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Mercy Mountain #2
Firefly Duet
Firefly Duet is the second novel in the Mercy Mountain Series
Sofia Russo enjoys a charmed life with a loving family, a prosperous photography career and a bevy of good friends. That is, until life takes a crushing turn and then goes from sad to worse. Nearly killed during a violent crime, she nurses one man’s wounds while appearing to let a second man die. Overnight, Sofia is christened a Sexy Florence Nightingale by the press, sparking both praise and death threats on social media.
Ask anyone if Jim Mannis is a success in the years since he left his hometown of Ashnee Valley, Colorado and they’ll say yes. Three tours in Afghanistan. Three years as a NYPD officer. Three days since he rescued a woman during a bank robbery. Yet, none of these heroics matter to him now that he’s on the verge of leaving New York to fulfill a promise to his aging father. Come home son. I need your help to restore Mercy Mountain Lodge.
When authorities urge Sofia to temporarily leave the city under protection, she reluctantly agrees. In steps the cop that just saved her life. Less than twenty-four hours later as Jim heads home to Colorado, the beautiful and intriguing Sofia is by his side.
One endures the sharp edge of grief. The other bears the ache of timeworn loss. Can Jim and Sofia find resilience together and create a new beginning?
Sofia Russo enjoys a charmed life with a loving family, a prosperous photography career and a bevy of good friends. That is, until life takes a crushing turn and then goes from sad to worse. Nearly killed during a violent crime, she nurses one man’s wounds while appearing to let a second man die. Overnight, Sofia is christened a Sexy Florence Nightingale by the press, sparking both praise and death threats on social media.
Ask anyone if Jim Mannis is a success in the years since he left his hometown of Ashnee Valley, Colorado and they’ll say yes. Three tours in Afghanistan. Three years as a NYPD officer. Three days since he rescued a woman during a bank robbery. Yet, none of these heroics matter to him now that he’s on the verge of leaving New York to fulfill a promise to his aging father. Come home son. I need your help to restore Mercy Mountain Lodge.
When authorities urge Sofia to temporarily leave the city under protection, she reluctantly agrees. In steps the cop that just saved her life. Less than twenty-four hours later as Jim heads home to Colorado, the beautiful and intriguing Sofia is by his side.
One endures the sharp edge of grief. The other bears the ache of timeworn loss. Can Jim and Sofia find resilience together and create a new beginning?
282 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 8, 2021
9 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 19, 2021
***copy provided by author/publisher through BookSirens***
She's almost shot during an armed robbery, but he saves her life. When she starts receiving death threats, he takes her home to Colorado.
Another decent story in this series with likeable characters (both main and supporting), a heaping of family drama, though, once again, the romance stood on rather wobbly legs.
Thankfully, the story flow has improved from the first installment, so there were no more disrupting "jerky" passages. Still, I wished for more excitement, since the blurb promised death threats. But those were used only as a prop to get the heroine out of town and never followed her to Colorado. Pity.
She's almost shot during an armed robbery, but he saves her life. When she starts receiving death threats, he takes her home to Colorado.
Another decent story in this series with likeable characters (both main and supporting), a heaping of family drama, though, once again, the romance stood on rather wobbly legs.
Thankfully, the story flow has improved from the first installment, so there were no more disrupting "jerky" passages. Still, I wished for more excitement, since the blurb promised death threats. But those were used only as a prop to get the heroine out of town and never followed her to Colorado. Pity.
February 25, 2022
Trigger warning - sex, cancer, death, gun violence, coarse language, alcoholism
Sophia is trying to deal with the death of her brother and she is caught in the middle of a bank robbery. All of this is very overwhelming for her and to add to the stress she gets death threats. The police and her family think that it is best if she goes into hiding. An officer takes her to Mercy mountain in Colorado for her to hide out until they feel the threat of harm has passed.
On the surface this book is a steamy romance where true love shines, however; I found this book to be so very complex. It takes a look at several different people and how they cope with the death of a loved one. It provides a glimpse into family dynamics and how it all plays a part in healing from loss. This is just a sampling of the issues that this book hits on.
I honestly feel that if you have any time for yourself, you should grab a copy of this book and get lost in the mountains in Colorado.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Sophia is trying to deal with the death of her brother and she is caught in the middle of a bank robbery. All of this is very overwhelming for her and to add to the stress she gets death threats. The police and her family think that it is best if she goes into hiding. An officer takes her to Mercy mountain in Colorado for her to hide out until they feel the threat of harm has passed.
On the surface this book is a steamy romance where true love shines, however; I found this book to be so very complex. It takes a look at several different people and how they cope with the death of a loved one. It provides a glimpse into family dynamics and how it all plays a part in healing from loss. This is just a sampling of the issues that this book hits on.
I honestly feel that if you have any time for yourself, you should grab a copy of this book and get lost in the mountains in Colorado.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 16, 2021
Another heartwarming novel in the Mercy Mountain series. From a deadly bank robbery shooting in NY to a peaceful getaway in Ashnee Valley, CO, Sofia's journey involves healing more than her broken wrist. As she grieves the recent loss of her younger brother, Sofia is embraced by the Mannis family who understands grief. Jim, her savior and protector, wants to give Sofia all that she desires, but worries that his secret will keep him from being enough. Jett, Jim's rebel brother, complicates things with his untimely arrivals and growing friendship with Sofia. Preserving their mother's legacy, navigating their relationships, and moving past their grief are priorities for the Mannis family. Communication, love, and forgiveness are essential elements in this story of recovery. The developments at the end make me want to read the next book to find out how the Mannis family and the ones who love them are doing. One concern I have with the story is the short development of Jim and Sofia's relationship. I enjoyed the fun, flirty scenes, but feel that this couple needs more time to become close emotionally before they focus on the physical. Another element that I think could have been worked throughout the story successfully is added suspense from the original threat to Sofia from the bank robbery fallout, the reason she left NY with Jim. That original threat is not mentioned again, so Jim as the protector does not make as much sense as the story continues with no further threat. Though these two adjustments could have strengthened the plot, the story is well written and fun to read. I enjoyed the heartwarming family scenes when they honor the lives of their lost ones with special memories and memorials. I look forward to the further development of this series in subsequent books. Thanks to the author for the complimentary copy of this title.
Want to Read
October 13, 2021Firefly Duet is the second novel in the Mercy Mountain Series
Sofia Russo enjoys a charmed life with a loving family, a prosperous photography career and a bevy of good friends. That is, until life takes a crushing turn and then goes from sad to worse. Nearly killed during a violent crime, she nurses one man’s wounds while appearing to let a second man die. Overnight, Sofia is christened a Sexy Florence Nightingale by the press, sparking both praise and death threats on social media.
Ask anyone if Jim Mannis is a success in the years since he left his hometown of Ashnee Valley, Colorado and they’ll say yes. Three tours in Afghanistan. Three years as a NYPD officer. Three days since he rescued a woman during a bank robbery. Yet, none of these heroics matter to him now that he’s on the verge of leaving New York to fulfill a promise to his aging father. Come home son. I need your help to restore Mercy Mountain Lodge.
When authorities urge Sofia to temporarily leave the city under protection, she reluctantly agrees. In steps the cop that just saved her life. Less than twenty-four hours later as Jim heads home to Colorado, the beautiful and intriguing Sofia is by his side.
One endures the sharp edge of grief. The other bears the ache of timeworn loss. Can Jim and Sofia find resilience together and create a new beginning?
Sofia Russo enjoys a charmed life with a loving family, a prosperous photography career and a bevy of good friends. That is, until life takes a crushing turn and then goes from sad to worse. Nearly killed during a violent crime, she nurses one man’s wounds while appearing to let a second man die. Overnight, Sofia is christened a Sexy Florence Nightingale by the press, sparking both praise and death threats on social media.
Ask anyone if Jim Mannis is a success in the years since he left his hometown of Ashnee Valley, Colorado and they’ll say yes. Three tours in Afghanistan. Three years as a NYPD officer. Three days since he rescued a woman during a bank robbery. Yet, none of these heroics matter to him now that he’s on the verge of leaving New York to fulfill a promise to his aging father. Come home son. I need your help to restore Mercy Mountain Lodge.
