Special Delivery

Mill Pond #6

by Judi Lynn

In Mill Pond, Indiana, neighbors always look out for each other. And even though tourists are drawn to the small town’s charms, it’s the locals who fill it with warmth . . .
 
Traveling nurse Karli Redding doesn’t have many fond memories of her aging grandfather, Axel—or of Mill Pond. But with Axel’s health in decline and Karli on a month’s hiatus between jobs, she volunteers to set him up with the help he needs. The house and her grandfather could both use some TLC. Good thing Keagan Monroe, the very attractive mailman next door, is always ready to lend a hand . . .
 
Not a lot slips by a mailman, and Keagan appreciates Karli’s dogged attempts to spruce up the neglected property. Painting, fixing the sagging porch, delivering a constant stream of casseroles from caring neighbors—he’ll help however he can, all while keeping his feelings under wraps. A short-term fling just doesn’t fit into his schedule. But with each passing day, Karli’s bond with the town grows a little deeper. Has fate sent her exactly where she needs to be? Karli’s willing to find out, and the first step is figuring out the perfect route to Keagan’s heart . . .

216 pages, Paperback

Published November 7, 2017

About the author

Judi Lynn received a Master’s Degree from Indiana University as an elementary school teacher after attending the IPFW campus. She taught 1st, 2nd, and 4th grades for six years before having her two daughters. She loves gardening, cooking and trying new recipes.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review also found at https://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/...

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

This is part of the Mill Pond series however can be read as a stand alone.  I have read some in the series and not all, and of those that I have read, this one has been for sure my favorite although I am not sure if it is for the right reasons.  Let me explain.

I absolutely loved the character of Axel.  The thing is, I am not sure if I was supposed to.  He was supposed to be a despicable old man who has done nothing but wrong his children and be mean to others.  The thing is, in this story, he came across a grumpy old man who you looked forward to seeing him spar with others.  Perhaps it was because he met his match with Karli that I enjoyed him so much?  The fact that she called him an old coot to his face and went head to head with him when he dug his heels in.  The moments between these two was the highlight of this story for me.

Of course there is the romance between Karli and Keagan and probably should have been what I was focused on.  This came secondary to me.  Both characters were the type that would do anything for anyone however would defend themselves if they were wronged.  Without divulging the plot, the reader is left with an indication of how their story will play out throughout the book.  This made it more interesting to read as you couldn't wait until the final moment.

As is customary with this series, there is some focus on the town of Mill Pond and its community.  I now feel like I know the town and its people and I am sure for new readers to the series it would be similar.  If a place like this exists in the real world, I want to visit!

One word of warning.  You may not want to read this if you are hungry.  Another common theme in this series is the cooking and food.  This story was full of food that Karli cooked up as well as the townsfolk.  I only wish I could eat as well as the folks in this story.  Lynn must be an avid fan of cooking/food or just really good at research.  I had too put the story down a couple of times because my stomach started to growl!

I'm not sure if there will be more to this series, but if there is I plan on reading it....on a full stomach!

[⚜️XAR the Bookwyrm · Rating 5 out of 5]

FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM THE PUBLISHER THROUGH NET GALLEY. I VOLUNTARILY OFFER MY HONEST REVIEW OF THE BOOK, THOUGH IT IS NOT EXPECTED OF ME! RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW!

Mill Pond has been a hit or miss series for me, so I went into this installment with some trepidation. Ho, boy, was I surprised with this installment!

First of all, I really enjoyed the romance between Keagan and Karli! There was a lot of issues that they had to work and grow through, and watching them do so was a real treat. I loved how the relationship between Axel and Karli also evolved over the course of the book. Even the sibling rivalry was done realistically, and it really struck a chord with me.

There were also check ins with some of the other Mill Pond couples, which I enjoyed seeing. I especially liked seeing things through the eyes of a relative newcomer to the town, it gave the book a sense of wonder. I do hope that the next book will live up to the promise of this one!

[Bec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karli Redding is a woman that loves being a travelling nurse and has never wanted to settle down for love and happiness. However, coming to Mill Pond to care for her aging and ornery grandfather, she finds something she never expected -- the man that could change her life for the better. And the more time she spends with Keagan Monroe, the harder she begins to find the desire to move on to her next nursing job. Will Keagan be able to convince Karli to stay, or will the decision be taking out of her hands?

What a very enchanting, fast-paced, delightful read Ms. Lynn has delivered in this sixth book of her Mill Pond series, which had me laughing at the way Karli stands up to her ornery grandfather and shows him that she's not going to put up with his meanness; had me smiling because of playful banter between the main characters and the matchmaking of the secondary ones; and had me reading quickly, determined to discover how everything would work out for Karli and Keagan. Will Karli stay in Mill Pond or will she move on?

The way this story started had me liking Karli immediately, as she doesn't have many fond memories of her grandfather, and yet, she's willing to help him and hopefully convince him to do what is right for himself since he can't continue to live at home by himself anymore. However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time that drew me into this story completely, as their chemistry in instantaneous and wonderful and had me looking forward to the obstacles these two would have to overcome to be together with the biggest being whether the heroine could see herself ever settling down in one place.

Both the main characters were relatable, very likeable and I loved every moment they were together, as Keagan fights his feelings for Karli for fear of getting hurt again and Karli does everything she can to see where a relationship between them can go, if they're both willing to give into their feelings. Will Karli be able to convince Keagan to take a chance on her? Moreover, the heroine is resilient and courageous in the way she faces everything she does, especially with the way she goes head-to-head with her grandfather. No way will he treat her the way he does everyone else and get away with it. I also liked how kind and caring she is and that she didn't lose her patience with everything that happens with her grandfather and the secondary characters, even though there are times when it seemed appropriate to lose it. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine was that she would do anything for family, which is proven by the way she handles everything her grandfather throws at her.

While the hero, his last relationship has left him unwilling to give another woman a chance until he can sort out his own life in terms of making more of his business as an artist. Will he find the perfect building to expand? However, in saying that, I liked that he took a chance on Karli and that he got the chance to make sure she remained in his life. I also liked how kind and caring the hero was and loved how he helps the people of Mill Pond, especially in the moments where he's doing his job as the town mailman or as a next door neighbor. I also liked his creative side, because the descriptions of the plates he makes sounded beautiful and interesting. Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero is that he would do anything for family, which is proven by what he does that puts his chance of making his business bigger and better off for another year or so.

Overall, Ms. Lynn has delivered a wonderful read in this book where the chemistry between Karli and Keagan was delightful; the romance nicely-detailed; and the ending had me sad for Karli and her family, but left me with a smile because of how things worked out for the hero and heroine. Finally, she has somewhere to call home again. I would recommend Special Delivery by Judi Lynn, if you enjoy the mysterious strangers trope, small town romances, or books by authors Allyson Charles, Stacy Finz, Kelly Moran and Melissa West.

[Christina Montminy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started reading this book I wasn’t sure I wanted to finish it. I really didn’t care for the character of Axel & Karli & Keagan we’re a little annoying as well, but I persevered & am glad I did. I found Axel’s character not the abusive, dispassionate person I thought him to be, but a lonely old man who used his abusiveness as a shield to keep people at bay to protect himself from further disappointment. I really wasn’t sure what to think of Karli, but found as she grew on me that I liked her strong character & enjoyed seeing her melt for Keagan & push past Axel’s grumpiness to find the soft heart underneath. Keagan I liked because of his helpfulness to everyone but I got a little fed up with his wishywashy attitude toward Karli, I kind of felt like he wears trying to guilt her into staying because he didn’t want to leave. I enjoyed the affection & the daily conversations between Karli & her mom, it showed that people don’t have to continue in the life they were raised in....things can change. I loved the strong affection between Axel & Karli as 3 of his greedy kids showed up trying to stake their claim & Karli stood her ground with all of them. The story did though follow through the way I thought it would after Keagan put his dreams on hold a little longer to help his parents out. All in all this turned out to be a good story. I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review.

[poppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from the Mill Pond series and it can easily be read as a standalone.I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading the previous books.This is Karli's book she is a nurse who ends up in Mill Pond to care for her grandfather planning on only staying for a little bit but while there she meets Keagan and the more time she spends with him the less she wants to move on to her next job.But will she be able to stay?This was a really cute read it is just perfect for a lazy afternoon

[Voirrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so much better than the previous one of the series. I really liked the way in which both Karli and her grandfather are written -as a nurse myself I wanted to cheer her on as the two of them locked horns and slowly developed a relationship. And her less than pleasant aunts and uncle were also really well written and realistically unpleasant in their own ways.

The romance between Keagan and Karli worked well, too; I could understand how they both felt and found myself wanting to give 'the old coot' a hug in the end there!