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Cavanaugh Island #2

Angels Landing

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Sometimes love can take you by surprise.

Kara Newell has a big-city life that needs a major shake-up. Her dedication as a social worker is unwavering, yet her heart tells her that there is more to life than just work. Kara gets the push she needs when, shockingly, she inherits a large estate on an island off the South Carolina coast. Now the charming town of Angels Landing awaits her -- along with a secret family she never knew she had.

After surviving war, loss, and heartbreak, ex-marine Jeffrey Hamilton takes his position as the sheriff of idyllic Cavanaugh Island very seriously. So he is the perfect person to watch over the beautiful, confident woman who has turned her new family's expectations upside down -- and stepped into the crosshairs of angry local residents.

Soon Kara becomes more than just a job to him, and he begins to need her in ways he never expected. As Kara and Jeffrey confront the town gossips together, they'll learn to face their fears and forgive their pasts in order to find a future filled with happiness in Angels Landing.

*Produced by Buck 50 Productions

8 pages, Audio CD

First published August 28, 2012

71 people are currently reading
436 people want to read

About the author

Rochelle Alers

221 books1,056 followers
Rochelle Alers was born in Manhattan, New York, USA, where she raised. She obtained degrees in Sociology and Psychology, before started to work. She is a member of the Iota Theta Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and her interests include gourmet cooking and traveling. She has traveled to countries in North, Central and South America, and Europe. She is also in accomplished in knitting, crocheting and needlepoint.

Published since 1988, today a full-time writer, has been hailed by readers and booksellers alike as one of today's most prolific and popular African-American authors of romance and women's fiction. With more than fifty titles and nearly two million copies of her novels in print, she is a regular on the Waldenbooks, Borders and Essence bestseller lists, regularly chosen by Black Expressions Book Club, and has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Gold Pen Award, the Emma Award, Vivian Stephens Award for Excellence in Romance Writing, the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and the Zora Neale Hurston Literary Award. She also wrote as Susan James and Rena McLeary.

Rochelle Alers lives in a charming hamlet on Long Island.

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5 stars
356 (43%)
4 stars
281 (34%)
3 stars
150 (18%)
2 stars
27 (3%)
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8 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
Profile Image for Tia.
829 reviews294 followers
June 4, 2018
3.5 stars for this read. I loved how protective Jeff was over his Gamma and Kara. The manly marine is getting pretty redundant in all the romance novels. Those Pattons are pretty despicable and greedy. I wanted to know why Father never stepped up. He indeed knew about her life, but kept quiet. Loved the girl power of Kara and M (I can't remember her name). Angel's Landing was good, but isn't as good as the others I've read. Gamma was my favorite character. Food seemed amazing and I love food.


Initial thoughts, not a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Layeshia.
379 reviews
July 22, 2015
Kara and Jeffrey's love Journey. The love between these two Blossomed and it was a surprise to both of them. Each brought heavy baggage to the relationship. Both of them had paternity issues as it turned out he didn't know his mother or father. And she grew up with a dad who was not her biological father. And finding this out when you're 32 years old can throw you for a loop. Add in an inheritance of millions of dollars and and a new found family let's just say Kara had a lot on her plate. So falling in love was not on her radar at all. Jeffrey loved and loss and was now a bit apprehensive about telling anybody
His feelings. Overall it was a good book I enjoyed it. Definitely a HEA book. I highly recommend this book to you. :-)
Profile Image for Laudys.
166 reviews8 followers
October 11, 2012
I won this book in a giveaway

I'll be honest. I didn't like it. Not one bit. Not even the tiniest bit. Not the plot, not the characters, not the cardboard "villains", not the writing. I don't give it a lower rating because one star ratings are only for books that I completely loathe and this book, while terrible and extremely boring and frustrating and cringe worthy and, ahem! It's not on my hate list.

And that's all I'll say, before I starting ranting.

So, maybe you'll find something great in this book, but I didn't.
Profile Image for Kameel.
1,065 reviews295 followers
March 2, 2021
This was a decent story about a girl (Kara Newell) from Arkansas that moves to New York for college and spends 15 years in New York as a Social Work....She later finds out through a invitation to Cavanaugh Island for the reading of a will that Austin Newell is not her father (The man that raised her) but a reclusive multimillionaire named Taylor Patton (who was her mother's college sweetheart) is actually her father. During her college years, Kara didn't know that Taylor Patton had been keep tabs on her and how she was doing in her life....During the reading of his will, Kara finds out that she's Taylor's only child and is left his entire vast fortune. Of course there will be family push back....with the Sheriff's help Kara finds out who her enemies are...and you know that Sheriff Jeffrey Hamilton and Kara Newell will eventually become a couple. I think I really picked this audiobook because Nicole Small was the narrator...so you know this book was something you could listen to in its entirety. The story was just a bit drab to me...
Profile Image for Cherise.
478 reviews52 followers
October 14, 2012
I received this book free through Goodreads First Reads.

