a questionable encounter outside the local bar forces him to tag along to San Diego and play bodyguard to Ashley Whitman, any other man would jump at the chance to be in close quarters with the beautiful, blonde Whitman. Too bad they hate each other. Forced to spend time together, they discover their mutual dislike might be something else entirely. But can a Whitman and Sanders really be happy together?

My Review: 

This novel is priceless! Neeley had me in fits of laughter from the first chapter. Her tone is light & approachable but inviting and melds perfectly with the story at hands, as well as the ones that precede it. She also takes the suspense in the series to a whole new level. I was on the edge of my seat throughout, trying to guess what would happen next. She also weaves a remarkable story of love and loss together throughout this tale. By weaving these relationships alongside up and coming business practices she creates a completely unique tale that you cannot help but live alongside the characters.

Neeley takes the characters that we’ve come to know previously in the series and takes them to a whole new level. The main characters come to life like no others. I love how she develops them individually, and they continue to be individuals once they’re together. Even though they are a couple, Neeley never portrays them as ‘that couple’ who are no longer individuals. It adds an extra element of approachability & realism to the novel. The supporting cast rounds out this novel very nicely. Everyone is so real, and this family is one that you can definitely come home to.

Overall? I’m so to see this series end. I have fallen so in love with Emerald Springs & the 5 authors that brought it to us that I don’t want to let go. Neeley definitely gave us the perfect ending to this series. This is a novel well worth reading.

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Daniel's Decision by Nicole Flocton

Title: Daniel's Decision

Series: Emerald Springs #4

Author: Nicole Flocton

Published:  May 5/14 by Crimson Romance

Length:  165pgs

Format:   ecopy

Genre:  contemporary romance

Shelf:  review

Rating:   ★★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Meet Daniel, the fourth of five unforgettable characters in the Emerald Springs Legacy.

Life in the small town of Emerald Springs, Washington, is anything but slow and peaceful. An old feud between former business partners Whitman and Sanders keeps competition on a high burner, fueling resentment, renewing rivalries … and love. Now someone is trying to bring down Emerald Tea Farm, and it’s up to both families to protect their future while still wrangling over the past.
Daniel Whitman has a plan to turn their hospitality retreat into a high-end eco-friendly resort, but his father and brothers think the timing is wrong. Against family wishes, he heads off to Australia to an award-winning eco-spa to test their services. He is immediately attracted to marketing manager Rochelle Harris but pushes it aside to concentrate on discovering what has made this resort so successful.

Rochelle is a career woman, whose mother who frittered away every single penny her father earned, putting him into an early grave. Now Rochelle’s sole goal is to get to the top of her field and become financially secure so she won’t need to rely on anyone. What she doesn’t need is a sexy, attractive American distracting her from her plans.

The more time they spend together, the more the attraction grows. Then a disaster back home makes Daniel realize he has to step up to his responsibilities. But is Rochelle prepared to take the risk and relocate halfway around the world—and can Daniel open up and let someone be a true partner in his life?

My Review:

This was a brilliantly heart-warming novel. Flockton had me captivated with her intriguing storyline and wonderful scenery. Not only did I enjoy revisiting Emerald Springs, but I feel like I’ve been to Australia. Flockton`s well laid out plot draws you in, both to the romance at hand and to the story of Emerald Springs in general. The suspense in the series is really starting to ramp up with this instalment. Tensions run high and emotions get away from you. It all combines into a read that you won`t be able to put down (I devoured it in a couple of hours).

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Daniel much better in this instalment. He went from being the ‘brooding brother’ from the rest of the series to a very enjoyable character in his own right. I couldn’t help but feel for and understand him. And the female lead that he was paired with was the perfect counterpoint. The contrast and similarities between these two well-developed characters really draws you in to their world and their lives. I also enjoyed seeing their interactions with the rest of their families. As a supporting cast they rounded out this lifelike novel very well.

Overall, this is a must read novel for those who enjoy romance. I wouldn`t hesitate to recommend it, or this new to me author, to anyone.

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Chad's Chance by Elley Arden

Title:  Chad's Chance

Series:  Emerald Springs Legacy #3

Author:  Elley Arden  

Published:  April 7th 2014 by Crimson Romance

Length:  186pgs

Format:  ecopy

Genre:  contemporary romance

Shelf:  review

Rating:  ★★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Meet Chad, the third of five unforgettable characters in the Emerald Springs Legacy.

Life in the small town of Emerald Springs, Washington, is anything but slow and peaceful. An old feud between former business partners Whitman and Sanders keeps competition on a high burner, fueling resentment, renewing rivalries … and love. Now someone is trying to bring down Emerald Tea Farm, and it’s up to both families to protect their future while still wrangling over the past.

