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Maple Leaf #3
More Than Rum
Book Three in The Maple Leaf Series
Web designer Hope Stannard has watched her cousin and her sister fall madly in love. She’s waited patiently for her turn to roll around, but her last boyfriend broke up with her via text message and the new guy she’s interested in disappeared on her for months with no explanation. Perhaps it’s time to throw in the towel, be content living with her Dalmatian puppy and her mother, and accept the official title of Unmarriable Old Maid.
Ex-Marine Adam Rouse fills his days with lumberjacking and building furniture. His nights are spent wide awake as he relives a raid in Afghanistan gone wrong. He emerged as the sole survivor, but questions why. Certainly other members of this team were more worthy of living than him. Deciding that bartending at night would be a better use of his time than battling insomnia, Adam applies at Black Wolf Tavern, the only place to hang out in small-town Danton, Vermont. He couldn’t drown his own troubles in rum, but maybe he can help others do so.
When Hope is attacked just outside the tavern, Adam comes to her aid, and the frosty winter temperatures can’t cool the heat that’s always been between them. Can Hope scale Adam’s fortress walls? Can Adam believe he is worthy of a woman like Hope? Will they rescue each other?
Web designer Hope Stannard has watched her cousin and her sister fall madly in love. She’s waited patiently for her turn to roll around, but her last boyfriend broke up with her via text message and the new guy she’s interested in disappeared on her for months with no explanation. Perhaps it’s time to throw in the towel, be content living with her Dalmatian puppy and her mother, and accept the official title of Unmarriable Old Maid.
Ex-Marine Adam Rouse fills his days with lumberjacking and building furniture. His nights are spent wide awake as he relives a raid in Afghanistan gone wrong. He emerged as the sole survivor, but questions why. Certainly other members of this team were more worthy of living than him. Deciding that bartending at night would be a better use of his time than battling insomnia, Adam applies at Black Wolf Tavern, the only place to hang out in small-town Danton, Vermont. He couldn’t drown his own troubles in rum, but maybe he can help others do so.
When Hope is attacked just outside the tavern, Adam comes to her aid, and the frosty winter temperatures can’t cool the heat that’s always been between them. Can Hope scale Adam’s fortress walls? Can Adam believe he is worthy of a woman like Hope? Will they rescue each other?
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 13, 2014
62 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Christine DePetrillo
78 books653 followersChristine DePetrillo can often be found hugging trees, conversing with dragonflies, and walking barefoot through sun-warmed soil. She finds joy in listening to the wind, bathing in moonlight, and breathing in the fragrances of things that bloom. If she had her way, the sky would be the only roof over her head.
Her love of nature seeps into every story she tells. As does her obsession with bearded mountain men who build, often smell like sawdust, and know how to cherish the women they love. Today she writes tales meant to make you laugh, maybe make you sweat, and definitely make you believe in the power of love.
She lives in Vermont with her husband and cat who defend her fiercely from all evils.
Find Christine’s other titles at www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com. Connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/christinedepetrilloa..., on Instagram at @christinedepetrillo, and at the Small Town Hearts Facebook Group.
Her love of nature seeps into every story she tells. As does her obsession with bearded mountain men who build, often smell like sawdust, and know how to cherish the women they love. Today she writes tales meant to make you laugh, maybe make you sweat, and definitely make you believe in the power of love.
She lives in Vermont with her husband and cat who defend her fiercely from all evils.
Find Christine’s other titles at www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com. Connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/christinedepetrilloa..., on Instagram at @christinedepetrillo, and at the Small Town Hearts Facebook Group.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 1, 2026
This book was amazing and i loved Hope's story and how she found love.. I loved the whole story and it was good to see some of the character's from the 1st book and 2nd book. There was a lot of twist through out this story which made me not want to put the book down.
I loved the relationship between Hope and Adam because it made me smile the way they acted around each other and i loved reading about them Falling in love with each other. It was the most amazing love story between Hope and Adam.. I loved the relationship Hope has with her sister Sage, her cousin Rick, Lily and her Mum Joy. I also liked the Friendship with Adam and Orion and also the relationship with Adam and his sister Wendie.. It was sweet how hope's Family made Adam feel at home and made him feel like part of the family. I think Hope and Adam are just made for each other
This book is packed full of:
⦁ Awesome characters
⦁ Bartender/Web Designer Romance
⦁ Second chance Romance
⦁ Best friends sister in-law
⦁ Friends to Lovers
⦁ Grumpy/Sunshine
⦁ Ex-Military
⦁ Some Steam with Open-Door play [Living Room]
⦁ A bit of a mafia theme
⦁ Content: Dark themes, Hero Overcoming his past, Caretaking, Slow Burn Romance, Hope gets attacked but gets saved by hero, Hope has some panic attacks when she is alone and can’t sleep after what happened, Hope also gets Kidnapped, There is a wee bit of mafia theme and Hero has nightmares from his past
⦁ A wee bit of Kidnapping
⦁ Hero Gets Nightmares
⦁ Hero has scars
⦁ Hope gets Panic Attacks after she gets attacked and can’t sleep much
⦁ Caretaking
⦁ Cute Puppy Dog
⦁ Forced Proximity
⦁ Protective Hero
⦁ Possessive hero/Touch her and you die trope
⦁ Strong Friendships
⦁ Strong Family Relationships
⦁ Love at first sight
⦁ Fast read
⦁ Action packed
⦁ Some Dark themes
⦁ Plot Twists
⦁ Mystery
⦁ Small town
⦁ Each book follows a different couple but you will see all the characters through each book too so far
There was some Dark parts though this book that happened to Hope but everything worked out which was good because this book has a lot of twists, make you laugh and feel sad, makes you feel happy too.. I also felt sorry for Adam too because he is going though a lot of dark things and having bad nightmares but when he found Hope she made him feel happy and their romance was so sweet.. Adam and Hope go though a lot in this book..
My Fav characters
Adam [works with wood/works nights at a bar, Orion's best friend, With Hope]
Hope [website Design, Sage's Sister, With Adam]
Orion [ Works with wood, Married to sage]
Sage [ Baker, Married Orion, Sister to Hope]
Myah [ Orion's Daughter ]
Ian [ Orion's Father ]
Joy [ Sage & Hope's mum, Dating Jake ]
Jake [Bar Owner, Dating Joy]
Rick [Owns his own business, Married to Lily, Sage & Hope's Cousin]
Lily [Owns a B&B, Rick's wife]
Wendie [Nurse, Adam's sister]
Diana [ Cop, Friends with Adam and Hope]
Kevin [Cop, Friends with Adam and Diana]
I like that we get to see more of the friendship between Diana and Kevin in this book.. Its so sweet to see that they are close friends with Adam but also that they have made friends with Hope, sage, Orion, Rick and Lily too..
The Animals that i thought were kool are:
Ranger [ Orion's Dog ]
Poe [ Rick's small Coyote]
Olive [ Hope's puppy]
The ending of this book was amazing and so sweet and i am happy that everyone got a happy ending.. Book 4 is set in Boston and follows some new characters but you will see DiNoble's character in Book 4 who was Daniel's Boss..
characters I did not like are:
⦁ Daniel
⦁ Daniel's boss DiNoble
I loved the relationship between Hope and Adam because it made me smile the way they acted around each other and i loved reading about them Falling in love with each other. It was the most amazing love story between Hope and Adam.. I loved the relationship Hope has with her sister Sage, her cousin Rick, Lily and her Mum Joy. I also liked the Friendship with Adam and Orion and also the relationship with Adam and his sister Wendie.. It was sweet how hope's Family made Adam feel at home and made him feel like part of the family. I think Hope and Adam are just made for each other
This book is packed full of:
⦁ Awesome characters
⦁ Bartender/Web Designer Romance
⦁ Second chance Romance
⦁ Best friends sister in-law
⦁ Friends to Lovers
⦁ Grumpy/Sunshine
⦁ Ex-Military
⦁ Some Steam with Open-Door play [Living Room]
⦁ A bit of a mafia theme
⦁ Content: Dark themes, Hero Overcoming his past, Caretaking, Slow Burn Romance, Hope gets attacked but gets saved by hero, Hope has some panic attacks when she is alone and can’t sleep after what happened, Hope also gets Kidnapped, There is a wee bit of mafia theme and Hero has nightmares from his past
⦁ A wee bit of Kidnapping
⦁ Hero Gets Nightmares
⦁ Hero has scars
⦁ Hope gets Panic Attacks after she gets attacked and can’t sleep much
⦁ Caretaking
⦁ Cute Puppy Dog
⦁ Forced Proximity
⦁ Protective Hero
⦁ Possessive hero/Touch her and you die trope
⦁ Strong Friendships
⦁ Strong Family Relationships
⦁ Love at first sight
⦁ Fast read
⦁ Action packed
⦁ Some Dark themes
⦁ Plot Twists
⦁ Mystery
⦁ Small town
⦁ Each book follows a different couple but you will see all the characters through each book too so far
There was some Dark parts though this book that happened to Hope but everything worked out which was good because this book has a lot of twists, make you laugh and feel sad, makes you feel happy too.. I also felt sorry for Adam too because he is going though a lot of dark things and having bad nightmares but when he found Hope she made him feel happy and their romance was so sweet.. Adam and Hope go though a lot in this book..
My Fav characters
Adam [works with wood/works nights at a bar, Orion's best friend, With Hope]
Hope [website Design, Sage's Sister, With Adam]
Orion [ Works with wood, Married to sage]
Sage [ Baker, Married Orion, Sister to Hope]
Myah [ Orion's Daughter ]
Ian [ Orion's Father ]
Joy [ Sage & Hope's mum, Dating Jake ]
Jake [Bar Owner, Dating Joy]
Rick [Owns his own business, Married to Lily, Sage & Hope's Cousin]
Lily [Owns a B&B, Rick's wife]
Wendie [Nurse, Adam's sister]
Diana [ Cop, Friends with Adam and Hope]
Kevin [Cop, Friends with Adam and Diana]
I like that we get to see more of the friendship between Diana and Kevin in this book.. Its so sweet to see that they are close friends with Adam but also that they have made friends with Hope, sage, Orion, Rick and Lily too..
The Animals that i thought were kool are:
Ranger [ Orion's Dog ]
Poe [ Rick's small Coyote]
Olive [ Hope's puppy]
The ending of this book was amazing and so sweet and i am happy that everyone got a happy ending.. Book 4 is set in Boston and follows some new characters but you will see DiNoble's character in Book 4 who was Daniel's Boss..
characters I did not like are:
⦁ Daniel
⦁ Daniel's boss DiNoble
February 13, 2023
This book has it all. A struggling survivor, broken hearts, fear, danger and love. It was a crazy ride from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed this roller coaster ride. The emotions ran deep and were on a constant up and down throughout.
Hope is such a strong character. She is determined, intelligent, capable, loyal and caring, not to mention tough. She is underestimated all the time by those who don't know her. Her tenacious personality compliments Adams, strong and withdrawn one. Together their story is one tough journey that they shall overcome.
I loved the storyline for this book. It is one of my favorite types. Military men suffering from PTSD and a beautiful and strong heroine to heal their heart. The author delivered this story in pure perfection. It had a perfect mix of emotions and lovely characters.
So if you want a feel good read with bumps in the road, then this book should be on your list.
Hope is such a strong character. She is determined, intelligent, capable, loyal and caring, not to mention tough. She is underestimated all the time by those who don't know her. Her tenacious personality compliments Adams, strong and withdrawn one. Together their story is one tough journey that they shall overcome.
I loved the storyline for this book. It is one of my favorite types. Military men suffering from PTSD and a beautiful and strong heroine to heal their heart. The author delivered this story in pure perfection. It had a perfect mix of emotions and lovely characters.
So if you want a feel good read with bumps in the road, then this book should be on your list.
February 15, 2023
So I jumped into this series from the second book, More Than Cookies, and I'm loving it! We got a small glimpse of Hope and Adam in the last book and here we get to watch their relationship really blossom. I found this book a super sweet one, too. The story and the characters are just wholesome and loveable. Watching Adam grow and heal as a person was heartwarming to see. Hope and Adam help each other out in that respect, gaining trust and forging ahead together. This was a sweet story, look forward to reading more!
March 5, 2019
This is the story of Hope Stannard..There are some really exciting times in this book, yes it has its romance but it also has you at the edge of your seat in suspense. Really enjoyed this book, couldn't put it down.
August 29, 2022
Likeable characters and a decent story. I’m glad the PTSD wasn’t magically cured by true love. For a while there I thought the story was going there, but things got more realistic again before the end.
June 19, 2017
Good book. Enjoy reading book series where you can follow the characters.
December 13, 2018
Love this series
October 15, 2024
My first read by Christine and not my last. Love that she put suspense/danger so it’s not just romance. Cute story. Looking forward to reading more of the Maple Leaf Series 🍁
March 12, 2025
Of the three “”more than” books I felt that the balance of of writing to plot slanted in this novel more than iwasneeded toward sexual descriptions than adding more plot complexities.
March 9, 2017
Awesome, as expected.
Adam and Hope's story is as beautiful as the other two I've read in the series. I love the light hearted romance mixed with the element of danger that these stories have.
Adam and Hope's story is as beautiful as the other two I've read in the series. I love the light hearted romance mixed with the element of danger that these stories have.
June 6, 2016
Synopsis: "Book Three in The Maple Leaf Series
Web designer Hope Stannard has watched her cousin and her sister fall madly in love. She’s waited patiently for her turn to roll around, but her last boyfriend broke up with her via text message and the new guy she’s interested in disappeared on her for months with no explanation. Perhaps it’s time to throw in the towel, be content living with her Dalmatian puppy and her mother, and accept the official title of Unmarriable Old Maid.