Kara Newell is a social worker in New York on the verge of burnout when she gets a summons from a lawyer to attend the reading of a will of a man she has never met before. Suddenly this paycheck to paycheck gal has inherited a large historical plantation and a humungous bank account from the biological dad she never knew about. Not everyone is pleased with the results of the will reading and her late father’s lawyer asks the local sheriff, Jeff Hamilton, to keep an eye out for her.

I have to say I found this story so boring. Her newly found family is so crazy and incensed by the will that her lawyer feels she is in danger and needs protection from the sheriff yet nothing happens to prove that point until page 233. Before that the only other thing to happen is a member of her family, Analeigh, shows up to make friends with her and Kara has a weird feeling about her, doesn’t trust her. Kara tells Analeigh she doesn’t have time for her right now and Analeigh asks when she can come back. Kara tells her the next day at the same time and Analeigh is thrilled to bits and hugs her. When the local deputy comes by and takes Analeigh home, Kara realizes that she is mentally or emotionally challenged and suddenly that validates her feelings of not trusting her. How sinister of this relative to want to be friends. Yep, don’t want to trust those crazy, hugging, overly friendly, mentally challenged types. (This is all said in my most sarcastic tone of voice.) How paranoid and narrow minded can you get? And BTW we never hear from the evil Analeigh again! It was completely anticlimactic and had no bearing on the story at all. I am not even sure why it was put in.

There was another part of the story where Kara throws her money at a virtual stranger in order for this person to open her own business. Even the said stranger is like ‘huh, why would you do that? You don’t even know me.’ Kara’s response is that ‘as strong black women it is hard to make it in this world.’ Seriously? Maybe it’s because I am not a strong black woman, but I found this part completely ridiculous. Black, white, or purple, the girl was still a stranger and 99.9% of the World’s population would be leery about financially backing a business run by someone you’ve known for a few hours.

The dialogue was odd to me. Jeff, Kara and most of the side characters were younger than me but they spoke like senior citizens. It was really weird. Had the author not mentioned ages I would have thought I was reading a book about much older adults.

In the end another threat happens and is resolved so quickly, and so easily, I found myself laughing out loud. Then suddenly all is rainbows and roses for Kara and crew. I had high hopes for this book; unfortunately it didn’t deliver for me.

Cherise Everhard, October 2012
Profile Image for Margaret.
319 reviews
June 26, 2012
I was completely blown away by the time I finished reading this book. It was completely different then I thought it would be. It also proved that one single woman can change the minds of a lot of people just by being who she is.
Kara is a social worker in New York City. She recently learned that she is the daughter of a multi-millionaire. She leaves her home in the big city to move to her new home on an island off the coast of South Carolina. She is determined to live there just long enough to restore the house to its former glory. She never thought that she would fall in love and want to stay.
Jeff is an ex-marine who is now the island’s sheriff. He takes his job completely seriously. He makes sure that there is very little violence on his island. After promising his cousin to watch over Kara, he never thought he would try to make sure she stays alive. He also did not think that he would fall in love with her and try to keep her on the island with him.
Kara knew when she moved to the island that her ‘new’ family would try to make her leave. She just didn’t think they would threaten her life in the process. For her, having Jeff around to make sure she is safe makes her start to see him more than just the sheriff. She sees him as a man that she really likes and could fall in love with. The more time Kara spends with the people on the island, the more she loves it, and the more she is determined not to leave.
By the end of the book, both Jeff and Kara realized that they loved each other. They also found who was trying to make sure Kara left the island. They then got married. Their marriage, brought most, if not all, of Kara’s cousins together. Everyone realized that everything should be put in the past and move forward.
I never thought I would like this book as much as I did. I could not stop reading it. I am extremely happy that I got to read this amazing book about a girl who stood up for what she believed in no matter what was thrown her way.
I recommend this book to those readers who loved reading a book about falling in love and for standing up for what you believe in. You will not be disappointed when you read this book.


NOR
189 reviews
October 5, 2020
Such a beautiful story !

Some mystery, some violence ( not a lot ) , a lot of love and history.
I love books where I learn something new. I am 69 yrs old and an avid reader. I did not want to put this book down.
Very well written it holds your interest all the way. I can’t wait to read the next one.
A giant Thankyou to the author for the history lessons. I went to google a few times throughout the book , and I am so happy to learn more about this country’s history.
The main characters were strong, and Miss Corinne had to have been modeled after a real person. I felt like I knew her.
Profile Image for Theresa.
1,426 reviews25 followers
March 2, 2022
I found this second in the Cavanaugh Island series a bit disappointing. Kara, a NYC social worker feeling burned out and exhausted, one day finds herself at a will reading in Charleston. Shockingly, she finds out that her biological father is someone other than the man she has always called 'Daddy', and he has left her his entire estate that includes millions in cash as well as a 2000 acre property and all the buildings and contents thereon located on Cavanaugh Island, just outside Charleston. There are of course stipulations: she must live there for 5 years and restore it. There are also a whole bunch of angry even threatening disinherited relatives, all complete strangers to her. Due to the threats verbalized during the will reading, Cavanaugh's sheriff, a retired marine named Jeff, is tasked with keeping an eye on Kara and Angel's Landing. One look at each other and the sparks fly, the chemistry sizzles, and a romance blossoms though each fight it, claiming that marriage and permanence is not for either of them for different reasons.

I found the romance too drawn out and tepid - it was so obvious from the first moments that this was a HEA couple, head right to the alter, don't pass GO! The impediments for both of them just felt lame. The Gullah culture and the ongoing efforts to keep development away from the island as well as the restoration of Angel's Landing needed to be more developed and important in the story than it ended up. It's there - and it's what makes this series so appealling to me, but here it just felt suppressed, held in the background.

Or maybe the author having Jeff, 40 years old, constantly refer to 33 year old Kara as 'baby' -- his main endearment-- just set my teeth too much on edge.



Profile Image for Joyce.
2,392 reviews11 followers
September 8, 2018
Kara Newell inherits a house and two thousand acres from a man she never
Knew- her father. The inheritance comes with certain restrictions and
Family members who want her run out of town. The estate is on Cavanaugh
Island off the coast of S.C. Jeffrey Hamilton, the sheriff acts as her
protector. This is a fast easy light summer read that helps family connect
after years of being torn apart and helps them grow and find a new future
together in a place of low country living.
Profile Image for WiLoveBooks.
865 reviews59 followers
February 4, 2018
I loved this. Kara finds out she has a family she never knew about. Plans to stay for only a week. Meets Jeff and thinks maybe she could stay a little longer. Both have reasons not to want a relationship. Loved the characters and the small-town feel of the island. I’d read others in the series.
93 reviews
May 16, 2024
Loved this book so much. It is just sooo refreshing to read a good love story, with a great plot. Just the right amount of romance. Will definitely be reading more by this author. Love these type of books. Great beach reads.
Profile Image for Dosha (Bluestocking7) Beard.
631 reviews48 followers
December 16, 2024
Even though it took some time to finish this one, it was a good book. There was just enough danger to keep me interested beyond just a romance. This story was more interesting than book one. I am enjoying this series and look forward to book three.
Profile Image for Eileen .
18 reviews5 followers
September 28, 2012
The first thing that attracted me to this book was the cover! How adorable that tea cup Yorkie is. Looks just like my little fellow. I knew right away I was going to enjoy this book. I was right!!!!

I fell in love with the book and could not stop reading it. I think I will go take a trip there this summer. LOL That's How warm and welcoming the story made me feel at times .

The characters were wonderful with all their quirky ways! Like in any small place there were tons of gossipers living there, and made it very hard for two people tying to make a go of it, with all the talk and twisted opinions.. Plus, the secrets of the past alway got in their way.
It made for such an interesting great read and a wonderful steamy romance endures.

Would make a good tv series as well.
.

I am thankful that I won this book on Goodreads.com and I will share it with others that's for sure.
Profile Image for Kathy.
299 reviews
January 30, 2013
This is the 2nd Book of the Cavanaugh Island Trilogy and i enjoyed it as much as the 1st one. Anything to do with history of the AA and especially the Sea Islands I enjoy.
150 reviews1 follower
June 22, 2024
I really enjoyed this book so 5 stars. It’s a story about love and new beginnings. It’s the second of three novels but they can be read as stand alone stories since each book focuses on different characters who barely know each other. If you read them in order though, as I prefer, you will appreciate the references to characters making small appearances who were the main focus of the prior novel. This story really drew me in. I felt like I was right there in the small town with the characters. They seemed authentic to me. The author’s descriptions of the houses and people offered just the right amount of detail. It was predictable but it moved at a nice pace and there was a little bit of mystery to it. Loose ends are tied up rather quickly in the last few pages but it wasn’t necessary to do it any other way. I rated her first book, Sanctuary Cove, 3 stars, rounded down I suppose. I don’t give 5 stars lightly. I highly recommend Angel’s Landing to anyone seeking a well-written story with a happy ending.
198 reviews
March 17, 2024
Surprise...