Chad Whitman loves his family, but he’s not entirely sure he shares their responsible, deliberate outlook on life. Where’s the excitement and passion in that? Running the family diner has been moderately fulfilling, but with his father retiring from the tea farming business, he needs to get a direction.

After being unfairly fired from her dream job, Jen Chavez picks up her worst nightmare in the parking lot—a rich guy she thought was just another pretty face. She has no intention of turning out like her mother, latching on to wealthy men for self-worth and survival. She doesn’t need a man. She needs a job.

Chad decides turning the diner into a microbrewery will provide the excitement his life lacks, and he knows just the person to help him with the job. But hiring Jen as a consultant to the project has its drawbacks. He has a reputation for messing around with the wrong women, and his family is watching his every move. As days pass, his desire to open a top-notch microbrewery is matched only by his desire for Jen. Can they overcome their backgrounds to make this microbrewery a dream big enough for both of them?

Adult-content rating: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages.

My Review:

Being a lover of craft beers this novel naturally drew me to it, but it was oh so much more than that. I couldn’t put this one down even for a second. I absolutely love Arden’s voice. It is so inviting that you can’t help but get wrapped up in the tale. Arden takes the world of Emerald Springs and allows it to explode through her intimate storytelling and wildly imaginative turns of phrase. I really feel like I’ve been to Emerald Springs now. Arden’s descriptions are so intricate and vivid that, as a reader, you can picture it all easily.

I love how the novels in this series fit together even though they’re written by different authors. Although written from the perspective of each individual author, the various novels meld together into a coherent whole, allowing you to follow from one to the next, getting to know the entire family quite well.

Character development in this novel is phenomenal. Everyone is well and individually developed in a well-rounded way, without necessarily being a well-rounded individual. It leads to a uniquely diverse cast of characters that really draws you in. It also highlights the main characters quite uniquely. I really enjoyed the whirlwind romance they lived, especially since they still thought out the pros and cons. And what a natural, unpretentious proposal. I’m in love.

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Adam's Ambition by Monica Tillery

Title:  Adam's Ambition

Series:  Emerald Springs LEgacy #1

Author:  Monica Tillery

Published:  February 3rd 2014 by Crimson Romance

Length:  160pgs

Format:  ecopy

Genre:  contemporary romance

Shelf:  review

Rating:  ★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Meet Adam, the first of five unforgettable characters in the Emerald Springs Legacy.

Life in the small town of Emerald Springs, Washington, is anything but slow and peaceful. An old feud between former business partners Whitman and Sanders keeps competition on a high burner, fueling resentment, renewing rivalries … and love. Now someone is trying to bring down Emerald Tea Farm, and it’s up to both families to protect their future while still wrangling over the past.

Oldest son Adam Whitman never planned to take his place at the helm of the family business, and he’s living the life he always wanted. When his father asks him to come home to consider his options, he reluctantly leaves his high-powered job in Los Angeles and heads to Emerald Springs, determined to help his father make the transition to retirement and quickly get back to his own life. What he didn’t count on was the pull of the one person he’d left behind to chase his dreams.

Getting over Adam was the hardest thing Zoe Miller ever had to do, and she’s in no hurry to do it again. She’s focused on her new life running Emerald Springs’s finest bakery, and she’s finally put the heartache of losing Adam behind her. When he rolls back into town, she knows it would be wiser to keep her distance from her high school sweetheart, but some things are easier said than done. A broken heart would be more devastating the second time around, but can she resist the lure of the man he’s become?

Now everything Adam took for granted is suddenly threatened, and he’s caught between his newly awakened attachment to Emerald Springs and the career he built with his hands. He wants it all—the girl, the farm, the corner office—but first Zoe has to find it her heart to give him a second chance at all.

My Review:

Tillery painted the world surrounding Emerald Springs in vivid color. She brought everything to life for her reader, allowing them entry into this world. She developed the hectic pace of business life in LA just as thoroughly as the more laid back, yet still hectic, life of small town farming. The contrast was shocking. And did I ever learn a lot about tea while reading this novel. It was nice to see a contemporary romance that had so much substance behind it.

I was quite pleased at the end when the female lead had her ‘revelation.’ Yes she’d had a bad lot in life but it made her much more palatable when she realised that it was still possible for some things to be her fault. Of course, the male lead was just as block headed at time, letting his temper get the best of him. It definitely added an element of understanding to the novel. I also quite enjoyed the supporting cast. Tillery really makes sure that we get introduced to the characters we’ll come to know better throughout the rest of the series. Each has their own unique place in the story, and in the town as a whole.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. Tillery has me hooked on Emerald Springs and I’ll definitely be back for more.

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