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When Marcia Elton got married, she’d signed up for the forty-year plan. Unfortunately, her husband Jay had other ideas. At thirty-two, Marcia is divorced and starting a new life. An interest in home renovation and repair has prompted her to purchase a hardware store, and she sets about trying to achieve business success.
When Ethan Winslow moves into the bungalow next door and begins renovating it, she’s not entirely pleased. He is sweet, attentive, and easy on the eyes. But Marcia isn’t looking for a relationship. She’s skittish, thanks to her ex, who did a number on her self-esteem.
Can Ethan persuade Marcia he’s nothing like her ex? Can he prove to her that she can trust him? And most important, can he win her love?
267 KB
When Ethan Winslow moves into the bungalow next door and begins renovating it, she’s not entirely pleased. He is sweet, attentive, and easy on the eyes. But Marcia isn’t looking for a relationship. She’s skittish, thanks to her ex, who did a number on her self-esteem.
Can Ethan persuade Marcia he’s nothing like her ex? Can he prove to her that she can trust him? And most important, can he win her love?
267 KB
185 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 18, 2012
27 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Rosemarie Naramore
40 books32 followersRosemarie Naramore's fondest desire has always been to write fiction. She was delighted when her first romance novel, "Just in Time," was published by Avalon Books. She went on to write three other lighthearted romances for Avalon--"Armed and Disarming," "The Detour," and "Lacey's Homecoming," as well as a mystery entitled "The Listing Agent." When Amazon acquired Avalon in 2012, her second mystery/police procedural, "Deputy Down," was published under the Thomas & Mercer imprint. She is pleased that her romance novels have been released by Amazon under their Montlake imprint.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 9, 2018
Definitely one of the better romance novels that I have read in a long time. It was slow and there was some confusion on both sides, but very realistic. And seriously the teenager did have the worst timing.
June 10, 2017
A clean read. Just a typo or two.
November 29, 2025
It was a good story.
The title says it all but sometimes we forget that when the words are those we long to hear.
It was a light read with a good message.
The title says it all but sometimes we forget that when the words are those we long to hear.
It was a light read with a good message.
October 9, 2012
There is a very good story in this book for anyone who likes a sweet romance. The general plot and characters seemed well thought out.
But the execution could have been so much better. There are minor plot holes, like when the heroine mentions putting the dogs where they have access to a doggie door all day and then rushes them outside whenever she gets home. And more significant issues surrounding the paint debacle, which is a major event in the story. 1 – That better be some super, super premium paint to cost $40/gallon wholesale. 2 – I have a hard time picturing a room in anyone’s house that would require 10 gallons, let alone 20. 3 – She later mixes up a specific color right in the store so I can’t figure out why it would have needed to be a special order in the first place. 4 – She repeatedly mentions that her bill and her customer’s bill was the exact same amount. No one is going to stay in business long charging customers the wholesale price.
The writing was inconsistent. I usually have no patience for easily cleared up misconceptions, but the author did okay not drawing either out too much. And I really could understand why the guy didn’t want to reveal a certain detail right away or at the wrong time. But there are a few words and phrases that Ms. Naramore would do well to retire, including “suddenly,” “epiphany,” “scrubbed his hand across his jaw,” “pinned him/her with a look,” and “snared his/her gaze.” After the fourth or fifth snared gaze I was starting to picture eyeballs being lassoed out of heads. No character should be allowed to have more than one or two epiphanies per chapter, especially when it’s essentially the same epiphany each time. And interruptions sort of by definition happen suddenly.
The self-absorbed teenager in the story did provide a bit of comic relief. The advice offered to her was a bit off since true good guys tend to recognize jerks and not become friends with them, but I appreciated when they named the dog Sidekick anyway. I’d mostly recommend this book to anyone suffering over a breakup who wants to believe that a rich, handsome man might just move in next door.
But the execution could have been so much better. There are minor plot holes, like when the heroine mentions putting the dogs where they have access to a doggie door all day and then rushes them outside whenever she gets home. And more significant issues surrounding the paint debacle, which is a major event in the story. 1 – That better be some super, super premium paint to cost $40/gallon wholesale. 2 – I have a hard time picturing a room in anyone’s house that would require 10 gallons, let alone 20. 3 – She later mixes up a specific color right in the store so I can’t figure out why it would have needed to be a special order in the first place. 4 – She repeatedly mentions that her bill and her customer’s bill was the exact same amount. No one is going to stay in business long charging customers the wholesale price.
The writing was inconsistent. I usually have no patience for easily cleared up misconceptions, but the author did okay not drawing either out too much. And I really could understand why the guy didn’t want to reveal a certain detail right away or at the wrong time. But there are a few words and phrases that Ms. Naramore would do well to retire, including “suddenly,” “epiphany,” “scrubbed his hand across his jaw,” “pinned him/her with a look,” and “snared his/her gaze.” After the fourth or fifth snared gaze I was starting to picture eyeballs being lassoed out of heads. No character should be allowed to have more than one or two epiphanies per chapter, especially when it’s essentially the same epiphany each time. And interruptions sort of by definition happen suddenly.
The self-absorbed teenager in the story did provide a bit of comic relief. The advice offered to her was a bit off since true good guys tend to recognize jerks and not become friends with them, but I appreciated when they named the dog Sidekick anyway. I’d mostly recommend this book to anyone suffering over a breakup who wants to believe that a rich, handsome man might just move in next door.
August 8, 2016
4 Stars. Great book. I enjoyed reading this story. I felt it ended too soon. I would have lost liked to see Marcia's business prosper. I think the author kept one interested in the story.
4 Stars . Great book I enjoyed reading this story. I felt it ended too soon. I would have liked to see Marcia's business prosper. I think the author kept the story interesting and glad it had a happy ending.
4 Stars . Great book I enjoyed reading this story. I felt it ended too soon. I would have liked to see Marcia's business prosper. I think the author kept the story interesting and glad it had a happy ending.
April 15, 2012
Why oh why can't I have a neighbor like this? I would have to say the only thing I disliked was the over-used element of a character not revealing their true identity to the love interest, and having them become upset about it... etc etc etc. I have read this in so many books. As if finding out you're in love with a rich man rather than a poor one is a bad thing.
July 1, 2012
Dull, boring, I don't know why I bothered finishing it. The plot was weak and the characters quite insipid. I would have expected a bit more drama than Marcia basically sulking because he hadn't told her who he was - he never got the chance. Though he was just as bad for not having a bit more backbone to just stop people/things from interrupting them when he was trying to tell her.
April 8, 2012
This book has the feel of a fluffy chick flick with not a lot of point, but all kinds of cuteness. I can't say I found any of it particularly moving, but it was a fun read with plenty of likeable characters. I was impressed.
August 4, 2012
Cute book...hard for me to review because I don't usually read chick-lit. I liked the story, although I sighed over some of the relationship barriers the author put up. They would have worked better in a half-hour sitcom than a book.
June 9, 2013
Reason to enjoy? Dachshunds are my breed! Really cute story. Also enjoyed the fact that when painting was done on the house it was done the right way....with a brush. I know because my boyfriend is a painter!
July 23, 2014
A nice romance--I liked the hero and heroine but found their exes to be one-dimensional. Both were so selfish and demanding and just bad that I had to wonder how in the world the hero and heroine ever connected with them in the first place, much less stayed with them for several years.
April 5, 2012
A cute book if you don't want to think hard than you read this book I loved it
April 26, 2012
I didn't really like this book that well. I thought that if the heroine had another "ephiphany," I might be ill. It wasn't a terrible book, but it wasn't for me.
July 17, 2012
Just ok!
July 18, 2012
This was another fun one... light read for a hot summer.
May 3, 2013
Great book. Loved reading it.
December 16, 2013
I think half of the book is missing. There are several instances where the book goes in one direction and then a completely opposite the next.
November 21, 2015
Happy
Fun book, I enjoyed this. Best book that I have read in a long time. A person can't go wrong with this one.
Fun book, I enjoyed this. Best book that I have read in a long time. A person can't go wrong with this one.
September 13, 2016
This story was nicely written. It was cute. There were some grammatical and spelling errors but nothing major. I enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews