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Treading Water #4
Coming Home
She has everything she ever wanted—except the man she can’t live without.
Ten years ago, their relationship was a scandal. Now it's forever. Kate Harrington goes after the man she left behind when she set out to chase her dream of music superstardom. Now she has everything she ever wanted, except for the one thing she can't live without. What will Reid say when she shows up unannounced in St. Kitts, looking to reclaim their lost love? And what will Jack, Kate's father, say when he hears she's gone back to her first love, a man Jack once considered a friend? And what do you think will happen when Jill Harrington, Kate's sister, attorney and manager, faces off with Ashton Matthews, Reid's son, the same man who made life miserable for Kate many years ago? The sparks will fly when the Harrington, Matthews and O'Malley families gather in Nashville for a Christmas none of them will ever forget!
Treading Water Series
Book 1: Treading Water (Jack & Andi)
Book 2: Marking Time (Clare & Aidan)
Book 3: Starting Over (Brandon & Daphne)
Book 4: Coming Home (Reid & Kate)
Book 5: Finding Forever (Maggie & Brayden)
Ten years ago, their relationship was a scandal. Now it's forever. Kate Harrington goes after the man she left behind when she set out to chase her dream of music superstardom. Now she has everything she ever wanted, except for the one thing she can't live without. What will Reid say when she shows up unannounced in St. Kitts, looking to reclaim their lost love? And what will Jack, Kate's father, say when he hears she's gone back to her first love, a man Jack once considered a friend? And what do you think will happen when Jill Harrington, Kate's sister, attorney and manager, faces off with Ashton Matthews, Reid's son, the same man who made life miserable for Kate many years ago? The sparks will fly when the Harrington, Matthews and O'Malley families gather in Nashville for a Christmas none of them will ever forget!
Treading Water Series
Book 1: Treading Water (Jack & Andi)
Book 2: Marking Time (Clare & Aidan)
Book 3: Starting Over (Brandon & Daphne)
Book 4: Coming Home (Reid & Kate)
Book 5: Finding Forever (Maggie & Brayden)
362 pages, Paperback
First published December 11, 2012
1330 people are currently reading
1021 people want to read
About the author
Marie Force
210 books8,453 followersMarie Force is the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance, romantic suspense and erotic romance. Her series include Gansett Island, Fatal, Treading Water, Butler Vermont and Quantum.
Her books have sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have appeared on the New York Times bestseller more than 30 times. She is also a USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, as well as a Speigel bestseller in Germany.
Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.
Join Marie’s mailing list on her website at marieforce.com for news about new books and upcoming appearances in your area. Follow her on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MarieForceAuthor and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/marieforceauthor/. Contact Marie at marie@marieforce.com.
Her books have sold more than 12 million copies worldwide, have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have appeared on the New York Times bestseller more than 30 times. She is also a USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, as well as a Speigel bestseller in Germany.
Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.
Join Marie’s mailing list on her website at marieforce.com for news about new books and upcoming appearances in your area. Follow her on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/MarieForceAuthor and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/marieforceauthor/. Contact Marie at marie@marieforce.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
January 10, 2013
What can i say? There has not been any book written by Marie that I have not liked .... well, was a bit annoyed at the last Fatal and Gansett book because I thought she could have done without the "Fifty" theme in them .... oK, know you never read "that" book, Marie, but that was my humble opinion. Yes, think I was one of the readers that begged for Kate and Reid's HEA and was so happy with it. Age difference didn't bother. Loved catching up will the characters from previous books. Look forward to the next book (Maggie's story?). Just to reiterate - this woman does not write a bad book. Think I am up to date on all her books now - maybe time for a re-read of some of my favourites.
April 19, 2015
Overall rating: 4 "Coming Home" stars!
Triggers:
Cheating:
Love triangle:
Sex with om/ow:
Past Intimacies:
HEA:
My review:
As I have said before, this series is so damn refreshing it's not even funny. After having books always in your face where the hero has a manwhore past or present as well, to read a series where not ONE character is like that is simply amazing in my eyes.
I loved this follow up story to Reid and Kate. I have to say I was worried about the age gap and the ability for Kate to get the HEA she deserves. I had hoped their reunion would have gone a little differently .. I do think that Kate was very immature if why she left Reid in book 2 and I LOVED how much Reid adored her and would simply do anything for her.
I also adored the side story with Ashton and Jill. It was just precious! I liked how we got to see so many of our other main couples. I hope poor Maggie gets a story and some happiness!
Great conclusion to a great series.
Triggers:
Cheating:
Love triangle:
Sex with om/ow:
Past Intimacies:
HEA:
My review:
As I have said before, this series is so damn refreshing it's not even funny. After having books always in your face where the hero has a manwhore past or present as well, to read a series where not ONE character is like that is simply amazing in my eyes.
I loved this follow up story to Reid and Kate. I have to say I was worried about the age gap and the ability for Kate to get the HEA she deserves. I had hoped their reunion would have gone a little differently .. I do think that Kate was very immature if why she left Reid in book 2 and I LOVED how much Reid adored her and would simply do anything for her.
I also adored the side story with Ashton and Jill. It was just precious! I liked how we got to see so many of our other main couples. I hope poor Maggie gets a story and some happiness!
Great conclusion to a great series.
December 13, 2012
“Coming Home” is the fourth book in Marie Force’s “Treading Water” series. It can be read as a stand-alone but the level of enjoyment will most certainly be increased if you read this superbly written group of books in its entirety.
While I had my doubts and felt some anxiety in the beginning concerning the age difference between Reid and Kate, Marie was able to pull me through the dark tunnel and expertly guide me into the light. “Coming Home” begins ten years after an eighteen year old Kate fell hopelessly in love with forty-five year old Reid, who went to college with her father. After a secret surfaced causing Kate to question her relationship with Reid, each goes their separate way. This is the story of Kate and Reid’s second chance at love and is truly an amazing and beautiful journey. Even though it seems everyone is against their May-December relationship, Kate sums it up when she tells Reid, “I’d rather have thirty amazing, magical years with you than fifty okay years with someone else.”
The secondary romance between Kate’s sister and Reid’s son, Jill and Ashton, almost steals the show. They are a perfect match and I loved the passion they shared. Oh what fun these two have coming to terms with their feelings for one another.
As with all the other books by this amazing author, there’s plenty of sizzling chemistry, wonderfully believable romance, great character interaction, witty and smart dialogue, along with an overall well-developed and satisfying storyline.
Within the pages of this book there’s also a holiday bonus package filled with beloved characters from the previous books. It’s a beautiful setting and readers will enjoy the wonders of the season and updates on all the “Treading Water” family and friends.
I highly recommend each and every book in this fabulous contemporary romance series.
While I had my doubts and felt some anxiety in the beginning concerning the age difference between Reid and Kate, Marie was able to pull me through the dark tunnel and expertly guide me into the light. “Coming Home” begins ten years after an eighteen year old Kate fell hopelessly in love with forty-five year old Reid, who went to college with her father. After a secret surfaced causing Kate to question her relationship with Reid, each goes their separate way. This is the story of Kate and Reid’s second chance at love and is truly an amazing and beautiful journey. Even though it seems everyone is against their May-December relationship, Kate sums it up when she tells Reid, “I’d rather have thirty amazing, magical years with you than fifty okay years with someone else.”
The secondary romance between Kate’s sister and Reid’s son, Jill and Ashton, almost steals the show. They are a perfect match and I loved the passion they shared. Oh what fun these two have coming to terms with their feelings for one another.
As with all the other books by this amazing author, there’s plenty of sizzling chemistry, wonderfully believable romance, great character interaction, witty and smart dialogue, along with an overall well-developed and satisfying storyline.
Within the pages of this book there’s also a holiday bonus package filled with beloved characters from the previous books. It’s a beautiful setting and readers will enjoy the wonders of the season and updates on all the “Treading Water” family and friends.
I highly recommend each and every book in this fabulous contemporary romance series.
July 9, 2018
Sooo good I love Kate and Reid sooo much and was glad to have there story finished. Please say Maggie will get her own story!!!!!
June 20, 2021
Ich war die letzten Tage so viel arbeiten, dass ich es nicht geschafft habe, dieses Buch weiterzulesen. Der Altersunterschied von Reid und Kate find ich noch immer etwas heftig, aber trotzdem mochte ich diese Geschichte total gerne. Sie kommt zwar nicht an seinen Vorgänger an, aber dennoch habe ich es wieder gerne gelesen. Es war wieder schön vom Rest der Harrington Familie wieder mehr zu erfahren. Daher freue ich mich jetzt so sehr auf den letzten Band und maggies Geschichte. Marie Force schafft es einfach immer mich mit ihren Büchern zu begeistern und deswegen zählt sie zu meinen Lieblingsautorin.
4,5 Sterne
4,5 Sterne
December 17, 2012
Wonderful ending to Reid and Kate's love story. Thank you Marie Force for listening to your fans and writing about this untraditional and amazing couple. I really hope this series continues. Can Maggie or Eric have a story too?
December 17, 2012
Excellent! Well done Marie Force – she did it! Yep, this time MF makes a believable romance between Kate and Reid (from Marking Time, bk 2 of the Treading Water trilogy). The 28 yr difference in their age that seemed creepy in Marking Time wasn’t as difficult to believe in this May/December romance when this time around it’s been 10 years since their brief relationship ended and Kate is now 28 to Reid’s 55. (Yea, it’s a math thing…Reid has a birthday in December which makes him 56 by the end of the bk and the age difference 28 yrs). In Marking Time the lovers Kate a mature 18 yrs and even more mature Reid at 45 yrs old just didn’t fly for me. Especially with Reid being Kate’s father Jack’s college buddy. Sex with your dad’s friend – EWWWW!!!! With the advanced timeline in Coming Home, the story was not only believable but endearingly sweet and sexy. Ok it also helped that Reid was described at being 55 while looking 40 yrs old. That I could picture. Buddy Longstreet, Kate’s mentor is great fun and I enjoyed all his scenes. He could be a tough business man but at the same time be a wonderful caring friend and just an all around good guy. The brotherly like relationship between Buddy and Reid were some of my fav scenes in this bk.
MF gives us an extra treat – a developing relationship between Kate’s sister and manager Jill and Reid’s son, Ashton. Ashton has toned down his anger and matured quite a bit in the 10 yrs since his dad and Kate ended their relationship, thanks to his meddling. Jill and Ashton’s relationship while unfortunately too fast moving for me made this bk even better. Wished MF had chosen to give them their own bk, but realize both relationships needed to gel in order for both families to come together and resolve all the hard feelings from the past. Even with the” you’re my step son and soon to be brother-in-law”, it all worked out well and goes down as my fav bk in this series so far. Excellent romance(s) with all her wonderful characters from the other bks in this series included here.
MF gives us an extra treat – a developing relationship between Kate’s sister and manager Jill and Reid’s son, Ashton. Ashton has toned down his anger and matured quite a bit in the 10 yrs since his dad and Kate ended their relationship, thanks to his meddling. Jill and Ashton’s relationship while unfortunately too fast moving for me made this bk even better. Wished MF had chosen to give them their own bk, but realize both relationships needed to gel in order for both families to come together and resolve all the hard feelings from the past. Even with the” you’re my step son and soon to be brother-in-law”, it all worked out well and goes down as my fav bk in this series so far. Excellent romance(s) with all her wonderful characters from the other bks in this series included here.
December 20, 2012
5 Satisfying Stars
Genre: Contemporary Adult Romance
Heat Barometer: 4 out of 5 flames
This is a very emotional series, book 1, Treading Water is a favorite of mine and I have reread it several times. I feel the series pushes the boundaries on some acceptable types of relationships / heartbreaking choices and because of that I connect with the characters even though their relationships are out of my comfort zone.
A few additional thoughts:
You must read Marking Time before reading this book because Reid and Kate's relationship begins and develops in Marking Time. I also would recommend reading Treading Water before as well because you see where this family came from, and that is really important to get the full effect and emotions of the story. Starting Over is more of a stand alone book.
You get two amazing love stories in this book which intertwine. It was great because if one started to wind down the other picked up the pace.
The main love story has a significant age difference, but the characters are so wonderful and timeless I couldn't see it as I read about their romance (most of the time). The major conflict of the story was dealing with all the emotions brought because of Reid's and Kate's relationship and age difference. It was such a beautiful love story, I highly recommend this series and this author. Marie Force is always a must read for me.
Genre: Contemporary Adult Romance
Heat Barometer: 4 out of 5 flames
This is a very emotional series, book 1, Treading Water is a favorite of mine and I have reread it several times. I feel the series pushes the boundaries on some acceptable types of relationships / heartbreaking choices and because of that I connect with the characters even though their relationships are out of my comfort zone.
A few additional thoughts:
You must read Marking Time before reading this book because Reid and Kate's relationship begins and develops in Marking Time. I also would recommend reading Treading Water before as well because you see where this family came from, and that is really important to get the full effect and emotions of the story. Starting Over is more of a stand alone book.
You get two amazing love stories in this book which intertwine. It was great because if one started to wind down the other picked up the pace.
The main love story has a significant age difference, but the characters are so wonderful and timeless I couldn't see it as I read about their romance (most of the time). The major conflict of the story was dealing with all the emotions brought because of Reid's and Kate's relationship and age difference. It was such a beautiful love story, I highly recommend this series and this author. Marie Force is always a must read for me.
December 13, 2012
The HEA I've been waiting for. It was fabulous and exactly what I wanted for Reid and Kate.
Ten years later, now a huge country music star, Kate Harrington is still missing the one who got away. With health issues and a need for a break, Kate uses her time off to find the man she left and find out if what they had could still be.
Kate Harrington and Reid Matthews were two characters from the Marking Time that I absolutely adored and was heartbroken over. Many hated the twenty-eight year age difference between them, but, to me, their romance was about who they were as people and how they fit perfectly together. Not how close they were in age. In Coming Home, we discover absence certainly does make the heart grow fonder and that age still makes no difference to Kate and Reid. What was even more amazing was how those ten years apart seemed to melt away and they were able to practically pick up from where they ended. They still had amazing chemistry and had truly learned from the events that pulled them apart.
Despite what their families felt about them before, they both vowed they were determined they would do what was best for them and not anyone else. That's not to say their families, specifically Kate's didn't cause a bit of heartburn. But in the end, it all came down to Kate and Reid and their determination that this time they will be together forever.
Marie Force perfectly captured the essence of this couple. Despite the age difference, their relationship proves that love is timeless and ageless. It was an absolute pleasure to read Kate and Reid's story and finally see them get their HEA they deserved.
Ten years later, now a huge country music star, Kate Harrington is still missing the one who got away. With health issues and a need for a break, Kate uses her time off to find the man she left and find out if what they had could still be.
Kate Harrington and Reid Matthews were two characters from the Marking Time that I absolutely adored and was heartbroken over. Many hated the twenty-eight year age difference between them, but, to me, their romance was about who they were as people and how they fit perfectly together. Not how close they were in age. In Coming Home, we discover absence certainly does make the heart grow fonder and that age still makes no difference to Kate and Reid. What was even more amazing was how those ten years apart seemed to melt away and they were able to practically pick up from where they ended. They still had amazing chemistry and had truly learned from the events that pulled them apart.
Despite what their families felt about them before, they both vowed they were determined they would do what was best for them and not anyone else. That's not to say their families, specifically Kate's didn't cause a bit of heartburn. But in the end, it all came down to Kate and Reid and their determination that this time they will be together forever.
Marie Force perfectly captured the essence of this couple. Despite the age difference, their relationship proves that love is timeless and ageless. It was an absolute pleasure to read Kate and Reid's story and finally see them get their HEA they deserved.
December 19, 2012
Piper's review posted on Guilty Pleasures
Coming Home is the story of Kate and Reid who we meet in Marking Time, book 2 in the Treading Water series. I have to admit, I did not care for Kate and Reid as couple in Marking Time. When Kate and Reid meet and fall in love, Kate is 18 and Reid is 45. Reid is the same age as Kate’s dad, and I could not see what an 18 yr old would see in a 45 yr old. When I heard that Marie was going to continue Kate and Reid’s story I was interested to see if she could “turn” me around in regards to Kate and Reid and well, she did.
Coming Home is 10 yrs after Marking Time. Kate is now 28 and a successful signer and has been pushing herself for these 10 yrs to “forget” Reid. Even with the passage of time neither Kate nor Reid has moved on.
After 10 yrs of growing and living life, Kate realizes that what she wants and has wanted all these years was Reid and Kate goes after him.
Marie does a wonderful job writing a believable May/December romance. I loved Kate and Reid together this time around. As their story unfolds you can really feel that they belonged together, and that age is just a number. The heart loves who it loves. I think Marie got me, because Kate and Reid knew that anytime they had together was better than being apart. I melted and knew these two found their other half.
I loved that the whole family was present in this book. I enjoyed the love story between Kate’s sister Jill and Reid’s son Ashton. It was fun to see Maggie all grown up.
This book was truly about coming home. Kate comes home to the love and family she had been missing for the last ten years. I know it is asking a lot but I really hope Marie continues with Jill and Ashton, as well as Maggie’s stories.
Another perfect read by Marie Force.
Happy Reading!!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
Coming Home is the story of Kate and Reid who we meet in Marking Time, book 2 in the Treading Water series. I have to admit, I did not care for Kate and Reid as couple in Marking Time. When Kate and Reid meet and fall in love, Kate is 18 and Reid is 45. Reid is the same age as Kate’s dad, and I could not see what an 18 yr old would see in a 45 yr old. When I heard that Marie was going to continue Kate and Reid’s story I was interested to see if she could “turn” me around in regards to Kate and Reid and well, she did.
Coming Home is 10 yrs after Marking Time. Kate is now 28 and a successful signer and has been pushing herself for these 10 yrs to “forget” Reid. Even with the passage of time neither Kate nor Reid has moved on.
After 10 yrs of growing and living life, Kate realizes that what she wants and has wanted all these years was Reid and Kate goes after him.
Marie does a wonderful job writing a believable May/December romance. I loved Kate and Reid together this time around. As their story unfolds you can really feel that they belonged together, and that age is just a number. The heart loves who it loves. I think Marie got me, because Kate and Reid knew that anytime they had together was better than being apart. I melted and knew these two found their other half.
I loved that the whole family was present in this book. I enjoyed the love story between Kate’s sister Jill and Reid’s son Ashton. It was fun to see Maggie all grown up.
This book was truly about coming home. Kate comes home to the love and family she had been missing for the last ten years. I know it is asking a lot but I really hope Marie continues with Jill and Ashton, as well as Maggie’s stories.
Another perfect read by Marie Force.
Happy Reading!!
Review copy provided for an honest review.
December 15, 2012
5 STARS!! First I want to thank Marie Force for writing a story for Reid and Kate, it was worth the wait! Marie is one of my favorite authors. I know each time what I am going to get, a great story with characters you absolutely love and root for, with lots of twists and turns along the way. Reading this follow-up 10 years forward was awesome and it was literally like “coming home” for the reader as well. I loved catching back up with all the characters I love so much from the Treading Water series. I can’t say enough good things about this book. Buy it and you will love it, be sure to read the previous books to get the background if you have not read them already! Thank you Marie for giving Reid and Kate a great story and I loved Jill and Ashton as well. I am hoping we will get to hear a story for Maggie!
July 23, 2024
Loved this book! I knew an older man could be sexy and this story absolutely pulls off the older man/ younger woman! This was a hard to put down book. There was so much emotion that I found myself wiping away tears a time ot two.
I would love to see yet another book in this series. I want to know what the future holds for Jill and Ashton, Kate, Reid and family and would LOVE to see the man that MAGGIE finds to love!!! Pretty please??.....
I would love to see yet another book in this series. I want to know what the future holds for Jill and Ashton, Kate, Reid and family and would LOVE to see the man that MAGGIE finds to love!!! Pretty please??.....
December 23, 2012
Loved this story! When their loved blossomed in bk #2 of the series I was uncomfortable with such a big age gap specially when Kate was only 18. But in Coming Home, it has been 10 years and Kate and Reid have never stopped loving each other. I loved Jill with Ashton as well as getting a recap on everyone else. This was the conclusion I didn't know I needed to the series. Thanks Marie Force a job very well done!
July 7, 2013
What a perfect ending to this series! I could not put any of these books down. I actually cried that the series is over. I love that the author went back to finish Kate and Reids story and also updated on all the other characters we've come to love. I think Jack may be one of my favorite characters ever. Great book!!!
December 15, 2012
*happy sigh* Closure. So satisfying to see Kate and Reid get their HEA.
January 4, 2020
Rezension
Buchname: Und wenn es Liebe ist (Neuengland 4)
Autor: Marie Force
Seiten: 411 (Print)
Verlag: Montlake Romance (31. Dezember 2019)
Sterne: 4
Cover:
Das Cover ist richtig schön gestaltet worden. Der Buchtitel steht in dunklen Buchstaben im oberen Bereich. Man sieht ein Pärchen, dass auf einer Wiese steht und im Hintergrund sind Berge .. Auf dem ersten Blick ist das schon mal sehr ansprechend.
Klappentext: (aus Amazon übernommen)
Eine romantische Geschichte um den Traum vom Glück, zweite Chancen und die große Liebe von #1 BILD-Bestsellerautorin Marie Force.
Kate Harrington ist ein gefeierter Star auf den Bühnen der Welt. Die schöne Sängerin hat alles erreicht, wovon sie geträumt hat – aber den Mann gehen lassen, der ihr so viel bedeutet.
Was wird Reid sagen, wenn Kate zehn Jahre nach ihrer Trennung wieder in seinem Leben auftaucht und ihrer Liebe noch eine Chance geben will? Wie wird Kates Schwester Jill reagieren, die sich gerade in den Mann verliebt, der Kate und Reid damals auseinandergebracht hat? Ganz zu schweigen vom Rest der Familie.
Diesmal ist Kate entschlossen, um ihr Glück zu kämpfen, und lädt alle zu einem Weihnachtsfest ein, das keiner je vergessen wird …
Neue Ausgabe: Die lieferbare Ausgabe von »Und wenn es Liebe ist« wurde überarbeitet und neu gestaltet.
Schreibstil:
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist total flüssig, liest sich super und ist sehr leicht verständlich. Das Buch wurde hauptsächlich aus der Sicht von Kate geschrieben.
Charaktere:
Die Hauptprotagonistin ist Kate
Der Hauptprotagonist ist Reid
Ich fande alle Charaktere von Anfang an total sympathisch und liebenswert. Des weiteren gibt es noch ein paar andere Charaktere. . Meiner Meinung nach sind alle Charakter sehr gelungen und haben einen sehr guten Platz im Buch bekommen.
Meinung:
!!!! Achtung !!! Könnte Spoiler erhalten!!!
Die Geschichte rund um Kate und Reid hat mir persönlich ganz gut gefallen. Die Bücher von Marie Force sind einfach Wohlfühlbücher. Es ist immer ein Gefühl von „nach Hause“ kommen. Ich mag einfach die Art und Weise von der Autorin :)
Kate und Reid fande ich schon im Band 2 interessant und habe mich sehr gefreut, ihre Geschichte zu lesen. Nebenbei hat man auch etwas von Jill und Ashton erfahren und von allen anderen Charakteren aus der Neuengland Reihe. Es hat Spaß gemacht, dass Buch zu lesen. Ich hatte ein paar sehr schöne Lesestunden. Der vierte Band der Reihe war ganz gut gemacht, aber mein Highlight ist der Band 3. Deshalb bekommt das Buch von mir großartige 4 Sterne und eine klare Leseempfehlung.
Buchname: Und wenn es Liebe ist (Neuengland 4)
Autor: Marie Force
Seiten: 411 (Print)
Verlag: Montlake Romance (31. Dezember 2019)
Sterne: 4
Cover:
Das Cover ist richtig schön gestaltet worden. Der Buchtitel steht in dunklen Buchstaben im oberen Bereich. Man sieht ein Pärchen, dass auf einer Wiese steht und im Hintergrund sind Berge .. Auf dem ersten Blick ist das schon mal sehr ansprechend.
Klappentext: (aus Amazon übernommen)
Eine romantische Geschichte um den Traum vom Glück, zweite Chancen und die große Liebe von #1 BILD-Bestsellerautorin Marie Force.
Kate Harrington ist ein gefeierter Star auf den Bühnen der Welt. Die schöne Sängerin hat alles erreicht, wovon sie geträumt hat – aber den Mann gehen lassen, der ihr so viel bedeutet.
Was wird Reid sagen, wenn Kate zehn Jahre nach ihrer Trennung wieder in seinem Leben auftaucht und ihrer Liebe noch eine Chance geben will? Wie wird Kates Schwester Jill reagieren, die sich gerade in den Mann verliebt, der Kate und Reid damals auseinandergebracht hat? Ganz zu schweigen vom Rest der Familie.
Diesmal ist Kate entschlossen, um ihr Glück zu kämpfen, und lädt alle zu einem Weihnachtsfest ein, das keiner je vergessen wird …
Neue Ausgabe: Die lieferbare Ausgabe von »Und wenn es Liebe ist« wurde überarbeitet und neu gestaltet.
Schreibstil:
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist total flüssig, liest sich super und ist sehr leicht verständlich. Das Buch wurde hauptsächlich aus der Sicht von Kate geschrieben.
Charaktere:
Die Hauptprotagonistin ist Kate
Der Hauptprotagonist ist Reid
Ich fande alle Charaktere von Anfang an total sympathisch und liebenswert. Des weiteren gibt es noch ein paar andere Charaktere. . Meiner Meinung nach sind alle Charakter sehr gelungen und haben einen sehr guten Platz im Buch bekommen.
Meinung:
!!!! Achtung !!! Könnte Spoiler erhalten!!!
Die Geschichte rund um Kate und Reid hat mir persönlich ganz gut gefallen. Die Bücher von Marie Force sind einfach Wohlfühlbücher. Es ist immer ein Gefühl von „nach Hause“ kommen. Ich mag einfach die Art und Weise von der Autorin :)
Kate und Reid fande ich schon im Band 2 interessant und habe mich sehr gefreut, ihre Geschichte zu lesen. Nebenbei hat man auch etwas von Jill und Ashton erfahren und von allen anderen Charakteren aus der Neuengland Reihe. Es hat Spaß gemacht, dass Buch zu lesen. Ich hatte ein paar sehr schöne Lesestunden. Der vierte Band der Reihe war ganz gut gemacht, aber mein Highlight ist der Band 3. Deshalb bekommt das Buch von mir großartige 4 Sterne und eine klare Leseempfehlung.
December 30, 2014
I have absolutely loved this series and I especially loved the story of Kate and Reid, they were an adorable couple despite the huge age gap. I'm a firm believer that age is just a number and it shouldn't matter in a relationship and usually an age difference only matters to other people and not those in the relationship. This was a beautiful story with lots of strong and likeable characters throughout the whole 4 book series. I only have one complaint about this fourth book and that is the fact that there was no epilogue and I do love an epilogue just to finish up the story. Could there possibly be at least one more book in this series as Maggie has not yet had her story and I'm sure she must have one!!
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January 14, 2013Ten years later? Um...um...how old will the hero be at this point? :(
December 31, 2012
This was just what I needed. I needed a wonderful fairy tale and MF delivered! :)
December 15, 2012
Great ending to Reid and Kate. I wanted them together all along.
December 7, 2025
Treading Water SeriesBook 1: Treading Water (Jack & Andi)Book 2: Marking Time (Clare & Aidan)Book 3: Starting Over (Brandon & Daphne)Book 4: Coming Home (Reid & Kate)Book 5: Finding Forever (Maggie & Brayden)
KU. December Reads. Christmas 2025. Tropes: Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Foreign Country (St. Kitts), Age Difference, First Love Second Time Around, Secondary Romance, Family/Friends, Widower, Country Music Star.
MC's h. Kate Harrington, 28, country music star for 10 years, had pneumonia, fainted on stage and is now on a vacation hoping to make amends with her first and the only man she ever loved Reid Matthews. Family: Mother Clare (Aiden) Father Jack (Andi), sister Jill, 29,(eldest, her lawyer and manager) Ashton Matthews, lawyer Jill's boyfriend) and sister Maggie. Her good friends Buddy and Taylor (famous country star couple) her mentors and heroes.
H. Reid Matthews,56, widower, son Ashton 35, retired and lives on St. Kitts. Last 6 months has lived with a woman Mari. He is living a peaceful nice island life when along comes his old love the one who made magic, Kate Harrington.
This is a second chance romance and an age difference romance all rolled into one. It is a time of love, reconnecting and forgiveness. Kate Harrington at 18 fell in love with a man her father's age (also his dad's old friend from Uni), Reid Matthew,46 with a grown up son, Ashton, 24. Their relationship was doomed from the start with the age difference, the families' disgust and Reid's stepping in to help by sharing her talent with his good friend Buddy which opened up the doors for Kate but she was too angry and broke it off. For ten years neither of them were happy always thinking about the other one. Kate made the first move after having to leave work due to her weakened body from pneumonia. She and her sister Jill both worked worked worked with no breaks for 10 years. They needed to have a vacation. Kate went to St. Kitts and reconnected with Reid and Jill went to Malibu with Ashton who she had a crush on for 10 years and vice versa. Let the true love games begin.
KU. December Reads. Christmas 2025. Tropes: Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Foreign Country (St. Kitts), Age Difference, First Love Second Time Around, Secondary Romance, Family/Friends, Widower, Country Music Star.
MC's h. Kate Harrington, 28, country music star for 10 years, had pneumonia, fainted on stage and is now on a vacation hoping to make amends with her first and the only man she ever loved Reid Matthews. Family: Mother Clare (Aiden) Father Jack (Andi), sister Jill, 29,(eldest, her lawyer and manager) Ashton Matthews, lawyer Jill's boyfriend) and sister Maggie. Her good friends Buddy and Taylor (famous country star couple) her mentors and heroes.
H. Reid Matthews,56, widower, son Ashton 35, retired and lives on St. Kitts. Last 6 months has lived with a woman Mari. He is living a peaceful nice island life when along comes his old love the one who made magic, Kate Harrington.
This is a second chance romance and an age difference romance all rolled into one. It is a time of love, reconnecting and forgiveness. Kate Harrington at 18 fell in love with a man her father's age (also his dad's old friend from Uni), Reid Matthew,46 with a grown up son, Ashton, 24. Their relationship was doomed from the start with the age difference, the families' disgust and Reid's stepping in to help by sharing her talent with his good friend Buddy which opened up the doors for Kate but she was too angry and broke it off. For ten years neither of them were happy always thinking about the other one. Kate made the first move after having to leave work due to her weakened body from pneumonia. She and her sister Jill both worked worked worked with no breaks for 10 years. They needed to have a vacation. Kate went to St. Kitts and reconnected with Reid and Jill went to Malibu with Ashton who she had a crush on for 10 years and vice versa. Let the true love games begin.
August 25, 2015
Pov: all adult main characters, a few paragraphs from the parents
Main characters: Kate and Reid, Jill and Ashton
Minor characters: assorted family members from previous books
My thoughts:
This book was quick paced just like all the others. Nothing really happened on it either. Once Kate and Reid got back together there was no real drama or conflict. Even between Jill and Ashton it was simple. I guess this book was written as a gift to the fans, which would explain the lack of conflict.
I didn't have any strong preference for Kate and Reid. I think it would have been a much better story had Jill and Ashton fallen for each other but Kate and Reid hated each other. Or if Reid had been with Mari for longer than 6 months. Maybe they were engaged and Kate comes along. I don't know.
There was also a random decision to turn Reid's home into a shelter for women and children. That came out of left field. There weren't any instance in the book revolving around battered women and children so it was weird that they came to that suggestion so quickly. It seemed like the author needed an excuse to get Maggie back to Nashville.
The entire series just seemed very calm, when I wanted more waves. I liked it less than the Gansett island series, but I think it was written way earlier.
Synopsis:
Kate is now a successful country singer. She has tons of money and is a superstar. She isn't really on the tabloids because she doesn't usually venture far from home or have relationships. She catches pneumonia and goes back to work too soon and passes out on stage. She ends up hospitalized for dehydration and exhaustion and decides she needs a break.
She never stopped thinking of Reid, even though it's been 10 years. She decides she wants to see him and apologize for how she broke up with him. She tracks down his address and goes to the island he now lives on.
She goes to his house and discovers he's living with another woman. She talks to him and apologizes and he recommends a hotel he knows the owner of when she mentions she might staying the island for a few days.
Reid has never gotten over Kate. After they broke up he packed up his belongings and quit his job to move on an island. His relationship with Ashton was strained but they worked on it and for the most part recovered.
He started dating Mari within the last 6 months and he's never said he loves her. When Kate comes to see him Mari knows she's the girl he was in love with in his past. She gets jealous and they fight over dinner. She ends up leaving him.
He's upset with Kate for disturbing his life so he goes to. Her hotel to argue with her. When he gets there they end up reconciling. They both confess they still love each other and want to be together.
They spend the next few days together and make plans for their future. He proposes and she says yes.
He goes to his house with Mari to get his stuff and he finds his house destroyed. He knows it was Mari but he won't turn her in to the cops, until he sees she shredded and baby photo of Ashton.
Kate and Reid spend weeks at the resort on the island and have sex everywhere. They do it outside at night and one day he convinces her to have sex in the ocean.
They buy a house in the island with the plan to vacation there and live full time in Nashville for her work.
Someone recorded them and released the video online so they cut the vacation early and go home to Nashville. She's worried that the tape was released but she's more worried how her parents will feel now that she's back with Reid.
She decides to quit music completely to focus on her life and the family they want to have. Reid didn't want more kids, because he's already 56, but he decides he wants whatever makes Kate happy.
Her record label, and Jill and Ashton, talk her into taking the majority of the year off and only touring in the summer for the rest of her career. She agrees and they decide to plan her wedding.
She gets pregnant and they get married the day after Christmas. She invited her whole family but Jack, her dad, resisted at first. He eventually comes around and gives her away and gives them his blessing.
They decide to turn Reid's old family home into a shelter for women and children and Maggie decides she wants to be the director. She had a bad breakup in New York and thinks it'll be a good fresh start for her, and she double majored in social work.
Jill and Ashton have known each other for years, since she's a lawyer for Kate and he's a lawyer for Kate's record label. They've always been attracted to each other, but hey each think the other doesn't like them. Reid thinks she hates him because of how he treated Kate and his dad, especially how he was involved in their breakup. Jill thinks he hates her because he dislikes Kate for coming between him and his father.
One day he decides to ask her out. She says yes and he takes her to Malibu for a week. They hit it off and confess they've liked each other forever. He ends up telling her he's falling in love with her.
The sex tape of his dad and her sister leaks and they cut their trip short. He doesn't want to lose the closeness they had in Malibu and she thinks he only wanted a vacation fling. He quickly sets her straight and tells her he's in love with her and wants to be with her. She feels the same and they start a relationship.
When Kate tells them she wants to quit and they talk her into cutting back instead he tells Jill he wants her to work with him. That way she's not without work for the majority of the year, and he wants her with him always and she's a good lawyer.
She asks him to be nicer to her sister and he agrees for her, not for his dad.
Jill helps get everything ready for Kate's wedding and Ashton wants to propose. He asks Jack for his blessing and asks Kate if it's ok that he does it on her wedding weekend. Kate says of course it's ok and they come to a truce. He decides he wants his dad to be happy and he apologizes for how he told on her to her dad, and how he called their relationship disgusting.
He proposes to Jill and she says yes.
Main characters: Kate and Reid, Jill and Ashton
Minor characters: assorted family members from previous books
My thoughts:
This book was quick paced just like all the others. Nothing really happened on it either. Once Kate and Reid got back together there was no real drama or conflict. Even between Jill and Ashton it was simple. I guess this book was written as a gift to the fans, which would explain the lack of conflict.
I didn't have any strong preference for Kate and Reid. I think it would have been a much better story had Jill and Ashton fallen for each other but Kate and Reid hated each other. Or if Reid had been with Mari for longer than 6 months. Maybe they were engaged and Kate comes along. I don't know.
There was also a random decision to turn Reid's home into a shelter for women and children. That came out of left field. There weren't any instance in the book revolving around battered women and children so it was weird that they came to that suggestion so quickly. It seemed like the author needed an excuse to get Maggie back to Nashville.
The entire series just seemed very calm, when I wanted more waves. I liked it less than the Gansett island series, but I think it was written way earlier.
Synopsis:
Kate is now a successful country singer. She has tons of money and is a superstar. She isn't really on the tabloids because she doesn't usually venture far from home or have relationships. She catches pneumonia and goes back to work too soon and passes out on stage. She ends up hospitalized for dehydration and exhaustion and decides she needs a break.
She never stopped thinking of Reid, even though it's been 10 years. She decides she wants to see him and apologize for how she broke up with him. She tracks down his address and goes to the island he now lives on.
She goes to his house and discovers he's living with another woman. She talks to him and apologizes and he recommends a hotel he knows the owner of when she mentions she might staying the island for a few days.
Reid has never gotten over Kate. After they broke up he packed up his belongings and quit his job to move on an island. His relationship with Ashton was strained but they worked on it and for the most part recovered.
He started dating Mari within the last 6 months and he's never said he loves her. When Kate comes to see him Mari knows she's the girl he was in love with in his past. She gets jealous and they fight over dinner. She ends up leaving him.
He's upset with Kate for disturbing his life so he goes to. Her hotel to argue with her. When he gets there they end up reconciling. They both confess they still love each other and want to be together.
They spend the next few days together and make plans for their future. He proposes and she says yes.
He goes to his house with Mari to get his stuff and he finds his house destroyed. He knows it was Mari but he won't turn her in to the cops, until he sees she shredded and baby photo of Ashton.
Kate and Reid spend weeks at the resort on the island and have sex everywhere. They do it outside at night and one day he convinces her to have sex in the ocean.
They buy a house in the island with the plan to vacation there and live full time in Nashville for her work.
Someone recorded them and released the video online so they cut the vacation early and go home to Nashville. She's worried that the tape was released but she's more worried how her parents will feel now that she's back with Reid.
She decides to quit music completely to focus on her life and the family they want to have. Reid didn't want more kids, because he's already 56, but he decides he wants whatever makes Kate happy.
Her record label, and Jill and Ashton, talk her into taking the majority of the year off and only touring in the summer for the rest of her career. She agrees and they decide to plan her wedding.
She gets pregnant and they get married the day after Christmas. She invited her whole family but Jack, her dad, resisted at first. He eventually comes around and gives her away and gives them his blessing.
They decide to turn Reid's old family home into a shelter for women and children and Maggie decides she wants to be the director. She had a bad breakup in New York and thinks it'll be a good fresh start for her, and she double majored in social work.
Jill and Ashton have known each other for years, since she's a lawyer for Kate and he's a lawyer for Kate's record label. They've always been attracted to each other, but hey each think the other doesn't like them. Reid thinks she hates him because of how he treated Kate and his dad, especially how he was involved in their breakup. Jill thinks he hates her because he dislikes Kate for coming between him and his father.
One day he decides to ask her out. She says yes and he takes her to Malibu for a week. They hit it off and confess they've liked each other forever. He ends up telling her he's falling in love with her.
The sex tape of his dad and her sister leaks and they cut their trip short. He doesn't want to lose the closeness they had in Malibu and she thinks he only wanted a vacation fling. He quickly sets her straight and tells her he's in love with her and wants to be with her. She feels the same and they start a relationship.
When Kate tells them she wants to quit and they talk her into cutting back instead he tells Jill he wants her to work with him. That way she's not without work for the majority of the year, and he wants her with him always and she's a good lawyer.
She asks him to be nicer to her sister and he agrees for her, not for his dad.
Jill helps get everything ready for Kate's wedding and Ashton wants to propose. He asks Jack for his blessing and asks Kate if it's ok that he does it on her wedding weekend. Kate says of course it's ok and they come to a truce. He decides he wants his dad to be happy and he apologizes for how he told on her to her dad, and how he called their relationship disgusting.
He proposes to Jill and she says yes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2020
Great book. This great big blended family comes together for more special events. A ten year career as a song writer/singer has left Kate sick and disenchanted with the music scene.
May 20, 2024
In the interest of full disclosure, before you begin reading this book review, I must acknowledge that going into this the 4th book in Marie Force’s Treading Water series, (a book the blurb says her fans insisted she write) I knew I was going to struggle with embracing the love story between Kate Harington and Reid Matthews, whose love affair began in Marking Time, the 2nd book in this series. Much like Kate’s parents, in that story I was horrified at the idea of a romance between then 18-year-old (soon not to be) virgin Kate, and almost 46-year-old Reid Matthews who had been one of her father Jack’s Berkley College buddies. Already knowing from this book’s blurb that a big part of this story was Kate and Reid reuniting after a 10-year long separation during which Kate became a Taylor Swift level music star and Reid had sold off all of his businesses and headed off to San Kitts to leave the rat race behind and heal his broken heart after Kate left him. As a father of now adult daughters and myself being several years older than the Reid character in this story, I honestly didn’t find a renewed love affair between now 28-year-old Kate and 56-year-old Reid a whole lot more palatable than I did when they were 18 and 45 years old respectively. Okay, Kate at 28 years old is now a grown adult and has more worldly experience than she did when she first met Reid ten years ago. But still. Apparently, I wasn’t alone because the tension between Kate’s parents and Reid’s son Ashton over Reid’s and Kate’s renewed relationship is a big part of this story. Despite my misgivings, after reading the first two books in this series (I skipped Book #3) I was hooked on finding out what the future would bring for the Harrington family. So, I plunged ahead with this book. And if I’m again being honest, once I started it I found it difficult to put down.
As our story opens Kate is passing out on the concert stage in Oklahoma City after coming back too soon from a bad case of pneumonia. The only reason she rushed back into her concert tour schedule was to silence the paparazzi who not being able to find any real dirt on Kate liked to make up lascivious stories about alleged drug and relationship problems. While lying in her hospital bed Kate comes to the realization that for all of her fame and fortune, she’s not happy. She’s living in a guilded cage where all she does is write songs, practice songs,record her music and perform at sold out concerts all over the world. But she never really gets to experience any of the cities she performs in and she can’t go anywhere without an army of security around her. She rarely gets to spend any time with her family and her younger brothers are growing up not really even knowing her. She loves her music, she loves performing in front of her fans but the rest of the stuff is grinding her down. As she tells her older sister Jill who became her attorney/manager/Girl Friday after graduating at the top of her Harvard Law class, for all the money and possessions they have they never have any real time just for themselves to enjoy any of it. They rarely spend any time living in their luxury homes or driving their luxury cars or even doing simple things like riding their horses that live in the stable on their adjoining properties. Kate desperately needs to get off the celebrity merry-go-round for a while and she wants her big sister who spends 24/7 supporting Kate’s career to do likewise. What Kate doesn’t tell Jill at the time is she also desperately wants to find Reid Matthews, the only man she’s ever loved and apologize for her role in their break up and see if there’s still the same spark between them. Well, I hope Reid Matthews has loaded up on Viagra because a 56-year-old man is going to need it to keep a 28-year-old lover satisfied. Except apparently in contemporary romance where Reid looks forty and has the vitality of a man much younger.
Ashton Mathews Reid’s now 35-year-old son was hardly my favorite character at the start of this book. Somehow Ashton blames Kate for his father’s devastation over his and Kate’s break up. Despite being a normally level headed and intelligent man, Ashton blames a then 18-year-old and innocent Kate for the affair with his much older and more worldly father. An affair he personally hastened the end to by informing Kate’s father of what was going on between his daughter and Ashton’s father. I’m sure that in Marking Time no small part of the reason Ashton was so upset to discover his father was banging Kate and still holds a grudge against her was because Kate had rejected his attempts to be more than her friend because she was already in love with his father. But here’s the rub. Ashton is now attracted to Jill and Jill is attracted to Ashton. Since Ashton has made it clear from the day he found out about Kate and his father that he doesn’t like Kate, I don’t know how we readers were supposed to believe that Jill could ever be attracted to a man who didn’t like her sister and BFF? During one of their frequent business meetings (because Ashton represents Kate’s record label) he begins to flirt with Jill and asks a shocked Jill out. Jill has been crushing on Ashton for years. But considering the animosity between Ashton and Kate she never imagined her secret crush was reciprocated. As can only happen in a contemporary romance novel, what Jill thought was supposed to be a simple dinner date turns into Jill agreeing to fly from Nashville to Malibu with Ashton for an unspecified amount of time, where Ashton’s plane isn’t the only thing that takes off.
While Jill and Ashton are getting to know each other Kate flies to the island of St. Kitt to find Reid. She discovers Reid is living with Mari, a beautiful island woman. Her heart is broken but still she forges ahead delivering her apology to Reid for breaking up with him, telling him she’s never forgotten him and thinks about him every day. Reid gives her a rather cool reception telling her she has no need to apologize and then tells her he can hook her up at a nearby 5-star resort owned by a friend, for however long she plans to stay in St. Kitts. Reid watches Kate walk away with his heart and brain in turmoil. He has made a comfortable life for himself with Mari on St. Kitts. Would he be willing to blow it all up and hurt Mari to be with Kate? Mari loves Reid but she realizes he still loves Kate. After an angry confrontation with Reid she packs up a few of her things and leaves him. This leaves Reid free to act upon his feelings for Kate. So later that night he shows up at her suite where they pour their hearts out to each other. This is where their love story is reborn. They promise their undying love for each other and swear that nothing will ever cause them to part again. But the road to their happily ever after is not an easy one. A vengeful Mari does something to greatly embarrass Kate and damage her career. Reid’s son Ashton and Kate’s father Jack while not as openly hostile to their relationship as they were the first time around, are only begrudgingly accepting of it. Kate makes some decisions about her career that bring her into conflict with longtime country superstar Buddy Longstreet whom with his wife Taylor (also a country superstar in her own rite) have served as her music industry mentors and become her Nashville family. Buddy who is BFFs with Reid also owns the record label Kate is signed to and Kate is second only to Buddy and Taylor for record sales on the label. There’s a whole lot that happens in Kate’s and Reid’s and Jill’s and Ashton’s lives as the Thanksgiving-Christmas season draws near and they prepare to host a family Christmas for all of Kate’s large extended family, Reid and Ashton and the Longstreets. Despite all the obstacles the story ends with a very happy ending for everyone because life may not always give us a H.E.A. but contemporary romances always do.
As our story opens Kate is passing out on the concert stage in Oklahoma City after coming back too soon from a bad case of pneumonia. The only reason she rushed back into her concert tour schedule was to silence the paparazzi who not being able to find any real dirt on Kate liked to make up lascivious stories about alleged drug and relationship problems. While lying in her hospital bed Kate comes to the realization that for all of her fame and fortune, she’s not happy. She’s living in a guilded cage where all she does is write songs, practice songs,record her music and perform at sold out concerts all over the world. But she never really gets to experience any of the cities she performs in and she can’t go anywhere without an army of security around her. She rarely gets to spend any time with her family and her younger brothers are growing up not really even knowing her. She loves her music, she loves performing in front of her fans but the rest of the stuff is grinding her down. As she tells her older sister Jill who became her attorney/manager/Girl Friday after graduating at the top of her Harvard Law class, for all the money and possessions they have they never have any real time just for themselves to enjoy any of it. They rarely spend any time living in their luxury homes or driving their luxury cars or even doing simple things like riding their horses that live in the stable on their adjoining properties. Kate desperately needs to get off the celebrity merry-go-round for a while and she wants her big sister who spends 24/7 supporting Kate’s career to do likewise. What Kate doesn’t tell Jill at the time is she also desperately wants to find Reid Matthews, the only man she’s ever loved and apologize for her role in their break up and see if there’s still the same spark between them. Well, I hope Reid Matthews has loaded up on Viagra because a 56-year-old man is going to need it to keep a 28-year-old lover satisfied. Except apparently in contemporary romance where Reid looks forty and has the vitality of a man much younger.
Ashton Mathews Reid’s now 35-year-old son was hardly my favorite character at the start of this book. Somehow Ashton blames Kate for his father’s devastation over his and Kate’s break up. Despite being a normally level headed and intelligent man, Ashton blames a then 18-year-old and innocent Kate for the affair with his much older and more worldly father. An affair he personally hastened the end to by informing Kate’s father of what was going on between his daughter and Ashton’s father. I’m sure that in Marking Time no small part of the reason Ashton was so upset to discover his father was banging Kate and still holds a grudge against her was because Kate had rejected his attempts to be more than her friend because she was already in love with his father. But here’s the rub. Ashton is now attracted to Jill and Jill is attracted to Ashton. Since Ashton has made it clear from the day he found out about Kate and his father that he doesn’t like Kate, I don’t know how we readers were supposed to believe that Jill could ever be attracted to a man who didn’t like her sister and BFF? During one of their frequent business meetings (because Ashton represents Kate’s record label) he begins to flirt with Jill and asks a shocked Jill out. Jill has been crushing on Ashton for years. But considering the animosity between Ashton and Kate she never imagined her secret crush was reciprocated. As can only happen in a contemporary romance novel, what Jill thought was supposed to be a simple dinner date turns into Jill agreeing to fly from Nashville to Malibu with Ashton for an unspecified amount of time, where Ashton’s plane isn’t the only thing that takes off.
While Jill and Ashton are getting to know each other Kate flies to the island of St. Kitt to find Reid. She discovers Reid is living with Mari, a beautiful island woman. Her heart is broken but still she forges ahead delivering her apology to Reid for breaking up with him, telling him she’s never forgotten him and thinks about him every day. Reid gives her a rather cool reception telling her she has no need to apologize and then tells her he can hook her up at a nearby 5-star resort owned by a friend, for however long she plans to stay in St. Kitts. Reid watches Kate walk away with his heart and brain in turmoil. He has made a comfortable life for himself with Mari on St. Kitts. Would he be willing to blow it all up and hurt Mari to be with Kate? Mari loves Reid but she realizes he still loves Kate. After an angry confrontation with Reid she packs up a few of her things and leaves him. This leaves Reid free to act upon his feelings for Kate. So later that night he shows up at her suite where they pour their hearts out to each other. This is where their love story is reborn. They promise their undying love for each other and swear that nothing will ever cause them to part again. But the road to their happily ever after is not an easy one. A vengeful Mari does something to greatly embarrass Kate and damage her career. Reid’s son Ashton and Kate’s father Jack while not as openly hostile to their relationship as they were the first time around, are only begrudgingly accepting of it. Kate makes some decisions about her career that bring her into conflict with longtime country superstar Buddy Longstreet whom with his wife Taylor (also a country superstar in her own rite) have served as her music industry mentors and become her Nashville family. Buddy who is BFFs with Reid also owns the record label Kate is signed to and Kate is second only to Buddy and Taylor for record sales on the label. There’s a whole lot that happens in Kate’s and Reid’s and Jill’s and Ashton’s lives as the Thanksgiving-Christmas season draws near and they prepare to host a family Christmas for all of Kate’s large extended family, Reid and Ashton and the Longstreets. Despite all the obstacles the story ends with a very happy ending for everyone because life may not always give us a H.E.A. but contemporary romances always do.
December 19, 2012
The long awaited reunion of Kate Harrington and Reid Matthews is finally here...and SOOOO worth the wait!!
Marie Force has done it again...got my heart racing, awaiting disaster that might tear Kate and Reid apart for the second time...whew...I'm just glad I got through this one without the heart attack! The chemistry between Kate and Reid was even more explosive than I remembered.
I couldn't have been happier at the end of COMING HOME, after the disaster that was my heart after Kate walked out on Reid in MARKING TIME, the second book of the Treading Water Series. I had a few issues with the way Kate handled their break-up, she was immature and unreasonable. Yes...I was on Team Reid. But, I have to say, Kate definitely redeemed herself in my eyes in COMING HOME. She certainly grew up and realized that she lost the love of her life because of her hasty actions, and set out to make things right. And right they were!!
I loved Reid more than ever in COMING HOME. He is a TRUE gentlemen and I was so overjoyed to see him happy again, after his heart was utterly broken ten years ago by Kate. I loved every touch, every smile, every laugh...they were just too freakn adorable.
And Ashton Matthews, he certainly redeemed himself in COMING HOME. I was happy to see him as a handsome, charming, lovable grown man, and not the same spoiled brat he was in MARKING TIME. I LOVED the secondary romance between Ashton and Jill, Kate's oldest sister. Their flirty banter had me flying through the pages so that I could know what would happen next.
I simply adore COMING HOME, and am so happy that Marie was kind enough to give her fans the story they had been asking for. I never wanted to see a couple work more than Kate and Reid, and I got my happily ever after.
This can be read as a stand alone, but I would suggest reading the entire Treading Water Series first, only because they are AMAZING!! If you are looking for a series that will have your heart breaking and the tears streaming, then this is the series for you.
Marie Force has done it again...got my heart racing, awaiting disaster that might tear Kate and Reid apart for the second time...whew...I'm just glad I got through this one without the heart attack! The chemistry between Kate and Reid was even more explosive than I remembered.
I couldn't have been happier at the end of COMING HOME, after the disaster that was my heart after Kate walked out on Reid in MARKING TIME, the second book of the Treading Water Series. I had a few issues with the way Kate handled their break-up, she was immature and unreasonable. Yes...I was on Team Reid. But, I have to say, Kate definitely redeemed herself in my eyes in COMING HOME. She certainly grew up and realized that she lost the love of her life because of her hasty actions, and set out to make things right. And right they were!!
I loved Reid more than ever in COMING HOME. He is a TRUE gentlemen and I was so overjoyed to see him happy again, after his heart was utterly broken ten years ago by Kate. I loved every touch, every smile, every laugh...they were just too freakn adorable.
And Ashton Matthews, he certainly redeemed himself in COMING HOME. I was happy to see him as a handsome, charming, lovable grown man, and not the same spoiled brat he was in MARKING TIME. I LOVED the secondary romance between Ashton and Jill, Kate's oldest sister. Their flirty banter had me flying through the pages so that I could know what would happen next.
I simply adore COMING HOME, and am so happy that Marie was kind enough to give her fans the story they had been asking for. I never wanted to see a couple work more than Kate and Reid, and I got my happily ever after.
This can be read as a stand alone, but I would suggest reading the entire Treading Water Series first, only because they are AMAZING!! If you are looking for a series that will have your heart breaking and the tears streaming, then this is the series for you.
December 17, 2012
I loved, loved, loved this book! I know a lot of readers weren't happy or never understood Kate & Reid's relationship. I'll admit, I was a little skeptical but Marie did an amazing job laying out the reasons why this relationship works when she had all of the other characters asking the same question.
There we so many wonderful moments... I especially liked the scenes with Jack. He was the biggest naysayer and for good reason. If my daughter wanted to marry a man 28 years older, I would have serious reservations too. 28/56... 38/66.... 48/76... I'm 48 and can't imagine being with a 76 year old... but, Clint Eastwood's wife does. LOL
One of my favorite scenes is between Reid and Ashton before the wedding. It reminds everyone that Reid isn't a complete fool - he knows he won't be there for Kate forever and wants to make sure she's taken care of.
I literally read this in one sitting. I couldn't stop. Marie, I will say that, at times, I was really nervous that Reid wouldn't make it to the end if the story. With the boat trips in storms, the solo flights... I'm sure that was probably intended and it kept me worried. I guess that a good sign.. I was that invested in the characters.
I loved Ashton & Jill. Absolutely perfect!!
Okay, now all that's left is Maggie's story. Who will she meet running the women's center in Nashville?
There we so many wonderful moments... I especially liked the scenes with Jack. He was the biggest naysayer and for good reason. If my daughter wanted to marry a man 28 years older, I would have serious reservations too. 28/56... 38/66.... 48/76... I'm 48 and can't imagine being with a 76 year old... but, Clint Eastwood's wife does. LOL
One of my favorite scenes is between Reid and Ashton before the wedding. It reminds everyone that Reid isn't a complete fool - he knows he won't be there for Kate forever and wants to make sure she's taken care of.
I literally read this in one sitting. I couldn't stop. Marie, I will say that, at times, I was really nervous that Reid wouldn't make it to the end if the story. With the boat trips in storms, the solo flights... I'm sure that was probably intended and it kept me worried. I guess that a good sign.. I was that invested in the characters.
I loved Ashton & Jill. Absolutely perfect!!
Okay, now all that's left is Maggie's story. Who will she meet running the women's center in Nashville?
July 20, 2019
How is everyone’s life 10 years later?
It has been 10 years since Kate, at age 18 had an affair then plunged into her dream of a country music star. Now, she is exhausted - both literally and figuratively. She is sick and the rumor mill is starting to get to her. She wants off this merry-go-round she calls her life. Being a star isn’t all it is cracked up to be. She travels over 200 days a year, has been to England several times on tour but has never seen Buckingham Palace. Her sister Jill is her manager and attorney.
What is truly missing from her life? Reid. Where is he? Is he happy? Does he think of her anymore? Kate wants, no needs to find him to determine if what they had is still there or totally close this chapter in her life.
There is a twenty eight year age difference between Kate and Reid. There was sixteen between my husband and I. So I get it. You love who you love and you take the years given to you. I must admit Kate being twenty eight now is more palatable. At eighteen you barely know how to drive let alone everlasting love. Kate has grown into a beautiful woman.
Sparks between her sister Jill and Reid’s son Ashton. And the best, Maggie will get her story too.
It has been 10 years since Kate, at age 18 had an affair then plunged into her dream of a country music star. Now, she is exhausted - both literally and figuratively. She is sick and the rumor mill is starting to get to her. She wants off this merry-go-round she calls her life. Being a star isn’t all it is cracked up to be. She travels over 200 days a year, has been to England several times on tour but has never seen Buckingham Palace. Her sister Jill is her manager and attorney.
What is truly missing from her life? Reid. Where is he? Is he happy? Does he think of her anymore? Kate wants, no needs to find him to determine if what they had is still there or totally close this chapter in her life.
There is a twenty eight year age difference between Kate and Reid. There was sixteen between my husband and I. So I get it. You love who you love and you take the years given to you. I must admit Kate being twenty eight now is more palatable. At eighteen you barely know how to drive let alone everlasting love. Kate has grown into a beautiful woman.
Sparks between her sister Jill and Reid’s son Ashton. And the best, Maggie will get her story too.
September 10, 2025
After reading Marking Time, where Reid and Kate's story began (and first ended), I knew I wanted to get some more of them. I know their relationship was unconventional, what with the large age difference, but they had a true love; they just needed to get on the same page and not let others interfere. They got that in Coming Home, where they manage to find each other again. For Christmas that year, they decide that they want to have all of Kate's family there, with a little added surprise. Some family members were very accepting of Reid and Kate, while others took some more time to come around.
This felt like coming home...
This felt like coming home...
July 20, 2013
I loved how Reid and Kate's story played out. Again, I finished this the same day I started it and couldn't put it down. The age difference was handled well, and the adversity this couple had to overcome really made for a great plot. The only bummer was that there was no epilogue to show us how Kate and Reid's "baby" experience turned out. I would have loved to read about the birth of their child and the families coming together again to celebrate. Also, I really think Maggie deserves her own story. Can we implore you, Ms. Force, to write that for us, too? Please! Please! Please!
December 16, 2012
I was so excited when I saw this online and had to read it! So happy that Kate and Reid got their happily ever after! Super excited that Ashton and Jill have a story to tell now. Looking forward to a book for them and a book for Maggie and maybe even Eric. Glad there are more siblings because I love this series! Marie Force develops warm and loving characters and I love to tea their stories! More please!!
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