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Wildstone #3
The Lemon Sisters
The New York Times bestselling author of Rainy Day Friends and Lost and Found Sisters returns to Wildstone, California...
Brooke Lemon has always led the life she wanted, wild adventures—and mistakes—included, something her perfect sister, Mindy, never understood. So when Mindy shows up on Brooke’s doorstep in the throes of a break-down with her three little kids in tow, Brooke’s shocked.
Wanting to make amends, Brooke agrees to trade places, taking the kids back to Wildstone for a few days so Mindy can pick up the pieces and put herself back together. What Brooke doesn’t admit is she’s just as broken . . . Also how does one go home after seven years away? It doesn’t take long for Brooke to come face-to-face with her past, in the form of one tall, dark, sexy mistake. But Garrett’s no longer interested. Only his words don’t match his actions, leaving Brooke feeling things she’d shoved deep.
Soon the sisters begin to wonder: Are they lemons in life? In love? All they know is that neither seems to be able to run far enough to outpace her demons. And when secrets surface, they’ll have to learn that sometimes the one person who can help you the most is the one you never thought to ask.
Brooke Lemon has always led the life she wanted, wild adventures—and mistakes—included, something her perfect sister, Mindy, never understood. So when Mindy shows up on Brooke’s doorstep in the throes of a break-down with her three little kids in tow, Brooke’s shocked.
Wanting to make amends, Brooke agrees to trade places, taking the kids back to Wildstone for a few days so Mindy can pick up the pieces and put herself back together. What Brooke doesn’t admit is she’s just as broken . . . Also how does one go home after seven years away? It doesn’t take long for Brooke to come face-to-face with her past, in the form of one tall, dark, sexy mistake. But Garrett’s no longer interested. Only his words don’t match his actions, leaving Brooke feeling things she’d shoved deep.
Soon the sisters begin to wonder: Are they lemons in life? In love? All they know is that neither seems to be able to run far enough to outpace her demons. And when secrets surface, they’ll have to learn that sometimes the one person who can help you the most is the one you never thought to ask.
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First published June 18, 2019
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About the author
Jill Shalvis
386 books13.8k followersJill Shalvis is a NYT, USA Today, and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author of small-town romance and romcoms, known for big feels, found family, and plenty of shenanigans.
If you love small-town chaos, meddling friends and neighbors, sizzling chemistry, and heroes who fall hard for the one woman they absolutely did not plan on, you’re in the right place. Jill’s books blend laugh-out-loud moments with emotional gut punches, slow-burn tension, and deeply earned happily ever afters.
She writes the stories she loves to read: small-town romance and romantic comedies packed with heart, heat, second chances, grumpy/sunshine sparks, and the kind of found-family vibes that make you want to move right into the pages. Many of her series are perfect for binge-reading, and a number of her books are available in Kindle Unlimited and at major retailers.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably plotting new ways to torture her characters, avoiding laundry, or daydreaming about fictional men and the strong, complicated women who bring them to their knees—and then making them work for it.
You can follow Jill here on Goodreads to keep up with new releases, add her books to your shelves, and discover which small town you want to get lost in next.
If you love small-town chaos, meddling friends and neighbors, sizzling chemistry, and heroes who fall hard for the one woman they absolutely did not plan on, you’re in the right place. Jill’s books blend laugh-out-loud moments with emotional gut punches, slow-burn tension, and deeply earned happily ever afters.
She writes the stories she loves to read: small-town romance and romantic comedies packed with heart, heat, second chances, grumpy/sunshine sparks, and the kind of found-family vibes that make you want to move right into the pages. Many of her series are perfect for binge-reading, and a number of her books are available in Kindle Unlimited and at major retailers.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably plotting new ways to torture her characters, avoiding laundry, or daydreaming about fictional men and the strong, complicated women who bring them to their knees—and then making them work for it.
You can follow Jill here on Goodreads to keep up with new releases, add her books to your shelves, and discover which small town you want to get lost in next.
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May 30, 2019
RATING 4.5 STARS
The Lemon Sisters is book three in the Wildstone series by Jill Shalvis. I have loved this series from the start but had no idea what to expect with this book and wow, was I surprised. This book can definitely be read as a stand alone.
Brooke Lemon left Wildstone, CA seven years ago for Los Angeles. She is a producer for a Travel Network show. When Brooke left Wildstone, she also left her life behind including one very important man whom she hasn’t seen or spoken with since. She also let her relationship with her sister dry up. That’s why, after all this time, she’s shocked to find her older sister, Mindy, pounding at her door with her three kids in tow.
Mindy was always the perfect sister, married a doctor, lives in a perfect home, never a hair out of place. But that isn’t at all who Brooke found at her door. This woman was a mess. Mindy is frazzled, overwrought and seems to be completely falling apart. So Brooke takes the three kids back to Wildstone on her own and leaves her sister at her house to have a bit of a vacation. Brooke knows, though, that going back to Wildstone is going to be difficult. She has her own demons she needs to face.
There are reasons that Brooke never returned home. Things no one knows. The only person that knows some of it is the man she left behind, Garrett Montgomery. Now, going back to Wildstone, Brooke has the chance to finally take care of some unresolved things. Once she does, once she apologizes for what she did, she should be able to go back to L.A. and start fresh. Or so she thought.
Garrett never thought he’d see Brooke again. And here she was. One touch and he knows that all the feelings are still there. But she nearly broke him seven years ago. He can’t let her do it again.
“His dead heart beat in his chest for her, making him feel things he’d thought were long gone. Which meant he was so much more messed up than he’d thought.”
It turns out that Mindy’s kids are pretty darn amazing. Brooke is loving getting to know them again. And then there is Garrett. She never imagined that all of these feelings would come rushing back. She said what she wanted to say. As soon as Mindy comes home, she can leave. But she isn’t ready yet. She also needs to fix her relationship with her sister. And make sure that Mindy and her husband Linc are back on track. Then she’ll leave.
Usually when you read a romance, the book concentrates on the two main characters, the main couple. What I loved about this book is that wasn’t the case at all. Yes, we have the relationship between Garrett and Brooke which was beautiful, heart breaking, sweet, sexy and just fantastic. But, we also have the relationship between Mindy and Linc, between Mindy and Brooke, and the growing bond between Brooke and the kids. The chapters are told from each of their points of views so we get everyone’s perspective.
This book had a little bit of everything, plenty of sweet, sexy, romantic times. And also some great humor. Most of all, the characters were just all wonderful. They were all good people, just a little bit broken. But their love for each other, the bond they almost let wither away, brought them back together. The epilogue was so unexpected and wonderful. What a way to end the book. Perfection.
For more about this book and so many more, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/44036...
The Lemon Sisters is book three in the Wildstone series by Jill Shalvis. I have loved this series from the start but had no idea what to expect with this book and wow, was I surprised. This book can definitely be read as a stand alone.
Brooke Lemon left Wildstone, CA seven years ago for Los Angeles. She is a producer for a Travel Network show. When Brooke left Wildstone, she also left her life behind including one very important man whom she hasn’t seen or spoken with since. She also let her relationship with her sister dry up. That’s why, after all this time, she’s shocked to find her older sister, Mindy, pounding at her door with her three kids in tow.
Mindy was always the perfect sister, married a doctor, lives in a perfect home, never a hair out of place. But that isn’t at all who Brooke found at her door. This woman was a mess. Mindy is frazzled, overwrought and seems to be completely falling apart. So Brooke takes the three kids back to Wildstone on her own and leaves her sister at her house to have a bit of a vacation. Brooke knows, though, that going back to Wildstone is going to be difficult. She has her own demons she needs to face.
There are reasons that Brooke never returned home. Things no one knows. The only person that knows some of it is the man she left behind, Garrett Montgomery. Now, going back to Wildstone, Brooke has the chance to finally take care of some unresolved things. Once she does, once she apologizes for what she did, she should be able to go back to L.A. and start fresh. Or so she thought.
Garrett never thought he’d see Brooke again. And here she was. One touch and he knows that all the feelings are still there. But she nearly broke him seven years ago. He can’t let her do it again.
“His dead heart beat in his chest for her, making him feel things he’d thought were long gone. Which meant he was so much more messed up than he’d thought.”
It turns out that Mindy’s kids are pretty darn amazing. Brooke is loving getting to know them again. And then there is Garrett. She never imagined that all of these feelings would come rushing back. She said what she wanted to say. As soon as Mindy comes home, she can leave. But she isn’t ready yet. She also needs to fix her relationship with her sister. And make sure that Mindy and her husband Linc are back on track. Then she’ll leave.
Usually when you read a romance, the book concentrates on the two main characters, the main couple. What I loved about this book is that wasn’t the case at all. Yes, we have the relationship between Garrett and Brooke which was beautiful, heart breaking, sweet, sexy and just fantastic. But, we also have the relationship between Mindy and Linc, between Mindy and Brooke, and the growing bond between Brooke and the kids. The chapters are told from each of their points of views so we get everyone’s perspective.
This book had a little bit of everything, plenty of sweet, sexy, romantic times. And also some great humor. Most of all, the characters were just all wonderful. They were all good people, just a little bit broken. But their love for each other, the bond they almost let wither away, brought them back together. The epilogue was so unexpected and wonderful. What a way to end the book. Perfection.
For more about this book and so many more, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/44036...
June 18, 2019
****IT'S ALIVE!!****
I think this is Jill Shalvis’ best book…since her last one 😉
I just wrote a review and deleted the whole bloody thing. I’m struggling to get my feeling down as to how much I LOVED The Lemon Sisters. To be honest, my family are not helping me in this endeavour. My son is chatting with his mate VERY LOUDLY. My hubby is in the kitchen baking his famous Banana, Butterscotch Pudding (which I appreciate) and listening to music VERY LOUDLY. Now, it’s raining and it’s VERY LOUD.
STUFF IT…I’M GOING TO HAVE A SHOWER!!!!
That did the trick. For some reason, I have my best ideas in the shower, and again, I found the answer. The reason why I love Jill Shalvis’s romance stories is that her characters are looking for their happy place. That’s it. The heroine isn’t looking for a billionaire to drape her in diamonds. She’s not looking for a superstar to guide her into the spotlight. A biker…mafia man…hitman isn’t called for to show her a bit of the dark side. Jill Shalvis creates heroine’s that are just looking for someone to share their happy place. Someone to share the good times with the bad. The person who will put them first and expects the same. These women just want to love and be loved, put first and not forgotten about. I get it because it’s realistic and, in some ways, that is what we should all be hoping to attain.
I LOVED meeting and getting to know Brooke and her sister Mindy, Linc, Mindy’s husband, and Garrett, Brooke’s first love. These four people were awesome in their own way but completely flawed. They all have outstanding attributes that made them shine, alongside characteristics that, while negative, also made them themselves. No one is perfect, they realise this and they know expecting perfection is unrealistic. What made them even better characters was their ability to acknowledge their flaws and accept that they needed to work on them.
The Lemon Sisters took me on an emotional journey and left me extremely satisfied. I laughed, cried, squirmed and sighed. While the main four characters were riveting, we were also treated to some very special additional characters. Mindy and Linc’s kids were so cute and I loved seeing their quirkiness accepted and encouraged. Brooke’s friends from her job were amazing and I really would love a story for both Tommy and Cole (I think that was their names).
Seriously, I can not recommend this book highly enough. I guess the reason why I loved it so much was because it put me in my happy place. Last night, I was lucky enough to hit the trifecta…a fantastic book to read, a glass of wine in my hand and hubby making me dinner and singing off-key to make me smile. Who could ask for more???
Thank you, Jill Shalvis, your words made my day.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
I think this is Jill Shalvis’ best book…since her last one 😉
I just wrote a review and deleted the whole bloody thing. I’m struggling to get my feeling down as to how much I LOVED The Lemon Sisters. To be honest, my family are not helping me in this endeavour. My son is chatting with his mate VERY LOUDLY. My hubby is in the kitchen baking his famous Banana, Butterscotch Pudding (which I appreciate) and listening to music VERY LOUDLY. Now, it’s raining and it’s VERY LOUD.
STUFF IT…I’M GOING TO HAVE A SHOWER!!!!
That did the trick. For some reason, I have my best ideas in the shower, and again, I found the answer. The reason why I love Jill Shalvis’s romance stories is that her characters are looking for their happy place. That’s it. The heroine isn’t looking for a billionaire to drape her in diamonds. She’s not looking for a superstar to guide her into the spotlight. A biker…mafia man…hitman isn’t called for to show her a bit of the dark side. Jill Shalvis creates heroine’s that are just looking for someone to share their happy place. Someone to share the good times with the bad. The person who will put them first and expects the same. These women just want to love and be loved, put first and not forgotten about. I get it because it’s realistic and, in some ways, that is what we should all be hoping to attain.
I LOVED meeting and getting to know Brooke and her sister Mindy, Linc, Mindy’s husband, and Garrett, Brooke’s first love. These four people were awesome in their own way but completely flawed. They all have outstanding attributes that made them shine, alongside characteristics that, while negative, also made them themselves. No one is perfect, they realise this and they know expecting perfection is unrealistic. What made them even better characters was their ability to acknowledge their flaws and accept that they needed to work on them.
The Lemon Sisters took me on an emotional journey and left me extremely satisfied. I laughed, cried, squirmed and sighed. While the main four characters were riveting, we were also treated to some very special additional characters. Mindy and Linc’s kids were so cute and I loved seeing their quirkiness accepted and encouraged. Brooke’s friends from her job were amazing and I really would love a story for both Tommy and Cole (I think that was their names).
Seriously, I can not recommend this book highly enough. I guess the reason why I loved it so much was because it put me in my happy place. Last night, I was lucky enough to hit the trifecta…a fantastic book to read, a glass of wine in my hand and hubby making me dinner and singing off-key to make me smile. Who could ask for more???
Thank you, Jill Shalvis, your words made my day.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
June 24, 2019
Favorite Quotes:
You’re not fat, you’re just . . . easier to see.
Millie came back into the room wearing black tights with strawberries on them and a strawberry-red dress. She pointed to the pockets. “I’ve just got to fill my snack holes and I’ll be ready to go.” Brooke thought this was brilliant. “Every outfit should have snack holes.” Millie nodded sagely.
Her hair looked like she’d come out the wrong end of an explosion.
“What if reincarnation is real and in your next life you come back as a dog? Or a cat? Or worse, a man? You’ll have wasted it.” She shrugged. “I’d be a good cat. I’m bitchy and I don’t like anyone.”
Want to know the things a guy doesn’t know he’s bad at until he’s married? Making the bed, laundry, being correct, and breathing.
You couldn’t handle me even if I came with instructions.
Mindy eyed the crowd. “Everyone’s skinny and beautiful.” “Yeah, so feel sorry for them because of all the Taco Tuesdays they’ve clearly missed.”
…oh my God, you’re also wearing my sandals. At my funeral, make sure to sit me up so I can see which of my clothes you’ve stolen to wear.
“Junior year of high school, you came over to my family’s house to watch a movie. You and my grandpa promptly fell asleep… And around halfway through, still dead asleep, you popcorn farted loud enough to wake the dead. Pop, pop, pop.” He grinned. “My grandpa fell out of his chair.” And the old man’s dentures had gone skittering across the room.
He was her person, but even more amazing, he wanted her to be his person.
My Review:
I have delighted in each of the five cleverly written Jill Shalvis books I’ve been lucky enough to obtain, I don’t think it would be possible for her to churn out a less than stellar product as her narratives comfortably flow with a smooth fluidity and are all too easy to fall completely into. This story featured a family tree rife with quirky OCD traits through several generations, which added extra layers of humor as well as complications for the feisty characters who were not always likable yet were endearing and sympathetic. The storylines and writing style were highly amusing and pleasantly entertaining while hitting all the feels with thoughtful insights and emotive observations. I have quickly become an avid devotee or her smart wit and crafty word wrangling. Jill Shalvis has mad skills!
You’re not fat, you’re just . . . easier to see.
Millie came back into the room wearing black tights with strawberries on them and a strawberry-red dress. She pointed to the pockets. “I’ve just got to fill my snack holes and I’ll be ready to go.” Brooke thought this was brilliant. “Every outfit should have snack holes.” Millie nodded sagely.
Her hair looked like she’d come out the wrong end of an explosion.
“What if reincarnation is real and in your next life you come back as a dog? Or a cat? Or worse, a man? You’ll have wasted it.” She shrugged. “I’d be a good cat. I’m bitchy and I don’t like anyone.”
Want to know the things a guy doesn’t know he’s bad at until he’s married? Making the bed, laundry, being correct, and breathing.
You couldn’t handle me even if I came with instructions.
Mindy eyed the crowd. “Everyone’s skinny and beautiful.” “Yeah, so feel sorry for them because of all the Taco Tuesdays they’ve clearly missed.”
…oh my God, you’re also wearing my sandals. At my funeral, make sure to sit me up so I can see which of my clothes you’ve stolen to wear.
“Junior year of high school, you came over to my family’s house to watch a movie. You and my grandpa promptly fell asleep… And around halfway through, still dead asleep, you popcorn farted loud enough to wake the dead. Pop, pop, pop.” He grinned. “My grandpa fell out of his chair.” And the old man’s dentures had gone skittering across the room.
He was her person, but even more amazing, he wanted her to be his person.
My Review:
I have delighted in each of the five cleverly written Jill Shalvis books I’ve been lucky enough to obtain, I don’t think it would be possible for her to churn out a less than stellar product as her narratives comfortably flow with a smooth fluidity and are all too easy to fall completely into. This story featured a family tree rife with quirky OCD traits through several generations, which added extra layers of humor as well as complications for the feisty characters who were not always likable yet were endearing and sympathetic. The storylines and writing style were highly amusing and pleasantly entertaining while hitting all the feels with thoughtful insights and emotive observations. I have quickly become an avid devotee or her smart wit and crafty word wrangling. Jill Shalvis has mad skills!
June 18, 2019
4.5 - "This is just a one-time thing..." Stars!
We return to the town of Wildstone and its residents for the third book in Jill Shalvis’s hugely enjoyable series of the same name. The Lemon Sisters gives us Brooke and Mindys’ stories although Brooke is in the forefront, Mindy’s story is very much intertwined with hers, especially as at the start she turns up unannounced on Brooke’s LA doorstep with her three hilarious and adorable kids in tow while obviously being on her last nerve in the middle of a meltdown.
"We are the Lemon sisters… we survive everything and keep on ticking…"
Agreeing to take care of your (almost) estranged sisters kids and returning to a hometown she’s has barely set foot in for around seven years raises a lot of red flags for Brooke, a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, but one thing hasn’t changed… her chemistry with the boy-man she left behind; Garrett Montgomery.
She had no idea what was wrong with her, but all of her feelings for him from that time in her life seemed to stick in her throat…
This is a pair that have history ( a lot of which she has tried to box up in her brain and ignore), and towards the end of their relationship the memories are definitely not happy ones, something Brooke is hoping she can rectify while she is in town, and try to come to terms with in her heart at the same time.
She’d destroyed him one, and he had no intention of letting her get another shot…
Having Garrett as her next door neighbour has its advantages as she tries to wrestle through the day to day running of three children all with their own very different wants and needs, but dealing with the elephant in the room between them on a personal level is a whole other degree of difficult, especially when the man in question tries very hard to stay as far away from her physically and emotionally as he possibly can. This is a man you come to understand that has been hurt and abandoned on more than one occasion in his past and he definitely isn’t looking for a repeat performance with Brooke or even giving her the opportunity to rebuild those bridges that were burnt between them all those years ago.
"I’ve never lied to you… Never will."
One big problem though is he also can’t deny the burning chemistry that they still have and the fact that he still wants her with every part of himself. Brooke is not far behind him on those feelings, but the fact her life is in LA and his is firmly set in Wildstone brings us a whole other set of issues. Add into the fact her sister Mindy and husband Linc are also trying to work through their own marital and relationship issues, as well as meddle in Brooke and Garrett’s you are looking at a book when the story never stopped moving and the plot kept me invested in everyone and everything that was playing out.
"Every second with you was an adventure… a heart thumping, adrenaline-rush adventure…"
Millie, Mason & Maddox offered a huge chunk of light relief in this one, with Brooke discovering how awesome he niece and nephews are in the early stages, to Linc realizing how much he has missed time spent with his young family in the second half, they were all their own little characters and just as important to the book as a whole for me. I will admit I struggled with Mindy a little at points, but overall not enough for it to detract from my general enjoyment of the story, another winner from Jill and I hope we get to return to Wildstone again very soon!
"Love makes you do some pretty stupid shit."
ARC generously provided by the author, in exchange for the above honest review.
We return to the town of Wildstone and its residents for the third book in Jill Shalvis’s hugely enjoyable series of the same name. The Lemon Sisters gives us Brooke and Mindys’ stories although Brooke is in the forefront, Mindy’s story is very much intertwined with hers, especially as at the start she turns up unannounced on Brooke’s LA doorstep with her three hilarious and adorable kids in tow while obviously being on her last nerve in the middle of a meltdown.
"We are the Lemon sisters… we survive everything and keep on ticking…"
Agreeing to take care of your (almost) estranged sisters kids and returning to a hometown she’s has barely set foot in for around seven years raises a lot of red flags for Brooke, a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, but one thing hasn’t changed… her chemistry with the boy-man she left behind; Garrett Montgomery.
She had no idea what was wrong with her, but all of her feelings for him from that time in her life seemed to stick in her throat…
This is a pair that have history ( a lot of which she has tried to box up in her brain and ignore), and towards the end of their relationship the memories are definitely not happy ones, something Brooke is hoping she can rectify while she is in town, and try to come to terms with in her heart at the same time.
She’d destroyed him one, and he had no intention of letting her get another shot…
Having Garrett as her next door neighbour has its advantages as she tries to wrestle through the day to day running of three children all with their own very different wants and needs, but dealing with the elephant in the room between them on a personal level is a whole other degree of difficult, especially when the man in question tries very hard to stay as far away from her physically and emotionally as he possibly can. This is a man you come to understand that has been hurt and abandoned on more than one occasion in his past and he definitely isn’t looking for a repeat performance with Brooke or even giving her the opportunity to rebuild those bridges that were burnt between them all those years ago.
"I’ve never lied to you… Never will."
One big problem though is he also can’t deny the burning chemistry that they still have and the fact that he still wants her with every part of himself. Brooke is not far behind him on those feelings, but the fact her life is in LA and his is firmly set in Wildstone brings us a whole other set of issues. Add into the fact her sister Mindy and husband Linc are also trying to work through their own marital and relationship issues, as well as meddle in Brooke and Garrett’s you are looking at a book when the story never stopped moving and the plot kept me invested in everyone and everything that was playing out.
"Every second with you was an adventure… a heart thumping, adrenaline-rush adventure…"
Millie, Mason & Maddox offered a huge chunk of light relief in this one, with Brooke discovering how awesome he niece and nephews are in the early stages, to Linc realizing how much he has missed time spent with his young family in the second half, they were all their own little characters and just as important to the book as a whole for me. I will admit I struggled with Mindy a little at points, but overall not enough for it to detract from my general enjoyment of the story, another winner from Jill and I hope we get to return to Wildstone again very soon!
"Love makes you do some pretty stupid shit."
ARC generously provided by the author, in exchange for the above honest review.
June 17, 2019
TITLE: THE LEMON SISTERS
AUTHOR: Jill Shalvis
SERIES: Wildstone #3
RELEASE DATE: June 18 2019
GENRE: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction
THEMES & TROPES: Second Chance
RATING: 5 Stars
CLIFFHANGER: No
READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG
TOP FAVORITE
ALL THE SWOONS! No, seriously! This book is a new favorite by Jill Shalvis. I keep waiting for my girl crush on this author to wear off but she keeps delivering the best romance with the swooniest heroes and the sassiest heroines. On that note, I know this has been tagged as women's fiction but it has all the makings of a contemporary romance. So don't let that category turn you off!
In THE LEMON SISTERS, the third in Ms. Shalvis's Wildstone series, we meet, surprise, the Lemon sisters. Brooke lives in LA and only goes home sporadically. A surprise visit by her sister, Mindy, and her three kids, takes her back to her hometown, Wildstone. She's determined to find her old self, make amends with her estranged sister, apologize to the man she left without a word, and return to LA as a new/old Brooke. Running into Garrett, the only man she ever loved, goes as expected - where Brooke is concerned he is distant, sometimes even unfriendly and not amicable at all.
Over the course of the story we learn about the tragedy that happened to Brooke and how that affected her future. I think many women will sympathize with her. The reasons she left Wildstone made sense to me, although I'm not a fan of characters keeping secrets. I know it's an often used plot device - I trusted Jill Shalvis because she has never let me down. She didn't this time either. After the helicopter accident, that not only wrecked her body but also her confidence and spirit, the reckless love for life she'd always had, she built walls around her heart. Brooke didn't let anyone in. No one. My heart was heavy with sadness for her - even when she was surrounded by people she was lonely.
“You were never alone, Brooke, never. You just chose to shut us out.”
Garrett doesn't feel very benevolent towards Brooke - this woman did a number on him yet when she returns the pull is still there. He is so determined not to get caught in her web again because he was left one too many times. Having grown up in the system he knows much about abandonment and he's still dealing with the issues that come with it. Brooke's leaving without a single word destroyed him because she was his everything and he, too, has learned to harden his heart.
As always this author gives us a charismatic, beautiful, soulful man who is loyal and patient to a fault. I have yet to read a book with a douche by Jill Shalvis. I'm not holding my breath. I loved Garrett, so so much, how accepting he was, how he kept telling himself to not fall for his ex-girlfriend.He was so conflicted about his still strong feelings for Brooke and his abandonment issues and fear of having his heart broken again. And yet, despite all his denying that he would, he fell again.
Once upon a time he’d loved her so much it’d been painful. And now . . . now he had nothing in his heart for her. Or so he’d been telling himself. But the truth was, he’d merely bricked and mortared around the poor beleaguered organ. If she blasted her way through those walls he’d built in self-protection, he had no idea how he’d survive Hurricane Brooke II.
Brooke had all my love too. When these two learned to trust one another and in each other again, the spirited, vivacious, sweet young woman Brooke used to be, appeared under the rubble of the tragedy. And she was wonderful with all her quirks and OCD.
“Look at yourself now,” he said firmly . “Not only are you still here, you’re stronger than you’ve ever been. You’re not just conquering your demons, Bee, you’re stomping all over them.”
They had undeniable chemistry that burned up the pages and, fair warning, your ovaries may be in danger of exploding. I just wanted to smoosh their faces together and tell them to get over it already!
I'll put a trigger warning here, because I know some women may find this story hard to read
There is a third POV from which we learn about Mindy's marital issues. I wasn't a huge fan of her with her know-it-all attitude and her nagging for a long while but she grew on me. She lashed out at her sister but I had to give her some leeway because she didn't know the full extent of the reason why Brooke had walled herself off. I adored Mindy's husband, Lincoln, who wanted nothing more to lighten his wife's burden and give her everything she wanted. Their children were another highlight in this book. I loved them all but Maddox, the youngest little man, who barked instead of talked...man, I wanted to adopt him right away. He was the best, the funniest and sweetest kid I've read about. So freaking cute.
We all know these books, the ones we don't want to end yet we need to know that things will be alright. THE LEMON SISTERS is one of those. I could have read about Brooke and Garrett's HEA forever - although I was done I just wanted more.
I love the small town feel of this series and that it feels more like romance than women's fiction. Jill Shalvis is a fixture on my reading list - her warm, sweet, beautiful stories light up my day. This story has everything we love as readers: a surprising dose of angst, hilarious banter, nuggets of wisdom, relatable, lovable characters and because it's Jill Shalvis, lots of animals. This book can be read as a standalone but trust me when I say you will want to read the previous stories too. I'm leaving Wildstone with a book hangover and I'll be waiting patiently until I have the next in this series in my hands.
June 20, 2019
5 “Forever and Ever” Stars
My first read by Jill Shalvis and boy it didn’t disappoint. It was a wonderful romance. It felt real and everyday. I could easily relate to all the characters. From the first page to the last, I smiled, laughed, empathized, rooted, and loved.
The Lemon Sisters, Brooke and Mindy, were tuck as thieves when they were young, but as adults, they drifted apart but by Brooke’s doing. But when Mindy needed Brooke, Brooke stepped in and decided besides helping her sister it was also time to address her past and make amends with everyone, including the love of her life, Garrett Montgomery, whom she left seven years ago and broke both their hearts.
Brooke steps into Mindy’s life for a few days while Brooke gets her head back on. Brooke’s niece and nephews(Millie, Mason and Maddox) are adorable but also a handful. But Brooke falls in love with them and she is definitely going to help Mindy and her husband, Linc with their marriage. But to Brooke’s surprise, Garrett happens to be their next door neighbor, who is also Linc’s best friend and also remodeling their house. I guess Brooke will have to deal with her past sooner rather than later.
The banter between Brooke and Garrett is full of sexual tension and emotional feelings. They are each broken but their bond is a forever type of bond if they can only get past their feelings of love lost and thrown away. Reconnecting is both painful and glorious for Brooke and Garrett but because of their past, sorting feelings and giving forgiveness is hard and complicated. But this author does a slow burn with these two characters that felt very true and satisfying. Besides Brooke and Garrett, Mindy and Linc’s relationship is also front and center and the troubles that affect them are what a lot of couple go through in marriage, busy careers and kids. And their kids, don’t get me started about how much pizazz they added to this story.
The Lemon Sisters are in crisis but they are also still in their own crisis with each other. The dynamics of this story never gets tangled. While there are a few different plots going on in the story, they are all nicely intertwined and it never gets messy or sloppy. There is humor infused in the story as well as moments that are heartfelt and emotional. While everyone does get a HEA, it doesn’t just happen automatically. Hard work, compromise, communication, forgiveness, hope and love must all work together.
This story was sooooo easy to read, the drama was everyday life and the emotions were very heartfelt. This story was also sexy without intimate detail. I loved how the author brought this family together and showed “that family is family no matter what happens”. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing, the storytelling and definitely want to read more from this author. I highly recommend for all romance lovers.
*advanced copy provided by Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review*
My first read by Jill Shalvis and boy it didn’t disappoint. It was a wonderful romance. It felt real and everyday. I could easily relate to all the characters. From the first page to the last, I smiled, laughed, empathized, rooted, and loved.
The Lemon Sisters, Brooke and Mindy, were tuck as thieves when they were young, but as adults, they drifted apart but by Brooke’s doing. But when Mindy needed Brooke, Brooke stepped in and decided besides helping her sister it was also time to address her past and make amends with everyone, including the love of her life, Garrett Montgomery, whom she left seven years ago and broke both their hearts.
Brooke steps into Mindy’s life for a few days while Brooke gets her head back on. Brooke’s niece and nephews(Millie, Mason and Maddox) are adorable but also a handful. But Brooke falls in love with them and she is definitely going to help Mindy and her husband, Linc with their marriage. But to Brooke’s surprise, Garrett happens to be their next door neighbor, who is also Linc’s best friend and also remodeling their house. I guess Brooke will have to deal with her past sooner rather than later.
The banter between Brooke and Garrett is full of sexual tension and emotional feelings. They are each broken but their bond is a forever type of bond if they can only get past their feelings of love lost and thrown away. Reconnecting is both painful and glorious for Brooke and Garrett but because of their past, sorting feelings and giving forgiveness is hard and complicated. But this author does a slow burn with these two characters that felt very true and satisfying. Besides Brooke and Garrett, Mindy and Linc’s relationship is also front and center and the troubles that affect them are what a lot of couple go through in marriage, busy careers and kids. And their kids, don’t get me started about how much pizazz they added to this story.
The Lemon Sisters are in crisis but they are also still in their own crisis with each other. The dynamics of this story never gets tangled. While there are a few different plots going on in the story, they are all nicely intertwined and it never gets messy or sloppy. There is humor infused in the story as well as moments that are heartfelt and emotional. While everyone does get a HEA, it doesn’t just happen automatically. Hard work, compromise, communication, forgiveness, hope and love must all work together.
This story was sooooo easy to read, the drama was everyday life and the emotions were very heartfelt. This story was also sexy without intimate detail. I loved how the author brought this family together and showed “that family is family no matter what happens”. I thoroughly enjoyed the writing, the storytelling and definitely want to read more from this author. I highly recommend for all romance lovers.
*advanced copy provided by Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review*
July 22, 2019
I am surrounded my mountains.
Every turn I take, I see mountains, lush green trees and flowers of every colour.
There's no beach on sight but that doesn't mean that The Lemon Sisters by Jill shalvis isn't the perfect summer read.
It's easy, fun and has the right amount of romance to keep your romantic heart content.
*ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review
Every turn I take, I see mountains, lush green trees and flowers of every colour.
There's no beach on sight but that doesn't mean that The Lemon Sisters by Jill shalvis isn't the perfect summer read.
It's easy, fun and has the right amount of romance to keep your romantic heart content.
*ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review
June 18, 2019
Title: The Lemon Sisters
Series: Wildstone #3
Author: Jill Shalvis
Release date: June 18, 2019
Cliffhanger: No
Genre: women's fiction
Jill Shalvis is one of my auto-buy authors. Whether she's writing women's fiction or contemporary romance, her stories always resonate in some way with me. They're effortless, sexy, and a guaranteed comfort read. Of course I liked some better than others, but I haven't come across one that I didn't enjoy. The Wildstone women's fiction series has a strong influence of romance which isn't always the case in the genre. I like the fact that I can rely on the same things we get in her romances, while exploring the family dynamic and conflict with a little more depth.
The Lemon Sisters is about two sisters, Brooke and Mindy who are estranged and facing a personal crisis. These two women couldn't be more different from one another if they tried. Brooke was always the free-spirited, adventure loving sister. The one who wasn't satisfied with small town life, and left to experience the world through the lens of her camera. She was high on life, adrenaline, and freedom to do what she pleased. Mindy settled down in their hometown, married and started a family, and ran her parents' business in town. She's a people pleaser, organizing everyone and everything around her in the attempt to be perfect. Now she's having a mental health crisis, stressed beyond belief and has nowhere to turn. So she seeks out the sister she hasn't been in contact with for seven years in a desperate plea for help.
She’d spent most of her life trying to be perfect, which had finally sucked the soul out of her and left her feeling like she was free-falling into an abyss.
From the outside, Brooke seems to have it all: a successful career at a travel reality show, a nice home, and fantastic friends. On the inside she struggles with OCD, anxiety, and crippling guilt over a tragic event in her past. She's completely isolated herself from her family, and won't let the few people in her life know what she struggles with. Everything is internalized, and always has been. Which doesn't do much to solve anything, but she realizes that something finally has to give. She misses her old life, before. Before the accident that led her down the lonely path she's on, and stole her passion for life. Both sisters are burned out, and at their wits end. They know they have to start making some serious changes. So Brooke takes a brave step to mending their broken relationship and heads back to Wildstone.
It wasn’t adventure that kept her away from Wildstone. Shame, maybe. Okay, definitely. And regrets. Lots of regrets. She’d been haunted by them for seven years, throughout which she’d stayed away from her childhood town, only four hours north of here.
Brooke has two goals in going back home. To reconcile her relationship with her sister and to make peace with the man she ran from without getting closure. Garrett grew up with her and the three of them were close friends, and eventually he became something more. Even back then, she kept her distance emotionally, but deep inside she knows they could have had something permanent if she had reached for it. She has a lot of mistakes to make up for, and she doesn't feel as if she deserves forgiveness necessarily but she knows she can't continue the way things have been. Brooke quickly realizes that stepping into Mindy's life isn't going to be quite as easy as she had planned. The kids, the schedule, and a broody Garrett right next door have her nerves frayed in no time.
I enjoyed Brooke's perspective the most. I was interested to find out what exactly happened after the helicopter crash, and why she felt the need to cut and run from everyone. It was really heartbreaking when she finally opened up to Garrett and shared with him how she had been struggling for so many years. At the same time, I felt worse for him because she had left him in the dark for so long and the woman he once loved was stirring up all kinds of emotions that he was scared to feel again. He didn't trust that she would have the courage to stay and leave herself vulnerable. Beyond their relationship issues, she's also working through her own fears an inability to do the things she once loved. Later on, a conflict crops up with Garrett and his own family and he must do his own soul searching to decide if he's willing to forgive and fight for what he wants.
Mindy I couldn't really connect with as much. I thought she was really judgemental and controlling which kind of got on my nerves a bit. Yes, she was overwhelmed in her family life and trying to keep her head above water. But she was quick to overreact and slow to listen to others. She also seemed pretty ungrateful about what Brooke was doing for her. I get that she was holding onto some resentment, but her jealousy and animosity made her a little more difficult to sympathize with.
Overall, I thought this was solidly entertaining, holding my interest from beginning to end. Shalvis included lots of humor through her usual menagerie of pets as well as some very high energy children. While I didn't feel as emotionally invested in Brooke and Garrett's second chance romance as I should have been, I was still rooting for them to finally break through the pride and hurt that had been keeping them apart for so long.
If you're thinking of starting the series, don't hesitate. I may not have loved this one as much as her others but there is always something substantial to take away from her stories. It's important to note: you do not have to read this series in order. They are very loosely tied together with no overlap in plotlines.
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June 19, 2019
The Lemon Sisters is the third stand alone book in Jill Shalvis’ Wildstone “series” and yes I use the term series lightly because while they all take place in Wildstone for the most part we don’t “see” the characters from the previous books. I’ve enjoyed this women’s fiction with romantic elements series, the second book in particular was fantastic, however this book is my least favorite of the series. The Lemon Sisters is about two sisters who are a bit estranged finding not only their way back in to each other’s lives but for one a way to reclaim her marriage and the other to make amends for her past. In Ms. Shalvis’ signature style this book contained humor, emotion, romantic elements, and some family drama, it unfortunately also contained references to overused internet memes which has become a “thing” for this author and in my opinion not a good thing.
Brooke has been living her live in Los Angeles while producing an extreme travel show and basically hiding from her family and her past. Granted there’s a reason for it and while she is basically hiding from her painful past when her “perfect” sister Mindy shows up on her doorstep with her three children needing a marital and mommy break leaving Brooke to pick up the pieces while spending a lot of time with her niece and two nephews something she’s been avoiding. I’ll come right out and say that the three kids in this book kind of stole every scene they were in, there was no doubt they were kids and they did some crazy and outrageous things, but they were simply being kids which I loved seeing.
While Mindy takes a life time out in Brooke’s L.A. apartment, Brooke returns to her hometown of Wildstone with the kids in tow to confront the man from her past, her sister’s clueless husband, and get to know her niece and nephews. I quite loved Brooke’s interactions with the kids and how she just kind of rolled with everything that happened while she was in charge and how she refused to answer Mindy’s constant texts, emails, and phone calls or follow the “schedule” that Mindy had in place for their family. Brooke was a bit of a mess from an accident 7 years prior and one of the things she wanted to do was be able to talk with Garrett the man she left behind, she just didn’t realize that he now lived next door to her sister and was constantly around since he was remodeling their home. While I appreciated that the attraction between them was still there and neither one was set to act on it, the push/pull between them after awhile got on my nerves. I get they had things to work through, but about three-fourths the way through the book I was convinced they really didn’t need to be together again because they kept taking one step forward then two back. As a reader it frustrated me and I felt so much of the angst wasn’t necessary. Mindy and Linc’s marriage is falling apart mainly because Mindy is overworked and Linc is clueless which also turned me off. I hate when men are written as completely clueless about what their wife does and seemingly has no clue how to take care of his children especially when the oldest one is 8. It’s as bad as people asking a dad if they are babysitting their children, the answer is no, he’s parenting them. Both couples had major communication problems and while I can excuse Brooke and Garrett’s to some degree, the fact that Mindy never saw fit to sit her husband down and tell him she needed help from him or the fact he was so out of touch with his family made me again question if they should be together. I was disappointed that I felt that way about both of these couples throughout most of this book.
While there were moments in this book I thoroughly enjoyed and I was happy with the outcome once I waded through all the drama to get there, The Lemon Sisters was a bit of a disappointment for me and in my opinion, not one of this author’s best efforts.
August 14, 2019
As with a lot (too many!) of Jill Shalvis's books, there was a glaring lack of plot and story holding this one together, leaving us to slog through the same circular conversations and absurdly repetitive inner monologues again and again and---well, you get the point :) Her plotting and pacing seem to be getting even worse, particularly when she attempts 'women's fiction' instead of romance. There are no surprising reveals, no interesting questions to be resolved in creative ways (you can predict literally the entire book about 10ish pages in), just a sluggishly paced, painfully predictable journey to nowhere with these two vaguely unlikable sisters, their dull male significant others and a few cutesy kids thrown in for good measure. (As a few others have asked, why are romances and women's fiction now all around 400ish pages, which is nearly always at least 150 pages longer than they should be?!)
I've read a ton of books by this author and can tolerate the lack of plot/story and her penchant for repeating herself ad nauseam from one book to the next and even within each individual novel. I can even deal with some of her sloppy grammar and punctuation errors as long as these books distract me from real life and leave me smiling. In her best books, these shortcomings are eclipsed by her ability to write with joy, charm, warmth and humor. Only this book didn't have much of that primarily because I found the characters ranged from "he's so one-dimensional and boring" to ugh, this person is profoundly annoying, and not in a way I find interesting, relatable or amusing."
Garrett, Brook's love interest, represents Shalvis's male characters at their worst and most tediously predictable: the flat, one-dimensional guy who we're told a million times is "alpha" and "sexy" despite seeing almost nothing of what makes him appealing. I'm starting to think this author's definition of 'alpha' is "no personality", because almost none of her male characters have any, especially in her more recent work. There's literally almost no attempt to define many of her male characters beyond 'desirable to a lot of women, 'tough' in unspecified ways, not so good at talking or commitments but, surprise surprise, a big fan of sex.'
At least her female characters usually have a few quirks and interests, but in this case, Brook and Mindy are neither interesting nor likable.
I think I agree with the reviewer who said that Shalvis is better suited for romance than 'women's fiction', as writing the latter seems to leave her with even less structure, pacing and plot than usual (and that's saying something!) If she's going for an in-depth character study and more 'substance', the writing just isn't intelligent, insightful and engaging enough to pull it off.
Two stars instead of one for a few good lines of dialogue and an enjoyable beginning that got me excited for a better novel than the one we actually got. (I keep getting sucked in after reading samples of books that start off strong and then quickly slide downhill. Please tell me that happens to other book addicts as well!) I just reread and loved some of the Animal Magnetism series. I'd recommend a few of those and some of the Lucky Harbor installments as far better examples of books that play to this particular author's strengths---she can write cozy, charming tales anchored by very likable female characters and sweetly sexy love stories. Sadly, this book seemed to highlight and magnify all of this author's weaknesses instead.
I'm glad so many of my friends liked this one, but if you didn't, you're not alone :)
I've read a ton of books by this author and can tolerate the lack of plot/story and her penchant for repeating herself ad nauseam from one book to the next and even within each individual novel. I can even deal with some of her sloppy grammar and punctuation errors as long as these books distract me from real life and leave me smiling. In her best books, these shortcomings are eclipsed by her ability to write with joy, charm, warmth and humor. Only this book didn't have much of that primarily because I found the characters ranged from "he's so one-dimensional and boring" to ugh, this person is profoundly annoying, and not in a way I find interesting, relatable or amusing."
Garrett, Brook's love interest, represents Shalvis's male characters at their worst and most tediously predictable: the flat, one-dimensional guy who we're told a million times is "alpha" and "sexy" despite seeing almost nothing of what makes him appealing. I'm starting to think this author's definition of 'alpha' is "no personality", because almost none of her male characters have any, especially in her more recent work. There's literally almost no attempt to define many of her male characters beyond 'desirable to a lot of women, 'tough' in unspecified ways, not so good at talking or commitments but, surprise surprise, a big fan of sex.'
At least her female characters usually have a few quirks and interests, but in this case, Brook and Mindy are neither interesting nor likable.
I think I agree with the reviewer who said that Shalvis is better suited for romance than 'women's fiction', as writing the latter seems to leave her with even less structure, pacing and plot than usual (and that's saying something!) If she's going for an in-depth character study and more 'substance', the writing just isn't intelligent, insightful and engaging enough to pull it off.
Two stars instead of one for a few good lines of dialogue and an enjoyable beginning that got me excited for a better novel than the one we actually got. (I keep getting sucked in after reading samples of books that start off strong and then quickly slide downhill. Please tell me that happens to other book addicts as well!) I just reread and loved some of the Animal Magnetism series. I'd recommend a few of those and some of the Lucky Harbor installments as far better examples of books that play to this particular author's strengths---she can write cozy, charming tales anchored by very likable female characters and sweetly sexy love stories. Sadly, this book seemed to highlight and magnify all of this author's weaknesses instead.
I'm glad so many of my friends liked this one, but if you didn't, you're not alone :)
June 18, 2020
I was preparing myself to read the latest book in the Wildstone series, when I realized I missed out on reading The Lemon Sisters. Although the books need not be read in order, I felt compelled to read this before reading The Summer Deal.
The Lemon Sisters turned out to be an enlightening tale about secrets, family, PTSD and OCD. In this installment we meet Brooke and Mindy. Brooke appeared to have her life well put together, which made her the perfect choice for her sister Mindy to dump her family and emotional problems on her when she faced a meltdown. However, as the story progressed, I discovered Brooke was a great at pretending and running away from her problems.
I admired Brooke’s willingness to look after her niece and nephews while her sister tried to gain some much-needed rest and perspective. Her bravery shined throughout the story. I loved how she faced her fears head on and enjoyed watching her grow as the story developed.
Garett turned out to be another of my heroes created by Shalvis. Not perfect by far, but definitely the right person for Brooke. He had his own share of issues to work through. Like most men, he kept his feelings deeply buried. One thing I admired about him was his willingness to help youths who have experienced the same things he did as a child.
My feelings regarding Mindy were mixed. I understood why she felt overwhelmed by everything that came with being a wife and mother. I appreciated her need to get some much needed break, and I was happy to know she had someone she could rely on. However, her need to micromanage despite wanting a break grated on my nerves. I didn’t like how she treated Brooke most of the time. Granted she didn’t know the truth, but at least she could have tempered her words knowing the sacrifices her sister made for her.
Mindy’s children provided some light and heart-warming moments in a story filled with secrets and heartbreak. I looked forward to every scene involving these adorable kids.
This story provided a perfect example of the purpose of effective communication. Most of the issues highlighted could have been resolved, if the characters had only communicated. They could have avoided all the pain and heartache. It also showed the dangers of misconceptions. Mindy was of the belief that Brooke had the perfect life, but she would eventually learn this was far from the truth.
Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, I found The Lemon Sisters to be a heart-warming story about family, friendship, love and second chances. Another great addition to the Wildstone series. Now I am off to read The Summer Deal.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
The Lemon Sisters turned out to be an enlightening tale about secrets, family, PTSD and OCD. In this installment we meet Brooke and Mindy. Brooke appeared to have her life well put together, which made her the perfect choice for her sister Mindy to dump her family and emotional problems on her when she faced a meltdown. However, as the story progressed, I discovered Brooke was a great at pretending and running away from her problems.
I admired Brooke’s willingness to look after her niece and nephews while her sister tried to gain some much-needed rest and perspective. Her bravery shined throughout the story. I loved how she faced her fears head on and enjoyed watching her grow as the story developed.
Garett turned out to be another of my heroes created by Shalvis. Not perfect by far, but definitely the right person for Brooke. He had his own share of issues to work through. Like most men, he kept his feelings deeply buried. One thing I admired about him was his willingness to help youths who have experienced the same things he did as a child.
My feelings regarding Mindy were mixed. I understood why she felt overwhelmed by everything that came with being a wife and mother. I appreciated her need to get some much needed break, and I was happy to know she had someone she could rely on. However, her need to micromanage despite wanting a break grated on my nerves. I didn’t like how she treated Brooke most of the time. Granted she didn’t know the truth, but at least she could have tempered her words knowing the sacrifices her sister made for her.
Mindy’s children provided some light and heart-warming moments in a story filled with secrets and heartbreak. I looked forward to every scene involving these adorable kids.
This story provided a perfect example of the purpose of effective communication. Most of the issues highlighted could have been resolved, if the characters had only communicated. They could have avoided all the pain and heartache. It also showed the dangers of misconceptions. Mindy was of the belief that Brooke had the perfect life, but she would eventually learn this was far from the truth.
Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, I found The Lemon Sisters to be a heart-warming story about family, friendship, love and second chances. Another great addition to the Wildstone series. Now I am off to read The Summer Deal.This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading
September 27, 2021
4.5/5
The Lemon Sisters by Jill Shalvis is only book 3 in her Wildstone series, but definitely one of my favorites out of all of them. The relationship between Brooke and Mindy Lemon is very strained and both sisters are dealing with issues of their own, but at the same time also trying to reconcile with each other. Add in 2 steamy male leads, kids, body image issues, and PTSD, and this becomes a humdinger of a story. There is a romance aspect for both of the sisters and at times Shalvis does bring the steam but never is it in a way that I can't handle. This was the perfect mix of romance, humor, and seriousness and I loved how even though it made me cry, at times it would make me laugh my head off as well. It is so hard to find the best words to describe how impactful the story in this book is, and there are a lot of things that women will easily be able to relate to.
Shalvis is a super consistent writer and I always know exactly what I am going to get when I read her books. There will be tears and laughter, and a romance with a hot man. That is basically all you need to know, that and themes always run deep in her books as well. She always has great quotes at the beginning of her chapters, and the majority of them in The Lemon Sisters were quite funny. They relate to the chapter you are going into and are something I will never get tired of. I loved both of the sisters and I loved Garrett and Mindy's husband Linc although it was easy to want to knock Linc over the head at times. We get the traditional 3 viewpoints in this book and they are of course Brooke, Mindy, and Garrett and I loved every single story and plotline. The end completely blew me away which is unusual for her books, and I think that is what helped make this one of my favorites. The Lemon Sisters is going to leave you in tears, so get those tissues handy and jump right in!
The Lemon Sisters by Jill Shalvis is only book 3 in her Wildstone series, but definitely one of my favorites out of all of them. The relationship between Brooke and Mindy Lemon is very strained and both sisters are dealing with issues of their own, but at the same time also trying to reconcile with each other. Add in 2 steamy male leads, kids, body image issues, and PTSD, and this becomes a humdinger of a story. There is a romance aspect for both of the sisters and at times Shalvis does bring the steam but never is it in a way that I can't handle. This was the perfect mix of romance, humor, and seriousness and I loved how even though it made me cry, at times it would make me laugh my head off as well. It is so hard to find the best words to describe how impactful the story in this book is, and there are a lot of things that women will easily be able to relate to.
Shalvis is a super consistent writer and I always know exactly what I am going to get when I read her books. There will be tears and laughter, and a romance with a hot man. That is basically all you need to know, that and themes always run deep in her books as well. She always has great quotes at the beginning of her chapters, and the majority of them in The Lemon Sisters were quite funny. They relate to the chapter you are going into and are something I will never get tired of. I loved both of the sisters and I loved Garrett and Mindy's husband Linc although it was easy to want to knock Linc over the head at times. We get the traditional 3 viewpoints in this book and they are of course Brooke, Mindy, and Garrett and I loved every single story and plotline. The end completely blew me away which is unusual for her books, and I think that is what helped make this one of my favorites. The Lemon Sisters is going to leave you in tears, so get those tissues handy and jump right in!
April 13, 2022
This was a fun read, you will fall in love with the Lemon sisters as you watch them take charge of their lives and repair what is broken.
Brooke left her hometown, Wildstone after a traumatic helicopter crash that almost took her life. She thought by putting a distance between her family and friends she’d be able to deal with the aftermath. Seven years later, her steady and reliable sister, Mindy, came knocking at her door with her three kids, completely dishevelled. Brooke offered to help by trading spaces with her for a couple of days for her to cool off and clear her head. What she didn’t expect was falling in love with her sister’s kids as if they were hers and a chance to reconnect with lost love. The problem is, she’s still carrying some baggage from the crash and finding it difficult to move forward and repair broken relationships.
I can’t believe I put off reading this book until now. I had a great time with this one.
Brooke left her hometown, Wildstone after a traumatic helicopter crash that almost took her life. She thought by putting a distance between her family and friends she’d be able to deal with the aftermath. Seven years later, her steady and reliable sister, Mindy, came knocking at her door with her three kids, completely dishevelled. Brooke offered to help by trading spaces with her for a couple of days for her to cool off and clear her head. What she didn’t expect was falling in love with her sister’s kids as if they were hers and a chance to reconnect with lost love. The problem is, she’s still carrying some baggage from the crash and finding it difficult to move forward and repair broken relationships.
I can’t believe I put off reading this book until now. I had a great time with this one.
June 20, 2019
Jill Shalvis mixes motherhood, PTSD, secrets and a household of children into this tale. Photographer Brooke Lemon hasn’t been back to Wildstone since her accident. She is keeping a secret from her family and doesn’t want to face the boy now man she left behind. But when her sister, Mindy shows up at her door with her three kids in tow she just might have to face her fears.
Mindy is having a mid-mom/marriage crisis and Brooke steps up to give her sister a well deserved break. Mindy’s husband is out of town at a Physician’s convention, so Brooke heads back to Wildstone to face her past and care for her niece and nephews. While Mindy tries to find Mindy again.
Wilful cats, turtles, toilet training and the sexy man from her past await her. The tale that unfolds was delightful, heartwarming and humorous. Character growth, renewed relationships, communication and more curled my toes and had me swiping my eyes.
Garrett Montgomery, lives next door on the homestead he inherited from his Aunt. The Lemon sisters and Garrett all grew up together. The chemistry, banter and memories between Garrett and Brooke will give readers all the feels. Brooke’s secret is a painful and the author allowed us to understand her actions but I was equally glad to see her come clean.
I felt for Mindy; I had three children close together while my husband advanced his career and worked on his Master’s degree. I loved Mindy’s husband Linc. The man stepped up but I also appreciated the character growth in Mindy and how Shalvis handled everything. The kids were an absolute hoot and added to both romance threads.
Secondary threads involving careers, businesses and family added depth and grounded the characters. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Mindy is having a mid-mom/marriage crisis and Brooke steps up to give her sister a well deserved break. Mindy’s husband is out of town at a Physician’s convention, so Brooke heads back to Wildstone to face her past and care for her niece and nephews. While Mindy tries to find Mindy again.
Wilful cats, turtles, toilet training and the sexy man from her past await her. The tale that unfolds was delightful, heartwarming and humorous. Character growth, renewed relationships, communication and more curled my toes and had me swiping my eyes.
Garrett Montgomery, lives next door on the homestead he inherited from his Aunt. The Lemon sisters and Garrett all grew up together. The chemistry, banter and memories between Garrett and Brooke will give readers all the feels. Brooke’s secret is a painful and the author allowed us to understand her actions but I was equally glad to see her come clean.
I felt for Mindy; I had three children close together while my husband advanced his career and worked on his Master’s degree. I loved Mindy’s husband Linc. The man stepped up but I also appreciated the character growth in Mindy and how Shalvis handled everything. The kids were an absolute hoot and added to both romance threads.
Secondary threads involving careers, businesses and family added depth and grounded the characters. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
June 5, 2020
I liked this more than the previous book.
Great take on estranged sisters and their misconceptions about them and their life.
It shows how easy it is to grow distant but also to be there for your family when they need you.
3,5 stars
Great take on estranged sisters and their misconceptions about them and their life.
It shows how easy it is to grow distant but also to be there for your family when they need you.
3,5 stars
February 12, 2020
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: I really enjoyed this at first. I gobbled the first part up and kept on reading like crazy! I liked the h and her spunk and I was really digging the overall premise. Then it turned into something else. It focused on Mindy (who I felt was too self absorbed to like) a lot, it introduced Garrett (whom I still feel like I never connected his character because there wasn't much to him) and then Brooke kind of lost my respect with her lack of communication and almost martyr-like attitude. Beginning part?! 4 stars, at least! Last 2/3-ish?! Not my cuppa. So, I'm going to go with a middle of the road 3 Stars for my rating.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Brooke and Garrett's story. Brooke's sister, Mindy, crashes into her life after Brooke has been estranged for ~7 years. Mindy is having a breakdown and needs to have a much needed break from her life and they switch places for a while. Brooke ends up going back to her childhood home not only to help Mindy with her kids but to face her past demons including her part in hurting Garrett. There are some funny family scenes, some big secrets revealed, some sad moments...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing mainly on Brooke (with some other parts focusing on Garrett and Brooke's sister Mindy) in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. The beginning? Great. The middle and end? It started to fizzle then drag for me. I never skimmed even though I was really tempted.
Instalove: No, but they're probably holding past feelings of love when this starts.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Garrett. I don't feel like I really got to know him. I was definitely told how great a guy he was but it seemed very surface level.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Brooke. I really liked her at first but then her pushing the H away and her not communicating with those she loved bugged me.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Mild. They have a little tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but they aren't steamy and not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Not really, more like fade-to-black.
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had their conflict being resolved and then we were thrown into an epilogue. I hate that! I want some time experiencing them working things out! I felt like I had a lot of unanswered questions in the end, but I would still (hesitantly) call this a HEA
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: I really enjoyed this at first. I gobbled the first part up and kept on reading like crazy! I liked the h and her spunk and I was really digging the overall premise. Then it turned into something else. It focused on Mindy (who I felt was too self absorbed to like) a lot, it introduced Garrett (whom I still feel like I never connected his character because there wasn't much to him) and then Brooke kind of lost my respect with her lack of communication and almost martyr-like attitude. Beginning part?! 4 stars, at least! Last 2/3-ish?! Not my cuppa. So, I'm going to go with a middle of the road 3 Stars for my rating.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Brooke and Garrett's story. Brooke's sister, Mindy, crashes into her life after Brooke has been estranged for ~7 years. Mindy is having a breakdown and needs to have a much needed break from her life and they switch places for a while. Brooke ends up going back to her childhood home not only to help Mindy with her kids but to face her past demons including her part in hurting Garrett. There are some funny family scenes, some big secrets revealed, some sad moments...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing mainly on Brooke (with some other parts focusing on Garrett and Brooke's sister Mindy) in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. The beginning? Great. The middle and end? It started to fizzle then drag for me. I never skimmed even though I was really tempted.
Instalove: No, but they're probably holding past feelings of love when this starts.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Garrett. I don't feel like I really got to know him. I was definitely told how great a guy he was but it seemed very surface level.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Brooke. I really liked her at first but then her pushing the H away and her not communicating with those she loved bugged me.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Mild. They have a little tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but they aren't steamy and not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Not really, more like fade-to-black.
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had their conflict being resolved and then we were thrown into an epilogue. I hate that! I want some time experiencing them working things out! I felt like I had a lot of unanswered questions in the end, but I would still (hesitantly) call this a HEA
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
July 3, 2019
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I liked this book but not quite as much as some of Shalvis's other novels. This book would somewhere between 3 and 4 stars for me and I really struggled with how I would rate it. There were some things about this book that I absolutely loved while other things drove me a little crazy. It was a really enjoyable story and I am glad that I was able to pick it up.
This is the third book in the Wildstone series but it really reads like a stand-alone. This series is only loosely connected, so the books can really be read in any order or individually without any issues. This is probably my least favorite installment in the series but it still proved to be a solid read.
Brooke and Mindy Lemon were close when they were younger but have grown apart over the years. Despite this fact, Mindy shows up on Brooke's doorstep with her three kids when she is in desperate need of a break. Brooke takes the kids home and gives Mindy that break she needs and hopes to make things right with the man from her past, Garrett, at the same time.
I really liked Brooke. I thought her story was compelling and I loved the fact that she didn't hesitate to do what needed to be done for her niece and nephew. She proved to be incredibly brave and I liked getting the chance to see her work through some of her issues. Garrett was nearly perfect. He seemed to be exactly what Brooke and Mindy's family needed and was just an all around good guy. He had some issues that he was dealing with as well and I really think that the way he approached them said a lot about his character. These two were great together and I loved the chemistry between them.
I wasn't as much of a fan of Mindy. Honestly, I wasn't a fan at all. I am a mother so I understand how it feels to be desperate for a break but how many mothers really have that option. My sister loves me but there is no way she would have taken my kids home for a week while I stayed in her bed drinking wine and going out on the town. It seemed that nothing was good enough for Mindy. She wanted a break from her family but she also wanted to micro-manage everything that was going on in their life. Her issues with her husband could have been dealt with through a bit of communication. It just really seemed like Mindy wanted everyone in her life to cater to her while reading her mind.
I would still recommend this book to others. I would have liked this book a lot more if it was just Brooke's story but I did find it to be an entertaining way to pass some time. I cannot wait to read more from this amazing author!
I received a digital review copy of this book from William Morrow Paperbacks via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts
3.5 but rounding up for now. This was not my favorite Jill Shalvis book. Not by a lot. I really liked Brooke and Garrett's story and was excited to see how everything worked out for them. Mindy drove me crazy though. I couldn't relate to her at all. How many mothers actually have the opportunity to run away when their families are driving them nuts? Why wouldn't she talk to her husband about the issues she is having? It just seemed like nothing would ever make her happy and she wanted everyone in her life to be completely focused on pleasing her. I would have liked this one a lot more if it focused more on Brooke and less on Mindy.
I liked this book but not quite as much as some of Shalvis's other novels. This book would somewhere between 3 and 4 stars for me and I really struggled with how I would rate it. There were some things about this book that I absolutely loved while other things drove me a little crazy. It was a really enjoyable story and I am glad that I was able to pick it up.
This is the third book in the Wildstone series but it really reads like a stand-alone. This series is only loosely connected, so the books can really be read in any order or individually without any issues. This is probably my least favorite installment in the series but it still proved to be a solid read.
Brooke and Mindy Lemon were close when they were younger but have grown apart over the years. Despite this fact, Mindy shows up on Brooke's doorstep with her three kids when she is in desperate need of a break. Brooke takes the kids home and gives Mindy that break she needs and hopes to make things right with the man from her past, Garrett, at the same time.
I really liked Brooke. I thought her story was compelling and I loved the fact that she didn't hesitate to do what needed to be done for her niece and nephew. She proved to be incredibly brave and I liked getting the chance to see her work through some of her issues. Garrett was nearly perfect. He seemed to be exactly what Brooke and Mindy's family needed and was just an all around good guy. He had some issues that he was dealing with as well and I really think that the way he approached them said a lot about his character. These two were great together and I loved the chemistry between them.
I wasn't as much of a fan of Mindy. Honestly, I wasn't a fan at all. I am a mother so I understand how it feels to be desperate for a break but how many mothers really have that option. My sister loves me but there is no way she would have taken my kids home for a week while I stayed in her bed drinking wine and going out on the town. It seemed that nothing was good enough for Mindy. She wanted a break from her family but she also wanted to micro-manage everything that was going on in their life. Her issues with her husband could have been dealt with through a bit of communication. It just really seemed like Mindy wanted everyone in her life to cater to her while reading her mind.
I would still recommend this book to others. I would have liked this book a lot more if it was just Brooke's story but I did find it to be an entertaining way to pass some time. I cannot wait to read more from this amazing author!
I received a digital review copy of this book from William Morrow Paperbacks via Edelweiss.
Initial Thoughts
3.5 but rounding up for now. This was not my favorite Jill Shalvis book. Not by a lot. I really liked Brooke and Garrett's story and was excited to see how everything worked out for them. Mindy drove me crazy though. I couldn't relate to her at all. How many mothers actually have the opportunity to run away when their families are driving them nuts? Why wouldn't she talk to her husband about the issues she is having? It just seemed like nothing would ever make her happy and she wanted everyone in her life to be completely focused on pleasing her. I would have liked this one a lot more if it focused more on Brooke and less on Mindy.
December 16, 2019
I loved this story! The entire series is wonderful! I highly recommend!
July 6, 2019
I've written this review for Really Into This
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
Special thanks to Lisa Filipe for our gifted review copy.
THE LEMON SISTERS BY JILL SHALVIS IS SO WONDERFUL.
This story touches on sisterly love, returning back home, one true love and happy ever after. Worry not romance lovers, there is plenty of steam. One of the great things about The Lemon Sisters is it will not scare away non-romance readers.
Jill Shalvis is quickly going to become a go-to author for me. The Lemon Sisters makes me laugh, smile & my heart swells. I’m so grateful to have an early copy, but I purchased an autographed copy at Target. I cannot wait to read more of Jill’s books. This is everything I want when I want a light read that makes me feel good.
SISTERLY LOVE
As an only child, there is something so special about stories with sisters to me. I love the relationship between Brooke & Mindy. Thankfully, the history between both the sisters slowly builds. Jill takes her time giving readers history that’s important to the story. This way we can invest in The Lemon Sisters, but we’re not overwhelmed with unnecessary old family drama.
ONE TRUE LOVE
Oh, I love both male leads. They were masculine but not overly alpha. Each male lead allows his female counterpart to just simply be. Both Linc & Garrett are there if the women need them. Yet, they don’t jump in & “rescue”. Lovingly, they are each in the wings & provide comfort & encouragement to both women as they each work through some issues. For me and romance novels, this is so important.
THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book!
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
Special thanks to Lisa Filipe for our gifted review copy.
THE LEMON SISTERS BY JILL SHALVIS IS SO WONDERFUL.
This story touches on sisterly love, returning back home, one true love and happy ever after. Worry not romance lovers, there is plenty of steam. One of the great things about The Lemon Sisters is it will not scare away non-romance readers.
Jill Shalvis is quickly going to become a go-to author for me. The Lemon Sisters makes me laugh, smile & my heart swells. I’m so grateful to have an early copy, but I purchased an autographed copy at Target. I cannot wait to read more of Jill’s books. This is everything I want when I want a light read that makes me feel good.
SISTERLY LOVE
As an only child, there is something so special about stories with sisters to me. I love the relationship between Brooke & Mindy. Thankfully, the history between both the sisters slowly builds. Jill takes her time giving readers history that’s important to the story. This way we can invest in The Lemon Sisters, but we’re not overwhelmed with unnecessary old family drama.
ONE TRUE LOVE
Oh, I love both male leads. They were masculine but not overly alpha. Each male lead allows his female counterpart to just simply be. Both Linc & Garrett are there if the women need them. Yet, they don’t jump in & “rescue”. Lovingly, they are each in the wings & provide comfort & encouragement to both women as they each work through some issues. For me and romance novels, this is so important.
THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book!
June 24, 2019
The Lemon sisters haven't seen each other in over a year and haven't spoken in months. There was no real quarreling, it's just that they're not close. But when Brooke open her door to her sister falling appart, she wonder what happened to make Mindy, the sister who always had her shit together and who always seemed to have the perfect life, break down in tears and not ready to get back to her married life in Wildstone. So while her sister stay at her condo for a few days, Brooke accept to take care of her niece and two nephews. She head back to the town she left seven years ago, realizing she was living in denial about being happy, planning on facing the past and the man she left behind, ready to make amends for the mistakes she made. Despite being abandoned by yet an other person who was supposed to care about him, Garrett Montgomery, her first crush and first everything, offer a friendly smile and shoulders to cry on, and whether she wants it or not, she's gonna have to let herself be emotionally vulnerable because the sexy contractor deserve answers.
Even if we see snippets of Mindy and her husband, this book is Brooke and Garrett's story. And if you've ever read a Jill Shalvis's before, you know it's gonna be a touching story with lots of sweet moments and a little touch of fun. It's a romance novel, but it's also a story about sisterhood, with two sisters who don't really know each other or what the other is living but who learn how to being there for each other.
Even if we see snippets of Mindy and her husband, this book is Brooke and Garrett's story. And if you've ever read a Jill Shalvis's before, you know it's gonna be a touching story with lots of sweet moments and a little touch of fun. It's a romance novel, but it's also a story about sisterhood, with two sisters who don't really know each other or what the other is living but who learn how to being there for each other.
April 28, 2020
4,5 Wildstone Stars
Another beautiful strory!!!
It's not just about a woman and a man...
It's about forgiviness, all kind of relationships, commitments and true love....
Jill, you did it again!!!!!
I love this series!!!
Another beautiful strory!!!
It's not just about a woman and a man...
It's about forgiviness, all kind of relationships, commitments and true love....
Jill, you did it again!!!!!
I love this series!!!
June 21, 2019
This was sadly a super disappointing read for me and I will actually tell you why. When the secondary plot of a control freak, over-whelmed mother of three, whose husband spends all his time at work is more appealing than the story of the other sister, then there is something wrong. Also Brooke's so-called damage and reason for pushing away all family bonds: weak. We are supposed to buy h/H were each other's big love, when they were never ever in a relationship? They would just hook-up for three years whenever the globe-trotting heroine came to town. Seven years back, an oops moment lead to a pregnancy then a bad crash where heroine lost her baby and the chance to have anymore and basically ran away. For the past seven years she has been unable to go on her adventures paralysed by fear. When her exhausted sister comes to her doorstep she finally goes home, hoping to fix her sister's situation, get over her fears and apologise to hero for running out on him. Honestly, I never cared for the h/H. The author did a poor job of showing a bond between them. I wasn't buying the love or event the lust. They could barely even talk to each other, and if you can't do that there isn't a good foundation for love. Also I have realised for god knows what reason Jill Shalvis always has to have on page h/H's ex-hook-up; I mean I get it they are modern sexual beings but why do we need to meet them? Overall, very let-down after the wait for the book. Mindy and her adorable husband's story was so much better.
August 17, 2019
Couldn’t finish this book - definitely not my cup of tea. I didn’t find any real substance in the storyline so gave up after 90 pages.
October 19, 2020
This was the last book I had left in order to be caught up in the Wildstone series and it’s my favorite of the bunch! That’s really saying something because every single one of the books in this series have been a five star read for me. This one follows sisters Brooke and Mindy after Mindy shows up on Brooke’s doorstep on the verge of a breakdown. She convinces Brooke she needs a break, they’ve been kinda estranged and Brooke wants to make peace. So they sorta switch places and Brooke finds herself back in her hometown with her niece and nephews while Mindy stays at Brooke’s place in LA. I love a trading places type premise so I was instantly drawn into this one.
Much like JS other books I’ve read this one had something for everyone. There’s a second chance romance between Brooke and Garrett, a marriage in crisis with Mindy and Linc, a beautiful setting in Wildstone, CA, adorable kids and the authors trademark humor and wit. This was also sexy and playful but dealt with serious issues as well, can y’all tell I just adored it?! I’m kinda sad I’m caught up now but super excited a new book comes out in January!
Much like JS other books I’ve read this one had something for everyone. There’s a second chance romance between Brooke and Garrett, a marriage in crisis with Mindy and Linc, a beautiful setting in Wildstone, CA, adorable kids and the authors trademark humor and wit. This was also sexy and playful but dealt with serious issues as well, can y’all tell I just adored it?! I’m kinda sad I’m caught up now but super excited a new book comes out in January!
August 20, 2019
The Lemon Sisters by @jillshalvis follows sisters Brooke and Mindy Lemon. Mindy the “always perfect”
sister arrives on Brooke’s doorstep in LA, a disheveled mess asking Brooke to take the kids and let her escape her life for a little bit. After three kids and a barely there husband Linc, Mindy’s reached her breaking point. Brooke, the younger Lemon sister, has spent the last 7 years avoiding her hometown due to a tragic event in her past and an ex-flame but reluctantly agrees to go help her sister in need. Brooke arrives to Wildstone and jumps into Super Aunt mode while Mindy tries to figure out what happiness looks like for her.
Brooke is surprised to find that that ex-flame Garrett is very much still apart of Mindy and the kids lives and that he just happens to be their neighbor and renovating the house. After spending the last 7 years running Brooke is desperate to try and apologize and move on from their past. But underneath all that pain and betrayal lies some still burning heat. They both can feel it. Can they move on from their painful past and make it work this time or will Brooke take off running to protect herself the only way she knows how?
I LOVED this one. I read it one day (today) and it had the perfect blend of everything. Heart, heat, pain, romance, family, all of it. I’ve been waiting for a book to just claw at my heart this way for awhile. The town, the family dynamics, the drama and GAH of course the love story. This is the third in the Wildstone series but it reads as a complete stand alone. I haven’t read the other ones but I definitely plan to! For fans of The Simple Wild and The Friend Zone who love second-chance small-town romances that will just take hold of your heart - YOU HAVE TO add this to your lists! It’s out TOMORROW June 18th! // ☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️
Thank you to Lisa Filipe and William Morrow Books for my review copy! All opinions are my own!
sister arrives on Brooke’s doorstep in LA, a disheveled mess asking Brooke to take the kids and let her escape her life for a little bit. After three kids and a barely there husband Linc, Mindy’s reached her breaking point. Brooke, the younger Lemon sister, has spent the last 7 years avoiding her hometown due to a tragic event in her past and an ex-flame but reluctantly agrees to go help her sister in need. Brooke arrives to Wildstone and jumps into Super Aunt mode while Mindy tries to figure out what happiness looks like for her.
Brooke is surprised to find that that ex-flame Garrett is very much still apart of Mindy and the kids lives and that he just happens to be their neighbor and renovating the house. After spending the last 7 years running Brooke is desperate to try and apologize and move on from their past. But underneath all that pain and betrayal lies some still burning heat. They both can feel it. Can they move on from their painful past and make it work this time or will Brooke take off running to protect herself the only way she knows how?
I LOVED this one. I read it one day (today) and it had the perfect blend of everything. Heart, heat, pain, romance, family, all of it. I’ve been waiting for a book to just claw at my heart this way for awhile. The town, the family dynamics, the drama and GAH of course the love story. This is the third in the Wildstone series but it reads as a complete stand alone. I haven’t read the other ones but I definitely plan to! For fans of The Simple Wild and The Friend Zone who love second-chance small-town romances that will just take hold of your heart - YOU HAVE TO add this to your lists! It’s out TOMORROW June 18th! // ☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️
Thank you to Lisa Filipe and William Morrow Books for my review copy! All opinions are my own!
Want to read
June 16, 2019(ARC provided by Harper Collins)
April 3, 2020
cw for accident / trauma / abandonment issues / infertility
Someone on a podcast reminded me of this writer and when I checked I saw that lots of her titles are available through Overdrive. So I chose this one, without reading what it is about, and listened to it pretty fast.
Nice story about two sisters who reconnect after they had no contact for years, and help each other through some sh*t.
Both romances were nice, all the people were great, very well written children, too.
I do not really understand how people could not talk to each other for so long when they clearly love each other, it just is not something I could ever do.
The plot and setting was not very realistic, but who needs reality right now. It is great when things turn out just right. It is what books are for IMO.
Good narration. Her men sound pretty similar, but sexy.
Someone on a podcast reminded me of this writer and when I checked I saw that lots of her titles are available through Overdrive. So I chose this one, without reading what it is about, and listened to it pretty fast.
Nice story about two sisters who reconnect after they had no contact for years, and help each other through some sh*t.
Both romances were nice, all the people were great, very well written children, too.
I do not really understand how people could not talk to each other for so long when they clearly love each other, it just is not something I could ever do.
The plot and setting was not very realistic, but who needs reality right now. It is great when things turn out just right. It is what books are for IMO.
Good narration. Her men sound pretty similar, but sexy.
June 14, 2019
I love Jill Shalvis’ writing and am a fan of several of her contemporary romance series. This series is women’s fiction with romantic storylines included. As expected, the writing is well done and the characters are terrific. You don’t need to have read any previous books in the series to read this one. In fact, other than the location, there is really no crossover with the previous books at all. I really enjoyed the sisters and the family dynamic and drama here, as well as all of the other side characters. It definitely feels like a good summer read.
Thank you to Social Butterfly PR for providing me with an ARC. My honest review has been voluntarily provided.
Thank you to Social Butterfly PR for providing me with an ARC. My honest review has been voluntarily provided.
June 17, 2019
Reviewed for
Wit and Sin
Love – romantic and familial – is the heart of The Lemon Sisters . Jill Shalvis returns to Wildstone with a book that shows love is messy, complicated, and rarely easy, but oh, so worth it.
Brooke Lemon was an adventurer who sprinted out of Wildstone at a breakneck pace before an accident grounded her and made her feel like she lost herself. It’s been seven years since she returned home and her relationship with her sister, Mindy, is strained. But when Mindy needs her, Brooke steps up. To give Mindy a break, Brooke takes her niece and nephews home to Wildstone, where she’ll have to face old ghosts. I adored Brooke from the start. She carries invisible wounds she’s told no one about and she’s a bit isolated from those she loves at the start of the story. But she doesn’t hesitate to give her sister a break and carry her load. Caring for three spirited children is a bit overwhelming, but it’s Mindy’s sexy neighbor who really throws Brooke off her stride. Garrett was Brooke’s first and only love, but the way their relationship ended means he wants to stay clear of her. Only the two of them can’t resist the pull and it’s not hard for a romance to rekindle when the sparks never died. Like Brooke, Garrett was easy to like. He’s a good man with a huge heart and he rolls with both Lemon sisters’ zaniness pretty easily. Brooke and Garrett are clearly meant to be, but they’re both guarded, wounded, and it’s not easy for either of them to take a risk again. I was rooting for them every step of the way and they broke my heart and put it back together more than once.
Mindy and her husband Linc are the book’s secondary romance and theirs was engaging as well. The two of them are still clearly in love, but love isn’t enough when one person is clearly drowning and the other is working too much to see it. I had a harder time connecting to Mindy, possibly because, like Brooke, I’m the younger sister and have had to handle some of the kinds of things Mindy threw at Brooke. But I could see why Mindy was so tightly-wound and desperately trying to control the chaos in her house. Linc is a good man, but he’s a bit clueless about how hard it is for Mindy to raise their energetic children, run a business, and keep their home perfectly organized while he works long hours. It was nice seeing Linc put in the effort to take his share of the load and to watch he and Mindy reconnect.
The bonds of sisterhood are as central to The Lemon Sisters as the romance. Brooke and Mindy have a strained relationship and Mindy definitely (unintentionally) hurts Brooke multiple times in a way that is realistic. I was as invested in watching them repair their relationship as I was in the romances because it’s clear the two Lemons do love one another, even if that love is sometimes messy and complicated.
The Lemon Sisters is energetic, fast-paced, and filled with all kinds of fun chaos. There are cute kids, cats with attitude, and good – if flawed – characters who will make you smile. Ms. Shalvis creates the best small towns and I cannot wait to see what happens next in Wildstone.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Love – romantic and familial – is the heart of The Lemon Sisters . Jill Shalvis returns to Wildstone with a book that shows love is messy, complicated, and rarely easy, but oh, so worth it.
Brooke Lemon was an adventurer who sprinted out of Wildstone at a breakneck pace before an accident grounded her and made her feel like she lost herself. It’s been seven years since she returned home and her relationship with her sister, Mindy, is strained. But when Mindy needs her, Brooke steps up. To give Mindy a break, Brooke takes her niece and nephews home to Wildstone, where she’ll have to face old ghosts. I adored Brooke from the start. She carries invisible wounds she’s told no one about and she’s a bit isolated from those she loves at the start of the story. But she doesn’t hesitate to give her sister a break and carry her load. Caring for three spirited children is a bit overwhelming, but it’s Mindy’s sexy neighbor who really throws Brooke off her stride. Garrett was Brooke’s first and only love, but the way their relationship ended means he wants to stay clear of her. Only the two of them can’t resist the pull and it’s not hard for a romance to rekindle when the sparks never died. Like Brooke, Garrett was easy to like. He’s a good man with a huge heart and he rolls with both Lemon sisters’ zaniness pretty easily. Brooke and Garrett are clearly meant to be, but they’re both guarded, wounded, and it’s not easy for either of them to take a risk again. I was rooting for them every step of the way and they broke my heart and put it back together more than once.
Mindy and her husband Linc are the book’s secondary romance and theirs was engaging as well. The two of them are still clearly in love, but love isn’t enough when one person is clearly drowning and the other is working too much to see it. I had a harder time connecting to Mindy, possibly because, like Brooke, I’m the younger sister and have had to handle some of the kinds of things Mindy threw at Brooke. But I could see why Mindy was so tightly-wound and desperately trying to control the chaos in her house. Linc is a good man, but he’s a bit clueless about how hard it is for Mindy to raise their energetic children, run a business, and keep their home perfectly organized while he works long hours. It was nice seeing Linc put in the effort to take his share of the load and to watch he and Mindy reconnect.
The bonds of sisterhood are as central to The Lemon Sisters as the romance. Brooke and Mindy have a strained relationship and Mindy definitely (unintentionally) hurts Brooke multiple times in a way that is realistic. I was as invested in watching them repair their relationship as I was in the romances because it’s clear the two Lemons do love one another, even if that love is sometimes messy and complicated.
The Lemon Sisters is energetic, fast-paced, and filled with all kinds of fun chaos. There are cute kids, cats with attitude, and good – if flawed – characters who will make you smile. Ms. Shalvis creates the best small towns and I cannot wait to see what happens next in Wildstone.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
July 17, 2020
*4.5 stars*
Well, no surprise here that once again Jill steals my heart with another heartwarming and sexy story!!! I read this one SO fast because I just find her writing so addicting!
I loooooove second chance romances so much and I enjoy that her stories don't take too long to get going. Garrett was swoon worthy. It was so cute how he was their neighbors and he had precious little cats!!! Jill always manages to write the most dreamy guys!!!! I really loved the main character, Brooke too. It was so sweet to see her take care of her nieces and nephews. I'm all about the Aunt Life! I struggled a little bit with liking her sister, Mindy, but she definitely grew on me.
This was such a sweet story that gave me all the happy feels like the other books I've in this Wildstone series! I wanna live there! I will say The Summer Deal and Rainy Day Friends are still my favs but this was DELIGHTFUL
I want to read all her books because they're perfect balance of heartwarming, real life issues while being a little sexy and romantic!!! I paired this book with a lemon drop which was perfect! But I'm craving lemon loaf!!
Well, no surprise here that once again Jill steals my heart with another heartwarming and sexy story!!! I read this one SO fast because I just find her writing so addicting!
I loooooove second chance romances so much and I enjoy that her stories don't take too long to get going. Garrett was swoon worthy. It was so cute how he was their neighbors and he had precious little cats!!! Jill always manages to write the most dreamy guys!!!! I really loved the main character, Brooke too. It was so sweet to see her take care of her nieces and nephews. I'm all about the Aunt Life! I struggled a little bit with liking her sister, Mindy, but she definitely grew on me.
This was such a sweet story that gave me all the happy feels like the other books I've in this Wildstone series! I wanna live there! I will say The Summer Deal and Rainy Day Friends are still my favs but this was DELIGHTFUL
I want to read all her books because they're perfect balance of heartwarming, real life issues while being a little sexy and romantic!!! I paired this book with a lemon drop which was perfect! But I'm craving lemon loaf!!
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