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Saddlers Cove #1
Handle With Care
What if all you want is the one thing you can’t have?
First grade teacher Emily Towson always does the right thing. The sensible thing. But in her dreams, she does bad, bad things with the town’s baddest Tanner O’Connor. But when he sells her grandmother a Harley, fantasy is about to meet a dose of reality.
And then he goes and calls her “sensible”...
Tanner can’t believe sweet Emily is standing in his shop. Yelling and waving her hands and looking so god damn sexy he’s having trouble focusing. He’d spent two hard years in prison, with only the thought of this “good girl” to keep him sane.
He really should send her away...
Before either one thinks though, they’re naked and making memories on his tool bench with apparently the oldest condom in history. Now Tanner’s managed to knock-up the town’s “good girl” and she’s going to lose her job over some stupid “morality clause” if he doesn’t step up.
But can this bad boy teach his good girl they’re perfect for each other in time?
First grade teacher Emily Towson always does the right thing. The sensible thing. But in her dreams, she does bad, bad things with the town’s baddest Tanner O’Connor. But when he sells her grandmother a Harley, fantasy is about to meet a dose of reality.
And then he goes and calls her “sensible”...
Tanner can’t believe sweet Emily is standing in his shop. Yelling and waving her hands and looking so god damn sexy he’s having trouble focusing. He’d spent two hard years in prison, with only the thought of this “good girl” to keep him sane.
He really should send her away...
Before either one thinks though, they’re naked and making memories on his tool bench with apparently the oldest condom in history. Now Tanner’s managed to knock-up the town’s “good girl” and she’s going to lose her job over some stupid “morality clause” if he doesn’t step up.
But can this bad boy teach his good girl they’re perfect for each other in time?
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2018
124 people are currently reading
686 people want to read
About the author
Nina Croft
88 books1,096 followersGrowing up in the cold, wet, north of England, Nina Croft spent a lot of time dreaming of faraway sunnier places and ponies. When she discovered both, along with a whole load of other things, could be found between the covers of a book, her life changed forever.
Later, she headed south, picked up the perfect husband along the way, and together they volunteered to work in Africa. There they discovered a love of exotic places and a dislike of 9-5 work. Afterward they spent a number of years travelling (whenever possible) intermingled with working (whenever necessary.) Eventually they stumbled upon a remote area in the mountains of southern Spain and the small almond farm they now call home.
Nina spends her days reading, writing and riding her mare, Gencianna, under the blue Spanish skies—sunshine and ponies. She reckons this is proof that dreams really can come true if you want them enough.
Nina's writing mixes romance with elements of the paranormal and science fiction
If you'd like to find out about new releases then sign up for my Newsletter at: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/l...
Later, she headed south, picked up the perfect husband along the way, and together they volunteered to work in Africa. There they discovered a love of exotic places and a dislike of 9-5 work. Afterward they spent a number of years travelling (whenever possible) intermingled with working (whenever necessary.) Eventually they stumbled upon a remote area in the mountains of southern Spain and the small almond farm they now call home.
Nina spends her days reading, writing and riding her mare, Gencianna, under the blue Spanish skies—sunshine and ponies. She reckons this is proof that dreams really can come true if you want them enough.
Nina's writing mixes romance with elements of the paranormal and science fiction
If you'd like to find out about new releases then sign up for my Newsletter at: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/l...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
August 1, 2018
A small-town romance with the promise of a sweet happily ever after? Count me in. The blurb really got me and I was definitely in the mood for a sweet romance. And Nina Croft more than delivered on her promise.
Tanner O'Connor was one of the towns bad boys. Time spent in prison for a crime he didn't commit only hardened his shell. But beneath it all beat a heart that loved the town of people who judged him cruelly without knowing him. He was a man who portrayed someone who could care less while he was a man who perhaps cared too much. He wasn't good enough for the town's goody-two-shoes, but he couldn't help but crave her all the same.
Emily Towson lived a sensible life as a sensible teacher in a town of people who tried to be sensible. And she was tired of it. For years she yearned for the town bad boy but she knew that he couldn't possibly want her because she was too... sensible. But what happens when the sensible girl chooses to break out of the shackles of society's expectations?
This was a generally enjoyable story. I loved so many elements of it. The characters for the most part were likeable, aside from Tanner's never-ending self-deprecating thoughts and Emily's limited attempts to not come off as judgemental and failing horribly. I especially enjoyed the side story of Emily's grandmother and her burgeoning relationship with Josh. Honestly, I think that was the best part of the story. And I cannot forget to mention Tanner's brothers. Their relationship was so genuine and loving and funny. Handle With Care was a small-town romance full of depth, warmth and feels.
☆.｡.:* ARC provided for an honest review .｡.:*☆
Release: July 30, 2018 | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Multiple POV - 3rd person | Heat: 2.5 | Standalone - Saddlers Cove #1
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Tanner O'Connor was one of the towns bad boys. Time spent in prison for a crime he didn't commit only hardened his shell. But beneath it all beat a heart that loved the town of people who judged him cruelly without knowing him. He was a man who portrayed someone who could care less while he was a man who perhaps cared too much. He wasn't good enough for the town's goody-two-shoes, but he couldn't help but crave her all the same.
Emily Towson lived a sensible life as a sensible teacher in a town of people who tried to be sensible. And she was tired of it. For years she yearned for the town bad boy but she knew that he couldn't possibly want her because she was too... sensible. But what happens when the sensible girl chooses to break out of the shackles of society's expectations?
This was a generally enjoyable story. I loved so many elements of it. The characters for the most part were likeable, aside from Tanner's never-ending self-deprecating thoughts and Emily's limited attempts to not come off as judgemental and failing horribly. I especially enjoyed the side story of Emily's grandmother and her burgeoning relationship with Josh. Honestly, I think that was the best part of the story. And I cannot forget to mention Tanner's brothers. Their relationship was so genuine and loving and funny. Handle With Care was a small-town romance full of depth, warmth and feels.
☆.｡.:* ARC provided for an honest review .｡.:*☆
Release: July 30, 2018 | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Multiple POV - 3rd person | Heat: 2.5 | Standalone - Saddlers Cove #1
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr
August 1, 2018
3 STARS
The blurb to this book hooked me immediately. I'm a sucker for a small town romance, and then you add a surprise pregnancy into it and stick a fork in me. I'm DONE!
Tanner has been the town's pariah long before he went to prison. He's been out for six years, but the stigma of his drunk of a father on top of his being an ex-con has still follows him. Not that he does much to dissuade the town people of their preconceived notions of him. When good girl Emily comes barging into his shop to give him hell for selling her grandmother a harley and to rip up the contract immediately, the last thing he expects is for her to strip down and throw herself at him when he calls her 'sensible'.
Emily has had a crush on Tanner for years. But she never expects the sexy bad boy to notice her. Then their one hot encounter on top of his work table gives them both a lot more than they bargained for.
I enjoyed this book for the first 40%, but then the characters' constant back and forth began to get tiresome. Tanner spends the majority of the book thinking he's not good enough for Emily and doing everything to prove himself right by saying and doing stupid things. Emily spends the majority of the book thinking she's too plain and 'sensible' for a sexy bad boy like Tanner. They spend the majority of the book circling each other and jumping to their own worst conclusions and never once having a conversation about it. And admittedly, after so many pages of this, it just became old. It seemed to be dragging the plot along unnecessarily and I began to disengage and skim. This also kept me from ever being truly engaged in their relationship.
What kept me reading is the secondary romance between Emily's grandmother, Mimi, and Josh. This was a sweet story line and I was curious about their buried secrets and seeing them resolved. There's also Tanner's brothers that piqued my interest enough to read their books should they get them.
Handle With Care was a cute book, though I found it longer than the plot really needed. I felt it dragged at times and I simply wanted Josh and Emily to just get their sh*t together and TALK. They behaved like teenagers and it began to wear on me.
I still enjoyed this book, I just didn't love it as much as I hoped after drooling over the blurb. But I'm still hooked enough on the series to continue reading the next books.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
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He was bad news, and she was the epitome of a nice girl...
The blurb to this book hooked me immediately. I'm a sucker for a small town romance, and then you add a surprise pregnancy into it and stick a fork in me. I'm DONE!
Tanner has been the town's pariah long before he went to prison. He's been out for six years, but the stigma of his drunk of a father on top of his being an ex-con has still follows him. Not that he does much to dissuade the town people of their preconceived notions of him. When good girl Emily comes barging into his shop to give him hell for selling her grandmother a harley and to rip up the contract immediately, the last thing he expects is for her to strip down and throw herself at him when he calls her 'sensible'.
Emily has had a crush on Tanner for years. But she never expects the sexy bad boy to notice her. Then their one hot encounter on top of his work table gives them both a lot more than they bargained for.
I enjoyed this book for the first 40%, but then the characters' constant back and forth began to get tiresome. Tanner spends the majority of the book thinking he's not good enough for Emily and doing everything to prove himself right by saying and doing stupid things. Emily spends the majority of the book thinking she's too plain and 'sensible' for a sexy bad boy like Tanner. They spend the majority of the book circling each other and jumping to their own worst conclusions and never once having a conversation about it. And admittedly, after so many pages of this, it just became old. It seemed to be dragging the plot along unnecessarily and I began to disengage and skim. This also kept me from ever being truly engaged in their relationship.
What kept me reading is the secondary romance between Emily's grandmother, Mimi, and Josh. This was a sweet story line and I was curious about their buried secrets and seeing them resolved. There's also Tanner's brothers that piqued my interest enough to read their books should they get them.
Handle With Care was a cute book, though I found it longer than the plot really needed. I felt it dragged at times and I simply wanted Josh and Emily to just get their sh*t together and TALK. They behaved like teenagers and it began to wear on me.
I still enjoyed this book, I just didn't love it as much as I hoped after drooling over the blurb. But I'm still hooked enough on the series to continue reading the next books.
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
July 26, 2018
This book is a little hard for me to review because, for the most part, I enjoyed it a lot. I found it sweet. It was pretty low angst. The hero had been celibate for three years. The heroine wasn't a virgin. There was no OW drama. A little OM drama (but nothing bothersome). It was mildly spicy. It had excellent secondary characters. I especially loved Mimi and Josh, and their secondary romance. I want to read more about Tanner's brothers. I found the heroine quite likable. And the ending was sweet and had me shedding a few tears.
So why the 3-Star rating? Tanner...good lord the WOE IS ME attitude was strong in this one. And it lasts until 90% into the book. The chip on his shoulder was the size of the Titanic. Yes, he had a more than his fair share of shitty things happen to him. Yes, the town was made up of judgmental twats. But instead of working to prove them WRONG by being a decent human being, he spent YEARS acting like a douche. He was surly. He was arrogant. He was nasty. He was an a$$hole. He was a self-fulling prophecy. And...ultimately, for me, he was a giant whiny pussy right up until the END. Because of that, I just couldn't bring myself to give this a higher rating.
May 8, 2019
This is my first book by Miss Croft and it wont be my last! Handle with Care took me by surprise. Form the blurp I am expecting a typical cheesy romance between a good girl and bad boy. And boy I was in for a ride. A wonderful ride it is. This book has so many wonderful characters and moral story. For me the moral story is be fearless. Be yourself.
Emily is a typical good shoe woman who arrange her life to be in safe zone. But inside of her is a spirited sassy clever and fearless woman who longs to be freed. And she is pinning for the most bad boy in town, Tanner. Now the small town itself, Saddles Cove never been dull. There are also many wonderful supporting characters that play a major roles in the story. Especially Mimi. Oh I wish for a grandmother who still wants to ride Harley in her 70's.
I love the whole package. The story, the plot, the twist, the characters and the small town of Saddle Cove.
5 sensible stars
Emily is a typical good shoe woman who arrange her life to be in safe zone. But inside of her is a spirited sassy clever and fearless woman who longs to be freed. And she is pinning for the most bad boy in town, Tanner. Now the small town itself, Saddles Cove never been dull. There are also many wonderful supporting characters that play a major roles in the story. Especially Mimi. Oh I wish for a grandmother who still wants to ride Harley in her 70's.
I love the whole package. The story, the plot, the twist, the characters and the small town of Saddle Cove.
5 sensible stars
July 30, 2018
4 - "Show me how wild you can be…" Stars!
Handle With Care takes us to the town of Saddler Cove and its residents. In particular the Tanner family, teacher Emily Towson and her grandmother Mimi Delaney. We are basically talking about your A-typical small American town, particularly when it comes to it's small-minded, judgemental bigoted residents, who have long memories and little to offer in the way of forgiveness.
She’d had secret fantasies about Tanner since she was old enough to know what boys were for…
On one hand this is your typical bad-boy sleeps with good-girl and oops! Knocks her up type of tale, but the author split the story into four separate POV’s by including Mimi and recently released from a forty year prison stint Josh Simpson’s story into its telling.
"You’re not the only one who has fantasies…"
I’ll be honest I wasn’t sure how I was going to get on with two OAPs opinions being put into the mix, but as the story between Tanner and Emily develops, the same thing happens for Mimi and Josh. All four of them are dealing with their own issues, and parts of Emily's story overlaps with Mimi’s as does Josh with Tanners, which connects everything up eventually.
Give it a go…
I think the best thing was the fact that Nina managed to give them all their own personalities as well so it was easy to move between each ones thoughts. The plot was pretty predictable in the course it took, and the actions that were taken as a result of what happened didn’t really offer up anything new either, but I liked the characters, and as I have come to expect with Nina’s writing everything flowed along beautifully, it kinda reminded me of Footloose the Kevin Bacon version obviously.
One little walk on the wild side... and she'd be paying for the rest of her life.
The fact that Tanner has two equally delicious brothers makes me think we will be returning to the town and its people again in the future too, and I look forward to it immensely.
ARC generously provided in exchange for the above honest review.
Handle With Care takes us to the town of Saddler Cove and its residents. In particular the Tanner family, teacher Emily Towson and her grandmother Mimi Delaney. We are basically talking about your A-typical small American town, particularly when it comes to it's small-minded, judgemental bigoted residents, who have long memories and little to offer in the way of forgiveness.
She’d had secret fantasies about Tanner since she was old enough to know what boys were for…
On one hand this is your typical bad-boy sleeps with good-girl and oops! Knocks her up type of tale, but the author split the story into four separate POV’s by including Mimi and recently released from a forty year prison stint Josh Simpson’s story into its telling.
"You’re not the only one who has fantasies…"
I’ll be honest I wasn’t sure how I was going to get on with two OAPs opinions being put into the mix, but as the story between Tanner and Emily develops, the same thing happens for Mimi and Josh. All four of them are dealing with their own issues, and parts of Emily's story overlaps with Mimi’s as does Josh with Tanners, which connects everything up eventually.
Give it a go…
I think the best thing was the fact that Nina managed to give them all their own personalities as well so it was easy to move between each ones thoughts. The plot was pretty predictable in the course it took, and the actions that were taken as a result of what happened didn’t really offer up anything new either, but I liked the characters, and as I have come to expect with Nina’s writing everything flowed along beautifully, it kinda reminded me of Footloose the Kevin Bacon version obviously.
One little walk on the wild side... and she'd be paying for the rest of her life.
The fact that Tanner has two equally delicious brothers makes me think we will be returning to the town and its people again in the future too, and I look forward to it immensely.
ARC generously provided in exchange for the above honest review.
July 30, 2018
1.5 ~ Not what I was expecting ~ Stars
I normally like small town romances because although the gossip is a sure thing and privacy is an illusion, the sense of togetherness and friendship overrides the negative. I didn't really get that feeling in HWC. In fact I really couldn't connect the dots as to how all the negativity and judgement in this town could possibly be appealing to anyone. In Tanner's shoes, I probably would have reacted the same way, tbh (or you know, left this town in the dust and never looked back).
The first half of the book had me really liking Emily, she sounded quirky and sweet, Mimi seemed endearing and Tanner was looking to be a slow to warm up to kind of hero. But the second half had every one of my first impressions doing a complete reversal. The more I learned about Tanner, the more I felt for him, Mimi ended up warping into a melancholy stickler who always sided with Emily and who's secondary story bogged down the pacing of the book and Emily became my least favorite character of the bunch.
Quick Summary:
Tanner was convicted of a crime he never committed The town has treated him like dirt ever since his release a couple of years ago. They look down on him, belittle and ostracize him. He adopts this devil may care attitude and doesn't go out of his way to change his bad boy reputation. His attitude is his only means at getting back at them for their snooty judgement of him and the rest of his family. After what he went through, I don't hold it against him.
On a night when both their guards are down, Tanner and Emily give free rein to their fantasy for one night but that ONS leads to a surprise baby. When news of the baby hits, I loved that Tanner was 100% there for the baby and for Emily. What ruined it for me was the fact that Emily always seemed so ready to push him away. Even when they both agree to get to know each other, Emily plays it all out like some kind of audition to see if Tanner is good enough to be in her child's life and doesn't do much to get to know him. Instead she uses the time to focus on his shortcoming (according to her) and not communicating. She was always resentful of his prickly attitude (because he didn't go out of his way to socialize!) and ask why he couldn't try harder to fit in.
I didn't feel that Tanner needed to turn the other cheek when it came to these other people. I actually like that he didn't pander to them. I wish Emily had felt the same. . . . The facts of that night were full of holes and it seemed everyone at least suspected he wasn't guilty but just didn't care enough to make up their own minds. I'm not saying Tanner was perfect, because he also has trouble communicating and making wrong assumptions when it came to Emily but I didn't feel it to the extent that I did for Emily. I felt like he was always the one that had to give his all and Emily wasn't expected to change or adapt.
The fact that Emily was always trying to change him, made him feel less than and cared more for what other people thought than sticking by her man's side, made it hard to warm up to her, tbh.
The clause in her contract that is the center of Emily's stubbornness to change Tanner to fit her (and this small minded town's) idea of an acceptable person/father was ridiculous and again I thought we would get this heartfelt change of heart in the end showing forgiveness and acceptance,. In reality Emily gets Tanner to cave under her demands and changes in an attempt to appease people that should have never been given so much power over their lives/happiness.
I did enjoy the ending because we finally get to see Emily accepting Tanner as he is and giving him some understanding. I'm a sucker for epilogues, and this one was very sweet and showed the MCs happy and together as a family. Tanner was the most relatable of the two and I really did like him, even with his inner struggle to let the past go and move on, I felt he matured and was in a better/happier place because of it. Emily on the other hand, turned into a conformist and a push over heroine and I never was able to warm up to her. Her pushing away of the H went on for too long and I didn't care for her reasons behind it.
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
I normally like small town romances because although the gossip is a sure thing and privacy is an illusion, the sense of togetherness and friendship overrides the negative. I didn't really get that feeling in HWC. In fact I really couldn't connect the dots as to how all the negativity and judgement in this town could possibly be appealing to anyone. In Tanner's shoes, I probably would have reacted the same way, tbh (or you know, left this town in the dust and never looked back).
The first half of the book had me really liking Emily, she sounded quirky and sweet, Mimi seemed endearing and Tanner was looking to be a slow to warm up to kind of hero. But the second half had every one of my first impressions doing a complete reversal. The more I learned about Tanner, the more I felt for him, Mimi ended up warping into a melancholy stickler who always sided with Emily and who's secondary story bogged down the pacing of the book and Emily became my least favorite character of the bunch.
Quick Summary:
Tanner was convicted of a crime he never committed The town has treated him like dirt ever since his release a couple of years ago. They look down on him, belittle and ostracize him. He adopts this devil may care attitude and doesn't go out of his way to change his bad boy reputation. His attitude is his only means at getting back at them for their snooty judgement of him and the rest of his family. After what he went through, I don't hold it against him.
On a night when both their guards are down, Tanner and Emily give free rein to their fantasy for one night but that ONS leads to a surprise baby. When news of the baby hits, I loved that Tanner was 100% there for the baby and for Emily. What ruined it for me was the fact that Emily always seemed so ready to push him away. Even when they both agree to get to know each other, Emily plays it all out like some kind of audition to see if Tanner is good enough to be in her child's life and doesn't do much to get to know him. Instead she uses the time to focus on his shortcoming (according to her) and not communicating. She was always resentful of his prickly attitude (because he didn't go out of his way to socialize!) and ask why he couldn't try harder to fit in.
I didn't feel that Tanner needed to turn the other cheek when it came to these other people. I actually like that he didn't pander to them. I wish Emily had felt the same. . . . The facts of that night were full of holes and it seemed everyone at least suspected he wasn't guilty but just didn't care enough to make up their own minds. I'm not saying Tanner was perfect, because he also has trouble communicating and making wrong assumptions when it came to Emily but I didn't feel it to the extent that I did for Emily. I felt like he was always the one that had to give his all and Emily wasn't expected to change or adapt.
The fact that Emily was always trying to change him, made him feel less than and cared more for what other people thought than sticking by her man's side, made it hard to warm up to her, tbh.
The clause in her contract that is the center of Emily's stubbornness to change Tanner to fit her (and this small minded town's) idea of an acceptable person/father was ridiculous and again I thought we would get this heartfelt change of heart in the end showing forgiveness and acceptance,. In reality Emily gets Tanner to cave under her demands and changes in an attempt to appease people that should have never been given so much power over their lives/happiness.
I did enjoy the ending because we finally get to see Emily accepting Tanner as he is and giving him some understanding. I'm a sucker for epilogues, and this one was very sweet and showed the MCs happy and together as a family. Tanner was the most relatable of the two and I really did like him, even with his inner struggle to let the past go and move on, I felt he matured and was in a better/happier place because of it. Emily on the other hand, turned into a conformist and a push over heroine and I never was able to warm up to her. Her pushing away of the H went on for too long and I didn't care for her reasons behind it.
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
July 26, 2018
Coming out soon! Review available at Under the Pages.
dnf
June 29, 2018DNF at 15%
I'm only 15% in and already I've encountered all the things I dislike in a romance novel.
▻ Clumsy, goody-two-shoes heroine that turns into a hormonal hornball at the sight of the bad boy
▻ A hero that is a total pig - acts like one, talks like one
▻ Cringe-worthy dialogue
▻ Painful lack of chemistry between the two main characters, however:
▻ Cheesy, overdone first sexual encounter
Let me paint the scene here: Your grandma buys a Harley, and of course you disapprove. So you go down to the bike shop to give the vendor, who happens to be the town's bad boy and the guy you've been lusting over from afar, a piece of your mind. It's your first real interaction with said bad boy, so naturally, within two minutes the topic of the conversation steers to fantazising about each other while masturbating. When the bad boy dares to call you 'sensible' - gasp, what??? OMG!!11! - what do you do? Take it as a compliment? Nope. Contradict him? Nah. Ignore it? Noooooo. Obviously, you rip off your clothes and throw yourself at the guy you know nothing about except that he's been in prison for killing a man and that he's slept with half the female population of your home town. Obviously!
Ugh. At least there was no insta-love.
No rating for obvious reasons.
I'm only 15% in and already I've encountered all the things I dislike in a romance novel.
▻ Clumsy, goody-two-shoes heroine that turns into a hormonal hornball at the sight of the bad boy
▻ A hero that is a total pig - acts like one, talks like one
▻ Cringe-worthy dialogue
▻ Painful lack of chemistry between the two main characters, however:
▻ Cheesy, overdone first sexual encounter
Let me paint the scene here: Your grandma buys a Harley, and of course you disapprove. So you go down to the bike shop to give the vendor, who happens to be the town's bad boy and the guy you've been lusting over from afar, a piece of your mind. It's your first real interaction with said bad boy, so naturally, within two minutes the topic of the conversation steers to fantazising about each other while masturbating. When the bad boy dares to call you 'sensible' - gasp, what??? OMG!!11! - what do you do? Take it as a compliment? Nope. Contradict him? Nah. Ignore it? Noooooo. Obviously, you rip off your clothes and throw yourself at the guy you know nothing about except that he's been in prison for killing a man and that he's slept with half the female population of your home town. Obviously!
Ugh. At least there was no insta-love.
No rating for obvious reasons.
July 3, 2018
Ok cards on the table and I admit I only picked this as I’ve previously enjoyed the authors paranormal offerings. In fact I’m not really a contemporary romance fan but my curiosity got the better of me so these are my thoughts.
Goody two shoes heroine Emily who has always had a thing for bad boy Tanner finally gets a chance to get her hands on him and goes for it. Yes the apparently sensible teacher has a wee wild side of her own and frankly why not ? Oh well that will possibly be down to the fact that she’s the kind , sweet , dependable sort oh and did I mention there’s a morality clause in her contract ?
Tanner has a huge chip on his shoulder being the son of the town drunk and has been to prison but having served his time is back home building a business with his brothers. See this bad boy isn’t exactly as black as he’s painted but one night with Emily and a less than reliable condom starts a chain of events that means he steps up, faces reality and actually gets what to him was always a fantasy !
I think perhaps the central couple might be a little too predictable for some initially but the surrounding characters added so much to this story. Meddling grandmothers, secrets from the past , ex cons and even adorable kids all feature here. Yet the romance trundled along with warmth and the couple getting to know what made them tick. If honest I think it was mainly Tanner who had to grow but somehow even with a basic lack of communication at times this couple did pull through to give readers a heartwarming romance. I wasn’t sure at first if I’m brutal because it seemed a little far fetched but I’m so glad I stuck with it and as there’s two more brothers not to mention an intriguing character appearing at the end I really hope the author revisits these characters.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
Goody two shoes heroine Emily who has always had a thing for bad boy Tanner finally gets a chance to get her hands on him and goes for it. Yes the apparently sensible teacher has a wee wild side of her own and frankly why not ? Oh well that will possibly be down to the fact that she’s the kind , sweet , dependable sort oh and did I mention there’s a morality clause in her contract ?
Tanner has a huge chip on his shoulder being the son of the town drunk and has been to prison but having served his time is back home building a business with his brothers. See this bad boy isn’t exactly as black as he’s painted but one night with Emily and a less than reliable condom starts a chain of events that means he steps up, faces reality and actually gets what to him was always a fantasy !
I think perhaps the central couple might be a little too predictable for some initially but the surrounding characters added so much to this story. Meddling grandmothers, secrets from the past , ex cons and even adorable kids all feature here. Yet the romance trundled along with warmth and the couple getting to know what made them tick. If honest I think it was mainly Tanner who had to grow but somehow even with a basic lack of communication at times this couple did pull through to give readers a heartwarming romance. I wasn’t sure at first if I’m brutal because it seemed a little far fetched but I’m so glad I stuck with it and as there’s two more brothers not to mention an intriguing character appearing at the end I really hope the author revisits these characters.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
July 30, 2018
Emily Towson is the epitome of a good girl. First grade teacher, conservative dress, polite, well-mannered, thoughtful. But when her boyfriend Ryan proposes she recoils in horror, particularly when he compliments her on being so sensible. Emily grandmother Mimi might be close to 70 years old but she's young at heart and she sees the way that her buttoned up grand-daughter looks at Tanner O'Connor, the town's bad boy, and decides to engineer a fling. But when a school teacher and the bad boy have a one-night stand things don't go according to plan.
I really liked the start of this book: the ex-con, bad boy, tattooed, hog-riding Tanner and the tiny good girl teacher Emily have both admired from afar but each felt themselves unworthy of the other, until a temper tantrum and a bad attitude combust spectacularly. However, about a third of the way through I felt the plot ran out of steam and it became a bit 'rinse-and-repeat', Tanner gets angry because the town treats him like a pariah, Emily worries that Tanner is slumming with her, Tanner worries that Emily wants him to change, blah, blah, blah. The plot hinged on neither Tanner nor Emily ever telling the other how they felt, despite the initial over-sharing about they had each been fantasising about each other. Overall, I thought the book was overlong for the plot.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
I really liked the start of this book: the ex-con, bad boy, tattooed, hog-riding Tanner and the tiny good girl teacher Emily have both admired from afar but each felt themselves unworthy of the other, until a temper tantrum and a bad attitude combust spectacularly. However, about a third of the way through I felt the plot ran out of steam and it became a bit 'rinse-and-repeat', Tanner gets angry because the town treats him like a pariah, Emily worries that Tanner is slumming with her, Tanner worries that Emily wants him to change, blah, blah, blah. The plot hinged on neither Tanner nor Emily ever telling the other how they felt, despite the initial over-sharing about they had each been fantasising about each other. Overall, I thought the book was overlong for the plot.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
August 3, 2018
4 stars
Handle with Care by Nina Croft is a sweet and heartwarming read and I really enjoyed it.
Both Tanner and Emily were likable characters, I enjoyed reading their love story.
They both had issues that kept coming up but together they were able to overcome them to be together. I also enjoyed the side characters and how they helped make this such a heartwarming read.
Overall, Handle with Care is a lovely start to the Saddlers Cove series, looking forward to reading more in the near future.
💘 Download Your Copy Today! 💘
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2ta9iyP
Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/HandlewithCareNC
iBooks: https://apple.co/2t9QiQV
Nook: https://bit.ly/2MGyVj4
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2M6cNh0
*I received an advance copy via Netgalley*
Handle with Care by Nina Croft is a sweet and heartwarming read and I really enjoyed it.
Both Tanner and Emily were likable characters, I enjoyed reading their love story.
They both had issues that kept coming up but together they were able to overcome them to be together. I also enjoyed the side characters and how they helped make this such a heartwarming read.
Overall, Handle with Care is a lovely start to the Saddlers Cove series, looking forward to reading more in the near future.
💘 Download Your Copy Today! 💘
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2ta9iyP
Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/HandlewithCareNC
iBooks: https://apple.co/2t9QiQV
Nook: https://bit.ly/2MGyVj4
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2M6cNh0
*I received an advance copy via Netgalley*
July 29, 2018
I really, really liked this!
Emily and Tanner have crushed on each other for years, each thinking they didn't stand a chance. Emily was the good girl, Tanner, the town bad boy. Things happen and they end up dating and getting to know one another and I LOVED watching them fall in love. There were interesting side characters and I can't wait to see what happens with them.
My only complaint is that Tanner's woe is me attitude went on WAY too long. Had he shaped up earlier, I think this would have been a five star read for me. But I still loved it ;)
Emily and Tanner have crushed on each other for years, each thinking they didn't stand a chance. Emily was the good girl, Tanner, the town bad boy. Things happen and they end up dating and getting to know one another and I LOVED watching them fall in love. There were interesting side characters and I can't wait to see what happens with them.
My only complaint is that Tanner's woe is me attitude went on WAY too long. Had he shaped up earlier, I think this would have been a five star read for me. But I still loved it ;)
October 24, 2018
I found this melodramatic and long. The writing was good though.
August 7, 2018
-Kacie, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is one of those books where you think the blurb sounds interesting but there’s no way it will live up to the hype. I was wrong! This book/story was so much more than I imagined it would be. I was intrigued and sucked in from the very first page.
Growing up, Tanner O’ Connor was the son of the town drunk. Every one thought he was a “bad boy” so that was the persona he took on. Emily Towson is a sensible person. Everything she does is sensible and safe. After turning down a proposal because she would be a “sensible wife”, she has had enough of being sensible!
Emily has had a crush on Tanner since she was a teenager. Mimi, Emily’s grandmother, notices the crush and sets everything in motion. One thing leads to another, sparks fly, and they are connected to each other forever. I liked how, as the story progressed, they took the time to get to know each other. They realized they had common interests and they weren’t so different from each other.
I loved that this story was also about more than just Tanner and Emily. I loved the story of Mimi and Josh. Mimi is nothing if not persistent and she gets her way. They both had pain and regrets, but they just seem good for each other and perfect together.
I definitely enjoyed this book, and I cannot wait to read the others.
This is one of those books where you think the blurb sounds interesting but there’s no way it will live up to the hype. I was wrong! This book/story was so much more than I imagined it would be. I was intrigued and sucked in from the very first page.
Growing up, Tanner O’ Connor was the son of the town drunk. Every one thought he was a “bad boy” so that was the persona he took on. Emily Towson is a sensible person. Everything she does is sensible and safe. After turning down a proposal because she would be a “sensible wife”, she has had enough of being sensible!
Emily has had a crush on Tanner since she was a teenager. Mimi, Emily’s grandmother, notices the crush and sets everything in motion. One thing leads to another, sparks fly, and they are connected to each other forever. I liked how, as the story progressed, they took the time to get to know each other. They realized they had common interests and they weren’t so different from each other.
I loved that this story was also about more than just Tanner and Emily. I loved the story of Mimi and Josh. Mimi is nothing if not persistent and she gets her way. They both had pain and regrets, but they just seem good for each other and perfect together.
I definitely enjoyed this book, and I cannot wait to read the others.
July 30, 2018
I loved this book!!! I love the falling for the bad boy type books. Tanner is the bad boy who works at the motorcycle shop and Emily is the good girl who is a teacher. But you find out Emily has thought about Tanner her whole life. She has a wild side! I seriously love these types of books because you always find out Tanner is not the bad boy everyone thought he is and he has this sweet side. This is my first book by this author and I can´t wait to read more. Her writing style had me engrossed in the story the whole time. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance.
August 3, 2018
Tanner and Emily weren’t too bad but it was just lacking something that I can put my finger on. It was a sweet small town romance that focused on two people that were completely different on paper but someway hit it off. Tanner wasn’t the hero I expected him to be and Emily was likeable. The secondary characters made the story much more interesting.
Besides everything else their romance was cute and Emily made it funny especially her grandmother Mimi. She was meddling but hilarious. Tanner’s brothers intrigued me and I’m sure they will be a good read.
Besides everything else their romance was cute and Emily made it funny especially her grandmother Mimi. She was meddling but hilarious. Tanner’s brothers intrigued me and I’m sure they will be a good read.
August 2, 2018
The best ending for this book is the one where Tanner realizes that Emily is one of the worst women he could have into his life and decides to break up with her and leave her alone forever. She didn't deserve him and I am saying that after having read some of his not so finest moments. She kept pushing him away for no reason and was overreacting for half the book. The last quarter of the book was almost unreadable because she was a terrible person. She was saying that she loved Tanner, but she wanted him to change and become the man she wanted. That ain't love. Tanner has a beard, long hair, grease stains and doesn't wear a suit. He doesn't drink (and she mentions that somewhere in the book) and yet the one time he got drunk she got mad at him when she could have been just honest with him and none of this would have happened. I would want the love of my life to stand beside me when I am facing a very difficult situation and Emily didn't. She couldn't rely on him because he wasn't the man she truly wanted. She should have stayed with her ex. Tanner is no saint, but he was a better person and one I liked. The worst part is that I was liking the book and I was willing to overlook some things because I was having a good time reading this book. Now that I have finished it, I don't feel that way. Mimi's entire plotline was a wasted opportunity. We needed to know more about what happened 50 years ago and not just have a random person thrown into the epilogue without giving any kind of explanation as to what happened during these years. It was a bad move to just introduce this character and not use her to explain a few things. The book overall was a disappointment.
July 18, 2018
Emily and Tanner. Miss perfect school teacher and the town ex-con bad boy. Set up by her Gran Mimi, when she wants Emily to stop playing safe and start living life, Mimi goes to town to buy and Harley from Tanner. Tanner and his two brothers own a shop in town, selling and restoring old hogs.
Tanner is bitter, having served time for killing his best friend when he was younger in a car accident.
Didn't help that the golden boy came from the most elitist family in their tiny town. The Conner brothers didn't have an easy time growing up, their dad was the town drunk and they got no help from anyone in the town. Tanner is the brother with the attitude. Reese recently found out he's a father to a sweet little first grader who happens to be one of Emily's pupils. Emily the epitome of school teacher, even dresses like one. Her Gran runs a ranch where she lives. Em lost her parents in a plane crash and she's lived with Mimi since then. Mimi is the best character ever. She runs an equine program for Vets with PTSD and others who need it. When Emily catches wind that her 70 year old Mimi has just bought a Harley she goes to town to give Tanner a piece of her mind and the two end up in a molten meltdown of steamy sex that melted the words of the pages. When Emily finds herself pregnant she goes to Tanner and his response was honestly the best. Not what I expected but he wanted to do right by Emily and his child. The two decide to take is slow and become friends to get to know each other going on dates. Meanwhile her ex tries to win her back... what a loser. You have to read the book to get the back story on that one, but being deemed wife material because you're sensible doesn't hit my checklist. Tanner's insecurities play into their story heavily and his doubt whether he's good enough for Em and their child. But he is determined to be their for them, no matter what. The story takes a number of twists and turns and though they've kept their impending marriage on the quiet side, they decide to go public. Bringing a whole new set of problems to these two. Tanner has also brought onboard a friend from prison who did 40 years and Josh and Mimi become close friends, causing yet another stir. No one dares say a word to Mimi who has lived in town her whole life and has her own secrets as well. Everyone in this story has a secret. When they come out, it puts yet another spin on things. After a night out together as a couple and an altercation with an old friend, Tanner makes a major decision, serving absolutely no purpose other than making him a miserable sob. Tanner is stubborn and digs in for the haul. Fool.
This is a good read. I enjoyed it because despite Tanner's attitude about the people in town, he does everything he can for Emily. There was no question that Tanner was going to not be there for her.
Emily made Tanner happy and Tanner helped Emily get back out there and live. The rest of the story you have to read. I hope we see more from this little town and the brothers.
advanced reader copy from NetGalley and Entangled for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Tanner is bitter, having served time for killing his best friend when he was younger in a car accident.
Didn't help that the golden boy came from the most elitist family in their tiny town. The Conner brothers didn't have an easy time growing up, their dad was the town drunk and they got no help from anyone in the town. Tanner is the brother with the attitude. Reese recently found out he's a father to a sweet little first grader who happens to be one of Emily's pupils. Emily the epitome of school teacher, even dresses like one. Her Gran runs a ranch where she lives. Em lost her parents in a plane crash and she's lived with Mimi since then. Mimi is the best character ever. She runs an equine program for Vets with PTSD and others who need it. When Emily catches wind that her 70 year old Mimi has just bought a Harley she goes to town to give Tanner a piece of her mind and the two end up in a molten meltdown of steamy sex that melted the words of the pages. When Emily finds herself pregnant she goes to Tanner and his response was honestly the best. Not what I expected but he wanted to do right by Emily and his child. The two decide to take is slow and become friends to get to know each other going on dates. Meanwhile her ex tries to win her back... what a loser. You have to read the book to get the back story on that one, but being deemed wife material because you're sensible doesn't hit my checklist. Tanner's insecurities play into their story heavily and his doubt whether he's good enough for Em and their child. But he is determined to be their for them, no matter what. The story takes a number of twists and turns and though they've kept their impending marriage on the quiet side, they decide to go public. Bringing a whole new set of problems to these two. Tanner has also brought onboard a friend from prison who did 40 years and Josh and Mimi become close friends, causing yet another stir. No one dares say a word to Mimi who has lived in town her whole life and has her own secrets as well. Everyone in this story has a secret. When they come out, it puts yet another spin on things. After a night out together as a couple and an altercation with an old friend, Tanner makes a major decision, serving absolutely no purpose other than making him a miserable sob. Tanner is stubborn and digs in for the haul. Fool.
This is a good read. I enjoyed it because despite Tanner's attitude about the people in town, he does everything he can for Emily. There was no question that Tanner was going to not be there for her.
Emily made Tanner happy and Tanner helped Emily get back out there and live. The rest of the story you have to read. I hope we see more from this little town and the brothers.
advanced reader copy from NetGalley and Entangled for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
July 30, 2018
In real life, Emily, a first grade teacher, is a good girl, always doing what's expected of her, never straying from the straight and narrow. But her dreams are a different matter and can't be controlled. And her focus is Tanner, aka the bad boy. Who else would it be? And then her grandma buys a Harley, from Tanner, and Emily is about to make her dreams come true. Well, maybe.
Tanner knows what people think of him, and doing two years in prison doesn't help that reputation even if it was six years ago. But Emily, sweetness personified, was the talisman that helped him survive. She's a good girl, and would probably never give someone like him the time of day, but he can dream, can't he?
When Emily confronts Tanner, he knows he should do the smart thing and send her away, but he can't. And soon, they're discovering reality is so much better than dreams. They're making more than memories though as they soon realize.
And though neither regret the time they spent together, or the life they created, Emily's job frowns upon her situation, which means there's only one way to fix it. But are they ready for that step?
Can Tanner and Emily let go of their individual insecurities and baggage and recognize the feelings they have for each other? Will they let the opinions of others impact their decisions? Will they take a chance on forever? Is a HEA possible?
One-click now and follow along as two people, seeming opposites in every way, act on the attraction they've carried for one another for years, though neither knew it.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.**
Tanner knows what people think of him, and doing two years in prison doesn't help that reputation even if it was six years ago. But Emily, sweetness personified, was the talisman that helped him survive. She's a good girl, and would probably never give someone like him the time of day, but he can dream, can't he?
When Emily confronts Tanner, he knows he should do the smart thing and send her away, but he can't. And soon, they're discovering reality is so much better than dreams. They're making more than memories though as they soon realize.
And though neither regret the time they spent together, or the life they created, Emily's job frowns upon her situation, which means there's only one way to fix it. But are they ready for that step?
Can Tanner and Emily let go of their individual insecurities and baggage and recognize the feelings they have for each other? Will they let the opinions of others impact their decisions? Will they take a chance on forever? Is a HEA possible?
One-click now and follow along as two people, seeming opposites in every way, act on the attraction they've carried for one another for years, though neither knew it.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.**
July 30, 2018
I LOVED this book! It was one of those books that I had no expectations when I started but before long the awesome characters and the intriguing storyline had me fully invested and unable to put it down. Tanner is known as the town bad boy. He's one of the sons of the town drunk and after a car accident he was sent to prison after being convicted of causing the death of his friend. Emily Towsen is a school teacher and a good girl but she's always had a soft spot for Tanner and never believed he was responsible for the accident. Their worlds collide when Emily's meddling grandmother goes to Tanner's shop and buys a Harley. When Emily confronts Tanner about the motorcycle, things get real crazy real fast. After that nothing in their lives will ever be the same.
I highly recommend this one!
I highly recommend this one!
August 2, 2018
3 Baby Hormones stars!
“You’re gonna undo me looking at me like that.”“I want to undo you.”
When I read the blurb, I knew I needed to have this book. It's an unplanned pregnancy, ladies! Add the arrogant bad boy to the mixer and the town pristine sensible teacher and I'm a goner.
“He was bad news, and she was the epitome of a nice girl”
I must admit that the story of Handle with Care wasn't what I really expected which disappointed me, yet it was an okay read with interesting characters and a story that could have been better had Emily had some sass and sense into her.
“You’re gonna undo me looking at me like that.”“I want to undo you.”
When I read the blurb, I knew I needed to have this book. It's an unplanned pregnancy, ladies! Add the arrogant bad boy to the mixer and the town pristine sensible teacher and I'm a goner.
“He was bad news, and she was the epitome of a nice girl”
I must admit that the story of Handle with Care wasn't what I really expected which disappointed me, yet it was an okay read with interesting characters and a story that could have been better had Emily had some sass and sense into her.
February 10, 2019
3,5 ★
Rtc
Rtc
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August 1, 2018
"How did I look at him?" She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to that one.
"Like you looked at Beauty that day at the pony auction. When you were six years old. Like he was all you wanted, and you would die happy if you could just have him for your own."
It took me a little while to truly get into this story. The characters were great, especially Mimi! But there was something about the beginning flow of the story that I just felt ... disconnected from it. Could've been me, but eventually I got pulled in.
I liked that this story involved the town bad boy, the quintessential good girl, and her pushy grandma. All of the characters were unique and carried very distinct personalities. Getting to know them was the best part of the story. I think that each of these boys NEED their stories told, and I hope that they will get them.
This story wasn't easy. These characters were fairly opposite, stubborn, and made a lot of mistakes for themselves and with each other along the way. Everyone in town seemed to have an opinion about whether they should be together and about who they were supposed to be. This made things difficult for them because they were forced to decide who they truly wanted to be.
This was my first story by this author and I'm adding more to my TBR!
"Hell, you're not easy. Not in any way that matters. You're the hardest thing I've ever done, and I'm terrified of getting it wrong."
July 30, 2018
Handle With Care starts out smoking hot. Tanner is the stuff that women’s dreams are made of and Emily Towson is no exception to that rule. Gorgeous, guarded, seriously hot with his good looks, moody persona and bad boy reputation. Is it any wonder that he turns heads.
Tanner’s family had for many years been given a hard time by the town and then Tanner went to prison for killing his best friend in a car accident. His best friends father just happens to be town royalty and many shun the O’Connor family (Though many of the women cannot help but have their heads turner by the O’Connor’s.) After his incarceration came to an end Tanner and his brothers start a business selling expensive motorcycles and repairing them.
Mimi, Emily’s fascinating, minx of a grandmother, had gone to the O’Connor’s motorcycle showroom and repair store and purchased a Harley. When she tells Emily she does not take it well. Emily marched straight to the shop to have it out with Tanner and insist that he rips up her grandmothers cheque and that he refuses to sell her the hog. Tanner has already destroyed the cheque, knowing that it is definitely not suitable for an inexperienced rider, who is approaching her 70th birthday. However when Emily gives him a hard time he winds her up. Cue intense encounter with a condom that was past it’s best, and before you can say birth control, Emily is pregnant.
This is a hard story to tell more than the synopsis offers without dropping hints that could allude to spoilers, so I will leave details at the synopsis.
So let’s examine the writing and what I liked.
I really enjoyed the pace.
The intensity was fabulous.
Despite a couple of parts being foreseeable they were still enjoyable.
I like that despite Tanner having such an awful reputation he isn’t an awful person.
I really liked the passion that was evident even in the non passionate scenes.
The attraction jumped off of the page and hit you full force.
The words used during intimacy didn’t make me cringe.
Nina Croft’s writing style immerses you into the story and you don’t want to take your eyes off of the page.
The words, chapters, paragraphs flowed beautifully and made the story line feel natural.
I think that what I liked the most was the wealth of interesting characters and the depth to their stories. The secrets and lies that have been woven for years and the impacts that it had upon those involved. There are moving moments that give you pause for thought and other moments that are totally frustrating.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed Handle With Care and look forward to reading more of Nina’s work.
Thank you to Nina Croft and Social Butterfly PR and NetGalley for granting me an ARC copy of Handle With Care. This is my honest review.
Tanner’s family had for many years been given a hard time by the town and then Tanner went to prison for killing his best friend in a car accident. His best friends father just happens to be town royalty and many shun the O’Connor family (Though many of the women cannot help but have their heads turner by the O’Connor’s.) After his incarceration came to an end Tanner and his brothers start a business selling expensive motorcycles and repairing them.
Mimi, Emily’s fascinating, minx of a grandmother, had gone to the O’Connor’s motorcycle showroom and repair store and purchased a Harley. When she tells Emily she does not take it well. Emily marched straight to the shop to have it out with Tanner and insist that he rips up her grandmothers cheque and that he refuses to sell her the hog. Tanner has already destroyed the cheque, knowing that it is definitely not suitable for an inexperienced rider, who is approaching her 70th birthday. However when Emily gives him a hard time he winds her up. Cue intense encounter with a condom that was past it’s best, and before you can say birth control, Emily is pregnant.
This is a hard story to tell more than the synopsis offers without dropping hints that could allude to spoilers, so I will leave details at the synopsis.
So let’s examine the writing and what I liked.
I really enjoyed the pace.
The intensity was fabulous.
Despite a couple of parts being foreseeable they were still enjoyable.
I like that despite Tanner having such an awful reputation he isn’t an awful person.
I really liked the passion that was evident even in the non passionate scenes.
The attraction jumped off of the page and hit you full force.
The words used during intimacy didn’t make me cringe.
Nina Croft’s writing style immerses you into the story and you don’t want to take your eyes off of the page.
The words, chapters, paragraphs flowed beautifully and made the story line feel natural.
I think that what I liked the most was the wealth of interesting characters and the depth to their stories. The secrets and lies that have been woven for years and the impacts that it had upon those involved. There are moving moments that give you pause for thought and other moments that are totally frustrating.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed Handle With Care and look forward to reading more of Nina’s work.
Thank you to Nina Croft and Social Butterfly PR and NetGalley for granting me an ARC copy of Handle With Care. This is my honest review.
July 29, 2018
Whew! Angst, steam, and swoon are all prominent in Handle With Care and take you on one heck of a ride! This book is certainly a roller coaster of emotion and brought out so many feelings in me as a read it. Everything from heart melting romance to utter frustration and tears, I felt it while I was reading this.
Emily was hard for me to love. While she was sugary sweet to nearly everyone, her attitude towards Tanner at times really came off as judgmental and snobbish. It was a lot of one step forward two steps back with these opposites attract, which definitely built up that tension, but those steps back were always filled with what she wanted to change about Tanner. Don’t get me wrong, Tanner nailed being the town jerk occasionally, but quite frankly it was warranted.
This man having such a tragic past, does nothing more than run his business and keep to himself but can’t seem to go anywhere without being judged and deemed horrible. From start to nearly finish it was like he was the town punching bag and nothing about him was good enough so when Emily would ask him to just try to change it made my heart hurt for him. Emily definitely had some growing to do, but with the more time she spent with Tanner and some more meddling and honest words from her grandmother she definitely grew to be someone I liked by the end.
Along with the angsty push and pull romance between these two there are many twists and secrets that keep you flying through the pages and pull you in deeper.
Emily was hard for me to love. While she was sugary sweet to nearly everyone, her attitude towards Tanner at times really came off as judgmental and snobbish. It was a lot of one step forward two steps back with these opposites attract, which definitely built up that tension, but those steps back were always filled with what she wanted to change about Tanner. Don’t get me wrong, Tanner nailed being the town jerk occasionally, but quite frankly it was warranted.
This man having such a tragic past, does nothing more than run his business and keep to himself but can’t seem to go anywhere without being judged and deemed horrible. From start to nearly finish it was like he was the town punching bag and nothing about him was good enough so when Emily would ask him to just try to change it made my heart hurt for him. Emily definitely had some growing to do, but with the more time she spent with Tanner and some more meddling and honest words from her grandmother she definitely grew to be someone I liked by the end.
Along with the angsty push and pull romance between these two there are many twists and secrets that keep you flying through the pages and pull you in deeper.
August 3, 2018
3.5 Stars
Handle With Care is a mixed bag for me. I wanted to love it, and some parts I REALLY did!! The first 35-40% were totally on point; I was totally invested in Emily and Tanner. Their secret crushes on either other that blew up into one hot scene was FIRE!
I thought for sure this small town romance, mixed with a surprise pregnancy and a grandma matchmaker and I'd be swooning. But then the story slowed right down. I was honestly disheartened by how long it took me to read Handle With Care. The back and forth with Emily and Tanner was frustrating. For every step forward, there was three steps back that seemed unnecessary. While everyone has insecurities that are deeply buried, Tanner's attitude was almost a turn-off.
The highlight for me was Mimi and Josh's side relationship that was blossoming. How pure and simple and beautiful a budding romance could be. There was definitely A LOT going on in this book from the past that carried through into the present. I was a bit overwhelmed at times, and wished the focus could remain on Emily and Tanner so they could fully work their issues out.
In the end, my heart was warmed by the HEA, but it took some time to get there. I would definitely try another Nina Croft book, but I'm not invested enough to continue with this series.
*ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review*
Handle With Care is a mixed bag for me. I wanted to love it, and some parts I REALLY did!! The first 35-40% were totally on point; I was totally invested in Emily and Tanner. Their secret crushes on either other that blew up into one hot scene was FIRE!
I thought for sure this small town romance, mixed with a surprise pregnancy and a grandma matchmaker and I'd be swooning. But then the story slowed right down. I was honestly disheartened by how long it took me to read Handle With Care. The back and forth with Emily and Tanner was frustrating. For every step forward, there was three steps back that seemed unnecessary. While everyone has insecurities that are deeply buried, Tanner's attitude was almost a turn-off.
The highlight for me was Mimi and Josh's side relationship that was blossoming. How pure and simple and beautiful a budding romance could be. There was definitely A LOT going on in this book from the past that carried through into the present. I was a bit overwhelmed at times, and wished the focus could remain on Emily and Tanner so they could fully work their issues out.
In the end, my heart was warmed by the HEA, but it took some time to get there. I would definitely try another Nina Croft book, but I'm not invested enough to continue with this series.
*ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review*
July 16, 2018
Saddler Cove Series
Well, it happened again! I found another new to me author to stalk!
Handle with Care is the first book in a hopefully new series. This book is a fantastic introduction to the people of Saddler Cove. Small town drama and small town living.
This story is more than just the love story of Tanner and Emily. It's so much more! I loved the multiple POV's and the secondary romance that was going on!
Emily is a fantastic character! I loved her honesty. I enjoyed the fact that she was forthright about her feelings and she didn't stew long about issues that were plaguing her!
Tanner is the ultimate alpha. He has dealt with bad luck and judgemental people in his past. It explains why he is the way his is today.
The chemistry between Tanner and Emily was amazing! I loved the whole dichotomy between the characters! It was a great telling of the "good girl" "bad boy" scenario.
The secondary characters were fantastic and I am so hoping to read more about them in the future! This is a definite must read!
I am so glad to have had the opportunity to read this! Thank you for your words Ms. Croft! I cannot wait to see what you come out with next!
Well, it happened again! I found another new to me author to stalk!
Handle with Care is the first book in a hopefully new series. This book is a fantastic introduction to the people of Saddler Cove. Small town drama and small town living.
This story is more than just the love story of Tanner and Emily. It's so much more! I loved the multiple POV's and the secondary romance that was going on!
Emily is a fantastic character! I loved her honesty. I enjoyed the fact that she was forthright about her feelings and she didn't stew long about issues that were plaguing her!
Tanner is the ultimate alpha. He has dealt with bad luck and judgemental people in his past. It explains why he is the way his is today.
The chemistry between Tanner and Emily was amazing! I loved the whole dichotomy between the characters! It was a great telling of the "good girl" "bad boy" scenario.
The secondary characters were fantastic and I am so hoping to read more about them in the future! This is a definite must read!
I am so glad to have had the opportunity to read this! Thank you for your words Ms. Croft! I cannot wait to see what you come out with next!
July 30, 2018
I was hooked when I read the blurb of this book, however I was a bit disappointed.
I enjoy books like this, bad guy, good girl, etc. And for the most part I loved it, but then it became tiresome, the constant back and forth, just was too much for me.
Emily has had a crush on Tanner, the town bad boy for a while. And because Tanner went to prison he is even more bad boy than she can handle. But then her grandmother decided it was time that her grand daughter, miss sensible got out of her rut and she set wheels in motion to get these two together.
I have to say that Emily in the beginning really came out of her shell when she was with Tanner. She became this take no charge kind of women, but then afterwards she would go back to thinking she was too plain and too sensible for someone like Tanner.
Too much jumping to wrong conclusions and never talking about it, and its like they on purposely didn't have conversations about their issues. And after a while it just gets old and you loose interest. And I really wanted to like this book, it had all the makings of my favourite type of story
I enjoy books like this, bad guy, good girl, etc. And for the most part I loved it, but then it became tiresome, the constant back and forth, just was too much for me.
Emily has had a crush on Tanner, the town bad boy for a while. And because Tanner went to prison he is even more bad boy than she can handle. But then her grandmother decided it was time that her grand daughter, miss sensible got out of her rut and she set wheels in motion to get these two together.
I have to say that Emily in the beginning really came out of her shell when she was with Tanner. She became this take no charge kind of women, but then afterwards she would go back to thinking she was too plain and too sensible for someone like Tanner.
Too much jumping to wrong conclusions and never talking about it, and its like they on purposely didn't have conversations about their issues. And after a while it just gets old and you loose interest. And I really wanted to like this book, it had all the makings of my favourite type of story
August 21, 2018
Eh... this book was just okay.
Honestly if it wasn't for the added story of Mimi/Josh I think I would have stopped reading it. At least that extended the book a little for me.
While I felt for Tanner and what he was going through, I kept wanting to shake him. The constant whining and complaining just got old. If he hated the way people saw him why not do something about it?
Emily was too stuck up and selfish for me. She kept wanting to change Tanner when it was her who needed to be changed.
I also didn't appreciate the odd cliffhanger in one of the last chapters. It felt out of place.
Honestly if it wasn't for the added story of Mimi/Josh I think I would have stopped reading it. At least that extended the book a little for me.
While I felt for Tanner and what he was going through, I kept wanting to shake him. The constant whining and complaining just got old. If he hated the way people saw him why not do something about it?
Emily was too stuck up and selfish for me. She kept wanting to change Tanner when it was her who needed to be changed.
I also didn't appreciate the odd cliffhanger in one of the last chapters. It felt out of place.
June 29, 2023
My first Nina Croft book and I loved Mimi so so much! I love that she's a good girl that literally hooks up with the town's "bad boy." But what fun they had!!
I found myself laughing and fanning myself while reading this book. Mimi and Tanner are oh so sizzling together. I love that Mimi's trying to break out of her conservative sensible self by getting involved with Tanner. And when the unexpected happens, decisions must be made... can the bad boy become what Mimi needs him to be?
I loved the wit and sass of this book and all the secondary characters, especially her grandmother!
This was just what I needed to read after a rather dark read prior to picking up this book.
I found myself laughing and fanning myself while reading this book. Mimi and Tanner are oh so sizzling together. I love that Mimi's trying to break out of her conservative sensible self by getting involved with Tanner. And when the unexpected happens, decisions must be made... can the bad boy become what Mimi needs him to be?
I loved the wit and sass of this book and all the secondary characters, especially her grandmother!
This was just what I needed to read after a rather dark read prior to picking up this book.
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