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Jewell Cove #2
Treasure on Lilac Lane
Secrets and old wounds threaten a burgeoning romance in this friends-to-lovers story from Donna Alward’s Jewell Cove series.
Rick Sullivan left the Marines with a prosthetic and PTSD. His life is going off the rails, but he makes a deathbed promise to his mother to stop drinking, and he’s determined to keep it—even when he discovers a mysterious necklace in a safe deposit box, and wonders if everything he thought he knew about his adoptive parents is a lie.
Jess Collins has fought hard for her new life after leaving an abusive relationship. Seeing Rick destroy his life has been infuriating. But Rick’s cleaned up his act, and when Jess discovers a secret he’s been keeping, she steps in to support him as much as she can.
Falling for Rick is easier than she ever imagined. But everything Jess has worked for is at risk when her ex comes back to town, threatening her security. Meanwhile, Rick learns the secret of the necklace. With everything changing, can he keep Jess safe and protect his heart, too?
Rick Sullivan left the Marines with a prosthetic and PTSD. His life is going off the rails, but he makes a deathbed promise to his mother to stop drinking, and he’s determined to keep it—even when he discovers a mysterious necklace in a safe deposit box, and wonders if everything he thought he knew about his adoptive parents is a lie.
Jess Collins has fought hard for her new life after leaving an abusive relationship. Seeing Rick destroy his life has been infuriating. But Rick’s cleaned up his act, and when Jess discovers a secret he’s been keeping, she steps in to support him as much as she can.
Falling for Rick is easier than she ever imagined. But everything Jess has worked for is at risk when her ex comes back to town, threatening her security. Meanwhile, Rick learns the secret of the necklace. With everything changing, can he keep Jess safe and protect his heart, too?
325 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 28, 2014
691 people are currently reading
570 people want to read
About the author
Donna Alward
287 books694 followersSince 2006, New York Times bestseller Donna Jones Alward has enchanted readers with stories of happy endings and homecomings that have won several awards and been translated into over a dozen languages. She’s worked as an administrative assistant, teaching assistant, in retail and as a stay-at-home-mom, but always knew her degree in English Literature would pay off, as she is now happy to be a full-time writer. Her new historical fiction tales blend her love of history with characters who step beyond their biggest fears to claim the lives they desire.
Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and cats. You can often find her near the water, either kayaking on the lake or walking the sandy beaches to refill her creative well.
Find out more at www.donnajonesalward.com
Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and cats. You can often find her near the water, either kayaking on the lake or walking the sandy beaches to refill her creative well.
Find out more at www.donnajonesalward.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
July 24, 2021
I thought this was a fantastic story. From the start I didn't think there was any way this could be a love story but the author masterfully brought the characters around making the whole thing feel so real. He's a wounded veteran who loses himself by drinking. She has no patience for his drinking and is down right nasty about it. We discover she has secrets of her own. A beautiful story of acknowledging your own flaws and working like hell to overcome them for love. Very emotional read and one I recommend for everyone.
March 9, 2018
This book was a little heavier to swallow than “your average romance” but it was worth the trouble. Well written plot with great characters – worth the read.
Read
May 8, 2022This was going quite nicely until Jess made a very public, very offensive and incredibly bitchy comment about Rick - IN HIS PRESENCE.
I lost any desire to read on at that point. If the supposed female 'love interest' can be so utterly vicious to someone she has known since a child, I don't want to know her. There was no excuse for the way she spoke.
Had I been Rick I'd have walked out of the cafe. I couldn't believe that his best friend didn't stand up for him and that Jess had the utter brazenness to sit down at their table as if she hadn't demeaned Rick in front of everyone.
Perhaps it's me. Perhaps I am old-fashioned, or perhaps the women who read books like this actually LIKE the heroines in their stories to be vile and rude and the sort of person you would loathe to have as a friend in real life (I think the term is 'sassy'?). Whatever, I'm done.
I lost any desire to read on at that point. If the supposed female 'love interest' can be so utterly vicious to someone she has known since a child, I don't want to know her. There was no excuse for the way she spoke.
Had I been Rick I'd have walked out of the cafe. I couldn't believe that his best friend didn't stand up for him and that Jess had the utter brazenness to sit down at their table as if she hadn't demeaned Rick in front of everyone.
Perhaps it's me. Perhaps I am old-fashioned, or perhaps the women who read books like this actually LIKE the heroines in their stories to be vile and rude and the sort of person you would loathe to have as a friend in real life (I think the term is 'sassy'?). Whatever, I'm done.
September 19, 2016
Beautiful story. This reminded me of a few stories by Lisa Kleypas, which is a high compliment!
June 4, 2021
Another heartwarming story. These small town sagas always make me smile. I feel like a part of the village.