Kara was shocked and surprised when she finds out that her father isn't her biological father when she receives a letter from a lawyer about the reading of a will. Then she's even more surprised when she finds out she has another family she knew nothing about. She summoned to a place she's never been and finds out that a father she never knew about has left her land and lots of money. But she has to deal with some negative minded relatives that makes it known they don't want her there. She meets Jeff who's the no nonsense town sheriff and who's been asked by her lawyer to keep an eye on her due to those relatives. They end up falling in love. She has a great support system in her mother, father and friend Dawn and others rally around her as well. I enjoyed reading this great love story.
Profile Image for Turtleberry Turtleberry.
Author 49 books50 followers
November 1, 2024
Kara is summoned to Cavanaugh Island for the reading of the will of a man who turned out to be her biological father. He left her his house, the land, and a ton of money.
Jeff is the sheriff. He is asked by his cousin, who is her attorney, to look after her. He is immediately taken with her.
It doesn't take long for them to become an item. She decides to stay on the island for the five years mandated by the will. But someone doesn't want her to stay. Jeff vowes to keep her safe while he is falling in love with her.
I enjoyed this book a lot. The flow was good. The love story was great. There was a little suspense trying to find out who was trying to chase her out of town. I'm ready for the next book in the series.
357 reviews
March 12, 2023
Up and down.

I really enjoyed most of this book, loves the history lessons and all the food stories But about three quarters through, the slow burn got boring, could have had more Confrontations with the Patrons to hear their side of the story. this book was a little more tame than other books I've read by this author. The author is a fine story teller and overall it was really good.
Profile Image for Judith Davis.
Author 1 book1 follower
May 15, 2025
Online a good “cozy” romance, especially with a twist. Ms. Akers is an old friend, as her books I’ve been resting for years. I appreciate the depth of storyline, but not characters. Jeff was far too predictable and Kara the “damsel”. Although I would’ve liked to hear more controversy between the two, the settting totally made up for it. I felt like I too was in the Cove. Looking forward to the next in the series!
11 reviews
March 22, 2020
Akers does it again. The Lowcountry romance

I loved this second book in the series. Not sure if the places in South Carolina are real, but I would love to be a visitor on the island. I felt as if I was actually in the story. The words made me feel what was being read. Alers writing is surreal.

Can't wait for the third book and what happens with Morgan, David and this new Nate.
1,249 reviews9 followers
February 26, 2023
Excellent read

Excellent read, I enjoyed the characters and storyline. Kara’s life had some secrets and lies, she wasn’t aware of. It all changed when she received an inheritance from her biological father. This is her journey to uncovering the truth. As well as, finding happiness and love in this small town with the sheriff Jeffrey.the way,
Profile Image for Denisha.
6 reviews
September 7, 2018
This one was better than the first in the series but it’s rather boring and predictable. The characters still seemed a bit unrealistic. The plot was alright. I loved the references to Little Rock and the descriptions of the island. Overall the book was decent if you like the HEA type books.
Profile Image for Terzah Horton.
186 reviews2 followers
July 11, 2020
This is a reread for me and is an enjoyable light romance. There is some amount of history about blacks in the area (Gula) and that part was very interesting; I hadn't known about most of it. Otherwise it was a non-intense feel-good book that is great to "read" while driving to work.
Profile Image for Brenda.
117 reviews
November 20, 2020
MsLady

Love loved loved loved the book. Family can be hard to love but there’s nothing like the love a family. Karen Jeff had a slow growing love That will stand the test of time? Cannot wait to read book three in the series.
Profile Image for Letha.
351 reviews4 followers
November 29, 2020
I loved this story and stories based in the Carolinas. Great characters, good storyline and true love at its finest. All I can say is grab a cup of tea and some cookies, find a comfortable spot and read away! Looking forward to part three of Cavanaugh Island.
Profile Image for Mary Calton Gerard.
1,218 reviews7 followers
December 21, 2020
Haggis 2:3

This author has become one of my favorites to be entertained. I feel like I am visiting the places that are in the story. Just as I was transported to New Orleans, in the "Innkeepers" series I am visiting Cavanaugh Island.
Profile Image for Teri Rainey.
495 reviews6 followers
July 19, 2021
Just finished this one and I really liked it. Rochelle ahlers is one of those authors you can count on for just enough drama to keep you reading and I always love the love stories and the happily ever after. Each one of her books is always a “feel good” story.
9 reviews
October 15, 2021
Angels Landing Book 2

This books has so many good lessons. The romance and love is so nicely written. The story line was great too. It flowed well from
Start to finish. Thanks for another good read.
9 reviews
August 5, 2022
Cute story

This was a tough read. It took me a week to read. It is a nice love story The description of the area and
the people involved I could picture what everyone and everything looked like.
19 reviews
October 2, 2022
Kara and Jeff

I started this book and didn't plan on reading it in a day and a half. Really got into the characters and the history of the island and the land. Going into the history makes you appreciate what we have today.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews

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