When authorities urge Sofia to temporarily leave the city under protection, she reluctantly agrees. In steps the cop that just saved her life. Less than twenty-four hours later as Jim heads home to Colorado, the beautiful and intriguing Sofia is by his side.
One endures the sharp edge of grief. The other bears the ache of timeworn loss. Can Jim and Sofia find resilience together and create a new beginning?
April 5, 2021
This is the second book in the Mercy Mountain Series and don't worry if you haven't read book 1 since this is completely standalone and set approx 30 on from Dragonfly Dance. If you've read book 1, this is Jim's story - the son of Ben and Catherine. I enjoyed this read and it was very easy to find myself drawn into the characters. The interaction between them is realistic and fun, with a lot of flirting between Jim and Sofia. Although I enjoyed it (and would happily read more), there were things that disappointed me. Firstly, Sofia goes with Jim because she's receiving threats in New York following an armed robbery. Mention is made of them when talking of the court case, but never IRL do these kind of threats just stop. It felt like a rare misstep in an otherwise realistic story. Also, I know that Jim's the hero of the story, and for the most part I really liked him. But he sulked and acted out like a teenager when things didn't go his way. Not attractive.
June 8, 2021
I love that we now get to read about the offspring of Catherine and Ben Mannis that was the featured couple in Dragonfly Dance. If you haven’t read that story yet, I highly recommend. Firefly Duet is centered around Jim Mannis and Sofia Russo. They meet due to a bank robbery. Sofia is injured while helping to save the bank guard and Jim shoots the bank robber. When Sofia needs a safe place to lay low, it’s decided that she’ll go to Ashlee Valley, Colorado with Jim. Jim’s aging father has asked him to come home. I loved reading about Jim and his family and how they all accepted Sofia, even though she was a stranger to them. I won’t leave any spoilers, but if you love a story with a strong family dynamic, you can’t go wrong with this beautifully written story. I sure hope we’ll get to read Jett’s story in the future.
I received a free copy of this book from BookSirens and this is my voluntary and honest review.
I received a free copy of this book from BookSirens and this is my voluntary and honest review.
October 30, 2021
The opening premise had promise, but it was rushed and confusing, and we don’t yet care about the characters. Then the media got crazy (although we’re not given details) and suddenly Jim was bringing Sofia home with him to his family’s small town in Colorado. I gotta say, I just didn’t feel the emotions in either of these characters. What I did like was Sofia’s independence and the straightforward way she and Jim talked about the ‘next step’ in their relationship. The brother, Jett, was the most interesting character in the book; there was conflict between him and Jim but it was not fully explored. It was hard to believe Jim was ex-military, he didn’t act like it. He also didn’t show any remorse or struggle with any emotions over the fact he had to kill a person, even when we found out that person was not a ‘typical bad guy’ (don’t want to put spoiler). Biggest problem? I kept waiting for something to be tied back to that initial event, and it never was.
May 2, 2021
Firefly Duet flew along at its own place, meandering from here to there...there was one thing for certain, these two fell at first sight. Regardless of where this book took them, their love stayed true. It seemed like they might separate for good at one point, but Catherine finally decided a way forward to live out her dreams.
It’s always nice to see a couple who’ve met later in life fall in love for the first time. Sometimes, it’s easy like here, sometimes, not so much. This was a beautiful romance and beautiful story. I will say I cried through probably the last quarter of the book as I found the happenings very sad, but everything worked out in the end. To some extent, this book reminded me of It’s a Wonderful Life, except Ben didn’t need an angel to find his wings to know what he needed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It’s always nice to see a couple who’ve met later in life fall in love for the first time. Sometimes, it’s easy like here, sometimes, not so much. This was a beautiful romance and beautiful story. I will say I cried through probably the last quarter of the book as I found the happenings very sad, but everything worked out in the end. To some extent, this book reminded me of It’s a Wonderful Life, except Ben didn’t need an angel to find his wings to know what he needed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 29, 2021
Sofia and Jim meet very non-cute, in a dangerous and awful situation. He volunteers to get her away from social media haters, and off we go to a great romance. Both have suffered losses and have lots of issues, and they slowly learn to trust each other. She gets therapy, which I always appreciate in novels. Too often, people rely on their friends, which is a bad idea in times of real trouble. Both of them discover more about how to honor those lost and be their own best selves. We will probably see many other characters again, as this book is the first in a series. The writing is solid; feelings are warm and sexy, relationships are foremost.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 10, 2021
The second book in the Mountain Mercy series. This book revolves around the children of Ben and Catherine, who we met in Dragonfly Dance. Jim is a police officer in New York who arrives at the scene of a bank robbery. Sofia is there, and she helps save the guard who is shot by the robbers. The video goes viral of Sofia saving the guard over the robber, and she flees with Jim to Ashnee Valley, CO. Sofia and Jim must deal with their past in order to have a future together.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 10, 2021
From a deadly bank robbery in New York City to a beautiful, serene adventure in the Ashnee Valley in Colorado, we see Sofia and Jim discover more about themselves and their families. Sofia is whisked away by Jim Mannas to escape threats after a scary encounter in NY. Sofia is immediately welcomed by the Mannis family and starts to heal. She learns to cope with her own grief from her brother's death from a family who has seen their own share of grief.
Sofia and Jim both learn about the importance of family and the importance of learning to live your own dreams and life.
This is a beautiful love story with strong family bonds. I loved reading about these amazing characters and look forward to reading more about them.
I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Sofia and Jim both learn about the importance of family and the importance of learning to live your own dreams and life.
This is a beautiful love story with strong family bonds. I loved reading about these amazing characters and look forward to reading more about them.
I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 13, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I received an advanced reader copy of this book and am reviewing it voluntarily
Oh I loved this story heartwarming family bonds that are strained pushed to limits and finding acceptance and love and joy so many elements
I will never quite understand people who target and threaten others for their actions especially when they’re brave
Loved it
Oh I loved this story heartwarming family bonds that are strained pushed to limits and finding acceptance and love and joy so many elements
I will never quite understand people who target and threaten others for their actions especially when they’re brave
Loved it
March 1, 2021
Interesting concept here. This is the second in a series, but it is 30 years after the love story of Catherine and Ben. Their son, Jim, retired Army and current NYC police officer, meets beautiful Sofia Russo under unusual circumstances. Catherine’s sculptures and the lives of her three children are inexorably entwined. Plus there’s romance.
I received this book at no charge from Booksirens and the author, but all opinions are my own.
I received this book at no charge from Booksirens and the author, but all opinions are my own.
June 27, 2021
Nice read. I found the story moved at a decent pace, characters were for the most part likable and relatable. A little sulking from the MMC that I felt was more suited to a teenage boy (my main con in this book). Story flowed well. Good summer read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 27, 2021
Lovely tale of an unexpected pair who fall in love at first sight (ok, maybe it was the second time they saw each other, but it still takes a while longer for each to accept the fact).
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 2, 2022
This was a good book that has these two coming together with the ride to Colorado for him to help his father with Mercy and she’s trying to get away from the press. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 9, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It has everything. Loss, love, and second chances. Looking forward to more in this series.
January 21, 2025
Nice love story
It’s a nice love story and explains grief so well. Love all the characters and can’t wait to read more about them.
It’s a nice love story and explains grief so well. Love all the characters and can’t wait to read more about them.
July 6, 2021
I received both this great second edition in the series and the first one as advance review copies for free from BookSirens. I was hooked with the first one about Catherine and Ben Mannis. This one takes place 30 years later with the offspring of their great love in “Dragonfly Dance”.If you haven’t read that story yet, I highly recommend it. Sadly, Catherine Mannis has died. Firefly Duet is centered around Jim Mannis and Sofia Russo. Sofia is a witness to a violent crime and the press has plastered her face all over the news. She has to go into hiding for her safety. Jim is the officer who gets volunteered to hide her with him when he goes home to visit. It’s instant attraction. It’s an endearing family interaction and enlightening love story. I couldn’t put it down. I’m so glad I was introduced to this author!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews