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It Had to Be #1
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In dieser lustigen und romantischen Geschichte kommt Meg Anderson, die als Mädchen alles andere als brav war, zurück in ihre Heimatstadt, um dem Mann aus dem Weg zu gehen, der ihr das Herz gebrochen hat. Dort stolpert sie über ein paar sehr überraschende Geheimnisse aus ihrer eigenen Vergangenheit … und über ihren umwerfenden Ex.
Obwohl ihre wilden Jahre längst vorbei sind, ist es für Meg alles andere als einfach, in das beschauliche Anderson Butte zurückzukehren, zumal ihr nie zufriedener Vater und ihre erfolgreichen Geschwister den Ort mit eiserner Hand regieren. Doch als der Vater ihrer Tochter versucht, drei Jahre nach seinem Verschwinden wieder Kontakt zu ihr aufzunehmen, will sie ihrem attraktiven Ex unbedingt aus dem Weg gehen. Hoffentlich hilft ihr die Kleinstadt mit ihren vielen pikanten Geheimnissen dabei.
Nach Jahren in der Versenkung möchte Josh Granger, ein Mann mit seinen eigenen Geheimnissen, Meg und seine Tochter Haley zurück. Doch erst muss er an den Einwohnern vorbei, die die beiden beschützen wie eine Horde Rottweiler. Er ist nicht der Mann, für den Meg ihn hält, kann ihr jedoch nicht sagen, warum ... noch nicht.
Langsam wird Meg mit Josh wieder warm, und der Funken von damals ist offensichtlich noch da. Doch wenn sein Geheimnis gelüftet wird – und Meg eine ungeheuerliche Entdeckung macht –, wird die Familie dann wieder auseinandergerissen oder für immer zusammengeschweißt?
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2015
1078 people are currently reading
3649 people want to read
About the author
Tamra Baumann
14 books517 followersTamra Baumann is an award-winning author of light-hearted contemporary romance and cozy mystery. A reality-show junkie, she justifies her addiction by telling others she’s scouting for potential character material. She adamantly denies she’s actually living vicariously in their closets. Tamra resides with her real-life characters—her husband, kids, and their adorable golden doodle in the sunny Southwest. Visit her online at: www.tamrabaumann.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 474 reviews
June 13, 2015
3.75 Stars
This book was about second chances for:
1. Love
2. Trust
3. Having a family
4. Life
Meg's family and town are not exactly fans of Meg. Her sibling's may love her and wish her the best but her father certainly doesn't believe she can do anything worth while. He doesn't think she can be responsible either. Sure Meg gave the town heck with her attitude and pranks growing up, but she deserves a second chance. Right?
Not everyone thinks she does. Especially her father and The Three Amigos. They all think she can't do any good and judge her harshly and give her a tongue lashing whenever they can. So she's set out to prove to everyone that she's not the person they think she is. It also helps that she has no where to hide out so she needs to stay in her childhood town, the one she had hoped to never return to.
See, her ex-boyfriend who shattered her heart and trust as well as leaving her alone and pregnant, is sniffing around and trying to find her. He has some secrets he needs to let out of the bag, but Meg doesn't know that, as well as trying to win his family back.
Josh, the ex, will run into some issues as he tries to locate Meg in her home town. The town rallies together, and are mostly related to each other, not to mention they are a very tight lip community. Which they have to be, as they have signed a contract "pact" as the town caters to celebrities.
Josh will have to jump hurdles with her tight lip family, community, and Meg's shot gun toting grandma who will definitely shoot you. That's not a lie, just ask Meg.
Meg has to come to terms with her trust issues with Josh, and people in general if she's going to allow Haley into Josh's life and him into hers and her daughters. Josh will need to come clean with his life and pray Meg can forgive him- which his secrets were justifiable. And they both will need to learn how to co-parent as another special person enters their life unexpectedly.
What I liked
1. Josh
2. The kids
3. Aunt Gloria
4. This book kept me glued the whole way through.
5. This book was exactly what I needed.
6. The whole aspect of the story.
7. The humor.
8. The playfulness between Josh and Meg.
9. Tara- even though she played a small role, I can't wait for her book, Book 2.
10. 85% good pacing - though I felt some things happened too fast and the end wrapped up too fast for me.
11. Meg- though I didn't like how the author made her "the best" at everything she did. Also, I thought she was a hypocrite at times when it came to her thoughts about Josh and second chances, or how everyone did the same thing Josh had to do and she let that go sooner than stuff with Josh- that bothered me the most.
This book was about second chances for:
1. Love
2. Trust
3. Having a family
4. Life
Meg's family and town are not exactly fans of Meg. Her sibling's may love her and wish her the best but her father certainly doesn't believe she can do anything worth while. He doesn't think she can be responsible either. Sure Meg gave the town heck with her attitude and pranks growing up, but she deserves a second chance. Right?
Not everyone thinks she does. Especially her father and The Three Amigos. They all think she can't do any good and judge her harshly and give her a tongue lashing whenever they can. So she's set out to prove to everyone that she's not the person they think she is. It also helps that she has no where to hide out so she needs to stay in her childhood town, the one she had hoped to never return to.
See, her ex-boyfriend who shattered her heart and trust as well as leaving her alone and pregnant, is sniffing around and trying to find her. He has some secrets he needs to let out of the bag, but Meg doesn't know that, as well as trying to win his family back.
Josh, the ex, will run into some issues as he tries to locate Meg in her home town. The town rallies together, and are mostly related to each other, not to mention they are a very tight lip community. Which they have to be, as they have signed a contract "pact" as the town caters to celebrities.
Josh will have to jump hurdles with her tight lip family, community, and Meg's shot gun toting grandma who will definitely shoot you. That's not a lie, just ask Meg.
Meg has to come to terms with her trust issues with Josh, and people in general if she's going to allow Haley into Josh's life and him into hers and her daughters. Josh will need to come clean with his life and pray Meg can forgive him- which his secrets were justifiable. And they both will need to learn how to co-parent as another special person enters their life unexpectedly.
What I liked
1. Josh
2. The kids
3. Aunt Gloria
4. This book kept me glued the whole way through.
5. This book was exactly what I needed.
6. The whole aspect of the story.
7. The humor.
8. The playfulness between Josh and Meg.
9. Tara- even though she played a small role, I can't wait for her book, Book 2.
10. 85% good pacing - though I felt some things happened too fast and the end wrapped up too fast for me.
11. Meg- though I didn't like how the author made her "the best" at everything she did. Also, I thought she was a hypocrite at times when it came to her thoughts about Josh and second chances, or how everyone did the same thing Josh had to do and she let that go sooner than stuff with Josh- that bothered me the most.
April 21, 2015
Ehh, this type of story and writing just isn't my speed, style, nor taste.
It's a light, fluffy, ribbons and frills story set around a hefty dose of woe is me over mundane childish antics and the pulling of petals off the daisy .. 'He loves me, he loves me not.'
Aside from being boring, it requires you to suspend logic.. examples:
Batshit crazy town with way too much unbelievable about it.
Hey, I've known you a couple weeks but I think I'll just give you my business.
Three year absence between MCs where his last words were for her to move on... but he comes back to get her & she's not only not moved on but hasn't even slept with anyone since him. Hello, Disney movie~
Everyone seems to have more money that a Wall Street banker, except the female MC. But, no worries, she suddenly has 300k before the end of the book.
I hated the messages pulled from the story.. Examples:
Her family lied to her 'for her own good.' He lied, lied some more, and uses the line "it was for your own good." And she just accepts it all and berates herself for not being a better person and having more trust in people. THIS IS NOT an example of a strong, self-confident protagonist! It's a message of it's okay to lie and make choices for others without their knowledge as long as it's in their best interest.
It's okay for a dad to be a complete asshole.
My Gawd... Egging someone's car and setting up a pie in the face contest doesn't make for a troublemaker kid. This book turned a girl's normal youthful antics into just cause to berate her as the rotten apple of the town while another adult character's actual cruel, harmful antics were breezed over.
Bottom line:
Anyhoo, if you like marshmallow stories where innocent shit is villainized and actual wrongs are brushed under the rug, then this book is perfect for ya.
It's a light, fluffy, ribbons and frills story set around a hefty dose of woe is me over mundane childish antics and the pulling of petals off the daisy .. 'He loves me, he loves me not.'
Aside from being boring, it requires you to suspend logic.. examples:
Batshit crazy town with way too much unbelievable about it.
Hey, I've known you a couple weeks but I think I'll just give you my business.
Three year absence between MCs where his last words were for her to move on... but he comes back to get her & she's not only not moved on but hasn't even slept with anyone since him. Hello, Disney movie~
Everyone seems to have more money that a Wall Street banker, except the female MC. But, no worries, she suddenly has 300k before the end of the book.
I hated the messages pulled from the story.. Examples:
Her family lied to her 'for her own good.' He lied, lied some more, and uses the line "it was for your own good." And she just accepts it all and berates herself for not being a better person and having more trust in people. THIS IS NOT an example of a strong, self-confident protagonist! It's a message of it's okay to lie and make choices for others without their knowledge as long as it's in their best interest.
It's okay for a dad to be a complete asshole.
My Gawd... Egging someone's car and setting up a pie in the face contest doesn't make for a troublemaker kid. This book turned a girl's normal youthful antics into just cause to berate her as the rotten apple of the town while another adult character's actual cruel, harmful antics were breezed over.
Bottom line:
Anyhoo, if you like marshmallow stories where innocent shit is villainized and actual wrongs are brushed under the rug, then this book is perfect for ya.
July 1, 2016
As an avid romance reader who starts at 3 stars when a book is average, it's saying something that this one rates a 4 for me.
The plot here is an interesting one. At the outset, we know that Meg is a single mom who's returned to her hometown. She is a free spirit whose antics gained her the disdain of most of her small town - which is essentially owned and run by her family. Her guy Josh has left her as soon as he found out she was pregnant and she's running from him so she won't lose her daughter. The idea here that she was going to fall in love again - with him, the guy who had hurt her so badly - was something I wanted to see an author pull off. I was pretty skeptical.
I was really surprised when she did it. This speaks to the writing, which has a strong emotional punch. The plot is so-so. There are a lot of elements included that require suspending your disbelief: Meg is a helicopter pilot? And so is Josh? Meg takes Josh back when he continues to lie to her? Their daughter immediately loves her daddy? Meg's old friend hates her so much that she publicly shames her?
Despite those flaws, Baumann gave us a small town to love. Close knit, a town that keeps secrets and defends their own fiercely, even when the one they're defending is someone they don't hold highly. It's full of cliches but not the standard cheesy ones. A wise grandmother with a gun was just the right mix of gruff and protectively loving. Meg's dad never changes too much to become unreliable; he stays true to his initial character. And while Meg seems to trust far too quickly and for the wrong reasons, it works because of her own insecurities and past.
All that said, you really do have to suspend your disbelief and just be entertained. If you're looking for a realistic story here, you'll be disappointed. But if you just want a quick, fun read that introduces you to an interesting town full of great characters, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Kate Rudd is fantastic (as usual) as the narrator on audio. She voices each character with the exact amount of emotion and mood. Their personalities are distinct, probably more so because of the way she relates them. This book is likely less believable in print; Kate Rudd brings a lightness to the story that is easy and fun without being silly. It was a pleasure to go right along with things and not question them because of her narration.
This story introduced me to a town that I'm interested to know more about. Bring on the companion novels. I'm in, especially if Kate Rudd is narrating!
The plot here is an interesting one. At the outset, we know that Meg is a single mom who's returned to her hometown. She is a free spirit whose antics gained her the disdain of most of her small town - which is essentially owned and run by her family. Her guy Josh has left her as soon as he found out she was pregnant and she's running from him so she won't lose her daughter. The idea here that she was going to fall in love again - with him, the guy who had hurt her so badly - was something I wanted to see an author pull off. I was pretty skeptical.
I was really surprised when she did it. This speaks to the writing, which has a strong emotional punch. The plot is so-so. There are a lot of elements included that require suspending your disbelief: Meg is a helicopter pilot? And so is Josh? Meg takes Josh back when he continues to lie to her? Their daughter immediately loves her daddy? Meg's old friend hates her so much that she publicly shames her?
Despite those flaws, Baumann gave us a small town to love. Close knit, a town that keeps secrets and defends their own fiercely, even when the one they're defending is someone they don't hold highly. It's full of cliches but not the standard cheesy ones. A wise grandmother with a gun was just the right mix of gruff and protectively loving. Meg's dad never changes too much to become unreliable; he stays true to his initial character. And while Meg seems to trust far too quickly and for the wrong reasons, it works because of her own insecurities and past.
All that said, you really do have to suspend your disbelief and just be entertained. If you're looking for a realistic story here, you'll be disappointed. But if you just want a quick, fun read that introduces you to an interesting town full of great characters, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Kate Rudd is fantastic (as usual) as the narrator on audio. She voices each character with the exact amount of emotion and mood. Their personalities are distinct, probably more so because of the way she relates them. This book is likely less believable in print; Kate Rudd brings a lightness to the story that is easy and fun without being silly. It was a pleasure to go right along with things and not question them because of her narration.
This story introduced me to a town that I'm interested to know more about. Bring on the companion novels. I'm in, especially if Kate Rudd is narrating!
March 17, 2015
It has to be family
Gosh. I don't normally read books about adults, tending to stick more to NA and YA novels, but I'm really glad I gave this one a try. It was just so cute!!!! I picked it as one of my Amazon First Reads for this month and boy don't I love Amazon. They got so many good books and for someone who travels a lot it's super convent. Anyways, back to the review.
The writing was good. It wasn't amazing, but I enjoyed the nice flow of it and the distinct voice of both Josh and Meg. I was hooked from the very beginning, finishing this story rather quickly. I'm not an expert on adult novels, but I thought this would definitely be something my mother could easily get into.
The plot was engaging too. I loved the whole idea of this family owned town. And the whole business side if the novel was super cool. I would totally want to live in the town. They may not all be related, yet, they are definitely all one big family. The actual story was great. It's a romance so don't expect some crazy action. However, there is definitely tons of emotional drama and secrets. Familial issues, romance drama, petty blow-ups, and harsh judgements fill these pages. Overall, I think this novel had a captivating plot-line.
Oh the characters. They were all so cute!!! I loved Meg and the struggle she went through to prove the town that she had changed. She's so strong, someone who would and will never give-up. Plus, she's an incredible mother to her daughter, Haley. Then, we have Josh. He was not what I expected when we first heard about him. I thought he was going to be some jerk trying to redeem himself. He wasn't. He was a man who had never really had anyone to love and loose till Meg. Yet, he had to let her and their unborn child go all in order to protect them. Not very many people would be that selfless. I was rooting for him the entire time. Go Josh go!!! The other characters were great too. I loved Meg's family and how loyal they were to each other. However, I have to say her Grandma was the best. She was just so funny!
All in all, I recommend this story to those who are looking for a well developed romance and the binds of family. This story centralized more on familial relationships more than anything else. Enjoy :D
Gosh. I don't normally read books about adults, tending to stick more to NA and YA novels, but I'm really glad I gave this one a try. It was just so cute!!!! I picked it as one of my Amazon First Reads for this month and boy don't I love Amazon. They got so many good books and for someone who travels a lot it's super convent. Anyways, back to the review.
The writing was good. It wasn't amazing, but I enjoyed the nice flow of it and the distinct voice of both Josh and Meg. I was hooked from the very beginning, finishing this story rather quickly. I'm not an expert on adult novels, but I thought this would definitely be something my mother could easily get into.
The plot was engaging too. I loved the whole idea of this family owned town. And the whole business side if the novel was super cool. I would totally want to live in the town. They may not all be related, yet, they are definitely all one big family. The actual story was great. It's a romance so don't expect some crazy action. However, there is definitely tons of emotional drama and secrets. Familial issues, romance drama, petty blow-ups, and harsh judgements fill these pages. Overall, I think this novel had a captivating plot-line.
Oh the characters. They were all so cute!!! I loved Meg and the struggle she went through to prove the town that she had changed. She's so strong, someone who would and will never give-up. Plus, she's an incredible mother to her daughter, Haley. Then, we have Josh. He was not what I expected when we first heard about him. I thought he was going to be some jerk trying to redeem himself. He wasn't. He was a man who had never really had anyone to love and loose till Meg. Yet, he had to let her and their unborn child go all in order to protect them. Not very many people would be that selfless. I was rooting for him the entire time. Go Josh go!!! The other characters were great too. I loved Meg's family and how loyal they were to each other. However, I have to say her Grandma was the best. She was just so funny!
All in all, I recommend this story to those who are looking for a well developed romance and the binds of family. This story centralized more on familial relationships more than anything else. Enjoy :D
April 13, 2015
You know a book is gonna be great when you are introduced to a gun-totting, orthopedic-shoe-wielding Granny in the first chapter! It Had to Be Him is a great mix of romance, second chances, comedy, and a bit of suspense and intrigue thrown in. I really enjoyed how the author set the stage from the beginning of the book with Meg's return to town. Meg has some major obstacles to overcome with the town's - and her family's - perception of her due to her actions as a teen. The reader is immediately introduced to the dynamic of the town, and Meg's family, and you find yourself rooting for her from the outset!
The author does a masterful job of setting up the reader with regards to Josh. Meg's "introduction" of Josh made us fear and hate him before we ever met him - boy were we wrong! Josh endears himself to me as soon as I meet him, just as he began to win the town over with his sincerity. As soon as I got to know Josh, I was really cheering for Meg and Josh to solve their problems and find their happily ever after. Ah the innocence of youth - Haley immediately loved her Daddy and I enjoyed seeing Josh grow as a father. I liked Josh even more once I saw where he grew up and he developed his relationship with Eric - we all gained insights into Josh's background through getting to know Eric. I think it's evident that I really like Josh.
All in all, the author does a wonderful job of introducing us to Anderson Butte and the town that protects and defends their own, has an active gossip grapevine, and sports the occasional celebrity hoping to relax in anonymity. I look forward to visiting Anderson Butte again as other members of the town search for their happily ever after!
The author does a masterful job of setting up the reader with regards to Josh. Meg's "introduction" of Josh made us fear and hate him before we ever met him - boy were we wrong! Josh endears himself to me as soon as I meet him, just as he began to win the town over with his sincerity. As soon as I got to know Josh, I was really cheering for Meg and Josh to solve their problems and find their happily ever after. Ah the innocence of youth - Haley immediately loved her Daddy and I enjoyed seeing Josh grow as a father. I liked Josh even more once I saw where he grew up and he developed his relationship with Eric - we all gained insights into Josh's background through getting to know Eric. I think it's evident that I really like Josh.
All in all, the author does a wonderful job of introducing us to Anderson Butte and the town that protects and defends their own, has an active gossip grapevine, and sports the occasional celebrity hoping to relax in anonymity. I look forward to visiting Anderson Butte again as other members of the town search for their happily ever after!
July 5, 2017
Loved it!!!
First read of this author and fell absolutely in love!!! I like that the heroine isn't perfect and when trouble came around she would run away. I liked that she grew up in this book.
First read of this author and fell absolutely in love!!! I like that the heroine isn't perfect and when trouble came around she would run away. I liked that she grew up in this book.
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March 30, 2015Genre: Contemporary Romance
Standalone/series: Stand alone, though I wouldn't be surprised if some of the side charaacters get their own books. I sensed a sequel with the introduction of the town dentist
Cliffhanger?:
Cursing?: Yes
Descriptive Sex?:
Descriptive Sex Between H/h With OW/OM?:
Contains Cheating?:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
Overall Chemistry: Good
Overall Couple's Rootablity: High
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
1st/2nd/3rd Person: 3rd
Character(s)POV Spoken: both
Any Triggers/Warnings:No
Overall Rating: Average for Genre
Do You Recommend This Book: For those that like second chance stories
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Possibly, if it was for a good price
This is a second chance book. The difference is that the Hero, Josh, had a story that made him sympathetic and put him in a position where he felt like his only choice was to temporarily walk away several years in the past. Since we are privy to his POV we know the truth about him and his feelings about the heroine, Meg. Normally the reader has to forgive the H along with the h but in this case the Hero is forgiven by us pretty quickly while the heroine lags far behind. That makes it a little more frustrating but also drives the story.
I think my biggest issue with the book was that it had many elements that were a little too heavy handed for me. I found the small town life bits a little too heavily pushed along with the zany gun toting granny. Josh's back story was a little heavy handed as well as Meg's with the weird story about her Dad and his control on the town. I had to suspend my disbelief with some of the set up.
The side characters, except for her sister, weren't developed very much. Her brothers ran together in my head. With that said, it isn't a bad story. There is a sweet little side story about a recent orphan that may be too sweet for some but I actually liked even though it could have been developed a little more. Josh if very likeable and sympathetic. Meg is likeable too.
Standalone/series: Stand alone, though I wouldn't be surprised if some of the side charaacters get their own books. I sensed a sequel with the introduction of the town dentist
Cliffhanger?:
Cursing?: Yes
Descriptive Sex?:
Descriptive Sex Between H/h With OW/OM?:
Contains Cheating?:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
Overall Chemistry: Good
Overall Couple's Rootablity: High
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
1st/2nd/3rd Person: 3rd
Character(s)POV Spoken: both
Any Triggers/Warnings:No
Overall Rating: Average for Genre
Do You Recommend This Book: For those that like second chance stories
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Possibly, if it was for a good price
This is a second chance book. The difference is that the Hero, Josh, had a story that made him sympathetic and put him in a position where he felt like his only choice was to temporarily walk away several years in the past. Since we are privy to his POV we know the truth about him and his feelings about the heroine, Meg. Normally the reader has to forgive the H along with the h but in this case the Hero is forgiven by us pretty quickly while the heroine lags far behind. That makes it a little more frustrating but also drives the story.
I think my biggest issue with the book was that it had many elements that were a little too heavy handed for me. I found the small town life bits a little too heavily pushed along with the zany gun toting granny. Josh's back story was a little heavy handed as well as Meg's with the weird story about her Dad and his control on the town. I had to suspend my disbelief with some of the set up.
The side characters, except for her sister, weren't developed very much. Her brothers ran together in my head. With that said, it isn't a bad story. There is a sweet little side story about a recent orphan that may be too sweet for some but I actually liked even though it could have been developed a little more. Josh if very likeable and sympathetic. Meg is likeable too.
February 2, 2015
What a pleasure this book was! It's the story of Meg, a young woman who raised hell in her youth--and made some enemies with long memories--in the Colorado resort town that was founded and is now run by her family. She returns with her adorable toddler in tow because she's broke and has nowhere else to go. Her powerful father pretty much bribes the entire town to make Meg pay for her past transgressions, except for her siblings, who (mostly) stand by her. (And yes, I smell sequels with these brothers and sister, and hooray for that!) Add to all this one handsome devil of an FBI agent, Josh, who loves Meg and is the father of her child, but had to abandon them due to a long-term undercover job. He's THS CLOSE to being able to tell Meg the truth about why he had to leave, but the case is not quite finished, so he has to wait.
Meg and Josh have crazy chemistry, and their relationship is believable and sexy. Josh has to regain Meg's trust, and Meg has to open her heart to him again, despite their past. Their daughter Haley is accurately portrayed as a true toddler, and the scenes with her and Josh are a delight. In addition to Josh's FBI secret, there are also some secrets in Meg's family, and a townful of colorful characters; they all combine to keep the pace brisk.
Oh, and grandma likes her shotgun. Just sayin.'
All in all, IT HAD TO BE HIM is witty, fun, well-written, smoldery, and full of surprises. Exactly what you want in a romance!
Meg and Josh have crazy chemistry, and their relationship is believable and sexy. Josh has to regain Meg's trust, and Meg has to open her heart to him again, despite their past. Their daughter Haley is accurately portrayed as a true toddler, and the scenes with her and Josh are a delight. In addition to Josh's FBI secret, there are also some secrets in Meg's family, and a townful of colorful characters; they all combine to keep the pace brisk.
Oh, and grandma likes her shotgun. Just sayin.'
All in all, IT HAD TO BE HIM is witty, fun, well-written, smoldery, and full of surprises. Exactly what you want in a romance!
April 29, 2015
It Had to Be Him was a great, fun and light read.
When small town gal Meg finds her way home, it's for one reason. Not to reconnect with a family she never felt she fit into and certainly not to rebuild her mess of a life. No, it's to hideout from the man who knocked her up and broke her heart. However, sometimes when hiding from all the things you once wanted...you find all the things you never knew you needed.
I immediately fell in love with the small town of Anderson Butte. The fierce protective atmosphere was entertaining and quite humorous. Even though Meg is a bit of the town's Black Sheep, the way they embraced her as their own was endearing. Even though you can't love all it's residences, you can't help but love this small town.
Josh took it all in stride though, and for that, I loved him. He knew getting Meg back would require the acceptance of not just her family but the town as a whole.
Baumann brought a smile to my face countless times with It Had too Be Him. It's the perfect vacation read, easy and endlessly entertaining.
When small town gal Meg finds her way home, it's for one reason. Not to reconnect with a family she never felt she fit into and certainly not to rebuild her mess of a life. No, it's to hideout from the man who knocked her up and broke her heart. However, sometimes when hiding from all the things you once wanted...you find all the things you never knew you needed.
I immediately fell in love with the small town of Anderson Butte. The fierce protective atmosphere was entertaining and quite humorous. Even though Meg is a bit of the town's Black Sheep, the way they embraced her as their own was endearing. Even though you can't love all it's residences, you can't help but love this small town.
Josh took it all in stride though, and for that, I loved him. He knew getting Meg back would require the acceptance of not just her family but the town as a whole.
Baumann brought a smile to my face countless times with It Had too Be Him. It's the perfect vacation read, easy and endlessly entertaining.
March 13, 2015
I got this book for free with my Kindle First subscription.
Meg has a daughter with Josh, but Josh left her a few years ago. Now he is looking for her so she goes home to hide, but Josh follows her there. Unbeknownst to Meg, Josh is willing to leave his life behind to make their family work, or at least be a part of his daughters life. I like Josh's characters, seems like a very stand up guy. He does have his sketchy parts, but he has valid reasons for them. I feel like Megs character grows a lot in this book, and her family finally comes together after she finds out some horrible information. But I like that Meg doesn't give into the evil and tries to go the extra mile to prove people can change.
Very good read. The ending did feel a little rushed. So did the relationship. If you have children you need to do what is best for them, boundaries are important. It seemed like they went from talking and introducing father and daughter to living together rather quickly. 3.5 stars
Meg has a daughter with Josh, but Josh left her a few years ago. Now he is looking for her so she goes home to hide, but Josh follows her there. Unbeknownst to Meg, Josh is willing to leave his life behind to make their family work, or at least be a part of his daughters life. I like Josh's characters, seems like a very stand up guy. He does have his sketchy parts, but he has valid reasons for them. I feel like Megs character grows a lot in this book, and her family finally comes together after she finds out some horrible information. But I like that Meg doesn't give into the evil and tries to go the extra mile to prove people can change.
Very good read. The ending did feel a little rushed. So did the relationship. If you have children you need to do what is best for them, boundaries are important. It seemed like they went from talking and introducing father and daughter to living together rather quickly. 3.5 stars
January 7, 2015
Readers who love snappy dialogue, a fast pace, and humor will love this book.
There are so many funny, yet heartfelt characters, the book brims with their charm. There's conflict, but the heroine faces it with self-effacing optimism and determination and hope. The hero is a charmer that you can't help but root for.
A book that sweeps the reader along on a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud ride.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
There are so many funny, yet heartfelt characters, the book brims with their charm. There's conflict, but the heroine faces it with self-effacing optimism and determination and hope. The hero is a charmer that you can't help but root for.
A book that sweeps the reader along on a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud ride.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 17, 2016
Possible SPOILERS..
This had a few good twists to it but I’m not so sure I like the characters, any of them except Josh and two and a half year old Haley. On the other hand I liked the characters a lot. It was such a screwy story at times. What it amounted to was: Meg came back to town, her DICKWAD of a father told the whole town they were not to help Meg in any way, even Meg’s brothers and sister, and everyone went for it because dear-old-dad ran the town. Then Meg finds out the family, all of them, lied to her her whole life. And she was really mad at them, for about a second. Josh, our hero, lied to her because he was undercover and had to leave her to save hers and Haley’s lives and then he came back and she fell for him all over again and when she found out he lied she told him to move out because he lied to her and she would think about him seeing his daughter Haley. WTF? The author made Meg seem so stupid. I got the other books in this series and I will move on to the next. I just hope the heroines are written better than Meg was. This was somewhat of a mystery so that made it more enjoyable, much better than just the same old romance that’s pages and pages of angst and misunderstandings.
There was explicit sex in this book but not really any sexual tension. And there was swearing, too. But it wasn’t too bad.
And, I must admit, I cried at the awesome ending.
As to the narrator: I know that 99.9% of female narrators who do men’s voices pretty much have all their men sounding alike, and I’m sooo OK with that. I couldn’t care less if they sound alike as long as they DO sound like men. AND I like the way Ms. Rudd’s men sound. The women all sound different, from old to slutty, whatever is called for. But mostly I love Ms. Rudd’s emotions when she reads. I mean, she really, really laughs when it’s called for, whispers, yells angrily, it’s just amazing. I’ve always said that Katherine Kellgren could give lessons in being an excellent narrator but now I have to add Kate Rudd to my on-going list. I don’t know about too many older audio books because I’d start to listen then the men would sound just like a woman and I’d have to stop. From 2014 forward some of the female narrators got better but some really don’t care if their men STILL sound like women or not.
You can't beat this or Ms. Baumann's other books in this series when they're all Free Read, Free Listen. Nothin' better than FREE.
This had a few good twists to it but I’m not so sure I like the characters, any of them except Josh and two and a half year old Haley. On the other hand I liked the characters a lot. It was such a screwy story at times. What it amounted to was: Meg came back to town, her DICKWAD of a father told the whole town they were not to help Meg in any way, even Meg’s brothers and sister, and everyone went for it because dear-old-dad ran the town. Then Meg finds out the family, all of them, lied to her her whole life. And she was really mad at them, for about a second. Josh, our hero, lied to her because he was undercover and had to leave her to save hers and Haley’s lives and then he came back and she fell for him all over again and when she found out he lied she told him to move out because he lied to her and she would think about him seeing his daughter Haley. WTF? The author made Meg seem so stupid. I got the other books in this series and I will move on to the next. I just hope the heroines are written better than Meg was. This was somewhat of a mystery so that made it more enjoyable, much better than just the same old romance that’s pages and pages of angst and misunderstandings.
There was explicit sex in this book but not really any sexual tension. And there was swearing, too. But it wasn’t too bad.
And, I must admit, I cried at the awesome ending.
As to the narrator: I know that 99.9% of female narrators who do men’s voices pretty much have all their men sounding alike, and I’m sooo OK with that. I couldn’t care less if they sound alike as long as they DO sound like men. AND I like the way Ms. Rudd’s men sound. The women all sound different, from old to slutty, whatever is called for. But mostly I love Ms. Rudd’s emotions when she reads. I mean, she really, really laughs when it’s called for, whispers, yells angrily, it’s just amazing. I’ve always said that Katherine Kellgren could give lessons in being an excellent narrator but now I have to add Kate Rudd to my on-going list. I don’t know about too many older audio books because I’d start to listen then the men would sound just like a woman and I’d have to stop. From 2014 forward some of the female narrators got better but some really don’t care if their men STILL sound like women or not.
You can't beat this or Ms. Baumann's other books in this series when they're all Free Read, Free Listen. Nothin' better than FREE.
January 7, 2015
Darynda Jones meets small town romance. And what a romance. A secret FBI agent leaves the pregnant love of his life to keep her safe from danger, only to rile her beyond measure when he reappears in her life determined to make it up to her and their adorable two year old. Abandonment is no stranger to the family black sheep heroine who grabs the reader’s sympathy and keeps them firmly in her camp for the length of the novel. She’s got guts and courage to spare, and she’s the kind of woman we’d all like to be: smart, compassionate and competent with a heart bigger than the small country town where her father rules the roost. This is a big, bold, heart-warming, heart-stopping romance with love in all its forms from a gun wielding grandma to a much loved old horse. Anderson Butte is a gorgeous lakeside town teeming with secrets from celebrities no-one appears to notice, to affairs, dragon-lady criminals, and old family secrets. The characters are rich and complex and the hero is to die for. Who doesn’t love a man who despite life’s knocks is good to the core? Tamra’s funny, quirky take on life is evident on every page and I strongly urge you to take a chance on this one – it’s a Goodie. It’s better than a Goodie – it’s every form of treat. The kind of story that leaves you bereft when the story’s done and the journey’s over. Let’s hope there are more Anderson Butte stories to come!
January 20, 2015
What a fun book! With a zany cast of characters (including a gun-toting granny, an old handyman named Zeke with a very large crush, a sexy silent sheriff, some catty old-high-school frenemies, and a diner waitress with quite a hairdo), we are welcomed into the town of Anderson Butte, Colorado, and into the lives of Meg and Josh.
Anderson Butte is a good place to run for Meg and Josh, since it’s a town that knows how to keep secrets (as evident by the way they can pretend there aren’t celebrities all over the place). But it’s also Meg’s hometown, so some of the secrets end up being hers. And she doesn’t necessarily want them all out there.
Of course, hero Josh has his own secrets, too. And as they try to mend a past relationship that had gone really wrong, they must decide which secrets are worth keeping, which are worth owning up to, and which are in the way of love and forgiveness.
This is a lighthearted, fun read with a really deep well of emotion that made me root for Josh and Meg through the whole journey. Recommended for anyone who wants that deep sigh -- and big smile -- when they close that last page at the end of a book.
I can’t wait to read more about Anderson Butte! I sure hope all the siblings get their own story!
(I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
Anderson Butte is a good place to run for Meg and Josh, since it’s a town that knows how to keep secrets (as evident by the way they can pretend there aren’t celebrities all over the place). But it’s also Meg’s hometown, so some of the secrets end up being hers. And she doesn’t necessarily want them all out there.
Of course, hero Josh has his own secrets, too. And as they try to mend a past relationship that had gone really wrong, they must decide which secrets are worth keeping, which are worth owning up to, and which are in the way of love and forgiveness.
This is a lighthearted, fun read with a really deep well of emotion that made me root for Josh and Meg through the whole journey. Recommended for anyone who wants that deep sigh -- and big smile -- when they close that last page at the end of a book.
I can’t wait to read more about Anderson Butte! I sure hope all the siblings get their own story!
(I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
February 8, 2015
I knew this was going to be a fun story from the very beginning when Meg Anderson returns to Anderson Butte, Colorado, a small town filled with relatives, from the Mayor – her father, to the sheriff—her brother, and a gun-toting grandmother who peppered Meg’s behind with buckshot a time or two in the past, things are about to get interesting. The best thing in Meg’s life is her daughter, Haley. Other than that, Meg has managed to make a mess out of just about everything she’s touched—including her relationship with Haley’s father, a man who’d up and abandoned her and Haley before the girl was even born. But when Josh shows up in town, determined to step back into Meg’s and Haley’s life, he has a big secret that he can’t expose, and that’s going to cost him—especially with half the town related to Meg and wanting to run him out on a rail. What a fun read, but also one filled with poignancy and a few twists and turns that surprised me. I received this ARC for an honest review.
February 5, 2017
Fun story, great narration by Kate Rudd (audible review)
I really enjoyed this story quite a bit. It was fast paced and and had some great characters.
I really liked Meg and Josh. They had some good chemistry together.
The story line and plot was good. I really liked Josh's back story. Not going to spoil it here. It was good. There was a lot of dialogue throughout the entire book. Not full of filler nonsense at all. There are some great secondary characters too. The story flowed very well and was very easy to follow.
As for the narration, Kate Rudd did a great job. The men sounded like men, everyone had their own distinct voice and you knew who was talking. She read with emotion and has a very nice reading voice.
Another bonus was I got this as a free read free listen with my KU subscription! YAY
I really enjoyed this story quite a bit. It was fast paced and and had some great characters.
I really liked Meg and Josh. They had some good chemistry together.
The story line and plot was good. I really liked Josh's back story. Not going to spoil it here. It was good. There was a lot of dialogue throughout the entire book. Not full of filler nonsense at all. There are some great secondary characters too. The story flowed very well and was very easy to follow.
As for the narration, Kate Rudd did a great job. The men sounded like men, everyone had their own distinct voice and you knew who was talking. She read with emotion and has a very nice reading voice.
Another bonus was I got this as a free read free listen with my KU subscription! YAY
February 25, 2015
It Had to Be Him is a definite "Can't Put This One Down" romance novel. Meg and Josh are a couple you have to root for-- lovable, flawed, conflicted, believable, honorable, and then some.
Baumann's novel packs a punch with unexpected twists, a cast of characters that make you wanna meet them in person (the good ones) or hope they get their come-uppance (the bad guys). From Meg's grandma to the lovable and ornery Zeke to Meg and Josh's cute little girl Haley, Baumann weaves a tale of love, secrets and mistakes that has the reader turning the pages anxious to see what comes next-- hopeful for the Happily Ever After ending we know this couple deserves.
This is a book I'll store on my kindle so I revisit this tiny Colorado town and Baumann's fabulous characters again.
Baumann's novel packs a punch with unexpected twists, a cast of characters that make you wanna meet them in person (the good ones) or hope they get their come-uppance (the bad guys). From Meg's grandma to the lovable and ornery Zeke to Meg and Josh's cute little girl Haley, Baumann weaves a tale of love, secrets and mistakes that has the reader turning the pages anxious to see what comes next-- hopeful for the Happily Ever After ending we know this couple deserves.
This is a book I'll store on my kindle so I revisit this tiny Colorado town and Baumann's fabulous characters again.
March 8, 2015
Wow
New author for me to read. Got this book free through kindle firsts. So glad that I did.
I thought the book started slow, but I kept with it and oh my, I'm glad I did.
I won't divulge the plot, but can't wait to read more from this amazing author.
New author for me to read. Got this book free through kindle firsts. So glad that I did.
I thought the book started slow, but I kept with it and oh my, I'm glad I did.
I won't divulge the plot, but can't wait to read more from this amazing author.
March 14, 2015
Wow.
It has been a long time since I have picked up a book and couldn't put it down until I turned the last page, literally almost 7 straight hours. It made me laugh, and made me cry, then laugh some more. I love each of the characters, and the subtle lessons throughout.
