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Swift River Valley #1
Secrets of the Lost Summer
A wave of hope carries Olivia Frost back to her small New England home town nestled in the beautiful Swift River Valley.
She's transforming a historic home into an idyllic getaway. Picturesque and perfect, if only the absentee owner will fix up the eyesore next door.
Dylan McCaffrey's ramshackle house is an inheritance he never counted on. It also holds the key to a generations-old lost treasure he can't resist; any more than he can resist his new neighbor. Against this breathtaking landscape, Dylan and Olivia pursue long-buried secrets and discover a mystery wrapped in a love story; past and present.
She's transforming a historic home into an idyllic getaway. Picturesque and perfect, if only the absentee owner will fix up the eyesore next door.
Dylan McCaffrey's ramshackle house is an inheritance he never counted on. It also holds the key to a generations-old lost treasure he can't resist; any more than he can resist his new neighbor. Against this breathtaking landscape, Dylan and Olivia pursue long-buried secrets and discover a mystery wrapped in a love story; past and present.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 31, 2012
456 people are currently reading
1739 people want to read
About the author
Carla Neggers
143 books1,604 followersCarla Neggers is the New York Times bestselling author of the Sharpe & Donovan series featuring Boston-based FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan, and the popular Swift River Valley series set in the small, fictional New England town of Knights Bridge. With many bestsellers to her credit, Carla loves to write now as much as she did when she climbed a tree at age eleven with a pad and pen and spun stories perched on her favorite branch.
A native New Englander, Carla and her husband divide their time between their hilltop home in Vermont, a sofa bed at their kids' places in Boston and various inns, hotels and hideaways on their travels, frequently to Ireland.
Find out more and sign up for Carla's newsletter at CarlaNeggers.com.
A native New Englander, Carla and her husband divide their time between their hilltop home in Vermont, a sofa bed at their kids' places in Boston and various inns, hotels and hideaways on their travels, frequently to Ireland.
Find out more and sign up for Carla's newsletter at CarlaNeggers.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
February 20, 2016
Olivia Frost was a successful graphic designer working for a top design firm in Boston...until she was professionally betrayed by her best friend. Olivia decides to move back to her hometown of Knights Bridge and turn the period home she recently purchased into a destination travel location. Dylan McCafferty comes into the picture when she contacts him in San Diego, asking him to clean up his adjacent property, which has been vacant since purchase for over two years. He had no idea he owned the property.
Just about everyone in this story suffers from an inability to open up to anyone, including themselves, about their true feelings. From Olivia, to her sister, Jess, her parents...the list goes on. Olivia suffers a devastating betrayal by her supposed friend Marilyn, which makes her leave her job and pursue a different career. However, you never get a sense that Olivia is really hurt and she never expresses her feelings about it to anyone until the near the end of the story. Because no one in this story was ever opening up about their feelings, it was impossible to connect to anyone.
Layered into the story was a mystery as to why and how Dylan's house came to be purchased by his deceased father. While it was interesting, it became the central focus, eclipsing the relationship between Dylan and Olivia. There were so few romantic interludes between the two, I often forgot that they were supposed to be finding an emotional connection. Their physical relationship doesn't occur until nearly the end of the book. You would think that after that kind of buildup, much time would be devoted to their finally connecting...it was barely a page.
This is an interesting story but not a romantic one. Perhaps if someone in this town was willing to truly bare their souls, at a minimum to the reader, I may have become more invested in the outcome. By the end of the story, I really didn't care.
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
Just about everyone in this story suffers from an inability to open up to anyone, including themselves, about their true feelings. From Olivia, to her sister, Jess, her parents...the list goes on. Olivia suffers a devastating betrayal by her supposed friend Marilyn, which makes her leave her job and pursue a different career. However, you never get a sense that Olivia is really hurt and she never expresses her feelings about it to anyone until the near the end of the story. Because no one in this story was ever opening up about their feelings, it was impossible to connect to anyone.
Layered into the story was a mystery as to why and how Dylan's house came to be purchased by his deceased father. While it was interesting, it became the central focus, eclipsing the relationship between Dylan and Olivia. There were so few romantic interludes between the two, I often forgot that they were supposed to be finding an emotional connection. Their physical relationship doesn't occur until nearly the end of the book. You would think that after that kind of buildup, much time would be devoted to their finally connecting...it was barely a page.
This is an interesting story but not a romantic one. Perhaps if someone in this town was willing to truly bare their souls, at a minimum to the reader, I may have become more invested in the outcome. By the end of the story, I really didn't care.
(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
May 25, 2012
Oliva Frost returns to her hometown in New England next to the Quabbin Reservoir to heal after being stabbed in the back by a "friend". Prior to moving she was at the top of her career as a graphic designer. She helped a her friend Marilyn, out of a slump in her career and Marilyn's a rising star. That rising star, went after Oliva's high profile client. Hurt, she decides to return home to a historic house that she had purchased and had been planning in a couple of years, afer she got more money saved up, to open a getaway for people. However, with Marilyn's deceit she decides that perhaps she will start with the house earlier then she had planned.
Getting settled in she writes to the owner of the house next to hers. It was once the villages feared, but loved spinster english teachers home. Thinking that she is writting to a man in his seventies she informs him of the eyesore his property is and requests that it be cleaned up. She even offers to take care of it herself, taking full liability should anything occur. Little does she know but the house has been left to the one time owners son, Dylan McCaffrey. Dylan, a retired NHL player is now working with his lifetime friend, Noah. Dylan was unaware of the house and decides to go and check it out.....and his hottie neighbor. When Olivia finds Dylan looking over his yard she is taken quite by surprise. Not to mention attracted and intrigued as to why a millionaire would come to clean up the property when he could have let her do it or paid some one to.
Dylan's father was a treasure hunter and Dylan is curious as to what he was up to. With Olivia's help the will try to get to the bottom of the mystery and find the "treasure" and mayhap even find the love they crave in one another.
I really like the story line of this book. It was very good over all, but if you are looking for something with more zing in the boudoir, you aren't gonna find it here. There are love scenes, but pretty clean compared to some of the stuff out there. Read it just for the story. It is that good and interesting. See if you figure it out before Dylan and Olivia.
Getting settled in she writes to the owner of the house next to hers. It was once the villages feared, but loved spinster english teachers home. Thinking that she is writting to a man in his seventies she informs him of the eyesore his property is and requests that it be cleaned up. She even offers to take care of it herself, taking full liability should anything occur. Little does she know but the house has been left to the one time owners son, Dylan McCaffrey. Dylan, a retired NHL player is now working with his lifetime friend, Noah. Dylan was unaware of the house and decides to go and check it out.....and his hottie neighbor. When Olivia finds Dylan looking over his yard she is taken quite by surprise. Not to mention attracted and intrigued as to why a millionaire would come to clean up the property when he could have let her do it or paid some one to.
Dylan's father was a treasure hunter and Dylan is curious as to what he was up to. With Olivia's help the will try to get to the bottom of the mystery and find the "treasure" and mayhap even find the love they crave in one another.
I really like the story line of this book. It was very good over all, but if you are looking for something with more zing in the boudoir, you aren't gonna find it here. There are love scenes, but pretty clean compared to some of the stuff out there. Read it just for the story. It is that good and interesting. See if you figure it out before Dylan and Olivia.
January 24, 2012
Two extremely interesting plotlines are melded together in this latest ‘gift’ from Carla Neggers. A story taking place in the late 1930’s - just before the start of World War II - intermingles perfectly with a story of Olivia Frost, a graphic designer living in present day Boston.
After some serious professional setbacks in her career, Olivia leaves her job and returns to her hometown of Knights Bridge in Western Massachusetts. Buying a historic home, she plans to follow what has been her dream for quite some time and open a Bed and Breakfast in the picturesque town. She is full of hope as she begins to transform this old house into a favorite meeting place for friends and strangers alike. The location is absolutely perfect except for one blatant eye-sore; just a few paces down the road there’s an abandoned house that needs a whole heck of a lot of clean up and it’s making her property look bad.
The absentee owner, Dylan McCaffrey, is an ex-NHL player who is now a businessman in California. He actually has no idea that he has inherited this house in Massachusetts from his deceased father until he receives a letter from Olivia and ends up traveling to Massachusetts to look the situation over. Dylan is actually very confused, and decides to stick around to find out why his father - who’d been a treasure hunter who lived all over the world - bought this place out in the middle of nowhere.
The duo discover a file describing some stolen jewelry; and are also told an old tale by the former owner of the house, Grace Webster, who’s living out her life in a nearby nursing home.
As a story unravels from the 1930’s, the past meets the present and makes for a fascinating narrative that involves suspense, romance and a mystery that soon will be solved. The greatest facet of this book is the love story that was born in the 1930’s and how it creates a romance in present day that’s truly beautiful. Saying this is a fantastic read is really no surprise, considering that’s all Carla Neggers ever writes.
The plotting is perfect, the characters are fascinating, and the contemporary romance mingled with a ‘lost-love’ tale is unforgettable.
After some serious professional setbacks in her career, Olivia leaves her job and returns to her hometown of Knights Bridge in Western Massachusetts. Buying a historic home, she plans to follow what has been her dream for quite some time and open a Bed and Breakfast in the picturesque town. She is full of hope as she begins to transform this old house into a favorite meeting place for friends and strangers alike. The location is absolutely perfect except for one blatant eye-sore; just a few paces down the road there’s an abandoned house that needs a whole heck of a lot of clean up and it’s making her property look bad.
The absentee owner, Dylan McCaffrey, is an ex-NHL player who is now a businessman in California. He actually has no idea that he has inherited this house in Massachusetts from his deceased father until he receives a letter from Olivia and ends up traveling to Massachusetts to look the situation over. Dylan is actually very confused, and decides to stick around to find out why his father - who’d been a treasure hunter who lived all over the world - bought this place out in the middle of nowhere.
The duo discover a file describing some stolen jewelry; and are also told an old tale by the former owner of the house, Grace Webster, who’s living out her life in a nearby nursing home.
As a story unravels from the 1930’s, the past meets the present and makes for a fascinating narrative that involves suspense, romance and a mystery that soon will be solved. The greatest facet of this book is the love story that was born in the 1930’s and how it creates a romance in present day that’s truly beautiful. Saying this is a fantastic read is really no surprise, considering that’s all Carla Neggers ever writes.
The plotting is perfect, the characters are fascinating, and the contemporary romance mingled with a ‘lost-love’ tale is unforgettable.
Read
November 25, 2019Great series of books. Well worth reading every one of them.
June 30, 2021
Typical love story from one generation to the next. Good, not great
October 19, 2019
I'd call this a romance-lite/mystery-lite.
After a big betrayal, Olivia relocates from an established career in Boston to her very small hometown in rural Massachusetts. She plans to start up a new business on her beautiful waterfront property, but the abandoned property beside of hers is an eyesore and in need of major repair. There is a ton of mystery and intrigue with regard to Olivia's next door neighbor and his property. Things begin to very slowly make sense once Dylan shows up to handle clean-up and potential renovations. Really slowly, with an alternating past time-line that gives some of the pertinent history of the area.
The story doesn't focus only on the romantic relationship between Olivia and Dylan; there are several relationships that are introduced and developed here-mostly family relationships and I'm here for it. I also love that there is no angst or big drama-just very easy reading. This just isn't the most compelling small-town story that I've read. It isn't mind-blowing and it isn't bad, but it isn't a top favorite. The alternating timeline sometimes pulled me out of what was really going on in order to establish more backstory. And the mystery may have taken a little bit too long to come together.
However, I love the way it all came together in the end.
Sidenote: The author's note contains more information about the setting, about the author's attachment to it, and a little bit about the real history behind it. It is fascinating history, and honestly, I wish I'd have known about it before I started this book. Like maybe if this part of the Author's Note was at the beginning instead of at the end. Several times, I wondered to myself why the author made this detail like this and that detail like that, when in fact she was just including certain bits and pieces from real history. I think certain parts of the story would have made more sense to me as a person that knew nothing at all about this part of history going in.
I'm excited that the next book features Noah, as he was one of the more interesting secondary characters!
Audiobook Notes: I listened to this while I packed my house up for a move and cleaned my carpets. It was a nice, relaxing listen for boring chores like those. Not my very favorite audiobook in terms of action and intensity, but I enjoyed listening and when I continue with these stories, I will do so with the audiobook accompaniment. I've heard audiobooks voiced by Susan Boyce before, and I'll admit that I was drawn to this one mostly because she narrates the entire series.
Title: Secrets of the Lost Summer by Carla Neggers
Series: Swift River Valley #1
Narrated by: Susan Boyce
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Length: 10 hours, 13 minutes, Unabridged
After a big betrayal, Olivia relocates from an established career in Boston to her very small hometown in rural Massachusetts. She plans to start up a new business on her beautiful waterfront property, but the abandoned property beside of hers is an eyesore and in need of major repair. There is a ton of mystery and intrigue with regard to Olivia's next door neighbor and his property. Things begin to very slowly make sense once Dylan shows up to handle clean-up and potential renovations. Really slowly, with an alternating past time-line that gives some of the pertinent history of the area.
The story doesn't focus only on the romantic relationship between Olivia and Dylan; there are several relationships that are introduced and developed here-mostly family relationships and I'm here for it. I also love that there is no angst or big drama-just very easy reading. This just isn't the most compelling small-town story that I've read. It isn't mind-blowing and it isn't bad, but it isn't a top favorite. The alternating timeline sometimes pulled me out of what was really going on in order to establish more backstory. And the mystery may have taken a little bit too long to come together.
However, I love the way it all came together in the end.
Sidenote: The author's note contains more information about the setting, about the author's attachment to it, and a little bit about the real history behind it. It is fascinating history, and honestly, I wish I'd have known about it before I started this book. Like maybe if this part of the Author's Note was at the beginning instead of at the end. Several times, I wondered to myself why the author made this detail like this and that detail like that, when in fact she was just including certain bits and pieces from real history. I think certain parts of the story would have made more sense to me as a person that knew nothing at all about this part of history going in.
I'm excited that the next book features Noah, as he was one of the more interesting secondary characters!
Audiobook Notes: I listened to this while I packed my house up for a move and cleaned my carpets. It was a nice, relaxing listen for boring chores like those. Not my very favorite audiobook in terms of action and intensity, but I enjoyed listening and when I continue with these stories, I will do so with the audiobook accompaniment. I've heard audiobooks voiced by Susan Boyce before, and I'll admit that I was drawn to this one mostly because she narrates the entire series.
Title: Secrets of the Lost Summer by Carla Neggers
Series: Swift River Valley #1
Narrated by: Susan Boyce
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Length: 10 hours, 13 minutes, Unabridged
June 21, 2012
Reviewed for Speaking of Audiobooks column on AAR. http://www.likesbooks.com/blog/?p=8353
2.5 stars
Grade C
Narrated by Susan Boyce
I haven’t read Carla Neggers before but it’s my understanding that she usually writes romantic suspense. I admit that’s what I thought I’d be getting with Secrets of a Lost Summer. Instead I got the feeling someone told Neggers that small-town contemporary romances are the thing right now, and she set about writing one. That would probably have been fine if the book didn’t have so much going on.
I counted at least nine plots and subplots with several that didn’t seem relevant to the main story. Besides the romance, we also have storylines that include the journal entries of the elderly Grace Webster chronicling the summer of 1938, Olivia’s mother’s phobias, Olivia’s sister’s romance, stolen jewels, and many details of Olivia’s plans for her new business.
Dylan has inherited a house in a small New England town he didn’t know existed. His treasure-hunting father bought the house two years ago just before he died. Dylan finds out about the house when Olivia writes telling him about its deplorable condition and requests that he take care of the problem. Dylan, curious as to why his father would buy the old house, travels from California to investigate. What happens next involves all the subplots mentioned above and more.
With the many character points-of-view and subplots, a smooth narration would have been a blessing. Unfortunately, Susan Boyce’s narration style made the book even harder to follow. Boyce carefully enunciates every word, which slows down the narration and adds brief pauses between some words. The slow, careful narration and those pauses bring about an odd cadence to her reading, which I found distracting. Her voice is pleasant and I could usually distinguish the characters one from another. There were times, however, that I had to back up and relisten to catch a change of speakers within a conversation.
In the end, the mystery of the stolen jewels and Grace’s journal prove to be the most compelling parts of the book. Those storylines, and a few others, do come together in an interesting and mostly satisfying way. Certain plots could have been done away with such as the inclusion of Dylan’s friend Noah (unless there’s a sequel in the works) and the book would have been stronger for it. Olivia’s fears, and those of her mother and sister, add nothing to the character development nor do they move the plot forward. With the disjointed story and the overly careful narration, Secrets of the Lost Summer wasn’t a complete success for me.
2.5 stars
Grade C
Narrated by Susan Boyce
I haven’t read Carla Neggers before but it’s my understanding that she usually writes romantic suspense. I admit that’s what I thought I’d be getting with Secrets of a Lost Summer. Instead I got the feeling someone told Neggers that small-town contemporary romances are the thing right now, and she set about writing one. That would probably have been fine if the book didn’t have so much going on.
I counted at least nine plots and subplots with several that didn’t seem relevant to the main story. Besides the romance, we also have storylines that include the journal entries of the elderly Grace Webster chronicling the summer of 1938, Olivia’s mother’s phobias, Olivia’s sister’s romance, stolen jewels, and many details of Olivia’s plans for her new business.
Dylan has inherited a house in a small New England town he didn’t know existed. His treasure-hunting father bought the house two years ago just before he died. Dylan finds out about the house when Olivia writes telling him about its deplorable condition and requests that he take care of the problem. Dylan, curious as to why his father would buy the old house, travels from California to investigate. What happens next involves all the subplots mentioned above and more.
With the many character points-of-view and subplots, a smooth narration would have been a blessing. Unfortunately, Susan Boyce’s narration style made the book even harder to follow. Boyce carefully enunciates every word, which slows down the narration and adds brief pauses between some words. The slow, careful narration and those pauses bring about an odd cadence to her reading, which I found distracting. Her voice is pleasant and I could usually distinguish the characters one from another. There were times, however, that I had to back up and relisten to catch a change of speakers within a conversation.
In the end, the mystery of the stolen jewels and Grace’s journal prove to be the most compelling parts of the book. Those storylines, and a few others, do come together in an interesting and mostly satisfying way. Certain plots could have been done away with such as the inclusion of Dylan’s friend Noah (unless there’s a sequel in the works) and the book would have been stronger for it. Olivia’s fears, and those of her mother and sister, add nothing to the character development nor do they move the plot forward. With the disjointed story and the overly careful narration, Secrets of the Lost Summer wasn’t a complete success for me.
August 14, 2012
After losing one of her biggest clients to a so called friend in Boston, Olivia decides to come home and rebuild her business. Instead of designing she buys an old run down house so that she can host parties/showers/tea parties for the town. The only problem? The eyesore next door won't have the guests coming back.
Dylan gets a letter from Olivia asking if he could move the junk from his property, or better yet, she'll do it for him. The problem? Dylan has no clue what the woman is talking about. After a trip to Knights Bridge and some digging around, he learns that his father bought the house years ago with only a brief explanation to Dylan's personal assistant.
Dylan decides to stay in town and find answers to why his dad bought the house and the property.
Secrets abound, there is no doubt, and the reasons why might leave you thinking, wow! I didn't see that coming.
Dylan gets a letter from Olivia asking if he could move the junk from his property, or better yet, she'll do it for him. The problem? Dylan has no clue what the woman is talking about. After a trip to Knights Bridge and some digging around, he learns that his father bought the house years ago with only a brief explanation to Dylan's personal assistant.
Dylan decides to stay in town and find answers to why his dad bought the house and the property.
Secrets abound, there is no doubt, and the reasons why might leave you thinking, wow! I didn't see that coming.
February 3, 2020
I thought this dragged a little. But the series takes place in my home town area. I grew up near the Quabbin reservoir and have walked, hiked and kayaked that area. The Swift river is my favorite place to kayak. I knew older people who had been displaced when their towns were flooded.
So I'll be giving more books in the series a try and hope it picks up. But I hope the romantic leads in the later books have a little more spark between them than Olivia and Dylan did. I really didn't feel their connection. I also didn't get why everyone was so stressed about their mother planning a trip they expected she'd never take. My parents have been planning trips to Germany and the Seychelles to visit family for the last twenty years. Hasn't happened yet but it's not throwing our family into a tizzy.
So I'll be giving more books in the series a try and hope it picks up. But I hope the romantic leads in the later books have a little more spark between them than Olivia and Dylan did. I really didn't feel their connection. I also didn't get why everyone was so stressed about their mother planning a trip they expected she'd never take. My parents have been planning trips to Germany and the Seychelles to visit family for the last twenty years. Hasn't happened yet but it's not throwing our family into a tizzy.
July 20, 2017
I'm tagging this as time travel not because anyone traveled back in time, but because the contemporary storyline is interspersed with diary entries from the mid-twentieth century so there are plots moving forward in two different periods of history. Unfortunately, I found the historical plot infinitely more captivating than the contemporary--unfortunate because there's a little one-page excerpt for every twenty or so pages of the main contemporary plot. I wish it had been reversed, because the plot that took up the majority of the book was completely forgettable, even if it ultimately did tie up things that happened in the historical plot. Would have been much more interesting as a historical novel with a lengthy epilogue.
August 29, 2018
First in a series called Swift River Valley. I got rather bored as I think the plot just bogged down and nothing was moving very fast. I did stick with it and some of the plot threads had unexpected resolutions (in a positive way). I do think that some vigorous editing could have fixed the “blah-blah-blah” vibe this book put out. Am planning on reading the #2 book in the series, but I sure hope it keeps me awake.
August 6, 2016
Wow, that was terrible. I've read Neggers' romantic-suspense (enjoyable fluff) but this is straight romance, and there lack of any meaningful conflict in the plot left me wondering what the point of the story was.
November 22, 2017
This is definitely a lighter, fluffier, kind of story. Filled with romance, a dog, and a treasure hunt. I thought it was an okay novel, nothing too riveting to keep me enthralled per say but I was reading it to fulfill a challenge requirement and as far as just randomly reading a book I wouldn't normally consider, it wasn't too bad.
I don't know if I will bother to continuing the series, we shall see.
Also, I can't help but mention how bad I feel for this author to have a last name like that, I am sure that has been mispronounced on more than one occasion... or at least makes people do a double take... poor thing...
Anyway, book was meh, could have been better, great one to recommend to your nana~ lol
I don't know if I will bother to continuing the series, we shall see.
Also, I can't help but mention how bad I feel for this author to have a last name like that, I am sure that has been mispronounced on more than one occasion... or at least makes people do a double take... poor thing...
Anyway, book was meh, could have been better, great one to recommend to your nana~ lol
April 22, 2018
Graphic Designer, Olivia Frost, leaves Boston after being backstabbed by her friend, and returns to her hometown of Knights Bridge. There she works on fixing up a farm house she owns to turn it into a place she sees it being.
Once there, she is looking at the vacant property next door that is a total mess. She contacts the owner, Dylan McCaffery, telling him about the property with the thought he is an elderly man and will ask her to clean it up herself. What she doesn't expect is a man her age to show up and for things to take an unexpected twist that involve long ago secrets that have been buried.
4 stars
Once there, she is looking at the vacant property next door that is a total mess. She contacts the owner, Dylan McCaffery, telling him about the property with the thought he is an elderly man and will ask her to clean it up herself. What she doesn't expect is a man her age to show up and for things to take an unexpected twist that involve long ago secrets that have been buried.
4 stars
October 17, 2021
This is the start of a series This author is new to me, & I quite enjoyed the way she writes. The story has both a little mystery & romance. The characters are realistic & pretty well developed. Very enjoyable, although pretty predictable.
August 15, 2017
More mystery than romance, this book was not what I was expecting. That said, it was a lovely, lingering read!
October 6, 2024
I'm familiar with this author from her romantic suspense novels, so this was definitely a change of pace. It was a very nice book.
August 30, 2025
I couldn’t even force myself to finish it and find out where the jewels were hidden and what the rest of Grace’s story was. The author’s writing style is juvenile and I had to bail.
February 18, 2012
Secrets of the Lost Summer was an enjoyable contemporary romance that contained a historical mystery aspect. I thoroughly enjoyed both of the main characters, Olivia Frost and Dylan McCaffrey. Olivia was very loyal and sweet, and Dylan was protective and caring. There were some great secondary characters that added to the story, and I would love to see Noah get a book of his own. The storyline was very interesting, with the modern day one being integrated with events that went on in 1938.
Olivia Frost is a Boston graphic designer who recently bought a historical home in her hometown. After a betrayal by a friend in Boston, she decides to move to her 19th century home and realize her dream of opening it as a venue for events like bridal showers. The nearest home to hers is becoming more derelict each day, and has become a dumping ground. Olivia writes to the absentee owner, offering to clean up the property. She is shocked when Dylan McCaffrey appears in person, and even more so by him being a male in his prime instead of the elderly one she expected. Dylan McCaffrey didn't even know he owned a home outside of Boston until he got the letter from Olivia. He has unknowingly inherited it from his late treasure hunting father. Dylan decides to explore the situation in person, wondering what his father wanted with this rundown place. As Dylan and Olivia get to know and like one another, they discover a mystery that is tied up with a jewelry theft from 1938. While they try to puzzle out the past, their feelings for one another deepen, and they must decide what they want from one another.
This was a satisfying contempoary romance, with a little bit of mystery thrown in. I thought the plotlines were interesting, and the charcters were likeable. Dylan and Olivia both captured my heart. I liked seeing their relationship develop, and I enjoyed the chemistry between them. I hope that this develops into a series. I received this ARC through Netgalley.
Olivia Frost is a Boston graphic designer who recently bought a historical home in her hometown. After a betrayal by a friend in Boston, she decides to move to her 19th century home and realize her dream of opening it as a venue for events like bridal showers. The nearest home to hers is becoming more derelict each day, and has become a dumping ground. Olivia writes to the absentee owner, offering to clean up the property. She is shocked when Dylan McCaffrey appears in person, and even more so by him being a male in his prime instead of the elderly one she expected. Dylan McCaffrey didn't even know he owned a home outside of Boston until he got the letter from Olivia. He has unknowingly inherited it from his late treasure hunting father. Dylan decides to explore the situation in person, wondering what his father wanted with this rundown place. As Dylan and Olivia get to know and like one another, they discover a mystery that is tied up with a jewelry theft from 1938. While they try to puzzle out the past, their feelings for one another deepen, and they must decide what they want from one another.
This was a satisfying contempoary romance, with a little bit of mystery thrown in. I thought the plotlines were interesting, and the charcters were likeable. Dylan and Olivia both captured my heart. I liked seeing their relationship develop, and I enjoyed the chemistry between them. I hope that this develops into a series. I received this ARC through Netgalley.
April 30, 2021
Not my style.
First problem was the writing. All the characters talked in the same voice (most of the time). But also, all of them spoke in such a formal manner, it was odd. At one point I googled the author to see if she was British or something but nope, American. Not just the people in this small New England town, but the California tech genius and the former NHL player all seemed to speak the Queen's English.
The plot could have been interesting, but there was a lot more drama than there needed to be. The stolen jewels were just a bit of history, but at one point our heroine calls the hero on the phone to angrily ask if he thought they were all thieves. Um, the theft was in 1938. Book is modern era. Not sure why she thought he'd think that?
Another time the hero's friend says that solving this mystery could tear the town apart. Nope, did not get that idea at all.
So basically, the author keeps telling us how much drama this mystery will cause, but never - not once - shows us. Every time it came up, I scratched my head because it made no sense.
The romance was ok, but sort of underwhelming. By the end of the book they're in love and I didn't feel it. They like each other, sure, but love? Wasn't shown at all.
Plus toward the end our heroine starts thinking about how the hero might not fit in anywhere and can't find a place to call home (or something) and I'm again scratching my head, wondering where the heck she got THAT from because it certainly wasn't in the damn story.
I did read to the end (ok, a lot of skimming, but I did read it) to find out what happened so 2 stars.
First problem was the writing. All the characters talked in the same voice (most of the time). But also, all of them spoke in such a formal manner, it was odd. At one point I googled the author to see if she was British or something but nope, American. Not just the people in this small New England town, but the California tech genius and the former NHL player all seemed to speak the Queen's English.
The plot could have been interesting, but there was a lot more drama than there needed to be. The stolen jewels were just a bit of history, but at one point our heroine calls the hero on the phone to angrily ask if he thought they were all thieves. Um, the theft was in 1938. Book is modern era. Not sure why she thought he'd think that?
Another time the hero's friend says that solving this mystery could tear the town apart. Nope, did not get that idea at all.
So basically, the author keeps telling us how much drama this mystery will cause, but never - not once - shows us. Every time it came up, I scratched my head because it made no sense.
The romance was ok, but sort of underwhelming. By the end of the book they're in love and I didn't feel it. They like each other, sure, but love? Wasn't shown at all.
Plus toward the end our heroine starts thinking about how the hero might not fit in anywhere and can't find a place to call home (or something) and I'm again scratching my head, wondering where the heck she got THAT from because it certainly wasn't in the damn story.
I did read to the end (ok, a lot of skimming, but I did read it) to find out what happened so 2 stars.
January 28, 2014
Book #65 of 2012
Started reading this on the plane ride back. I'd read one other Carla Neggers book and thought it was mostly OK.
I liked the story in this book, it is more of a slow moving book. I can read a chapter or two and not feel like I NEED to know what happens next.
It probably would have gotten 4 stars except for some complaints.
First, what is WITH this author and her complete scene changes with no break? Literally one paragraph will be about character A and the next somewhere different and about character B. No warning. It is jarring Every. Single. Time. I hate it.
Secondly, sometimes the timing felt off. It would be things like, Olivia and Dylan are caught in the rain so they run back to the house and then Olivia thinks they are lucky they didn't get hypothermia. How long were you in the rain? Because the narration makes it seem like MAYBE a few minutes, and I don't think you'd get hypothermia from that.
Finally, the ending just felt so rushed. Like she was running out of space and needed to tie up all the stories so here you go! I'll just dump it all on you. Especially annoying was the treatment of Olivia's fear of flying,
Started reading this on the plane ride back. I'd read one other Carla Neggers book and thought it was mostly OK.
I liked the story in this book, it is more of a slow moving book. I can read a chapter or two and not feel like I NEED to know what happens next.
It probably would have gotten 4 stars except for some complaints.
First, what is WITH this author and her complete scene changes with no break? Literally one paragraph will be about character A and the next somewhere different and about character B. No warning. It is jarring Every. Single. Time. I hate it.
Secondly, sometimes the timing felt off. It would be things like, Olivia and Dylan are caught in the rain so they run back to the house and then Olivia thinks they are lucky they didn't get hypothermia. How long were you in the rain? Because the narration makes it seem like MAYBE a few minutes, and I don't think you'd get hypothermia from that.
Finally, the ending just felt so rushed. Like she was running out of space and needed to tie up all the stories so here you go! I'll just dump it all on you. Especially annoying was the treatment of Olivia's fear of flying,
May 21, 2013
I started out liking this book but it soon got annoying. Everyone in Olivia's family (except her father) has anxiety issues. No one tells each other the truth. Her mother is seeing a therapist, but when asked if her husband knows, she says it isn't his business - then who the hell's business is it?! And the conversations between Olivia & Dylan were odd. I found the other storyline with Grace pretty lame once you found out what was going on - no huge secret, no big deal. Everyone was so secretive, about EVERYTHING! About half way through, I got fed up and just skimmed the rest of the book. A waste of a nice day.
January 31, 2013
One of the most interesting books I've read, plus I loved the writing style. I'll be honest about the interest-that was probably mostly because I was brought up in the area of the Quabbin Reservoir, where this book was set, and yet I never knew or cared to know the History. Now I can't wait to go back up there, visit the visitor's center and learn more of the history. And the love story itself was such a sweet romance. Some have said it was slow moving, but to me the pace was just right. I adored this book, and can't wait to read more of this series.
May 2, 2012
This is one of Carl Neggers best novels. Olivia Frost is a sympathetic character who the reader cares about from the first. She is striving to build a life for herself. Like her mother and sister, she suffers from panic attacks and find it difficult to travel. This is presented realistically. The romance between herself and Dylan McCaffrey includes an interesting mystery that had me interested from first to last. An exceptional read.
March 16, 2013
I liked this story even though it didn't have ANY heat to it. I mean none. It was a good story strictly PG, maybe PG 13 at the most. The plot was interesting secrets kept by a 92 year old woman, missing jewels. The history of the Quabbin was quite interesting, and this is where Carla Neggers actually was from. So it was tastefully done.
September 26, 2016
Rating: 3.5 Stars
This was a cute romance. At first, I did not understand why Grace occupied such a big part of the story until her big reveal. Wow! I did not see that coming. The banter between Oliva and Dylan was entertaining, and I enjoyed the time they spent together. These two were killing me with how long they danced around each other, but it was worth it in the end.
This was a cute romance. At first, I did not understand why Grace occupied such a big part of the story until her big reveal. Wow! I did not see that coming. The banter between Oliva and Dylan was entertaining, and I enjoyed the time they spent together. These two were killing me with how long they danced around each other, but it was worth it in the end.
May 20, 2013
The first book in the Swift River Valley series and an excellent start it was! Treasure hunting, thieves, jerks, new beginnings, mysteries, phobias & true love: a little something for everyone. Delicious.
October 1, 2016
Interestingly I had just been reading about the "Lost Towns of the Quabbin" before picking this up, and I didn't realize that it was about that as well.
It was okay...it was too descriptive at times for my liking but sometimes that's what chick lit is like.
It was okay...it was too descriptive at times for my liking but sometimes that's what chick lit is like.
February 7, 2016
Naistekas, kus lugu kulgeb vaikses tempos. Mõnus rahulik lugemine.
July 14, 2017
Si le synopsis et le début du roman m'ont emballée, je dois avouer qu'après je me suis un peu ennuyée. L'histoire est sympa, avec un brin d'originalité et les personnages intéressants mais c'est looonnnnng !!! J'ai trouvé pas mal de longueurs et ça manquait de peps.
Malheureusement l'histoire d'amour ne rattrapait même pas cette impression de lenteur. Je l'ai trouvée survolée, rien de folichon et vraiment très soft pour le coup ! J'en voulais plus !!! Surtout que je trouvais le couple doux et mignon. Putain mais prends la sur le plan de travail XD Ok, je sors ^^
Cependant, j'ai bien apprécié l'intrigue que l'auteure propose, au sujet d'un vol de bijoux au siècle dernier. Intrigue qui donne envie de faire une chasse au trésor et qui permet de découvrir beaucoup de choses sur la région dans laquelle se passe son histoire. C'est intéressant.
Vous l'aurez compris, je ne resterais pas marquée par ce roman et il ne m'a pas du tout émoustillée lol Il ne restera pas dans mes anales !
Bisous
Casting ? http://lireoudormir.blogspot.fr/2017/...
Malheureusement l'histoire d'amour ne rattrapait même pas cette impression de lenteur. Je l'ai trouvée survolée, rien de folichon et vraiment très soft pour le coup ! J'en voulais plus !!! Surtout que je trouvais le couple doux et mignon. Putain mais prends la sur le plan de travail XD Ok, je sors ^^
Cependant, j'ai bien apprécié l'intrigue que l'auteure propose, au sujet d'un vol de bijoux au siècle dernier. Intrigue qui donne envie de faire une chasse au trésor et qui permet de découvrir beaucoup de choses sur la région dans laquelle se passe son histoire. C'est intéressant.
Vous l'aurez compris, je ne resterais pas marquée par ce roman et il ne m'a pas du tout émoustillée lol Il ne restera pas dans mes anales !
Bisous
Casting ? http://lireoudormir.blogspot.fr/2017/...
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