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A Love Story #4
Reserved
If only life were as simple as making a reservation.
Makenna Rye Conroy was living the dream—amazing husband, beautiful new baby daughter—when one night changed everything.
Almost six years after Adam’s death, Makenna and her daughter Paige have built a solid, happy life together. Makenna manages her brother’s trendy restaurant, The Yard, and helps out at Ryeland Farms, the family business, all while trying to navigate the world of private school parenting. Sure, being a single mom has its challenges, but she hardly has time to pack her daughter’s lunch in the morning, let alone think about dating.
Travis McNulty, the middle child and the biggest disappointment of the McNulty clan, is a chef at his best friend’s new restaurant. He gave up apologizing for not being the football hero his family wanted a long time ago. In fact, Travis apologizes for very little these days. He loves creating great food, it’s more of a passion than any job, and he lives life on his own terms with as little complication as possible.
For the past couple years, Makenna and Travis have worked alongside each other at The Yard, bickering, teasing, and never taking each other very seriously. Until Makenna has her usual reoccurring dream, but this time instead of her late husband as the featured man, Travis stands in his place. Travis may be attracted to his best friend’s sister, but she’s a widow and a mother, which tops the charts for complicated in his book.
As the game changes, Makenna and Travis, with a little help from Paige, have to figure out what they are willing to risk to reserve a table for three.
Note: Each Love Story is a standalone. There are some shared characters throughout the books (siblings, friends, etc.) Closely related books are often distinguishable by the similar covers. The book order so far is as follows:
-Premiere
-Candidate
-Taste
-Reserved
-Stirred
-Vacancy
-Playbook
-Exposure
-Brew
-Smooth
-Tap
-Blow
Makenna Rye Conroy was living the dream—amazing husband, beautiful new baby daughter—when one night changed everything.
Almost six years after Adam’s death, Makenna and her daughter Paige have built a solid, happy life together. Makenna manages her brother’s trendy restaurant, The Yard, and helps out at Ryeland Farms, the family business, all while trying to navigate the world of private school parenting. Sure, being a single mom has its challenges, but she hardly has time to pack her daughter’s lunch in the morning, let alone think about dating.
Travis McNulty, the middle child and the biggest disappointment of the McNulty clan, is a chef at his best friend’s new restaurant. He gave up apologizing for not being the football hero his family wanted a long time ago. In fact, Travis apologizes for very little these days. He loves creating great food, it’s more of a passion than any job, and he lives life on his own terms with as little complication as possible.
For the past couple years, Makenna and Travis have worked alongside each other at The Yard, bickering, teasing, and never taking each other very seriously. Until Makenna has her usual reoccurring dream, but this time instead of her late husband as the featured man, Travis stands in his place. Travis may be attracted to his best friend’s sister, but she’s a widow and a mother, which tops the charts for complicated in his book.
As the game changes, Makenna and Travis, with a little help from Paige, have to figure out what they are willing to risk to reserve a table for three.
Note: Each Love Story is a standalone. There are some shared characters throughout the books (siblings, friends, etc.) Closely related books are often distinguishable by the similar covers. The book order so far is as follows:
-Premiere
-Candidate
-Taste
-Reserved
-Stirred
-Vacancy
-Playbook
-Exposure
-Brew
-Smooth
-Tap
-Blow
298 pages, Paperback
Published February 9, 2016
62 people are currently reading
494 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Ewens
15 books191 followersTracy Ewens is the contemporary romance author of fifteen Love Story books.
She lives and writes in Arizona, has a dog named Jack, and takes her tea with almond milk.
Stop by www.tracyewens.com to sign up for updates and news.
She lives and writes in Arizona, has a dog named Jack, and takes her tea with almond milk.
Stop by www.tracyewens.com to sign up for updates and news.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
September 13, 2019
This was a good read. Makenna is a single mom that is trying to raise her 5 year old daughter. Travis is a man trying to prove to his family that he is happy with his life choices. They start off as two people who work together but it leads to more. Of course there is drama but by the end they get their happy ending.
May 18, 2020
I really enjoy Ewens’s books but this one unfortunately didn’t work for me. However, I was unable to put it down and read it in one day. Her characters and plots are super engaging, despite the issues I had with this one. I also love a good foodie romance and it’s always fun to go behind-the-scenes of restaurant life. (Although I found it odd that there weren’t any POC on staff at an LA area restaurant.)
Makenna’s husband died 5 years ago when he was 26 and their daughter Paige was only 5 weeks old. They were very much in love. While it’s never specifically said how he died, it seems as though it was unexpected and it’s understandably taken her a while to even think about dating again. If not for a surprise appearance by her coworker Travis in a recurring dream that usually features her husband, I’m not sure Makenna would really have thought about dating at all. I thought it was an interesting exploration of grief, particularly because of how it coupled with Kenna’s unresolved feelings about her mother leaving when she was only 5 years old. I really liked Kenna and Travis together, for the most part, even if I didn’t always understand their actions.
However, there were a few plot decisions I struggled with and problematic content. Travis is made out to be a manwhore (though he resists this label) and there’s slut-shaming and disparaging remarks from Kenna and her best friend about the women Travis usually dates. When he’s contacted by one of his hookups Trixie, Kenna jokes that she has a stripper name…which, really?! There’s no call for that, much less for their general disdain over Trixie’s reaction that Travis isn’t interested in something more. In fact, the female characters who aren’t related to or best friends with Kenna are generally treated with disdain. They’re caricatures, which was very disappointing to see.
At one point, Kenna looked up Travis’s address in his employee file so she could go to his house unannounced, which is a huge violation. I don’t care that he’s okay with it. It’s a violation all the same and I’d be horrified if anyone ever did that to me. Paige is a bit of a plot moppet so your mileage may vary—I tend to prefer my romance be child-free. I also struggled with why Travis maintained any relationship with his toxic family. They’re bullies, end of story.
The ending is what really ruined things for me. They’ve been broken up for four weeks and Travis is counseled to show up for Kenna. And he does, which was great to see, and Kenna starts to soften. Then they get back together on apple picking day at the farm, which she didn’t invite him to attend, with only a few pages to spare and barely any communication about what they’re going to do differently this time around. The very next day, he proposes to her. I don’t care that they’ve known each other for a few years. They barely dated and they’ve been broken up for a whole month. They both need therapy and they both need time to actually date for a while and work through their issues together as a couple. Yes, I’m sure they’ll be fine in the long run but this engagement was way too premature.
CW: heroine’s husband died 5 years ago (cause unclear), grief, panic attack, parental abandonment, hero’s girlfriend cheated on him with his brother, toxic family, gender-based insults (e.g. calling a man a p**sy), fat-shaming remarks, use of “powwow,” sexism, slut-shaming, brief reference to side character’s uncle who died of a heart attack, past knee injury, side character announces pregnancy and briefly references past miscarriage
Makenna’s husband died 5 years ago when he was 26 and their daughter Paige was only 5 weeks old. They were very much in love. While it’s never specifically said how he died, it seems as though it was unexpected and it’s understandably taken her a while to even think about dating again. If not for a surprise appearance by her coworker Travis in a recurring dream that usually features her husband, I’m not sure Makenna would really have thought about dating at all. I thought it was an interesting exploration of grief, particularly because of how it coupled with Kenna’s unresolved feelings about her mother leaving when she was only 5 years old. I really liked Kenna and Travis together, for the most part, even if I didn’t always understand their actions.
However, there were a few plot decisions I struggled with and problematic content. Travis is made out to be a manwhore (though he resists this label) and there’s slut-shaming and disparaging remarks from Kenna and her best friend about the women Travis usually dates. When he’s contacted by one of his hookups Trixie, Kenna jokes that she has a stripper name…which, really?! There’s no call for that, much less for their general disdain over Trixie’s reaction that Travis isn’t interested in something more. In fact, the female characters who aren’t related to or best friends with Kenna are generally treated with disdain. They’re caricatures, which was very disappointing to see.
At one point, Kenna looked up Travis’s address in his employee file so she could go to his house unannounced, which is a huge violation. I don’t care that he’s okay with it. It’s a violation all the same and I’d be horrified if anyone ever did that to me. Paige is a bit of a plot moppet so your mileage may vary—I tend to prefer my romance be child-free. I also struggled with why Travis maintained any relationship with his toxic family. They’re bullies, end of story.
The ending is what really ruined things for me. They’ve been broken up for four weeks and Travis is counseled to show up for Kenna. And he does, which was great to see, and Kenna starts to soften. Then they get back together on apple picking day at the farm, which she didn’t invite him to attend, with only a few pages to spare and barely any communication about what they’re going to do differently this time around. The very next day, he proposes to her. I don’t care that they’ve known each other for a few years. They barely dated and they’ve been broken up for a whole month. They both need therapy and they both need time to actually date for a while and work through their issues together as a couple. Yes, I’m sure they’ll be fine in the long run but this engagement was way too premature.
CW: heroine’s husband died 5 years ago (cause unclear), grief, panic attack, parental abandonment, hero’s girlfriend cheated on him with his brother, toxic family, gender-based insults (e.g. calling a man a p**sy), fat-shaming remarks, use of “powwow,” sexism, slut-shaming, brief reference to side character’s uncle who died of a heart attack, past knee injury, side character announces pregnancy and briefly references past miscarriage
July 22, 2016
Your young off at college and meet the man of your dreams. You finish college but oh yeah you run off to Vegas first and get married. Then the next thing you know you are pregnant. Makenna Rye Conroy and he her husband Adam were young and in love but scared but excited too. Five weeks after giving birth Adam passes away. Makenna is left to raise Paige as a single mother. It was a good thing she had the family she did and the family business to keep her busy too.
You see she’d already had been living at the farm so she just continued. Her brother Garrett, was running the farm with her father so that helped. Jason lived in Seattle with his best friend Travis McNulty. As for her mother she ran out on them with some rich dude when she was five. Her brother had decided to open a restaurant using fresh items from the farm and there at the restaurant where they had a garden. He asked Travis to be a part of it.
Being that Jason and Travis are great chefs in their own right you can see how it can only stand to reason the success of their restaurant. The first time Travis meets Kenna he feels a connection but then he thinks it’s due to knowing her brother and her situation. But then it happens every time he’s around her. Travis doesn’t do complications due to his family dynamics. He’s a kiss and run kind of guy but he is up front.
Kenna is friendly with her brother’s best friend ribs him like her brother’s and Travis likes it until she stops and she won’t make eye contact. And all he can do is think about her. On top of that Paige her daughter had already found a place in his heart was now creating a creator. You see a couple times that they were at the restaurant she forgot her lunch pail. The next morning when she picked it up in a rush it was filled with a homemade lunch, all Travis.
Now though at 5 she was sending “My Travis,” as she called notes with XOXO and happy faces and requests for lunch. Yup he was a goner. But Kenna also knows Travis is a player. And When she once again has what she thought would be the same dream she had been having since Adam died should be it isn’t its Travis. That freaks her out. That can’t be because although he’s nice he is a manwhore.
It’s due to family issues he’s running from what he feels for both Kenna and Paige. One part that’s major is that his ex-married his brother. Yup! So against marriage and family in general not at all for him for sure. I can get when that when it happens to you. Okay, but it’s time to forgive or move on. As time moves on Travis continues to bonds with Paige and with Kenna. When Kenna stops talking it all of a sudden becomes a huge problem.
I love Makenna’s daughter, Paige. She is so sweet and pure in spirit. She is such an open little thing. She brings a life and laughter to this story. There is a lot of emotional issues from their past they need to walk through. Kenna was the one that runs in this book which was interesting so you will have a good time seeing this through as to how the work it out to get their HEA. I give this 5++++ stars. Provided by netgalley.com. Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com.
You see she’d already had been living at the farm so she just continued. Her brother Garrett, was running the farm with her father so that helped. Jason lived in Seattle with his best friend Travis McNulty. As for her mother she ran out on them with some rich dude when she was five. Her brother had decided to open a restaurant using fresh items from the farm and there at the restaurant where they had a garden. He asked Travis to be a part of it.
Being that Jason and Travis are great chefs in their own right you can see how it can only stand to reason the success of their restaurant. The first time Travis meets Kenna he feels a connection but then he thinks it’s due to knowing her brother and her situation. But then it happens every time he’s around her. Travis doesn’t do complications due to his family dynamics. He’s a kiss and run kind of guy but he is up front.
Kenna is friendly with her brother’s best friend ribs him like her brother’s and Travis likes it until she stops and she won’t make eye contact. And all he can do is think about her. On top of that Paige her daughter had already found a place in his heart was now creating a creator. You see a couple times that they were at the restaurant she forgot her lunch pail. The next morning when she picked it up in a rush it was filled with a homemade lunch, all Travis.
Now though at 5 she was sending “My Travis,” as she called notes with XOXO and happy faces and requests for lunch. Yup he was a goner. But Kenna also knows Travis is a player. And When she once again has what she thought would be the same dream she had been having since Adam died should be it isn’t its Travis. That freaks her out. That can’t be because although he’s nice he is a manwhore.
It’s due to family issues he’s running from what he feels for both Kenna and Paige. One part that’s major is that his ex-married his brother. Yup! So against marriage and family in general not at all for him for sure. I can get when that when it happens to you. Okay, but it’s time to forgive or move on. As time moves on Travis continues to bonds with Paige and with Kenna. When Kenna stops talking it all of a sudden becomes a huge problem.
I love Makenna’s daughter, Paige. She is so sweet and pure in spirit. She is such an open little thing. She brings a life and laughter to this story. There is a lot of emotional issues from their past they need to walk through. Kenna was the one that runs in this book which was interesting so you will have a good time seeing this through as to how the work it out to get their HEA. I give this 5++++ stars. Provided by netgalley.com. Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com.
June 24, 2016
A wonderful love story and so much more.
I am an idiot! Why? Because I’ve had this book in my library for several months and just now got around to reading it. I read books 2 and 3 in this series and enjoyed them; they were both 4 star reads for me. But this one raised the bar and I can’t stop thinking about it; I will have a book hangover for a while. The story has all of my favorite elements rolled into one romance – friends to lovers, second chances, a brother’s best friend, redemption of a man-whore, family relationships – and it’s not at all overdone.
Each book in this series stands alone (no cliffhangers!) but the characters from other stories make an appearance and there are family relationships between the main characters of each story.
Makenna’s husband died 5 years ago and she has to be a rock for the sake of her 5 year-old daughter. She’s organized and keeps things running smoothly at her brother’s restaurant, The Yard.
Travis is a chef at The Yard and her brother’s best friend. He’ll never measure up in his family’s eyes – they think he’s just a cook – so he stopped trying a long time ago. After a bad breakup he decided that playing the field was safer – until Makenna.
These two MCs (main characters) have been dancing around each other for a couple of years. Makenna is afraid to upset the balance she has found in her life since her husband died and Travis doesn’t want to suffer the pain of another failed relationship. But things between the two of them are changing…
Ms. Ewen’s storytelling in this book was captivating. Her writing is rich and descriptive and flowed wonderfully – I didn’t want to put it down. I know some people don’t like to read books that make you cry but I do and this one had me balling my eyes out in places. Reserved is a perfect example that a book doesn’t have to be full of explicit sex and coarse language to be great. (That’s not to say that there are no curse words at all – the f-bomb is there 5 times but the book is nearly 300 pages long so I consider that minor.) I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this story to just about anyone unless they are totally out of touch with modern times. (I should note that I have nothing against books with explicit sex and coarse language – I read a lot of them – but I know some people do and that’s why I mention that this one is pretty clean.)
Bravo to Ms. Ewen for penning a wonderful story. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my review.
I am an idiot! Why? Because I’ve had this book in my library for several months and just now got around to reading it. I read books 2 and 3 in this series and enjoyed them; they were both 4 star reads for me. But this one raised the bar and I can’t stop thinking about it; I will have a book hangover for a while. The story has all of my favorite elements rolled into one romance – friends to lovers, second chances, a brother’s best friend, redemption of a man-whore, family relationships – and it’s not at all overdone.
Each book in this series stands alone (no cliffhangers!) but the characters from other stories make an appearance and there are family relationships between the main characters of each story.
Makenna’s husband died 5 years ago and she has to be a rock for the sake of her 5 year-old daughter. She’s organized and keeps things running smoothly at her brother’s restaurant, The Yard.
Travis is a chef at The Yard and her brother’s best friend. He’ll never measure up in his family’s eyes – they think he’s just a cook – so he stopped trying a long time ago. After a bad breakup he decided that playing the field was safer – until Makenna.
These two MCs (main characters) have been dancing around each other for a couple of years. Makenna is afraid to upset the balance she has found in her life since her husband died and Travis doesn’t want to suffer the pain of another failed relationship. But things between the two of them are changing…
Ms. Ewen’s storytelling in this book was captivating. Her writing is rich and descriptive and flowed wonderfully – I didn’t want to put it down. I know some people don’t like to read books that make you cry but I do and this one had me balling my eyes out in places. Reserved is a perfect example that a book doesn’t have to be full of explicit sex and coarse language to be great. (That’s not to say that there are no curse words at all – the f-bomb is there 5 times but the book is nearly 300 pages long so I consider that minor.) I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this story to just about anyone unless they are totally out of touch with modern times. (I should note that I have nothing against books with explicit sex and coarse language – I read a lot of them – but I know some people do and that’s why I mention that this one is pretty clean.)
Bravo to Ms. Ewen for penning a wonderful story. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my review.
June 18, 2016
Rating: 3/5
(I received a free ecopy from the author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
***Minor spoilers***
Several years after her husband's passing, Makenna Rye thinks she's ready to get back into the dating world. She knows that she needs only the best of men for her daughter, Paige, and won't settle for anything less. Kenna works at her brother's restaurant, The Yard, and her and one of the chefs, Travis, have always had a fun, teasing relationship. Travis and Kenna both realize that maybe there's some sort of deeper attraction there, but neither quite know how to deal with it. Travis doesn't think he's worth of Kenna's love, but he wants her so badly. However, he knows that he loves both Kenna and Paige, and is willing to give it a shot. After one kiss, things heat up quickly for the new couple, but as with all couples, things don't exactly stay perfect for long, and they need to figure things out for themselves before they can be with each other one hundred percent.
When I saw this book in an email from Netgalley, I immediately requested it. I had read another of Ewens's novels, Taste, and liked it well enough that I decided to give this book a try. I had already met all the characters in this book from Taste, and I was interested in getting to see Makenna have her happily ever after, since she was one of my favourite characters from Taste. I liked her the same in this book, and especially enjoyed reading about her daughter, Paige, since she's just so cute and such a smart child. I also liked getting into Travis's mind, since I was curious about him in Taste and we get more of a backstory for him here.
I quite liked the pace the story was going at, but around three quarters of the way through, it slowed down and only picked back up towards the very end. The end was quite cute, and I had to suppress my smile because I was with my family and didn't want them all questioning what I was reading. However, I expected to be a bit more emotional but I wasn't.
Overall, I think I enjoyed this one more than Taste. I liked reading from Makenna and Travis's point of view, and I'm hoping that the next book in the series will be available on Netgalley. Even though this series hasn't gotten super high ratings from me, I'm still excited to see what's next. This can be read as a standalone if you wish, so if you're looking to read this book you can request it from Netgalley here: https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/book...
(I received a free ecopy from the author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
***Minor spoilers***
Several years after her husband's passing, Makenna Rye thinks she's ready to get back into the dating world. She knows that she needs only the best of men for her daughter, Paige, and won't settle for anything less. Kenna works at her brother's restaurant, The Yard, and her and one of the chefs, Travis, have always had a fun, teasing relationship. Travis and Kenna both realize that maybe there's some sort of deeper attraction there, but neither quite know how to deal with it. Travis doesn't think he's worth of Kenna's love, but he wants her so badly. However, he knows that he loves both Kenna and Paige, and is willing to give it a shot. After one kiss, things heat up quickly for the new couple, but as with all couples, things don't exactly stay perfect for long, and they need to figure things out for themselves before they can be with each other one hundred percent.
When I saw this book in an email from Netgalley, I immediately requested it. I had read another of Ewens's novels, Taste, and liked it well enough that I decided to give this book a try. I had already met all the characters in this book from Taste, and I was interested in getting to see Makenna have her happily ever after, since she was one of my favourite characters from Taste. I liked her the same in this book, and especially enjoyed reading about her daughter, Paige, since she's just so cute and such a smart child. I also liked getting into Travis's mind, since I was curious about him in Taste and we get more of a backstory for him here.
I quite liked the pace the story was going at, but around three quarters of the way through, it slowed down and only picked back up towards the very end. The end was quite cute, and I had to suppress my smile because I was with my family and didn't want them all questioning what I was reading. However, I expected to be a bit more emotional but I wasn't.
Overall, I think I enjoyed this one more than Taste. I liked reading from Makenna and Travis's point of view, and I'm hoping that the next book in the series will be available on Netgalley. Even though this series hasn't gotten super high ratings from me, I'm still excited to see what's next. This can be read as a standalone if you wish, so if you're looking to read this book you can request it from Netgalley here: https://s2.netgalley.com/catalog/book...
May 10, 2016
Having read the last three books in this series, I can attest each one is a stand-alone, so you can pretty much jump in anywhere, my fellow romance book-loving friends. The author does a good job of presenting the likeable reoccurring cast in such a way it doesn’t seem redundant nor lack character development if you read out of order. In fact, this may sound strange, but I’m glad I read Book 5, Sage and Garrett’s story, before book 4, as it allowed me to know their future as a couple ahead of time, especially since Sage appeared quite often in Reserved.
Makenna is a widow with a soon to be six year old daughter, Paige. Adam, her husband, was killed in a car accident when Paige was only five weeks old. Makenna has known/worked with Travis for a couple years as manager of the family restaurant/bar. However, it takes a reoccurring innocent dream of Adam that opens her eyes to her now possible attraction to Travis, who picks up on it and to his own surprise, starts seeing her in a whole new light, as well.
The engaging writing flowed and was refreshingly romantic even though it broke some of my character rules of conduct. You see, I’m not overly fond of a heroine still being in love with someone else (dead or alive) nor a hero who openly uses women for one reason only. Granted Travis mans up and has a “tell all” chat with Makenna to explain his past, so she’ll better understand his present and give him a chance for their future. Though two wrongs don’t make a right, I found myself wanting to forgive him after such a heartfelt attempt in bearing his soul to her in hopes of seeking her forgiveness/understanding and his redemption. That went a long way with this avid romance reviewer.
**spoilers possible**
Not surprising, sweet, adorable Paige plays a pivotal role in Travis getting his foot in the door with Makenna and inviting himself into their life. There is some angst when Makenna has doubts about Travis ever being happy in a long term relationship, especially with her, and Travis himself ends up having a “doubting Travis” moment, which causes him to panic and back out of a promise to Paige. Though he apologizes the next day, Makenna isn’t so forgiving and does what she feels is necessary to protect her daughter. Yes, the story ends with a determined, patient groveling hero who fights to win his girl back. Now that is always one of my favorite ways to wrap up a romantic read. Here’s to hoping you will think so, as well.
P.S. I know Travis’ past player ways will cause some readers to have reservations about this one. For me, I was able to forgive and somewhat forget as these two didn’t think of each other romantically until Makenna’s dream featured Travis in her kitchen helping make breakfast, instead of Adam.
Title: Reserved, Series: A Love Story (Book 4), Author: Tracy Ewens, Pages: 298, stand-alone, HEA, heroine is widow with young child, hero is a chef, MC works together, hero was former player, some steamy scenes but not overly so.
Romance Safety Gang warning: The book begins with Travis slinking away from a woman named Trixie who he has spent the night with. In fact, it is an irate phone call from Trixie that Makenna overhears Travis breaking things off with her as he reminds her he told her upfront he doesn’t do relationships…ever. Makenna also ends up hearing first-hand accounts of some of his sexcapades when a group of women attending a bachelorette party start comparing Travis’ stories, after she has been intimate with him.
(This review is based on ARC generously provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion. No compensation was paid to the reviewer nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher.)
Makenna is a widow with a soon to be six year old daughter, Paige. Adam, her husband, was killed in a car accident when Paige was only five weeks old. Makenna has known/worked with Travis for a couple years as manager of the family restaurant/bar. However, it takes a reoccurring innocent dream of Adam that opens her eyes to her now possible attraction to Travis, who picks up on it and to his own surprise, starts seeing her in a whole new light, as well.
The engaging writing flowed and was refreshingly romantic even though it broke some of my character rules of conduct. You see, I’m not overly fond of a heroine still being in love with someone else (dead or alive) nor a hero who openly uses women for one reason only. Granted Travis mans up and has a “tell all” chat with Makenna to explain his past, so she’ll better understand his present and give him a chance for their future. Though two wrongs don’t make a right, I found myself wanting to forgive him after such a heartfelt attempt in bearing his soul to her in hopes of seeking her forgiveness/understanding and his redemption. That went a long way with this avid romance reviewer.
**spoilers possible**
Not surprising, sweet, adorable Paige plays a pivotal role in Travis getting his foot in the door with Makenna and inviting himself into their life. There is some angst when Makenna has doubts about Travis ever being happy in a long term relationship, especially with her, and Travis himself ends up having a “doubting Travis” moment, which causes him to panic and back out of a promise to Paige. Though he apologizes the next day, Makenna isn’t so forgiving and does what she feels is necessary to protect her daughter. Yes, the story ends with a determined, patient groveling hero who fights to win his girl back. Now that is always one of my favorite ways to wrap up a romantic read. Here’s to hoping you will think so, as well.
P.S. I know Travis’ past player ways will cause some readers to have reservations about this one. For me, I was able to forgive and somewhat forget as these two didn’t think of each other romantically until Makenna’s dream featured Travis in her kitchen helping make breakfast, instead of Adam.
Title: Reserved, Series: A Love Story (Book 4), Author: Tracy Ewens, Pages: 298, stand-alone, HEA, heroine is widow with young child, hero is a chef, MC works together, hero was former player, some steamy scenes but not overly so.
Romance Safety Gang warning: The book begins with Travis slinking away from a woman named Trixie who he has spent the night with. In fact, it is an irate phone call from Trixie that Makenna overhears Travis breaking things off with her as he reminds her he told her upfront he doesn’t do relationships…ever. Makenna also ends up hearing first-hand accounts of some of his sexcapades when a group of women attending a bachelorette party start comparing Travis’ stories, after she has been intimate with him.
(This review is based on ARC generously provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion. No compensation was paid to the reviewer nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher.)
February 20, 2016
This review was originally posted on [www.125pages.com]
Oh, Tracy Ewens, you did it again. I do so enjoy her books. Reserved is now the third book I have read in the Love Story series (fourth book in the series) and I can say that I have enjoyed them all. Makenna is a harried single mom who spends way too much time with her brothers to even think about dating. Travis is the womanizing chef at her brother’s restaurant, and while he is amazing to her daughter she knows there is no future with him. Travis noticed Makenna the moment he first saw her. He knows she is way out of his league but he can’t get her out of his head. The added bonus of her amazing little girl just makes it harder for him to ignore her. Breaking through both of their comfort zones will give them a chance at a happy ending, if they can deal with the painful past.
Reserved is a well written, smart romance. The writing is nuanced and full of emotion. The pacing was spot on and the story never dragged. The plot was solid and the situations were believable. The world created was well structured, although it may be confusing to those who have not read the others in the series, as much was built off of them. The only thing that bothered me, was it was never stated how Makenna's husband passed. I could not remember if they touched on it in any of the other books, but when a driving force behind a lot of the emotion is the death of a spouse, it would be helpful to know what happened. The characters, oh the characters. This is where Ewens truly shines. She creates real people. Full of emotional depth and heart that elevate what could be a generic romance to something special.
Yes, this is a romance. So, yes, you know that in the end the two main characters will get together; just like the majority of all other romance novels. The difference is in the way the story is told. Tracy Ewens is able to wrap her characters with a realistic viewpoint, and that makes a huge difference in the scope of the story. You root for her characters, you feel with them, you ache with them and you fall in love right along with them. Romances can be very cookie cutter but Ewens is able to put a spin on them that makes them rise above the other entries in the genre. Reserved shone, and I will happily read whatever Tracy comes out with next.
Favorite lines - Relationships could work on the fringe; they didn’t all have to be dive in head first or cannonball leaps of faith. People fell in sensible, safe love all the time, but at the moment, Travis was kissing the sensible right out of her. Apparently, sensible wasn’t in her cards.
Biggest cliché - "I was fine with your past until I thought about it. Now I'm not sure."
Have you read Reserved, or added it to your TBR?
Oh, Tracy Ewens, you did it again. I do so enjoy her books. Reserved is now the third book I have read in the Love Story series (fourth book in the series) and I can say that I have enjoyed them all. Makenna is a harried single mom who spends way too much time with her brothers to even think about dating. Travis is the womanizing chef at her brother’s restaurant, and while he is amazing to her daughter she knows there is no future with him. Travis noticed Makenna the moment he first saw her. He knows she is way out of his league but he can’t get her out of his head. The added bonus of her amazing little girl just makes it harder for him to ignore her. Breaking through both of their comfort zones will give them a chance at a happy ending, if they can deal with the painful past.
Reserved is a well written, smart romance. The writing is nuanced and full of emotion. The pacing was spot on and the story never dragged. The plot was solid and the situations were believable. The world created was well structured, although it may be confusing to those who have not read the others in the series, as much was built off of them. The only thing that bothered me, was it was never stated how Makenna's husband passed. I could not remember if they touched on it in any of the other books, but when a driving force behind a lot of the emotion is the death of a spouse, it would be helpful to know what happened. The characters, oh the characters. This is where Ewens truly shines. She creates real people. Full of emotional depth and heart that elevate what could be a generic romance to something special.
Yes, this is a romance. So, yes, you know that in the end the two main characters will get together; just like the majority of all other romance novels. The difference is in the way the story is told. Tracy Ewens is able to wrap her characters with a realistic viewpoint, and that makes a huge difference in the scope of the story. You root for her characters, you feel with them, you ache with them and you fall in love right along with them. Romances can be very cookie cutter but Ewens is able to put a spin on them that makes them rise above the other entries in the genre. Reserved shone, and I will happily read whatever Tracy comes out with next.
Favorite lines - Relationships could work on the fringe; they didn’t all have to be dive in head first or cannonball leaps of faith. People fell in sensible, safe love all the time, but at the moment, Travis was kissing the sensible right out of her. Apparently, sensible wasn’t in her cards.
Biggest cliché - "I was fine with your past until I thought about it. Now I'm not sure."
Have you read Reserved, or added it to your TBR?
April 19, 2016
"Reserved" by Tracy Ewens has already been published and is available as a paperback and digitally. I don't usually read romances but somehow this book ended up on my list of books I said I'd review and I'm so glad it did. As I said, I never would have chosen it but it was serendipity that I ended up with it on my list. It was fantastic, a five out of five star read.