It has been a long time since I have picked up a book and couldn't put it down until I turned the last page, literally almost 7 straight hours. It made me laugh, and made me cry, then laugh some more. I love each of the characters, and the subtle lessons throughout.
June 5, 2015
A warm and interesting story that keeps you wanting to come back for more.
Every character has a unique personality and the small town atmosphere combined with a story about love and deceit make this a perfect vacation read.
Every character has a unique personality and the small town atmosphere combined with a story about love and deceit make this a perfect vacation read.
March 14, 2015
Cute, not a lot of suspense to see if the characters would end up together. Simple but fun.
May 17, 2023
After doing a little research, I realized this was this author's debut novel. I do not know if it was traditionally-published or self-published. I'm not sure if that would impact my rating at all, but I did feel like that fact made me appreciate the book a little more. Where I had zero interest in continuing the series, knowing this was a debut made me curious to see how her writing improves.
What I liked:
1. The concept. I am a sucker for a couple of things. One of those is stories about people returning to their hometowns. The other is reuniting first loves. Both of those tropes are present in this book. Add to that the fact that the town Meg comes from is kind of kooky, and sign me up, because another trope I love is the quirky-small-town trope.
2. Josh. He goes to a town where everyone hates him to try to reconnect with the woman he (inexplicably) loves and be a father to a daughter he hasn't met. He takes in a boy who is going through a rough time living on a ranch in a sort of group home for orphaned boys. He lets everyone treat him like garbage and isn't scared off by threats. I really like him.
What I didn't like:
1. The writing. It's not good. First of all, it's incredibly cheesy. As I kept reading this story, I kept thinking it was something I could see being a Lifetime movie (not Hallmark, because of all the pre-marital sex and baby out of wedlock.) because of the cheesy and simple dialogue. There is no depth to the dialogue, the characters, or the descriptions. It is all very surface level, and there were some very cringy moments. I didn't think the sex scenes were terrible, but they weren't anything out of this world either. The villainous characters (there aren't any real villains, just awful people) are extremely one-note and their motivations for their behavior towards Meg just doesn't feel like it matches their vitriol.
2. Slut shaming. There is a lot of that in this book. Several of the female characters are described s sluts and hos and many of the women (even Meg's friend) are described as being flirty as if it's a bad thing. Meg also focuses quite a bit on looks. The two women she has the most issues with are her stepmother and ex-best friend. Both of them have had plastic surgery, which is another thing Meg looks down on. There's just a lot of girl-on-girl hate in this book used to prop up the main character.
3. Meg. I don't get her appeal. I honestly don't see what Josh ever saw in her in the first place. We're told he was in love with her, but I don't get why. She's not a bad person. But her personality is just so lackluster. I just don't get it.
4. The town/townspeople. I was so excited when it looked like this was going to be a quirky town kind of story. Unfortunately, it was mostly just a bunch of jerks throwing their last name around and bullying a guy they don't know anything about because one of their family members (who they also treat poorly for a good chunk of the book) says he's a bad guy. It got real old, real quick. I really disliked her father. He was so one-note and mean just because.
5. Technical issues. It didn't feel like enough research was done into the FBI and their protocols for different situations. None of that seemed accurate at all.
6. The climax/ending. Everything was so rushed at the end, from the revelation of Josh's secret to them ultimately getting back together. I also felt like the whole FBI investigation wasn't handled well. The person who was guilty wasn't given enough of a backstory or motive for me to care that she was guilty or why.
Ultimately, I didn't think the writing did this story any favors, even while I was intrigued by the concept, so I may check out the second book in the series. The subsequent books have higher average ratings, but they also have less ratings altogether, so i'm interested to see what I think.
What I liked:
1. The concept. I am a sucker for a couple of things. One of those is stories about people returning to their hometowns. The other is reuniting first loves. Both of those tropes are present in this book. Add to that the fact that the town Meg comes from is kind of kooky, and sign me up, because another trope I love is the quirky-small-town trope.
2. Josh. He goes to a town where everyone hates him to try to reconnect with the woman he (inexplicably) loves and be a father to a daughter he hasn't met. He takes in a boy who is going through a rough time living on a ranch in a sort of group home for orphaned boys. He lets everyone treat him like garbage and isn't scared off by threats. I really like him.
What I didn't like:
1. The writing. It's not good. First of all, it's incredibly cheesy. As I kept reading this story, I kept thinking it was something I could see being a Lifetime movie (not Hallmark, because of all the pre-marital sex and baby out of wedlock.) because of the cheesy and simple dialogue. There is no depth to the dialogue, the characters, or the descriptions. It is all very surface level, and there were some very cringy moments. I didn't think the sex scenes were terrible, but they weren't anything out of this world either. The villainous characters (there aren't any real villains, just awful people) are extremely one-note and their motivations for their behavior towards Meg just doesn't feel like it matches their vitriol.
2. Slut shaming. There is a lot of that in this book. Several of the female characters are described s sluts and hos and many of the women (even Meg's friend) are described as being flirty as if it's a bad thing. Meg also focuses quite a bit on looks. The two women she has the most issues with are her stepmother and ex-best friend. Both of them have had plastic surgery, which is another thing Meg looks down on. There's just a lot of girl-on-girl hate in this book used to prop up the main character.
3. Meg. I don't get her appeal. I honestly don't see what Josh ever saw in her in the first place. We're told he was in love with her, but I don't get why. She's not a bad person. But her personality is just so lackluster. I just don't get it.
4. The town/townspeople. I was so excited when it looked like this was going to be a quirky town kind of story. Unfortunately, it was mostly just a bunch of jerks throwing their last name around and bullying a guy they don't know anything about because one of their family members (who they also treat poorly for a good chunk of the book) says he's a bad guy. It got real old, real quick. I really disliked her father. He was so one-note and mean just because.
5. Technical issues. It didn't feel like enough research was done into the FBI and their protocols for different situations. None of that seemed accurate at all.
6. The climax/ending. Everything was so rushed at the end, from the revelation of Josh's secret to them ultimately getting back together. I also felt like the whole FBI investigation wasn't handled well. The person who was guilty wasn't given enough of a backstory or motive for me to care that she was guilty or why.
Ultimately, I didn't think the writing did this story any favors, even while I was intrigued by the concept, so I may check out the second book in the series. The subsequent books have higher average ratings, but they also have less ratings altogether, so i'm interested to see what I think.
May 6, 2015
This was another Kindle First reads. And I don't read romances, but sadly this is the third one from Kindle First. There has been very few Kindle First books that weren't Romance in nature, and I have wasted a few months worth of picks because of that. This one is significantly better then the other two, however, its saving grace had to be the fact that its a town that sells privacy, serenity, and discretion to the uber wealthy of the world. This is a town wide project that fuses capitalism and communism. For many American towns in the rural belts, its either Walmart or dry up, and I think this was a clear alternative to that narrative. Though, I do admit any town that has a lake, a waterfall, river rapids, pine forests and mountains, and is secluded, is pretty much guaranteed a degree of tourism if connected to the National Highway system (there lies the rub!). That alone was all I cared to read about. Its almost dystopian, which is a genre of books I prefer, yet its also wholesome old school Americana. It helps that there were some pretty zany characters, however, I wish there was much more on the political and economic themes, because I truly do believe that those are the commodities of the future. We will pay to have less advertisements, to have keep our anonymity, to experience silence, and surround ourselves with "space."
March 1, 2015
It Had To Be Him is a small town story with big impact. Tamara Baumann’s debut novel is a moving tale that will make you laugh out loud and reach for the tissue box.
Meg is the kind of gal you’d want to have a beer with and hang out with just for kicks. She has a bad girl history her hometown won’t let her live down and a chip on her shoulder as big as all of Colorado, in part due to the guy who knocked her up, then skipped out on her three years ago.
Swoon worthy Josh knows it’s not going to be easy to get back in Meg’s good graces, but he wasn’t expecting to have to win over the whole town (most of which are Meg’s kin) to have a snowball’s chance in hell to get her back or get to know his daughter.
From a gun toting granny to nosy neighbors to family feuds, the townsfolk put up obstacles to keep Meg and Josh apart that are almost as hard to overcome as the private pain they hide deep in their hearts.
I truly enjoyed racing through the pages to Meg and Josh’s satisfying happily ever after.
Meg is the kind of gal you’d want to have a beer with and hang out with just for kicks. She has a bad girl history her hometown won’t let her live down and a chip on her shoulder as big as all of Colorado, in part due to the guy who knocked her up, then skipped out on her three years ago.
Swoon worthy Josh knows it’s not going to be easy to get back in Meg’s good graces, but he wasn’t expecting to have to win over the whole town (most of which are Meg’s kin) to have a snowball’s chance in hell to get her back or get to know his daughter.
From a gun toting granny to nosy neighbors to family feuds, the townsfolk put up obstacles to keep Meg and Josh apart that are almost as hard to overcome as the private pain they hide deep in their hearts.
I truly enjoyed racing through the pages to Meg and Josh’s satisfying happily ever after.
February 16, 2015
Thia book was wonderful. I cried, I laughed I felt this was a young women who made a lot of mistakes but the one good thing she had was Josh and he left her when she was pregnant, he didn't want to but because of his job he did not want to put her into danger, and when he finds her again she has gone back to her family to find the protection that she needs and her father has everybody that can't help her. But she does find out about her grandparents leaving her a house that she can turn into property that will make her money. Josh finds her and has to prove that he is not a bad guy just was trying to protect her and the baby. I loved the story. I thought it was wonderful to find out the writer was from New Mexico, because she was able to explain one of our traditions like she had gone and seen it herself more than once. I enjoyed this novel. I hope that she writes more stories about this family I feel she has a basis for further story lines with the siblings and the funny grandmother.
March 1, 2015
Fantastic debut novel! This small town contemporary romance is chock full of secrets, lies, and chocolate mousse pie;-) Anderson Butte is nestled in the Colorado mountains and is a hot spot getaway for some famous Hollywood types, but you won't hear a word of it whispered anywhere in this town. A unique cast of townsfolk and their quirky ideas adds tremendous fun to the romantic comedy feel of this book. A delightful series of plot twists and unexpected turns kept me guessing throughout this read. There are some one-liners in this book that will have you ROTFL! Meg & Josh share that once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. I cried for them, laughed with them, and my heart grew wings when they finally found their happily ever after! Can't wait for book two in the series, "It Had to Be Love" due out in September 2015.
March 3, 2015
What an enjoyable book! It was full of such a diverse and interesting cast of characters that really captured small town USA. The characters were well developed, as was the plot and setting, and left me yearning for a but of that small town closeness.
I am torn between giving this 3 or 4 stars. although the characters and storyline were well developed, thought out, and relatable, I found the story to lack in the emotional journey. The book read like teen fiction using a fake ID to pass as a young adult novel (I'm assuming due to the more graphic sexual content they it was intended as a young adult novel), the emotional journey was spelled out for the reader which made it hard to completely lose myself and be the character.
I do recommend this book, but hope the author developed the emotional journey in their next novel.
I am torn between giving this 3 or 4 stars. although the characters and storyline were well developed, thought out, and relatable, I found the story to lack in the emotional journey. The book read like teen fiction using a fake ID to pass as a young adult novel (I'm assuming due to the more graphic sexual content they it was intended as a young adult novel), the emotional journey was spelled out for the reader which made it hard to completely lose myself and be the character.
I do recommend this book, but hope the author developed the emotional journey in their next novel.
March 14, 2015
I don't often read pure romance novels but this one was free from Amazon via BookBub and was set in Colorado.....! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and surprisingly got very involved in the characters' lives. Of course it had a happy ending after many ups and downs in the relationship between Meg and Josh and followed the romance novel standard plot line. So my 5 star rating is comparing it to other romances I've read..... not great literature but a fun read in the genre. Knowing there is a second book in this series, It Had to be Love, also set in the same small Colorado town has me rushing to the Kindle store to purchase it! (Unfortunately, it doesn't come out till September but I pre-ordered it.)
March 15, 2015
As chick-lit goes, this is definitely on the light and airy side. Meg is the prodigal daughter, returning with her child from a relationship that ended when her boyfriend left suddenly...but now he's back and it's all too obvious to see how it will end. Worse still, it's piled on with perfection; everyone in her family plus the boyfriend, Josh, is gorgeous and the story's conclusion works out to a level that would make a Disney-level happy ending look like it came up short. If you like to suspend disbelief and want a book that requires little brain power, this will totally work for you!
November 1, 2015
Meg is the kind of small town girl we all love. Trying to get attention from her father she pulled some outrageous pranks. Now 10 years later she comes back to town to hide out from her ex. Josh was her perfect man but he left her three years ago when she found out that she was pregnant. Now he has tracked her down and wants to meet his daughter. Meg doesn't know if she can trust him and her family is doing their best to protect her. Including her grandmother who actually shoots him! This was a fun book to read and I love the small town politics and people.
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