July 30, 2021
Summary: Rick Sullivan is back after an honourable discharge from the Marines. He was one of Jewell Cove's star athletes and heartthrobs before he joined the Marines. Now he is far from the hometown hero everyone wants him to be; he is a raging alcoholic, who has lost an arm and has nightmares from his time in active service.
Jess Collins come from a large and loving family and owns a gift shop. Although she seems to be doing great, she was once in an abusive relationship with another man from the same town. Jess fled him and started a new life with the help of her brother Josh, who warned him away from her.
Jess’ cousins and Josh are great friends of Rick, and she had a crush for him when she was a teenager. However, because of her past, she cannot tolerate his drinking and always lashes out at him.
This book by Donna Alward is about how Jess and Rick come together, cope with their past and find that the spark between them is indeed true love.
My thoughts: This story should have been written as a full-length, standalone novel, without being fettered to a series based on locality. The issues discussed here are far more complex than is suitable for a light, romantic read.
This could be just a quirk of mine - although I like the cover, I don't think it suits the story.
Rick and Jess worked their way around their difficulties although at times I felt they were never going to do so. I wish the chemistry between Jess and Rick had been stronger.
I liked that Jess was sensitive about Rick’s disability. However, I did not like her scepticism when it came to his attempts at staying sober; her reaction was disproportionate to what she experienced in the past.
Despite the negatives mentioned above, I was predisposed to like the book maybe because she wrote Christmas at Seashell Cottage, which I had reviewed earlier. Just as in that book, Donna has described the dynamics of a small town well in this also.
Note: The publishers, St. Martin's Paperbacks, gave this book to me in exchange for an honest review. I thank them for that.
All my reviews are at My Two Pennies' Worth
Jess Collins come from a large and loving family and owns a gift shop. Although she seems to be doing great, she was once in an abusive relationship with another man from the same town. Jess fled him and started a new life with the help of her brother Josh, who warned him away from her.
Jess’ cousins and Josh are great friends of Rick, and she had a crush for him when she was a teenager. However, because of her past, she cannot tolerate his drinking and always lashes out at him.
This book by Donna Alward is about how Jess and Rick come together, cope with their past and find that the spark between them is indeed true love.
My thoughts: This story should have been written as a full-length, standalone novel, without being fettered to a series based on locality. The issues discussed here are far more complex than is suitable for a light, romantic read.
This could be just a quirk of mine - although I like the cover, I don't think it suits the story.
Rick and Jess worked their way around their difficulties although at times I felt they were never going to do so. I wish the chemistry between Jess and Rick had been stronger.
I liked that Jess was sensitive about Rick’s disability. However, I did not like her scepticism when it came to his attempts at staying sober; her reaction was disproportionate to what she experienced in the past.
Despite the negatives mentioned above, I was predisposed to like the book maybe because she wrote Christmas at Seashell Cottage, which I had reviewed earlier. Just as in that book, Donna has described the dynamics of a small town well in this also.
Note: The publishers, St. Martin's Paperbacks, gave this book to me in exchange for an honest review. I thank them for that.
All my reviews are at My Two Pennies' Worth
November 3, 2014
If there is one thing that I admire most about Alward it's her ability to tell a story. Her writing flow is remarkable of course but I think it is the depth in which she pens her characters that I favor the most. Alward writes with sheer honesty and she doesn't pen light-heart romances. The plots are more inward and are far more relateable to the modern reader.
As much as I am a fan of Alward I didn't enjoy Treasure on Lilac Lane as much as I thought I would. The Jewell Cove series is one of my favorite serieses but I just wasn't as involved in the storyline for this book as I wanted to be. This book isn't my favorite read but it is not one of the worst books I have ever read either. I did like some aspects of the novel but I think that Jess, the heroine came off a little to overbearing at moments.
Rick, the hero however I did like. I sympathized with him and it's really hard not to since he was a Marine. I have a lot of respect for Rick and I do think that together he and Jess were able to overcome their own demons with the help of one another. At first the chemistry between the duo is a little hard to understand but as the novel progressed I think everything became a little more clearer.
There were some flaws along the way mostly with Jess for me personally, but I can overlook those because this book was written about a second chance and the idea of forgiving. I think the world could use a little more of both and Alward did pen a very convincing novel that stands apart from other books written in the industry. So it's impossible for me not to applaud her in her writings.
Despite the few negatives about this book that reflect on me personally I think that everyone should read not just the Jewell Cove series but anything that Alward is willingly to take the time write. She is a passionate writer and I for one will always be a reader.
(This review was submitted to the publishers PRIOR to posting on GoodReads.)
As much as I am a fan of Alward I didn't enjoy Treasure on Lilac Lane as much as I thought I would. The Jewell Cove series is one of my favorite serieses but I just wasn't as involved in the storyline for this book as I wanted to be. This book isn't my favorite read but it is not one of the worst books I have ever read either. I did like some aspects of the novel but I think that Jess, the heroine came off a little to overbearing at moments.
Rick, the hero however I did like. I sympathized with him and it's really hard not to since he was a Marine. I have a lot of respect for Rick and I do think that together he and Jess were able to overcome their own demons with the help of one another. At first the chemistry between the duo is a little hard to understand but as the novel progressed I think everything became a little more clearer.
There were some flaws along the way mostly with Jess for me personally, but I can overlook those because this book was written about a second chance and the idea of forgiving. I think the world could use a little more of both and Alward did pen a very convincing novel that stands apart from other books written in the industry. So it's impossible for me not to applaud her in her writings.
Despite the few negatives about this book that reflect on me personally I think that everyone should read not just the Jewell Cove series but anything that Alward is willingly to take the time write. She is a passionate writer and I for one will always be a reader.
(This review was submitted to the publishers PRIOR to posting on GoodReads.)
October 8, 2014
I really enjoyed this first book in this series, but Treasure on Lilac Lane was flat from the start. Rick is a borderline alcoholic because of PSTD and has just lost his mother. He is trying to stay on the straight and narrow, and away from the booze. Jess runs her own store and used to have a big crush on Rick when she was a teenager. she can barely stand him now because his alcoholism reminds her of her ex-boyfriend, who used to get very abusive when he drank. Rick has many friends and supporters to help him get through this rough patch in his life. Through a series of interactions, Jess is witness to Rick's recovery and gives him another shot. They become lovers even as Jess's part comes back to haunt her in the form of her horrible ex who returns because his own mother is dying.
Treasure on Lilac Lane was pretty dull reading. Jess and Rick don't have any real chemistry. I found these two tepid even when they become lovers. Jess's personality was pretty underwhelming, while Rick just seemed to go through the motions of life. These two are what I would call wallpaper. Also Jess's abusive ex story line seems out of place and tacked on because other then Jess and Rick dancing around their attraction for one another, there wasn't much going on here.
Treasure on Lilac Lane is pretty much a dud and a ho-hum read that is forgettable.
More at Booklikes: http://katiebabs.booklikes.com/post/1...
Treasure on Lilac Lane was pretty dull reading. Jess and Rick don't have any real chemistry. I found these two tepid even when they become lovers. Jess's personality was pretty underwhelming, while Rick just seemed to go through the motions of life. These two are what I would call wallpaper. Also Jess's abusive ex story line seems out of place and tacked on because other then Jess and Rick dancing around their attraction for one another, there wasn't much going on here.
Treasure on Lilac Lane is pretty much a dud and a ho-hum read that is forgettable.
More at Booklikes: http://katiebabs.booklikes.com/post/1...
October 26, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. The second book in the Jewell Cove series, it tells the story of Rick Sullivan and Jess Collins. They were once friends and almost more but then Rick joined the service and came back wounded and emotionally damaged. After his mother's death, Rick stops drinking and starts to turn his life around.
Jess has no kindness in her heart for Rick. She isn't able to see past the drinking to the reasons behind it and she's pretty nasty to him. Jess has her own issues that make her so rigid but she hasn't shared her story with anyone. When circumstances throw them together, it a bumpy road to friendship again and then beyond.
It was hard to see at the beginning of the book how this could become a romance, but Ms. Alward does a skillful job of making the characters grow beyond their closed-in hearts to find love as a couple. It is not rushed or implausible and they do have slips along the way. The romance is sweetly done and the way she deals with Rick's disability is sensitive but real. Having Jess deal with her past abusive relationship and get support from Rick makes the romance stronger.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series due out in May, 2015.
Jess has no kindness in her heart for Rick. She isn't able to see past the drinking to the reasons behind it and she's pretty nasty to him. Jess has her own issues that make her so rigid but she hasn't shared her story with anyone. When circumstances throw them together, it a bumpy road to friendship again and then beyond.
It was hard to see at the beginning of the book how this could become a romance, but Ms. Alward does a skillful job of making the characters grow beyond their closed-in hearts to find love as a couple. It is not rushed or implausible and they do have slips along the way. The romance is sweetly done and the way she deals with Rick's disability is sensitive but real. Having Jess deal with her past abusive relationship and get support from Rick makes the romance stronger.
I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series due out in May, 2015.
March 2, 2015
I read the first book in the Jewell Cove series, The House On Blackberry Hill, and enjoyed it, though I was unsure about the paranormal aspect. I was also afraid that the series would turn a bit disastrous for Alward, as this isn't a forte, a bit like the Friday-Harbor-Kleypas magical realism débacle. But how wrong and glad I was to be in this the second book in the series. The hero, Rick, and heroine, Jess, are real and true, tormented and loveable and loving. The journey to their HEA is terrific and the woo-woo at a minimum. The amore is beautifully done and much more evident than in the tepid love scenes of the first novel. Themes of forgiveness, redemption, love, and transformation through it abound. If you'd like to read a more thorough, coherent review, please follow the link:
http://missbatesreadsromance.com/2015...
I received an e-ARC from the publisher, St. Martin's Paperbacks, via Netgalley.
http://missbatesreadsromance.com/2015...
I received an e-ARC from the publisher, St. Martin's Paperbacks, via Netgalley.
February 1, 2022
Book 2 in the Jewell Cove series by Donna Alward was more engaging right from the start than Book 1. The characters had more depth and I really wanted both to succeed in working through their individual demons. It was nice to have continuity of characters which probably made this a more enjoyable a faster read.
September 16, 2015
I wanted to read Rick's story ever since the House on Blackberry Hill. Alward didn't disappoint. He's a wonderfully tragic hero. I was thrilled when he got his happy ending. Looking forward to book 3!
February 10, 2025
plane book plane book (yum)
July 27, 2021
Good Read
Five stars. Love the story line. Enjoyed meeting Jess and her family. So many things that happened to her has happened to many women. Its good to show how to trust family and friends in time of trouble and also how to make a crooked Street straight.
Five stars. Love the story line. Enjoyed meeting Jess and her family. So many things that happened to her has happened to many women. Its good to show how to trust family and friends in time of trouble and also how to make a crooked Street straight.
July 26, 2021
The Necklace
A combination of serious subjects and lightheadedness. As well as a mystery solved in a charming way. The main characters were good. Supporting characters fell a little flat.
A combination of serious subjects and lightheadedness. As well as a mystery solved in a charming way. The main characters were good. Supporting characters fell a little flat.
July 26, 2021
A nice happily ever after.
July 25, 2021
Great book!
Well, darn it…you really made me cry in this book. It was the best! No reversed words in this book. Great work. Looking forward to the next one.
Well, darn it…you really made me cry in this book. It was the best! No reversed words in this book. Great work. Looking forward to the next one.
March 5, 2023
I so enjoyed this second book in the Jewel Cove series. It was refreshing to see how two hurt souls could find each other and help one another heal from their past. I love the families in this series and would love to read more!
March 4, 2023
I liked all the characters (except Mike) in this continuing story. I didn't like Jess' s attitude towards Rick in the beginning. The characters were believable. Well told.
November 22, 2014
Previously reviewed on The Good, the Bad and the Unread:
I loved the town of Jewell Cove and its inhabitants we met in the first book, so I was greatly looking forward to the arrival of the next book in the series, along with the chance to learn more about the place and the people. This time, the focus moves away from Abby and Tom of the House on Blackberry Hill and on to Abby’s new friend Jess – as well as Jess and Tom’s long-time friend Rick. So how does their romance compare to that of Abby and Tom?
First off, Jess and Rick have known each other all their lives, but they’ve both suffered a multitude of losses and emotional damage since sharing a single kiss as teenagers. Rick has lost his hand, as well as a good friend and comrades, to conflict, followed not long after by losing his mother to cancer. Jess, meanwhile, has rebuilt her life following an abusive relationship, but can’t bring herself to trust men again – especially not men who drink to excess, as her ex did and as Rick has in the months between his mother’s diagnosis and her eventual death.
Rick hasn’t touched alcohol since the promise he made his mother before she died that he’d stop, and he now tries to cope with his grief and memories by painting – not that he wants anyone to know that his tough-guy persona is covering up an artistic temperament. Jess runs a successful gallery for local artists and crafters and also offers classes for adults and children in a range of crafts. So the pair seem ideally matched, except for Jess’s understandable worries about letting anyone too close and Rick’s conviction that he’s not good enough for her, even without knowing what her ex did.
As autumn draws on toward winter, however, the two become close personally – and for practical business reasons when Rick helps Jess with minor construction jobs around her store and home – before Jess then discovers his paintings. But Jess’s ex is expected back in town for the first time since her brother chased him away and she feels that she can’t speak up to prevent him when his mother is dying.
I love all the long-standing connections between the people in this story, and the fact that both Jess and Rick have to take steps toward solving their issues separately as well as together. I’m a little sorry we don’t get to see the ghost from the first book again, but we do find out a little more about the links between Abby’s family and others in the town. I’d also have liked to see Rick paying a visit to the partner of his comrade who died, but maybe we’ll get to meet that missing link in the chain of connections in a later book, especially with so much remaining undiscovered about Rick’s birth parents.
All in all, another lovely story from Jewell Cove, even if there is a slight slowdown in the middle segment, and I’m looking forward to reading about Christmas in the town next month.
I loved the town of Jewell Cove and its inhabitants we met in the first book, so I was greatly looking forward to the arrival of the next book in the series, along with the chance to learn more about the place and the people. This time, the focus moves away from Abby and Tom of the House on Blackberry Hill and on to Abby’s new friend Jess – as well as Jess and Tom’s long-time friend Rick. So how does their romance compare to that of Abby and Tom?
First off, Jess and Rick have known each other all their lives, but they’ve both suffered a multitude of losses and emotional damage since sharing a single kiss as teenagers. Rick has lost his hand, as well as a good friend and comrades, to conflict, followed not long after by losing his mother to cancer. Jess, meanwhile, has rebuilt her life following an abusive relationship, but can’t bring herself to trust men again – especially not men who drink to excess, as her ex did and as Rick has in the months between his mother’s diagnosis and her eventual death.
Rick hasn’t touched alcohol since the promise he made his mother before she died that he’d stop, and he now tries to cope with his grief and memories by painting – not that he wants anyone to know that his tough-guy persona is covering up an artistic temperament. Jess runs a successful gallery for local artists and crafters and also offers classes for adults and children in a range of crafts. So the pair seem ideally matched, except for Jess’s understandable worries about letting anyone too close and Rick’s conviction that he’s not good enough for her, even without knowing what her ex did.
As autumn draws on toward winter, however, the two become close personally – and for practical business reasons when Rick helps Jess with minor construction jobs around her store and home – before Jess then discovers his paintings. But Jess’s ex is expected back in town for the first time since her brother chased him away and she feels that she can’t speak up to prevent him when his mother is dying.
I love all the long-standing connections between the people in this story, and the fact that both Jess and Rick have to take steps toward solving their issues separately as well as together. I’m a little sorry we don’t get to see the ghost from the first book again, but we do find out a little more about the links between Abby’s family and others in the town. I’d also have liked to see Rick paying a visit to the partner of his comrade who died, but maybe we’ll get to meet that missing link in the chain of connections in a later book, especially with so much remaining undiscovered about Rick’s birth parents.
All in all, another lovely story from Jewell Cove, even if there is a slight slowdown in the middle segment, and I’m looking forward to reading about Christmas in the town next month.
July 8, 2021
Another Good Story
I enjoyed this one as much as the first book. I'm sure people will say it's predictable but always happy when things go my way!
I enjoyed this one as much as the first book. I'm sure people will say it's predictable but always happy when things go my way!
November 5, 2014
I have not read the first book in this series, but that was okay. This is a good, stand-alone book. Jess lives in Jewell Cove, along with Rick. Once a teenage star in the town, Rick is now a returning veteran, trying to come with grips with his wartime service. He has lost a hand and has a prosthesis. He is falling quickly in alcoholism. He is bothered by memories of one comrade who died when he was injured. Jess is the opposite. She comes from a big, well-loved family and owns a small gift shop in town. Jess can do no wrong in everyone’s eyes. However, there is a secret lurking in her past. A few years earlier, jess had hooked up with one of the town’s young men, who turned out to be an abuser. Jess fled him and started anew, but only her brother knows about the abuse. This is the story of how Jess and Rick come together, work through their past histories and the impacts these histories have on their lives and find each other in the process. I enjoyed reading this novel. The author has dealt well with PTSD in the case of both Jess and Rick. However, for most of the book, I saw great character development of both Jess and Rick, but I really didn’t see the chemistry I wanted to see between them. There were times when I thought the two of them were definitely made for each other and went together nicely, but there were just as many times when they didn’t seem to jive together all that well, times when I wondered where the author was going with the story. In the end everything turned out well, but getting there for me just was not easy. In addition to this budding romance, there are other fascinating twists and turns in the story line, but they really remain secondary to their romance. As can be expected, the town is a typical small town, with lots of colorful characters/residents, most of whom have a history together and interact with each other as you would expect from small town residents. The author has definitely got the small town aspect down pat and it rings true. I think this is a book anyone who enjoys romances will enjoy. Like so many others, it takes place in a small town and delves well into the daily lives and routines of small town residents while letting the reader enjoy the Jess Rick romance as it develops. I only wish the chemistry between Jess and Rick, as I said, had been stronger. Still, it is there and it is real. After reading this book, I am going to look for the first book in the series, so I can learn more about the characters I have grown to like and am interested in. I received this from NetGalley to read and to provide and honest review.
November 17, 2014
After finishing "House on Blackberry Hill" I originally didn't intend to return to Jewell Cove, but then a discount coupon for a book came in the mail - and, more importantly, I really did like Jess as a side character, so I was naturally curious to see how she would do as main.
And I'm glad I didn't hold myself up to my promise not to return, because I enjoyed this second instalment a lot. Jess, as already stated was a favourite character, and while I couldn't quite place Rick, I knew that Donna has a fine hand at writing hurt characters.
And for me those two really delivered, there's not this awkward instant sexual tension between them which frankly marred "House on" for me, but a slow, gradual build of trust.
Not saying that the book is free of some (faintly) purple passages:
That was one of those "Ooo-kay..." moments while reading which essentially keep it from reaching a five star rating from me - honestly, while it made me smirk to read that, I couldn't help but wonder if Donna was consciously going for humorous there or just being modest.
Either way, I prefer this almost sex scene to others you get to read in the genre, it is just that the humour, intentional or not, felt ill-fitted to the serious themes running through the book - war trauma and abusive relationships.
I guess another thing that keeps this from a Donna's-best-works list for me is that the end somewhat fizzles out. For a large part it seems that "Treasure on Lilac Lane"* like "House on Blackberry Hill" is bound for a dramatic, adrenalin filled finale, which then never comes.
Not that I didn't enjoy the end we got, I was just expecting something else.
*And what's the deal with that "on" emphasis in the titles?
And I'm glad I didn't hold myself up to my promise not to return, because I enjoyed this second instalment a lot. Jess, as already stated was a favourite character, and while I couldn't quite place Rick, I knew that Donna has a fine hand at writing hurt characters.
And for me those two really delivered, there's not this awkward instant sexual tension between them which frankly marred "House on" for me, but a slow, gradual build of trust.
Not saying that the book is free of some (faintly) purple passages:
Before things went further, he opened the drawer of his nightstand and took out a condom, putting the foil packet on top of the stand. He wanted her to know. Know that he was prepared. Know that he would take care of her …
And he did. Twice, before sleep finally overtook them as they curled together under the bedding.
That was one of those "Ooo-kay..." moments while reading which essentially keep it from reaching a five star rating from me - honestly, while it made me smirk to read that, I couldn't help but wonder if Donna was consciously going for humorous there or just being modest.
Either way, I prefer this almost sex scene to others you get to read in the genre, it is just that the humour, intentional or not, felt ill-fitted to the serious themes running through the book - war trauma and abusive relationships.
I guess another thing that keeps this from a Donna's-best-works list for me is that the end somewhat fizzles out. For a large part it seems that "Treasure on Lilac Lane"* like "House on Blackberry Hill" is bound for a dramatic, adrenalin filled finale, which then never comes.
Not that I didn't enjoy the end we got, I was just expecting something else.
*And what's the deal with that "on" emphasis in the titles?
June 30, 2021
Need book 3
Love the continuing saga. Romance,history and love!
Can't wait to start the next book,hope it is as good as the first two.
Love the continuing saga. Romance,history and love!
Can't wait to start the next book,hope it is as good as the first two.
May 26, 2022
Don't Miss Reading Book #2-Amazing
I really very much enjoyed reading about Abby & Tom but you must keep on and read Treasure on Lilac Lane.
Talk about a treasure, in this book you will learn more about some of the friends you met in House on Blackberry Island.
Thankfully it starts out with getting ready for the wedding of Abbey &Tom, so many books go onto the next story with little said about past characters and their lives. Not so in book 2, Treasure on Lilac Lane starts out with Abby and her best friend Jess in the midst of planning what should be the biggest wedding this century in the fully restored House on Blackberry Hill. Jess is helping in every way possible but when she finds out who the best man is, Rick, someone who she and a bad crush on in high school but when he went away to Afghanistan, he came back as someone she can not be around. Rick who came back to a very sick mother, PTSD and having lost part of himself and so much more was very angry at life. Thankfully, his high school buddies including Tom, still believed in him. Tom really wanted his oldest friend to be his best man. Rick was not happy to be walking with Jess anymore than she was with him. Of course Rick and Jess kept running into each other and Jess was very boisterous about the way he was living his life. Although, the day of wedding they each felt sparks every time they were near each other and it changed each of them.
As the story goes along you find out secrets about both of them. Ms. Alward takes us on a very intense journey of coping with life, old longings, past secrets, loss, regrets & of course love. You will enjoy every minute of this book and where it will take you. I read the first book yesterday and started& finished this one in about four hours, I couldn't put it down. I am going to start the next one when I am finished with this review. A must read for fans of Donna Alward, I sure am glad she decided to write cosy romance series, Thank you!
I really very much enjoyed reading about Abby & Tom but you must keep on and read Treasure on Lilac Lane.
Talk about a treasure, in this book you will learn more about some of the friends you met in House on Blackberry Island.
Thankfully it starts out with getting ready for the wedding of Abbey &Tom, so many books go onto the next story with little said about past characters and their lives. Not so in book 2, Treasure on Lilac Lane starts out with Abby and her best friend Jess in the midst of planning what should be the biggest wedding this century in the fully restored House on Blackberry Hill. Jess is helping in every way possible but when she finds out who the best man is, Rick, someone who she and a bad crush on in high school but when he went away to Afghanistan, he came back as someone she can not be around. Rick who came back to a very sick mother, PTSD and having lost part of himself and so much more was very angry at life. Thankfully, his high school buddies including Tom, still believed in him. Tom really wanted his oldest friend to be his best man. Rick was not happy to be walking with Jess anymore than she was with him. Of course Rick and Jess kept running into each other and Jess was very boisterous about the way he was living his life. Although, the day of wedding they each felt sparks every time they were near each other and it changed each of them.
As the story goes along you find out secrets about both of them. Ms. Alward takes us on a very intense journey of coping with life, old longings, past secrets, loss, regrets & of course love. You will enjoy every minute of this book and where it will take you. I read the first book yesterday and started& finished this one in about four hours, I couldn't put it down. I am going to start the next one when I am finished with this review. A must read for fans of Donna Alward, I sure am glad she decided to write cosy romance series, Thank you!
November 25, 2014
She was 17 and he was 20 when she finally got her first kiss from Rick Sullivan behind the sand dunes. He was part of the family really, he was her brother and two cousin’s best friend. Jess Collin now 28, is still pissed that her brother Josh and her two cousin’s Bryce and Tom are still friends with the guy that kisses her once then runs away and joins the Marines. Then, he comes back missing a hand and has PTSD. Like that’s not enough he finds out soon after returning that his mom is dying of a terminal cancer.
So, what’s a guy to do with all that pressure, anger, and fear? Well, for Rick he turned to booze in a big way. Causing him to visit the “Pokie” a couple of times care of his best friend and Jess’s cousin now the Chief of Police Bryce. Not plus the gal he’s been crushing on for forever is not one of his biggest fans now, for sure. She in fact bashes him every chance she gets.
But, on her death bed Roberta, Rick’s mom ask that Rick stop drinking for good and he did promise her. Doing so he releases, all errs that have happened to him, by painting, it calms him. It really saves his life.
I enjoyed this story just so much. It had so much emotion is just the short amount of pages that it had on my kindle phone edition. It tells such a loving story of what one of our service men goes through as he tries to acclimate himself back into his life. But when you get to much put on you all at once like Rick does it takes a strong woman like Jess the most unlikely person to just be your friend again. They learn to form a civil open line of communication which is really nice. Not easy but nice.
I give this story 5 stars. Provided by Net Galley.
Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com
So, what’s a guy to do with all that pressure, anger, and fear? Well, for Rick he turned to booze in a big way. Causing him to visit the “Pokie” a couple of times care of his best friend and Jess’s cousin now the Chief of Police Bryce. Not plus the gal he’s been crushing on for forever is not one of his biggest fans now, for sure. She in fact bashes him every chance she gets.
But, on her death bed Roberta, Rick’s mom ask that Rick stop drinking for good and he did promise her. Doing so he releases, all errs that have happened to him, by painting, it calms him. It really saves his life.
I enjoyed this story just so much. It had so much emotion is just the short amount of pages that it had on my kindle phone edition. It tells such a loving story of what one of our service men goes through as he tries to acclimate himself back into his life. But when you get to much put on you all at once like Rick does it takes a strong woman like Jess the most unlikely person to just be your friend again. They learn to form a civil open line of communication which is really nice. Not easy but nice.
I give this story 5 stars. Provided by Net Galley.
Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com
November 4, 2014
Very nice romance set in a small town in Maine. This is book #2 of the Jewell Cove series, and I enjoyed the warm friendships and pleasant characters, with enough stress and strife to keep me interested. Since I didn't read #1 in the series, I was a little confused about some of the conversations referring to what happened previously, but it only served to make me interested in seeking out that book, and only detracted a little from the current story. Both main characters, Jess and Rick, and facing their own demons on their own rather than sharing their worries with anyone else. They are both stronger than they realize, but their isolation is eating at them both. When they get together, they find themselves connecting on several levels, and the reader gets caught up in their stories, rooting for their success. I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did since the characters, especially Jess, rubbed me the wrong way at first. She was so incredibly judgmental of Rick that I found her totally irritating. But as I learned more about her history, I found myself drawn to her and starting to understand where she was coming from. Same with Rick, although he didn't annoy me as much at first. The pace of the story was quick, despite the slowness of their romance, and the confrontations definitely kept my interest. The "mystery" was OK, but it was a little confusing since I didn't have the back story from the first book of the series. All that being said, I look forward to the next in the series and hope it's about Josh, Jess's brother. He's a great supporting character.
April 7, 2016
Treasure on Lilac Lane is book two in the Jewel Cove series by Donna Alward. After reading book one (The House on Blackberry Hill) and loving it so much, I couldn't resist downloading book two. And I'm happy to say that it's every bit as good as book one. I had never read anything by Donna Alward before, but now I'm definitely adding her to my list of favorite authors.
There's more romance and a bit less suspense in Treasure in Lilac Lane than there is in The House on Blackberry Hill, but the story will keep you hooked just the same. I loved Rick and Jess. They have both been hurt in the past but both are working on their issues. For Rick the path to recovery is very difficult and I thought Jess was being too hard on him at the beginning of the book but, bottom line, they were perfect for each other.
The only detail I didn't like was Rick's family connection to Abby (who inherited the house on Blackberry Hill on book one). No spoilers here, you have to read it but, in the end, I think the author was trying a bit too hard. The result was so complicated and with so many coincidences coming together that I had a hard time believing it. It doesn't sound realistic at all. But by then I was so close to the happily ever after that I felt it was really a small detail and that the story flowed perfectly even if I overlooked it.
So, all in all, Treasure in Lilac Lane is a wonderful romance novel and you'll be sorry to see it end. Totally recommended.
There's more romance and a bit less suspense in Treasure in Lilac Lane than there is in The House on Blackberry Hill, but the story will keep you hooked just the same. I loved Rick and Jess. They have both been hurt in the past but both are working on their issues. For Rick the path to recovery is very difficult and I thought Jess was being too hard on him at the beginning of the book but, bottom line, they were perfect for each other.
The only detail I didn't like was Rick's family connection to Abby (who inherited the house on Blackberry Hill on book one). No spoilers here, you have to read it but, in the end, I think the author was trying a bit too hard. The result was so complicated and with so many coincidences coming together that I had a hard time believing it. It doesn't sound realistic at all. But by then I was so close to the happily ever after that I felt it was really a small detail and that the story flowed perfectly even if I overlooked it.
So, all in all, Treasure in Lilac Lane is a wonderful romance novel and you'll be sorry to see it end. Totally recommended.
August 1, 2022
Jessica (Jess) is a young woman who has her own successful business. She lives in her home town and has a large supportive family who loves her. She has a history she has kept hidden from her family. Only her brother knows of the extent of her injuries from an abusive boyfriend.
Richard (Rick) is a former Marine who has come back to his home town. He has a prosthetic hand because of his injuries. He is not dealing with PTSD well at all. His method of dealing is to drink much too much. When his mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, it is as though his life is taking another hit of terrible situations.
Jess and Rick have known one another since they were young. They have always had an attraction between them. But, now they are two very wounded people who are simply trying to make it through life.
This is another interesting and entertaining story from this author.
The small town citizens are generally people who are caring. Jessica’s large family are loving people who want to do everything to provide love and support for one another.
There is romance and charm and humor and a villain who is just bad enough.
Jess and Rick are strong characters who hold their own in the story. The supporting characters add a great deal to the enjoyment of the book. This is a small town story which provides a good read.
Richard (Rick) is a former Marine who has come back to his home town. He has a prosthetic hand because of his injuries. He is not dealing with PTSD well at all. His method of dealing is to drink much too much. When his mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, it is as though his life is taking another hit of terrible situations.
Jess and Rick have known one another since they were young. They have always had an attraction between them. But, now they are two very wounded people who are simply trying to make it through life.
This is another interesting and entertaining story from this author.
The small town citizens are generally people who are caring. Jessica’s large family are loving people who want to do everything to provide love and support for one another.
There is romance and charm and humor and a villain who is just bad enough.
Jess and Rick are strong characters who hold their own in the story. The supporting characters add a great deal to the enjoyment of the book. This is a small town story which provides a good read.
November 1, 2014
Rick Sullivan was Jewell Cove's golden boy when he left home to join the Marines, a star athlete and the reigning heartthrob. He came home from Afghanistan wounded in both body and soul. He's struggled with alcohol, anger--and the painful months of watching his mother die. There's no question Rick is damaged.
Jess Collins has struggled with her own issues, including an abusive relationship that only her brother Josh knows the truth about. Now she's happy running her her art shop, Treasures, and only a little bit wistful about her siblings and her Arsenault cousins one by one finding lasting relationships.
It's really inconvenient that Rick Sullivan, who now seems to represent everything she's learned to be wary of in a man, is at least as attractive to her as he was when they were in their late teens.
Alward deals skillfully with the complexity of the emotional minefield that both draws these two together and keeps them apart. The slow emergence of Jess's secrets, Rick's secrets, and secrets from the past neither of them knows about add a depth and a richer texture to the growing relationship. The tight-knit Collins and Arsenault families weave a warmth into that texture that makes this even more satisfying.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
Jess Collins has struggled with her own issues, including an abusive relationship that only her brother Josh knows the truth about. Now she's happy running her her art shop, Treasures, and only a little bit wistful about her siblings and her Arsenault cousins one by one finding lasting relationships.
It's really inconvenient that Rick Sullivan, who now seems to represent everything she's learned to be wary of in a man, is at least as attractive to her as he was when they were in their late teens.
Alward deals skillfully with the complexity of the emotional minefield that both draws these two together and keeps them apart. The slow emergence of Jess's secrets, Rick's secrets, and secrets from the past neither of them knows about add a depth and a richer texture to the growing relationship. The tight-knit Collins and Arsenault families weave a warmth into that texture that makes this even more satisfying.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
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