I'd have to say I'm really hard on romance writers in general because I expect so much out of them (because I don't usually read them!). I expect no silly behavior that one wouldn't see in your friend or next door neighbor. I want a romance to be timed well, not to be rushed. I also expect, probably even more than I do with mysteries, for the characters to be well fleshed out and believable. I guess I'm saying that I don't suspend disbelief in the romance genre like I do with the mystery/thriller genre. That seems unfair but I I'm tickled pink to be able to say that this romance ticked off all the boxes above and more. I was shocked, to say the least. Here's what the general book is about.
Makenna Rye Conroy is a widow. She lost her beloved Adam five years ago only a few weeks after their only child, Paige, was born. Makenna has coped beautifully, she's a great mom and she has a terrific job as the manager of her brother's popular restaurant. She also helps out at the family farm. Travis works along side Makenna's brother as chef. Travis loves to make people happy with food and he's excellent at his job. He and Makenna have been friends and verbal sparring partners for years until one day Makenna is looking at Travis differently. She knows she has no time for romance and Travis isn't the kind of boyfriend she needs. He dates casually and Makenna is anything but a casual date. Travis knows this and that's why he has always thought of her as unattainable. But maybe it's time to change his mind and attitude. Over time Makenna and Travis start seeing that they may have more in common than they ever expected. Maybe there could be something special cooking in the kitchen that isn't food.
As I said, this was a five star read for me and it was so delightfully unexpected. It was like a wonderful lemon sorbet after a good meal. I read a lot of mysteries with dark plots and although this was not a trivial book it was so wonderfully palate cleansing. I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes good, strong characters who are trying hard to find more meaning in life. I loved how the author let the reader slowly learn the inner workings of the characters' thoughts and then let that imbue their ongoing behavior.
This would be a spectacular summer read. If you want something that's not depressing but has substance and terrific characters that you can relate to, this is the romance for you!
I'd have to say I'm really hard on romance writers in general because I expect so much out of them (because I don't usually read them!). I expect no silly behavior that one wouldn't see in your friend or next door neighbor. I want a romance to be timed well, not to be rushed. I also expect, probably even more than I do with mysteries, for the characters to be well fleshed out and believable. I guess I'm saying that I don't suspend disbelief in the romance genre like I do with the mystery/thriller genre. That seems unfair but I I'm tickled pink to be able to say that this romance ticked off all the boxes above and more. I was shocked, to say the least. Here's what the general book is about.
Makenna Rye Conroy is a widow. She lost her beloved Adam five years ago only a few weeks after their only child, Paige, was born. Makenna has coped beautifully, she's a great mom and she has a terrific job as the manager of her brother's popular restaurant. She also helps out at the family farm. Travis works along side Makenna's brother as chef. Travis loves to make people happy with food and he's excellent at his job. He and Makenna have been friends and verbal sparring partners for years until one day Makenna is looking at Travis differently. She knows she has no time for romance and Travis isn't the kind of boyfriend she needs. He dates casually and Makenna is anything but a casual date. Travis knows this and that's why he has always thought of her as unattainable. But maybe it's time to change his mind and attitude. Over time Makenna and Travis start seeing that they may have more in common than they ever expected. Maybe there could be something special cooking in the kitchen that isn't food.
As I said, this was a five star read for me and it was so delightfully unexpected. It was like a wonderful lemon sorbet after a good meal. I read a lot of mysteries with dark plots and although this was not a trivial book it was so wonderfully palate cleansing. I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes good, strong characters who are trying hard to find more meaning in life. I loved how the author let the reader slowly learn the inner workings of the characters' thoughts and then let that imbue their ongoing behavior.
This would be a spectacular summer read. If you want something that's not depressing but has substance and terrific characters that you can relate to, this is the romance for you!
April 12, 2016
*I received this book from NetGalley for review*
I loved this book. Seriously. Loved.
Makenna is a single mom, managing her brother's restaurant and the business side of her family's farm. She's been raising her daughter, Paige, alone since her husband died when Paige was only five weeks old. She's focused all her energy on her daughter and her work, and has created a cozy little home for the two of them. She's had no desire to date. But now suddenly she's had a dream about Travis, the hunky chef at the restaurant, and her brother's best friend. And Travis, being a player, a man whore, not to mention a co-worker, is definitely off limits. So when her best friend, Sage, the bartender at the restaurant, who has been harboring a crush on Makenna's brother, suggests they sign up with an online dating site and put themselves out there, Makenna agrees.
Makenna is a great character, and kindergartner Paige is cute and funny and precocious without ever crossing the line to dreaded plot moppet. And Travis. Travis has a beard and rides a motorcycle, which is a strike and a half against him – I don't care for beards, other than a little scruff on occasion, and I'm not into motorcycles. In fact, he didn't really tick any of my usual boxes, other than having a sense of humor and being great with the child. And yet I absolutely adored him. He's got some serious family baggage, and I liked the way the author let that play out.
There are so many laugh out loud moments. I mean I literally laughed out loud, and often backtracked to read those passages again. The writing flows, and the characters and dialogue are well written and realistic, and just full of warmth and heart. And one scene at the end had me a blubbering mess. I stayed up until 1:00 in the morning to finish the book, which I rarely do. So, seriously, a wonderful romance, and a wonderful book, and another author whose complete backlist I now need to obtain.
Review first posted on my blog.
I loved this book. Seriously. Loved.
Makenna is a single mom, managing her brother's restaurant and the business side of her family's farm. She's been raising her daughter, Paige, alone since her husband died when Paige was only five weeks old. She's focused all her energy on her daughter and her work, and has created a cozy little home for the two of them. She's had no desire to date. But now suddenly she's had a dream about Travis, the hunky chef at the restaurant, and her brother's best friend. And Travis, being a player, a man whore, not to mention a co-worker, is definitely off limits. So when her best friend, Sage, the bartender at the restaurant, who has been harboring a crush on Makenna's brother, suggests they sign up with an online dating site and put themselves out there, Makenna agrees.
“Seriously, though, this is news. So you're...on the market now?”Travis has always crushed on Makenna a little bit, but she's his best friend's little sister and has a child, so she's definitely off limits. Travis doesn't do relationships or commitment. He does a string of sexual encounters with women who have stripper names. But when he notices Makenna seeming to notice him, he begins to really notice her.
“Wow, what an evolved and sensitive way to put it, Travis.”
“What? I could have said, 'So, I hear your rack shack is open for business.'”
Makenna is a great character, and kindergartner Paige is cute and funny and precocious without ever crossing the line to dreaded plot moppet. And Travis. Travis has a beard and rides a motorcycle, which is a strike and a half against him – I don't care for beards, other than a little scruff on occasion, and I'm not into motorcycles. In fact, he didn't really tick any of my usual boxes, other than having a sense of humor and being great with the child. And yet I absolutely adored him. He's got some serious family baggage, and I liked the way the author let that play out.
There are so many laugh out loud moments. I mean I literally laughed out loud, and often backtracked to read those passages again. The writing flows, and the characters and dialogue are well written and realistic, and just full of warmth and heart. And one scene at the end had me a blubbering mess. I stayed up until 1:00 in the morning to finish the book, which I rarely do. So, seriously, a wonderful romance, and a wonderful book, and another author whose complete backlist I now need to obtain.
Review first posted on my blog.
February 9, 2016
** ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. **
This is my first book by Tracy Ewens and I’m immediately fall in love with her writing; her characters felt so real with a story full of emotion.
I was transported into the place, getting into the flow and I just wanted to read it without being disturbed, so that’s definitely a good thing!
Makenna is widow, mother of a little girl, Paige.
For the five last years, she was putting her daughter and her family in the first place.
Family was always important to Makenna, a sassy, full of life, woman who loves to ramble but struggling to move on.
Completely out of the place about dating but she wanted to find someone again, a partner she could share everything.
Travis is her best friend’s brother, Logan. Talented chief in her brother’s restaurant, he was happily single and enjoying his bachelor life the fullest but when it comes to Makenna and her little girl, he was whipped.
He enjoyed this daily witty banter with Makenna and feels at home with her family, something he never felt with his.
Makenna is out of his league and off-limits but it doesn’t mean that he can’t admire the woman from afar.
Both have some issues with her past, scars from their childhood that haven’t healed yet as adults, but if they take a chance, would they go through it?
With a little work, some fights, amazing chemistry, and some help of a little girl who was too smart for her own good and her family, Travis and Makenna might found their own recipe for love.
I really enjoyed how the story was told. I was rooting with the characters, feel, and ache with them. There was something very special in this book, a mix of peacefulness, humor melting perfectly with the intensity of their relationship. I was immediately drawn to it.
Makenna, Paige (her daughter) and Travis rocked the boat! Their interactions were flawless, from laughter, anger to almost tears sometimes.
The plot was solid, the characters’ situations believable. Tracy Ewens reminded me why I read Romance : to see people falling in love and be transported to another place.
Right up my alley!
Just a little negative point though, that bothered me a little, is about Makenna husband, how did he die? That was very strange not to mention it once.
Besides this point, I enjoyed it and I will read the other books for sure!
Love, cookery and family? What else?
This is my first book by Tracy Ewens and I’m immediately fall in love with her writing; her characters felt so real with a story full of emotion.
I was transported into the place, getting into the flow and I just wanted to read it without being disturbed, so that’s definitely a good thing!
Makenna is widow, mother of a little girl, Paige.
For the five last years, she was putting her daughter and her family in the first place.
Family was always important to Makenna, a sassy, full of life, woman who loves to ramble but struggling to move on.
Completely out of the place about dating but she wanted to find someone again, a partner she could share everything.
Travis is her best friend’s brother, Logan. Talented chief in her brother’s restaurant, he was happily single and enjoying his bachelor life the fullest but when it comes to Makenna and her little girl, he was whipped.
He enjoyed this daily witty banter with Makenna and feels at home with her family, something he never felt with his.
Makenna is out of his league and off-limits but it doesn’t mean that he can’t admire the woman from afar.
Both have some issues with her past, scars from their childhood that haven’t healed yet as adults, but if they take a chance, would they go through it?
With a little work, some fights, amazing chemistry, and some help of a little girl who was too smart for her own good and her family, Travis and Makenna might found their own recipe for love.
I really enjoyed how the story was told. I was rooting with the characters, feel, and ache with them. There was something very special in this book, a mix of peacefulness, humor melting perfectly with the intensity of their relationship. I was immediately drawn to it.
Makenna, Paige (her daughter) and Travis rocked the boat! Their interactions were flawless, from laughter, anger to almost tears sometimes.
The plot was solid, the characters’ situations believable. Tracy Ewens reminded me why I read Romance : to see people falling in love and be transported to another place.
Right up my alley!
Just a little negative point though, that bothered me a little, is about Makenna husband, how did he die? That was very strange not to mention it once.
Besides this point, I enjoyed it and I will read the other books for sure!
Love, cookery and family? What else?
April 20, 2016
Tracy Ewens knocks another one out of the park! I haven't yet read the first two books in the Love Story series, but I received an ARC for her 3rd book, Taste, a few months ago and loved it. In fact, I loved it so much that I hesitated a bit to read "Reserved" (Makenna's story). I sort of felt that the story of Makenna and Travis couldn't match Logan and Kara's.
And, let me tell you, I was so very wrong. I actually liked "Reserved" even more than "Taste"! There is just so much heart in Ewens' writing and it all feels so real that you fall in love with her characters, which are that much more endearing this time around. Perhaps I loved this one more because Makenna is a mother and Travis is a bit of a underdog.
The romance in this story is almost secondary to the solid friendship that is built between Makenna & Travis and Paige & Travis. There is definitely sexual tension there, but it really feels more like an emotional connection rather than just lust.
Makenna's daughter, Paige, is also so stinkin' cute. She's written well and is a very believable 5-almost-6-year-old little girl, though a bit precocious. This story alternated views, Travis and Kenna, but Paige almost felt like a third view at times. So often stories of mothers only use the kid as a convenient plot device, with the kid almost disappearing otherwise, but not here. Nope. Here, you get awesomeness like this:
"She was explaining that the stork was going to bring her family a baby sister. The class was overjoyed and clapping, until little Paige told her that wasn't true, that the baby would need to travel through the birth canal and come out of her mother's vagina."
and
"No, he's My Travis. Sierra at schools says, 'My daddy makes my lunch every morning.' So I told her that My Travis makes my lunch. See, Mamma? He's My Travis."
I felt that Kenna's grief and Travis's insecurities were both well fleshed-out and the way they handled everything (eventually) was refreshing. The humor, and there is a lot of it, is laugh-out-loud funny at times. The sadness or frustration is palpable. The wrench tossed into their relationship isn't melodramatic; It's very REAL.
Overall, I highly recommend this and, at this point, anything Tracy Ewens writes to anyone who is a fan of Romantic Comedies with heart.
And, let me tell you, I was so very wrong. I actually liked "Reserved" even more than "Taste"! There is just so much heart in Ewens' writing and it all feels so real that you fall in love with her characters, which are that much more endearing this time around. Perhaps I loved this one more because Makenna is a mother and Travis is a bit of a underdog.
The romance in this story is almost secondary to the solid friendship that is built between Makenna & Travis and Paige & Travis. There is definitely sexual tension there, but it really feels more like an emotional connection rather than just lust.
Makenna's daughter, Paige, is also so stinkin' cute. She's written well and is a very believable 5-almost-6-year-old little girl, though a bit precocious. This story alternated views, Travis and Kenna, but Paige almost felt like a third view at times. So often stories of mothers only use the kid as a convenient plot device, with the kid almost disappearing otherwise, but not here. Nope. Here, you get awesomeness like this:
"She was explaining that the stork was going to bring her family a baby sister. The class was overjoyed and clapping, until little Paige told her that wasn't true, that the baby would need to travel through the birth canal and come out of her mother's vagina."
and
"No, he's My Travis. Sierra at schools says, 'My daddy makes my lunch every morning.' So I told her that My Travis makes my lunch. See, Mamma? He's My Travis."
I felt that Kenna's grief and Travis's insecurities were both well fleshed-out and the way they handled everything (eventually) was refreshing. The humor, and there is a lot of it, is laugh-out-loud funny at times. The sadness or frustration is palpable. The wrench tossed into their relationship isn't melodramatic; It's very REAL.
Overall, I highly recommend this and, at this point, anything Tracy Ewens writes to anyone who is a fan of Romantic Comedies with heart.
June 12, 2016
I was provided a free copy for review by Netgalley.
The story opens with the main character Makenna,widowed for five years with a daughter, having an erotic dream about friend and chef Travis who works for her brother in his restaurant The Yard.Makenna finds this dream disturbing and starts looking at Travis differently while trying to convince herself he is unsuitable since he is such a playboy.Travis has secretly had a thing for Makenna but kept his distance he does not do commitment.Most of the story reads as a cat and mouse game until suddenly Makenna decides to be bold and "put it on the table." They enter into a short-lived relationship until the predictable screw-up and fall-out. The last 20% of the book deals with the events leading back to a reconciliation and tying up loose ends.
The story started out interesting,had me wanting to know more about the dream and why Makenna was so shaken up about it. Unfortunately after a few more pages,the dialogue became boring and the story almost came to a screeching halt and I found myself struggling to continue reading while seriously considering just ditching it.But I prodded on and am glad I did, as it started getting interesting again, and I had fallen in love with Paige,Makenna's precocious,smart and totally cute daughter. I found the introduction of so many secondary characters a bit confusing and had to take a minute to figure out who is who and who was with who. I felt Makenna's pain in the losses she has experienced and was fully in agreement with her reaction to Travis' slight on the day of Paige's sport event.Travis' confrontation with his family was a little too civilized and easily resolved, considering it has been festering for years .I could not fully get behind the way he rationalized his behavior on sports day and thought his excuse was weak and contrived.I found way too time was spent on the day to day restaurant operations but loved the lunch box ritual and the iguana analogy.There were some laugh out loud moments and original dialogue that placed a smile on my face and kept me reading.
All in all,this book was a challenge to read,but was worth it in the end.I did not find the book cover inspiring and was unable to see the connection with the storyline. Maybe a lunch box would have been a better choice.
The story opens with the main character Makenna,widowed for five years with a daughter, having an erotic dream about friend and chef Travis who works for her brother in his restaurant The Yard.Makenna finds this dream disturbing and starts looking at Travis differently while trying to convince herself he is unsuitable since he is such a playboy.Travis has secretly had a thing for Makenna but kept his distance he does not do commitment.Most of the story reads as a cat and mouse game until suddenly Makenna decides to be bold and "put it on the table." They enter into a short-lived relationship until the predictable screw-up and fall-out. The last 20% of the book deals with the events leading back to a reconciliation and tying up loose ends.
The story started out interesting,had me wanting to know more about the dream and why Makenna was so shaken up about it. Unfortunately after a few more pages,the dialogue became boring and the story almost came to a screeching halt and I found myself struggling to continue reading while seriously considering just ditching it.But I prodded on and am glad I did, as it started getting interesting again, and I had fallen in love with Paige,Makenna's precocious,smart and totally cute daughter. I found the introduction of so many secondary characters a bit confusing and had to take a minute to figure out who is who and who was with who. I felt Makenna's pain in the losses she has experienced and was fully in agreement with her reaction to Travis' slight on the day of Paige's sport event.Travis' confrontation with his family was a little too civilized and easily resolved, considering it has been festering for years .I could not fully get behind the way he rationalized his behavior on sports day and thought his excuse was weak and contrived.I found way too time was spent on the day to day restaurant operations but loved the lunch box ritual and the iguana analogy.There were some laugh out loud moments and original dialogue that placed a smile on my face and kept me reading.
All in all,this book was a challenge to read,but was worth it in the end.I did not find the book cover inspiring and was unable to see the connection with the storyline. Maybe a lunch box would have been a better choice.
February 2, 2016
Makenna is a young widow with a daughter who works with her brother managing his restaurant. It has been almost 6 years since her husband passed away and she has a recurring dream that usually has her, her husband and her daughter having breakfast in the kitchen, but this time instead of her husband, she sees her brother's best friend Travis in his role. She decides to take that as a sign that she needs to start dating, but doesn't want to start anything with Travis because they work together. Travis is the chef at Makenna's brother's restaurant and has admired Makenna from a distance for a long time. He also tries to help her out by making lunches for her daughter for her. Ever since Makenna had that dream about him she can't deny the chemistry between the two of them, and neither can he, but they have to decide if it's worth giving them a chance.
Another great one by Tracy Ewens! I am absolutely loving this series! I'm really hoping that we will be seeing a Garrett/Sage story next! I just don't want the series to end yet! I thought Travis was an absolute sweetheart and really patient with Makenna. I loved the interactions between him and Makenna's daughter Paige. Little Paige is wise beyond her years. I loved all of the funny things that came out of her mouth too. It was fun seeing a couple of the characters from previous books too. Makenna and Travis came with a lot of their own baggage; I really enjoyed how they both confronted them and tried moving past them too. The part where Travis confronted his family made me want to jump up and cheer. I loved it! Even though this book is part of a series, you could still read it without reading the others and enjoy it just as much, but Tracy Ewens has a great way of giving you a peek at characters from previous stories so I'm glad I've read them all.
This is also what people consider a "clean" romance. There are no descriptive/explicit scenes. There is sex implied but the chapter/scene fades out before it gets there. I know there are some people that don't enjoy reading explicit scenes, so this one would be good for you.
** I was given an ARC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **
Another great one by Tracy Ewens! I am absolutely loving this series! I'm really hoping that we will be seeing a Garrett/Sage story next! I just don't want the series to end yet! I thought Travis was an absolute sweetheart and really patient with Makenna. I loved the interactions between him and Makenna's daughter Paige. Little Paige is wise beyond her years. I loved all of the funny things that came out of her mouth too. It was fun seeing a couple of the characters from previous books too. Makenna and Travis came with a lot of their own baggage; I really enjoyed how they both confronted them and tried moving past them too. The part where Travis confronted his family made me want to jump up and cheer. I loved it! Even though this book is part of a series, you could still read it without reading the others and enjoy it just as much, but Tracy Ewens has a great way of giving you a peek at characters from previous stories so I'm glad I've read them all.
This is also what people consider a "clean" romance. There are no descriptive/explicit scenes. There is sex implied but the chapter/scene fades out before it gets there. I know there are some people that don't enjoy reading explicit scenes, so this one would be good for you.
** I was given an ARC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **
April 3, 2016
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review of the book.
I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. This is book #4 in the series but it can be read as a stand alone. I did read it before any of the others and am now anxious to read the first 3 books in the series and can't wait for #5 to come out.
This book is about a woman named Makenna whose husband died unexpectedly early in their marriage when their daughter was only 5 weeks old. She manages a family restaurant and farm and juggles being a working independent single mother. Travis is the head chef at the restaurant. He is a gorgeous bachelor that enjoys the single life but is more complex and heartfelt than he shows on the outside. He is confident with a sense of humor. He has a special relationship with Paige (Makenna's daughter) I LOVED the banter between Travis and Makenna and I also liked hearing both points of view. The Author made us fall in love with all of the characters, Travis, Makenna and Paige (her daughter) and also Adam (Makenna's deceased husband). Tracy Ewens gave us enough back story into Makenna's first marriage, that I was heartbroken for her lost love and the loss of Paige's dad but I was hopeful for Makenna and Travis' future. I loved the side characters. They enhanced the story without being overbearing..
This was a classic romance and although there weren't detailed sex scenes in the book, it certainly wasn't lacking in steam and chemistry. I am a serial book reader, I get done with one and I am on to my next book. But this one has me thinking about those characters and the story after the book is done and another has taken it's place. That right there is the sign of a 5 star book to me. Well done Tracy Ewens, I look forward to reading more in this series!
I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. This is book #4 in the series but it can be read as a stand alone. I did read it before any of the others and am now anxious to read the first 3 books in the series and can't wait for #5 to come out.
This book is about a woman named Makenna whose husband died unexpectedly early in their marriage when their daughter was only 5 weeks old. She manages a family restaurant and farm and juggles being a working independent single mother. Travis is the head chef at the restaurant. He is a gorgeous bachelor that enjoys the single life but is more complex and heartfelt than he shows on the outside. He is confident with a sense of humor. He has a special relationship with Paige (Makenna's daughter) I LOVED the banter between Travis and Makenna and I also liked hearing both points of view. The Author made us fall in love with all of the characters, Travis, Makenna and Paige (her daughter) and also Adam (Makenna's deceased husband). Tracy Ewens gave us enough back story into Makenna's first marriage, that I was heartbroken for her lost love and the loss of Paige's dad but I was hopeful for Makenna and Travis' future. I loved the side characters. They enhanced the story without being overbearing..
This was a classic romance and although there weren't detailed sex scenes in the book, it certainly wasn't lacking in steam and chemistry. I am a serial book reader, I get done with one and I am on to my next book. But this one has me thinking about those characters and the story after the book is done and another has taken it's place. That right there is the sign of a 5 star book to me. Well done Tracy Ewens, I look forward to reading more in this series!
September 23, 2016
This was a cute, heart-warming and fun contemporary romance that is a perfect beach read.
Mackenna is a strange molten lava cake mix of type A and harried/frazzled but it works for her. Except toward the end when she lets her neuroses get the better of her and nearly sabotages something that would bring her happiness. It took a bit to warm up to her and I think it changed for me the first time I saw her with her daughter and realized that most of what she puts on as a front, is exactly that, a front.
Now Travis is a delicious jambalaya complete with sexiness, flirtatiousness, humor, understanding, patience, ability and Daddy Issues.
Yep. Daddy Issues.
I like that's there's a flip here because it's usually females that have daddy issues but nope, not here. Travis' issues with his family threaten to not only upend his sanity but also gives him such a serious case of anxiety that it almost stops something before it truly starts.
.
I wasn't sure how this story was gonna go and there were times where I wasn't sure what pace the plot wanted to move at but, in the end it was great to revisit The Yard, the Rye family and even Grady & Kate (albeit briefly).
Pick this one up if you can.
*NetGalley and Publisher ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Mackenna is a strange molten lava cake mix of type A and harried/frazzled but it works for her. Except toward the end when she lets her neuroses get the better of her and nearly sabotages something that would bring her happiness. It took a bit to warm up to her and I think it changed for me the first time I saw her with her daughter and realized that most of what she puts on as a front, is exactly that, a front.
Now Travis is a delicious jambalaya complete with sexiness, flirtatiousness, humor, understanding, patience, ability and Daddy Issues.
Yep. Daddy Issues.
I like that's there's a flip here because it's usually females that have daddy issues but nope, not here. Travis' issues with his family threaten to not only upend his sanity but also gives him such a serious case of anxiety that it almost stops something before it truly starts.
.
I wasn't sure how this story was gonna go and there were times where I wasn't sure what pace the plot wanted to move at but, in the end it was great to revisit The Yard, the Rye family and even Grady & Kate (albeit briefly).
Pick this one up if you can.
*NetGalley and Publisher ARC in exchange for an honest review*
May 12, 2016
4.5 Stars!
Reserved is the second book I have read by the very talented author Tracy Ewens. This book is part of "A Love Story" series and it can be enjoyed as a standalone.
This is the love story between restaurant manager Makenna Rye Connor, and Travis McNulty, a wonderful and accomplished chef. Logan Rye is Makenna's older brother and Travis's best friend. They both work for him in his upscale restaurant, The Yard. Makenna and Travis are a little more than work friends, since they have a tendency to tease and flirt with each other quite mercilessly. Makenna's five year old daughter Paige, is wonderfully precocious, and Travis looks forward to organizing her lunchbox with gourmet delectables a few days a week. Makenna is a single mom with an amazing family, while Travis comes from a overly competitive group and his brother is married to his ex-fiance. Overtime, they realize they have feelings for each other and as a result, they fall in love.
Makenna and Travis are extremely likeable, have great chemistry and challenge each other in the most unique ways. I immediately connected to them as individuals and as a couple. Ms. Ewens does a great job of creating heat behind closed doors. Paige has some very funny laugh out loud moments, and adds a wallop of a cuteness factor. This is a delightful book, complete with great characters, a plot that twists and turns in all the right places, and a romantic love story.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Reserved is the second book I have read by the very talented author Tracy Ewens. This book is part of "A Love Story" series and it can be enjoyed as a standalone.
This is the love story between restaurant manager Makenna Rye Connor, and Travis McNulty, a wonderful and accomplished chef. Logan Rye is Makenna's older brother and Travis's best friend. They both work for him in his upscale restaurant, The Yard. Makenna and Travis are a little more than work friends, since they have a tendency to tease and flirt with each other quite mercilessly. Makenna's five year old daughter Paige, is wonderfully precocious, and Travis looks forward to organizing her lunchbox with gourmet delectables a few days a week. Makenna is a single mom with an amazing family, while Travis comes from a overly competitive group and his brother is married to his ex-fiance. Overtime, they realize they have feelings for each other and as a result, they fall in love.
Makenna and Travis are extremely likeable, have great chemistry and challenge each other in the most unique ways. I immediately connected to them as individuals and as a couple. Ms. Ewens does a great job of creating heat behind closed doors. Paige has some very funny laugh out loud moments, and adds a wallop of a cuteness factor. This is a delightful book, complete with great characters, a plot that twists and turns in all the right places, and a romantic love story.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
June 21, 2016
Please note this review may contain spoilers.
RESERVED is a friends-to-lovers story between Travis and Makenna, who have known each other for a few years while working at her brother’s restaurant, The Yard. Makenna is a widow and a single mum who hasn’t been in a relationship since her husband died five years before, and Travis was left broken hearted by a woman years ago and has since turned into your typical manwhore. Makenna has never been interested in Travis as a potential lover or a father to her daughter, until she has a dream about him that kickstarts her libido.
RESERVED was a nice enough read, but I wasn’t overly happy with it. I was hooked for the first 20-30% and couldn’t put it down, but after that it seemed to fall apart. What started out as an emotional and promising read ended up being slow, boring, repetitive and weak. I liked both Travis and Makenna and thought they made a nice couple, but at times they annoyed me too. Makenna uses her mother’s abandonment as a reason to push Travis away the first time he makes a mistake, and Travis disappointed me when he decided to confront his family. He’s somehow able to get years of toxic torment off his chest in just one page, and he’s not even harsh about it. Talk about anticlimactic. RESERVED is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone.
For more reviews, please visit our website: www.romancebetweenthesheets.com
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
RESERVED is a friends-to-lovers story between Travis and Makenna, who have known each other for a few years while working at her brother’s restaurant, The Yard. Makenna is a widow and a single mum who hasn’t been in a relationship since her husband died five years before, and Travis was left broken hearted by a woman years ago and has since turned into your typical manwhore. Makenna has never been interested in Travis as a potential lover or a father to her daughter, until she has a dream about him that kickstarts her libido.
RESERVED was a nice enough read, but I wasn’t overly happy with it. I was hooked for the first 20-30% and couldn’t put it down, but after that it seemed to fall apart. What started out as an emotional and promising read ended up being slow, boring, repetitive and weak. I liked both Travis and Makenna and thought they made a nice couple, but at times they annoyed me too. Makenna uses her mother’s abandonment as a reason to push Travis away the first time he makes a mistake, and Travis disappointed me when he decided to confront his family. He’s somehow able to get years of toxic torment off his chest in just one page, and he’s not even harsh about it. Talk about anticlimactic. RESERVED is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone.
For more reviews, please visit our website: www.romancebetweenthesheets.com
I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2016
5 stars
IMO, Reserved is another winner for Tracy Ewens. It is the fourth book in The Love Story Series. I have not yet read books one and two (but definitely plan to), and have read the previous book, Taste, and also enjoyed it immensely. Although it is part of a series, each of these books can be read as a stand alone.
Reserved is a 'friends become lovers' story about our main couple, Makenna Rye Conroy and Travis McNulty. Also a main part of this pairing is Kenna's cute, sassy, six year old daughter Paige. Makenna's husband Adam died in a car accident when Paige was only a few weeks old. She has spent her life in the ensuing years alone, devoting herself to taking care of her daughter with the help of her close knit family. Travis is her brother Logan's best friend and a chef in Logan's restaurant, The Yard. Travis has a few problems from the past of his own due to his pushy controlling family who have pretty much written him off.
One of the things I like best about Tracy Ewens' stories so far is that her characters are so real. They are honest to God, down to earth people with real life problems. I really liked Kenna and Travis, and Paige was such a hoot. I liked the supporting cast of characters too, and expect (hope) to see more of them in future books. I'd describe this book as a fluffy, feel good romance. I'd give it 5 stars and would recommend it to contemporary romance readers.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in return for my honest review.
IMO, Reserved is another winner for Tracy Ewens. It is the fourth book in The Love Story Series. I have not yet read books one and two (but definitely plan to), and have read the previous book, Taste, and also enjoyed it immensely. Although it is part of a series, each of these books can be read as a stand alone.
Reserved is a 'friends become lovers' story about our main couple, Makenna Rye Conroy and Travis McNulty. Also a main part of this pairing is Kenna's cute, sassy, six year old daughter Paige. Makenna's husband Adam died in a car accident when Paige was only a few weeks old. She has spent her life in the ensuing years alone, devoting herself to taking care of her daughter with the help of her close knit family. Travis is her brother Logan's best friend and a chef in Logan's restaurant, The Yard. Travis has a few problems from the past of his own due to his pushy controlling family who have pretty much written him off.
One of the things I like best about Tracy Ewens' stories so far is that her characters are so real. They are honest to God, down to earth people with real life problems. I really liked Kenna and Travis, and Paige was such a hoot. I liked the supporting cast of characters too, and expect (hope) to see more of them in future books. I'd describe this book as a fluffy, feel good romance. I'd give it 5 stars and would recommend it to contemporary romance readers.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in return for my honest review.
April 11, 2016
Reserved is a story about an Unapologetic Player and a Widow with abandonment issues.
The story begins with Makenna dreaming of Travis instead of her ex-husband. When she arrives at the restaurant, she started acting weird towards Travis which he notices immediately. He thought it was because she heard him breaking up with one of his hookups.
Generally speaking, Makenna isn’t a warm, friendly heroine. Perhaps it’s because she grew up without having a female influence in her life. Although I find it ironic that she’s raising a daughter. Travis, on the other hand, came from a sports oriented, competitive family. He’s pretty much regarded as a loser by his family because of his injury which propelled him into the world of fine dining. Despite having a tumultuous relationship with his family, Travis has a great relationship with Logan, Makenna’s brother, the hero from the previous book. However, what’s special about Travis is his soft heart for Paige, Makenna’s daughter, who refers to him as my Travis.
Their story got better and better as we find out what makes them tick and what their insecurities are. The two MCs have major abandonment and trust issues. Eventually, Travis had to confront his family and stand up for himself. In doing so, he realized that he deserves Makenna and Paige and vice versa. At the same time, Makenna had to find it in herself to trust in Travis' love for her and Paige. That the word abandonment is not part of his vocabulary.
Loved it!
ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story begins with Makenna dreaming of Travis instead of her ex-husband. When she arrives at the restaurant, she started acting weird towards Travis which he notices immediately. He thought it was because she heard him breaking up with one of his hookups.
Generally speaking, Makenna isn’t a warm, friendly heroine. Perhaps it’s because she grew up without having a female influence in her life. Although I find it ironic that she’s raising a daughter. Travis, on the other hand, came from a sports oriented, competitive family. He’s pretty much regarded as a loser by his family because of his injury which propelled him into the world of fine dining. Despite having a tumultuous relationship with his family, Travis has a great relationship with Logan, Makenna’s brother, the hero from the previous book. However, what’s special about Travis is his soft heart for Paige, Makenna’s daughter, who refers to him as my Travis.
Their story got better and better as we find out what makes them tick and what their insecurities are. The two MCs have major abandonment and trust issues. Eventually, Travis had to confront his family and stand up for himself. In doing so, he realized that he deserves Makenna and Paige and vice versa. At the same time, Makenna had to find it in herself to trust in Travis' love for her and Paige. That the word abandonment is not part of his vocabulary.
Loved it!
ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2016
It's been six years since Adam's death, and Makenna Rye Conroy was finally beginning to overcome her grief. As much as one could ever when losing her better half. She had an amazing little girl, a job she loved, and family and friends who supported her. Life was good. But oh, so lonely. When a recurring dream suddenly changes in a most crucial way, Makenna decides she needs to start dating again. And now she can't decide what scares her more, dating or dreaming about a certain coworker who always drove her crazy. Travis McNulty was sure he caught Kenna checking him out. The little sister of his best friend and partner, was eyeing him in a whole different way. And he liked it. While Travis had no time for his own family, Makenna and Paige were part of his life. He adored the almost six years old darling, and her mom was the star in many of his fantasies. But he knew she deserved more from a man than he could ever offer her. Makenna deserved stability, love and a man that would do anything for her, be anything she needed him to be. He wasn’t that man. Or was he? Makenna and Travis' love story is funny and sexy but also filled with angst and sweetness. As a chef at The Yard, Travis is brilliantly creative and knows how to win the women in his life with food, smiles and gentleness. But he is also broken and insecure in his ways. Makenna had a great love and lost it. She's been abandoned by her own mother and her issues run deeper than she imagines. Together, however, they discover that love takes work, but heals all. And to be perfect, it might even take three to last…
May 18, 2017
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#4 in the Love Story romance series
I'd rate this 4.5 stars if I could. This was definitely a feel-good book. Makenna and Travis--the main characters were great--strong and warm and amusing, but they had definite issues that made them more human. Plus Makenna's 5-year-old daughter Paige was adorably precocious, although I wonder if that age child can really read and understand at the level she was supposedly studying about wild animals, etc. And the owner of the restaurant, Logan, is Travis's best friend and Makenna's brother. Add in her father and other brother, and this group of people is very close, loving, and totally intertwined. I loved the whole bunch of them. Travis has the reputation of a player, and he's messed up by his family's dedication to sports and disrespect for his career. Makenna is a young widow who is used to making it on her own. Despite the obvious close friendship they share, she is gunshy about starting again, especially with someone who is so "out of her league." But they can't help their feelings, and the reader is definitely rooting for them to succeed. I found it interesting to see a little bit behind the scenes in the restaurant business too. I haven't read any books by this author before, but there was no trouble keeping the characters straight and understanding which ones had been the stars of previous books. I will definitely look for the other books so I can fill in the blanks and continue with this entertaining series.
#4 in the Love Story romance series
I'd rate this 4.5 stars if I could. This was definitely a feel-good book. Makenna and Travis--the main characters were great--strong and warm and amusing, but they had definite issues that made them more human. Plus Makenna's 5-year-old daughter Paige was adorably precocious, although I wonder if that age child can really read and understand at the level she was supposedly studying about wild animals, etc. And the owner of the restaurant, Logan, is Travis's best friend and Makenna's brother. Add in her father and other brother, and this group of people is very close, loving, and totally intertwined. I loved the whole bunch of them. Travis has the reputation of a player, and he's messed up by his family's dedication to sports and disrespect for his career. Makenna is a young widow who is used to making it on her own. Despite the obvious close friendship they share, she is gunshy about starting again, especially with someone who is so "out of her league." But they can't help their feelings, and the reader is definitely rooting for them to succeed. I found it interesting to see a little bit behind the scenes in the restaurant business too. I haven't read any books by this author before, but there was no trouble keeping the characters straight and understanding which ones had been the stars of previous books. I will definitely look for the other books so I can fill in the blanks and continue with this entertaining series.
January 30, 2016
I was so excited to be approved for this book via Netgalley and Ms. Ewens! Thanks for the complimentary e-copy in exchange for my honest review.
I cannot say enough good things about this series. I have read Candidate: A Love Story, which focused on Kate and Grady. Then I read Taste: A Love Story, which focused on Kara and Logan. So obviously I needed Reserved: A Love Story, which focused on Makenna and Travis. Most of these characters have had roles in the previous novels in this series and it's great to see them get a book that focuses primarily on them.
I love Paige, Makenna's little girl who is 5 and 6 in this book, going on 58. Such a sweet, precocious little girl who has most of the men in her family wrapped around her little finger, but in a good way.
Makenna and Travis both have baggage from childhood and early adulthood, but can't see the similarities clear enough to make life smooth sailing. These books all have characters that are "real" and that I felt like could be in my life so I have rooted for all of them to get a happy ever after or at least something approaching that.
The main places in the book, The Yard (restaurant) and the farm also sound like my cup of tea...and I'd love to visit. Yes, I love these books! Family oriented, hard working and loving will pull me in every time, which is what happens when I open a Tracy Ewens A Love Story novel. If those are things you enjoy, these are the books for you. Check them out and prepare to fall in love.
I cannot say enough good things about this series. I have read Candidate: A Love Story, which focused on Kate and Grady. Then I read Taste: A Love Story, which focused on Kara and Logan. So obviously I needed Reserved: A Love Story, which focused on Makenna and Travis. Most of these characters have had roles in the previous novels in this series and it's great to see them get a book that focuses primarily on them.
I love Paige, Makenna's little girl who is 5 and 6 in this book, going on 58. Such a sweet, precocious little girl who has most of the men in her family wrapped around her little finger, but in a good way.
Makenna and Travis both have baggage from childhood and early adulthood, but can't see the similarities clear enough to make life smooth sailing. These books all have characters that are "real" and that I felt like could be in my life so I have rooted for all of them to get a happy ever after or at least something approaching that.
The main places in the book, The Yard (restaurant) and the farm also sound like my cup of tea...and I'd love to visit. Yes, I love these books! Family oriented, hard working and loving will pull me in every time, which is what happens when I open a Tracy Ewens A Love Story novel. If those are things you enjoy, these are the books for you. Check them out and prepare to fall in love.
September 15, 2019
Single Mom and Perpetual Bachelor
Reserved is a friends to lovers to more story between Makenna and Travis. They have known and worked with each other for years in her brother's restaurant. She is a widow with a young daughter who has been trying to keep life simple and predictable so that she can manage it. She also has stayed away from all relationships. Travis works as the chef at the restaurant and is a bonafide bachelor. He also knows that as Makenna is off limits, because of her brother and his best friend, but also because her life is just too complicated, or at least according to him.
Makenna and Travis have more of a brother/sister relationship with the way they interact with each other. But some things start shifting and as much as they each try to fight it they find themselves headed towards an actual relationship. But there is Paige to be considered and what will she think.
This is a sweet story of two people who are right for each other but have only every looked at each other in one way.........until that view starts to shift. This is an easy story with no drama. But to me it did read rather slowly and there could have been some editing as situations seemed to repeat themselves a few times, at least in the general sense. However, I did enjoy reading Reserved by Tracy Ewens.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
Reserved is a friends to lovers to more story between Makenna and Travis. They have known and worked with each other for years in her brother's restaurant. She is a widow with a young daughter who has been trying to keep life simple and predictable so that she can manage it. She also has stayed away from all relationships. Travis works as the chef at the restaurant and is a bonafide bachelor. He also knows that as Makenna is off limits, because of her brother and his best friend, but also because her life is just too complicated, or at least according to him.
Makenna and Travis have more of a brother/sister relationship with the way they interact with each other. But some things start shifting and as much as they each try to fight it they find themselves headed towards an actual relationship. But there is Paige to be considered and what will she think.
This is a sweet story of two people who are right for each other but have only every looked at each other in one way.........until that view starts to shift. This is an easy story with no drama. But to me it did read rather slowly and there could have been some editing as situations seemed to repeat themselves a few times, at least in the general sense. However, I did enjoy reading Reserved by Tracy Ewens.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
September 12, 2019
Love is definitely on the menu at The Yard! Makenna Rye is a woman who lost her husband around five years ago, and now she is raising her daughter Paige on her own and managing her brother Logan’s restaurant, The Yard. She seems like she is content with being single until she starts having dreams about her brothers business partner Travis McNulty. He and Logan are both highly talented chefs. She won’t deny that Travis is attractive, but he seems like a bit of a player, which is something she needs to avoid. She can’t deny he is a good person though. He always makes a lunch for her daughter Paige without asking, and that just makes her little girls day. The problem is, Makenna is having a hard time keeping him in the friend zone because she can’t deny the attraction she feels for him. To make it worse, she finds out that he has been attracted to her too, for a long time. Can she get over her past, and his list of former trysts in order to give them a chance? Can Travis deal with all of his family drama and past hurts in order to bring 100% to the table, and be the best man he can for Makenna and Paige? This was such a sweet, slow burn romance. I was totally rooting for them from the start. This was a touching and heartwarming story. Now I need to read the rest of the series! I did receive a copy of this book from Hidden Gems, and this is my honest review.
September 14, 2019
McKenna, Travis and Paige.... I loved this book!!
This is my favourite of this series of love stories from Ms Ewens.
MaKenna has suffered loss in its worst form.... left a young widow with a very small baby she has to learn to live again whilst at the same time caring for her new little person. Despite it all she and Paige have a great life, Paige is delightful and a lot of fun with some great little one liners. She is adored by all the members of her extended family and has her uncles wrapped around her little 6 year old finger. Her ‘My Travis’ also has a huge place in her heart.
Travis has been on the sidelines since college. He is happy running an up and coming restaurant with his best friend Logan, Makenna’s brother. Travis can’t imagine settling down.... he is always straight with any women.... no commitment!
But without noticing, the 2 leading ladies in his life, MaKenna and Paige have slipped under his radar and what he thought was a healthy respect for the single mum is turning into something completely out of his control. Will his admiration from afar remain just that, or will a recurring dream with a difference open Makenna’s eyes to new possibilities and a new love filled future for her and Paige.
I received an arc from hidden gems and I am choosing to leave a review
This is my favourite of this series of love stories from Ms Ewens.
MaKenna has suffered loss in its worst form.... left a young widow with a very small baby she has to learn to live again whilst at the same time caring for her new little person. Despite it all she and Paige have a great life, Paige is delightful and a lot of fun with some great little one liners. She is adored by all the members of her extended family and has her uncles wrapped around her little 6 year old finger. Her ‘My Travis’ also has a huge place in her heart.
Travis has been on the sidelines since college. He is happy running an up and coming restaurant with his best friend Logan, Makenna’s brother. Travis can’t imagine settling down.... he is always straight with any women.... no commitment!
But without noticing, the 2 leading ladies in his life, MaKenna and Paige have slipped under his radar and what he thought was a healthy respect for the single mum is turning into something completely out of his control. Will his admiration from afar remain just that, or will a recurring dream with a difference open Makenna’s eyes to new possibilities and a new love filled future for her and Paige.
I received an arc from hidden gems and I am choosing to leave a review
September 15, 2019
4+* ARC Review – Another great Tracy Ewens Story!
I enthusiastically requested this ARC from Hidden Gems once I saw the author. Through their ARC program I have become a big fan of this author. This book did not disappoint. This is the third book I have read by this author and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. The style of her writing and her characters had me glued to the story.
This is the story of Travis and Makenna, who work together in his best friend and her brother’s restaurant. Their relationship is subtle at first and as they both see that it could be more it grows. Although Travis is a bit of a manwhore, he decides to give up his prior ways to have a chance with Makenna. She on the other hand is a single mother who was widowed early in her marriage and is looking to possibly start dating now that it has been five years. Her daughter, Paige is a great addition as a character and seems to be rooting for them as she refers to him as “My Travis”.
They are a great couple and it is an interesting story to how their relationship stumbles and how they work out their issues. I really enjoy a story where both parties realize they need to work on themselves as well as the relationship. This author does have a gift for writing characters that are relatable and interesting. Another great story!!
I enthusiastically requested this ARC from Hidden Gems once I saw the author. Through their ARC program I have become a big fan of this author. This book did not disappoint. This is the third book I have read by this author and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. The style of her writing and her characters had me glued to the story.
This is the story of Travis and Makenna, who work together in his best friend and her brother’s restaurant. Their relationship is subtle at first and as they both see that it could be more it grows. Although Travis is a bit of a manwhore, he decides to give up his prior ways to have a chance with Makenna. She on the other hand is a single mother who was widowed early in her marriage and is looking to possibly start dating now that it has been five years. Her daughter, Paige is a great addition as a character and seems to be rooting for them as she refers to him as “My Travis”.
They are a great couple and it is an interesting story to how their relationship stumbles and how they work out their issues. I really enjoy a story where both parties realize they need to work on themselves as well as the relationship. This author does have a gift for writing characters that are relatable and interesting. Another great story!!
May 18, 2016
I found Reserved to be a delightful story. Travis and Kenna were very likable, well rounded characters - though Kenna was a bit too neurotic at times - who inhabited a well developed world, namely The Yard, the restaurant where both of them worked.
Travis was very sweet and easy to like, even if he had some less savory traits like his string of short-term relationships, there was plenty to like right from the start (like the fact he randomly made Kenna's daughter Paige lunch whenever Kenna forgot the lunchbox at the restaurant or his status as black sheep of his own family. Actually, his whole relationship with Paige was probably the highlight of the book.
McKenna (or Kenna) was a bit harder for me, as I said before, she was a bit neurotic and stuck in her ways, she acted a little crazy from time to time but over all I could see where she was coming from.
The rest of the characters that populated The Yard and Ryeland Farms were quite charming too, though I often felt a little lost - like there was some stuff I should know but didn't because I wasn't aware this was the 4th in a series - but even so, I was happy to read this book, and I was even intrigued to figure out what happened in those other books.
Over all, a lovely contemporary romance.
Travis was very sweet and easy to like, even if he had some less savory traits like his string of short-term relationships, there was plenty to like right from the start (like the fact he randomly made Kenna's daughter Paige lunch whenever Kenna forgot the lunchbox at the restaurant or his status as black sheep of his own family. Actually, his whole relationship with Paige was probably the highlight of the book.
McKenna (or Kenna) was a bit harder for me, as I said before, she was a bit neurotic and stuck in her ways, she acted a little crazy from time to time but over all I could see where she was coming from.
The rest of the characters that populated The Yard and Ryeland Farms were quite charming too, though I often felt a little lost - like there was some stuff I should know but didn't because I wasn't aware this was the 4th in a series - but even so, I was happy to read this book, and I was even intrigued to figure out what happened in those other books.
Over all, a lovely contemporary romance.
March 6, 2016
This story is Amazing. I loved, Makenna, Travis, Paige's characters.
This is a second chance at love story.
Makenna has lost her husband more than 5yrs ago. Her main focus is
her 5yr old daughter Paige. Second is her brother Logan's Restaurant
and her Family's Farm.
Paige is a very outgoing and outspoken Kindergartner. She has her
Uncles Logan and Garrett, her Grandfather and the Chef at her Uncle
Logan's restaurant Travis wrapped around her finger. Having lost her
father, Paige's Uncles have stepped up to make sure that she has a
father figure in her life. The fact that they adore her is an added bonus.
Travis is The Chef at his best friend Logan's Restaurant. His passion is
cooking and working with best friend makes it even better.
Travis and Makenna have back and forth banter while working but,
every time that he hears her name, his body responds.
He knows that he doesn't stand a chance with someone like
Makenna. She's all about family and he's a love 'em and leave 'em
kind of guy.
I will definitely read the other books in this series.
This is a second chance at love story.
Makenna has lost her husband more than 5yrs ago. Her main focus is
her 5yr old daughter Paige. Second is her brother Logan's Restaurant
and her Family's Farm.
Paige is a very outgoing and outspoken Kindergartner. She has her
Uncles Logan and Garrett, her Grandfather and the Chef at her Uncle
Logan's restaurant Travis wrapped around her finger. Having lost her
father, Paige's Uncles have stepped up to make sure that she has a
father figure in her life. The fact that they adore her is an added bonus.
Travis is The Chef at his best friend Logan's Restaurant. His passion is
cooking and working with best friend makes it even better.
Travis and Makenna have back and forth banter while working but,
every time that he hears her name, his body responds.
He knows that he doesn't stand a chance with someone like
Makenna. She's all about family and he's a love 'em and leave 'em
kind of guy.
I will definitely read the other books in this series.
April 1, 2016
I've read each story leading up to this one, but have to say that the author has completely out shown herself in this book...the characters Ms Ewens creates are so dynamic and dimensional, reading her stories are more along the line of not simply reading the story, but better yet experiencing it. Makenna and Travis' story is rich with heart, love and laughter so much so that my heart actually ached with the feeling of warmth and emotion. Throw in Paige and you have the ingredients (no pun intended) for a love story that stays with you long after you've read the last word.
There are multiple layers woven throughout the story, of previous characters...their stories kept alive through their appearances here...of Makenna, her late husband and her mother that abandoned her family...throw in Travis' story of his dysfunctional family and you are emotionally engaged up until the very end.
I look forward to the next installment in the Rye family saga, perhaps Garrett and Sage?
This book was provided by Netgalley for my honest review.
There are multiple layers woven throughout the story, of previous characters...their stories kept alive through their appearances here...of Makenna, her late husband and her mother that abandoned her family...throw in Travis' story of his dysfunctional family and you are emotionally engaged up until the very end.
I look forward to the next installment in the Rye family saga, perhaps Garrett and Sage?
This book was provided by Netgalley for my honest review.
May 3, 2016
I had no idea this was part of a series but I am glad I found this series. Makenna or Kenna as she is mostly called is a single Mom after losing her husband just weeks after giving birth. She is trying to find her way and juggling it all. She tries to enter the dating world to hopefully move on but is finding it difficult. Her friend and co-worker Travis is trying to steer her in the right direction even if that direction is him.
Travis is a known bachelor but as one of the main Chef's and part owners he finds himself making Kenna's daughter lunch. They burrow their way into his heart and he finds he wants more of a forever with them. It was a sweet romance story and I liked the secondary characters that play a part in this series. I want to read more about Sage, Kenna's best friend and her brother Garrett so hopefully that one is next!
I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Travis is a known bachelor but as one of the main Chef's and part owners he finds himself making Kenna's daughter lunch. They burrow their way into his heart and he finds he wants more of a forever with them. It was a sweet romance story and I liked the secondary characters that play a part in this series. I want to read more about Sage, Kenna's best friend and her brother Garrett so hopefully that one is next!
I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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