Ex-Marine Adam Rouse fills his days with lumberjacking and building furniture. His nights are spent wide awake as he relives a raid in Afghanistan gone wrong. He emerged as the sole survivor, but questions why. Certainly other members of this team were more worthy of living than him. Deciding that bartending at night would be a better use of his time than battling insomnia, Adam applies at Black Wolf Tavern, the only place to hang out in small-town Danton, Vermont. He couldn’t drown his own troubles in rum, but maybe he can help others do so.
When Hope is attacked just outside the tavern, Adam comes to her aid, and the frosty winter temperatures can’t cool the heat that’s always been between them. Can Hope scale Adam’s fortress walls? Can Adam believe he is worthy of a woman like Hope? Will they rescue each other?"
My Review: I originally found this series at a local author event, and I have been really enjoying the series so far. The characters are always fun and quirky and even the sub-characters are fully developed. I did enjoy this book quite a bit but I have been having a little bit of an issue as to how Adam's PTSD was handled. I have no problem with a little fudging on timelines to fit things into the time of a book but I do have an issue with how his symptoms were nearly resolved with spending time with Hope especially considering the traumatic events that take place throughout this book. I am certainly no expert, nor a sufferer, but it seems to me that these events would be more of a trigger. Yes things did come up again at the end of the book but it really seemed like an after thought, like oh yeah he can't be suddenly better, let's make sure his symptoms do show at least a little. I don't know it doesn't really effect the enjoyment of the book but it really bugged me the way it was handled, to go from severe symptoms, to no symptoms and back to a few issues.
Web designer Hope Stannard has watched her cousin and her sister fall madly in love. She’s waited patiently for her turn to roll around, but her last boyfriend broke up with her via text message and the new guy she’s interested in disappeared on her for months with no explanation. Perhaps it’s time to throw in the towel, be content living with her Dalmatian puppy and her mother, and accept the official title of Unmarriable Old Maid.
Ex-Marine Adam Rouse fills his days with lumberjacking and building furniture. His nights are spent wide awake as he relives a raid in Afghanistan gone wrong. He emerged as the sole survivor, but questions why. Certainly other members of this team were more worthy of living than him. Deciding that bartending at night would be a better use of his time than battling insomnia, Adam applies at Black Wolf Tavern, the only place to hang out in small-town Danton, Vermont. He couldn’t drown his own troubles in rum, but maybe he can help others do so.
When Hope is attacked just outside the tavern, Adam comes to her aid, and the frosty winter temperatures can’t cool the heat that’s always been between them. Can Hope scale Adam’s fortress walls? Can Adam believe he is worthy of a woman like Hope? Will they rescue each other?"
My Review: I originally found this series at a local author event, and I have been really enjoying the series so far. The characters are always fun and quirky and even the sub-characters are fully developed. I did enjoy this book quite a bit but I have been having a little bit of an issue as to how Adam's PTSD was handled. I have no problem with a little fudging on timelines to fit things into the time of a book but I do have an issue with how his symptoms were nearly resolved with spending time with Hope especially considering the traumatic events that take place throughout this book. I am certainly no expert, nor a sufferer, but it seems to me that these events would be more of a trigger. Yes things did come up again at the end of the book but it really seemed like an after thought, like oh yeah he can't be suddenly better, let's make sure his symptoms do show at least a little. I don't know it doesn't really effect the enjoyment of the book but it really bugged me the way it was handled, to go from severe symptoms, to no symptoms and back to a few issues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2015
Humor, suspense, and romance!
I always feel like I'm right there with the characters in this series. Love the mix of humor and suspense with the romance! Can't wait for the next book in this series!
I always feel like I'm right there with the characters in this series. Love the mix of humor and suspense with the romance! Can't wait for the next book in this series!
August 2, 2016
More Than Run (The Maple Leaf Series Boo 3)
The love story of Hope and Adam. Adam is ex-military and best friend of Orion. He dated Hope and then when away for a wait. Hope is Sage's sister and she is looking for love. Adam save Hope for a rapes. Can they fond love. You love it.
The love story of Hope and Adam. Adam is ex-military and best friend of Orion. He dated Hope and then when away for a wait. Hope is Sage's sister and she is looking for love. Adam save Hope for a rapes. Can they fond love. You love it.
November 15, 2016
Read in e-pub format on my Nook
April 20, 2016
Great story! Adam's struggles are so believable and Hope is great. Highly recommended!
Read
May 17, 2017I enjoyed the book.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews