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The Springs #2
Falling into Forever
He's falling for a beautiful stranger.
She's guarded and unsure.
The truth of her past could destroy their new love.
The last think Officer Rhys Anderson expects to encounter at the end of his quiet Sunday afternoon shift is a beautiful stranger stranded on the side of the road.
All Kari Fox wants to do is run as far away from her life-- and her controlling ex-husband-- as possible. She never planned on ending up stuck in a small mountain town, and she definitely never expected to fall for the handsome police officer whose helping her out.
With a new job, some new friends and a steaming new relationship, things are finally beginning to go right for her, and Kari even start to believe that she might have a future in this sleepy little town-- and with Rhys.
But Kari has secrets. Secrets that threaten to destroy everything she's trying to create, including her new relationship. As truth comes to light, will their connection be strong enough to withstand the truth of her past.
She's guarded and unsure.
The truth of her past could destroy their new love.
The last think Officer Rhys Anderson expects to encounter at the end of his quiet Sunday afternoon shift is a beautiful stranger stranded on the side of the road.
All Kari Fox wants to do is run as far away from her life-- and her controlling ex-husband-- as possible. She never planned on ending up stuck in a small mountain town, and she definitely never expected to fall for the handsome police officer whose helping her out.
With a new job, some new friends and a steaming new relationship, things are finally beginning to go right for her, and Kari even start to believe that she might have a future in this sleepy little town-- and with Rhys.
But Kari has secrets. Secrets that threaten to destroy everything she's trying to create, including her new relationship. As truth comes to light, will their connection be strong enough to withstand the truth of her past.
174 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2014
About the author
Elena Aitken
118 books1,011 followersElena Aitken is a USA Today Bestselling Author of more than forty romance and women’s fiction novels. Living a stone’s throw from the Rocky Mountains with her teenager twins, their two cats and a goofy rescue dog, Elena escapes into the mountains whenever life allows. She can often be found with her toes in the lake and a glass of wine in her hand, dreaming up her next book and working on her own happily ever after with her very own mountain man.
Read a free novella — https://dl.bookfunnel.com/vxuimdz0j8
Read a free novella — https://dl.bookfunnel.com/vxuimdz0j8
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
May 10, 2017
This was free on Amazon and I was looking for a light read...
This is a standard abused female runs away to get away from abusive ex scenario. I've read a ton of these and this one was towards the bottom of the stack. The plot and the characters had potential, but the author relied too much on Failure to Communicate, Failure to Communicate and of course Failure to Communicate. Sometimes it was the characters failing to communicate and sometimes it felt like the author failed to communicate with the reader.
They have a big "let's be honest before we have sex moment" and of course there is the Failure to Communicate. She's in danger and of course there is the Failure to Communicate. Plus she has stamped "abuse victim" across her forehead and he's too stupid to see it.
Instead of feeling real, all these scenes feel contrived so it didn't work for me. And for a person who fell in love with her ex and didn't see him for what he was, she fell too fast and felt "so save" with Rhys. That didn't feel right. It seemed she needed to have a time period where she didn't trust herself or other people.
I didn't totally understand how the ex got away in the divorce settlement where she had nothing in her name. It felt more contrived than realistic. Absolutely nothing was in her name? No credit cards, no car, no home. She must have had the worst divorce lawyer in the world. Yes, he was rich and controlling, but he would have had to "own" and not just be buddies with everyone in the system.
A quick read but for me it was slow and didn't provide enough depth to the characters and support for the situation. The ending was a really really quick wrap up.
This is a standard abused female runs away to get away from abusive ex scenario. I've read a ton of these and this one was towards the bottom of the stack. The plot and the characters had potential, but the author relied too much on Failure to Communicate, Failure to Communicate and of course Failure to Communicate. Sometimes it was the characters failing to communicate and sometimes it felt like the author failed to communicate with the reader.
They have a big "let's be honest before we have sex moment" and of course there is the Failure to Communicate. She's in danger and of course there is the Failure to Communicate. Plus she has stamped "abuse victim" across her forehead and he's too stupid to see it.
Instead of feeling real, all these scenes feel contrived so it didn't work for me. And for a person who fell in love with her ex and didn't see him for what he was, she fell too fast and felt "so save" with Rhys. That didn't feel right. It seemed she needed to have a time period where she didn't trust herself or other people.
I didn't totally understand how the ex got away in the divorce settlement where she had nothing in her name. It felt more contrived than realistic. Absolutely nothing was in her name? No credit cards, no car, no home. She must have had the worst divorce lawyer in the world. Yes, he was rich and controlling, but he would have had to "own" and not just be buddies with everyone in the system.
A quick read but for me it was slow and didn't provide enough depth to the characters and support for the situation. The ending was a really really quick wrap up.
April 5, 2015
This was not the first book by Elena Aitken that I have read, but it is the first I have chosen to review. Falling into Forever is the 2nd book in The Springs series. The story stands alone and concludes in this single volume, but the reader's experience with Falling into Forever if they read Summer of Change first - it provides background and setting on the town of Cedar Springs.
As I began reading Falling into Forever, I was quickly able to relate to and love Rhys character. In the first chapter, he's waving hello to his Aunt across the street as he helps a damsel in distress. Who doesn't love a man who loves his family. The author did a great job creating Rhys as a character who tries to balance his fear of mishandling another relationship with his instinct that tells him SOMETHING is going on with Kari. I felt the struggles with Rhys as he continued to fight his feelings for Kari and balance those fights with the need to know what was going on with Kari, and his ongoing friendship with former love, Beth. The author created a tenuous situation that we knew had to break at some point - and that break point was key to the climax of the story.
Kari's struggles with her past and her need for anonymity are difficult in the small town of Cedar Springs. They protect their own but at the same time, no business is your own in a small town. Kari is immediately embraced by the town and I loved how they gave her a sense of comfort and safety that she hadn't felt at home, or with her mother. By the way, I HATED her mother (which I'm sure was the author's point, and she did it well).
All in all, what that means is the author has created a wonderful cast of characters who endear themselves to the reader quickly and invite you into their hometown to sit down on the back deck, put your feet up, and stay a while. They embraced Kari in that way and make the reader feel that you are right there with them!
As I began reading Falling into Forever, I was quickly able to relate to and love Rhys character. In the first chapter, he's waving hello to his Aunt across the street as he helps a damsel in distress. Who doesn't love a man who loves his family. The author did a great job creating Rhys as a character who tries to balance his fear of mishandling another relationship with his instinct that tells him SOMETHING is going on with Kari. I felt the struggles with Rhys as he continued to fight his feelings for Kari and balance those fights with the need to know what was going on with Kari, and his ongoing friendship with former love, Beth. The author created a tenuous situation that we knew had to break at some point - and that break point was key to the climax of the story.
Kari's struggles with her past and her need for anonymity are difficult in the small town of Cedar Springs. They protect their own but at the same time, no business is your own in a small town. Kari is immediately embraced by the town and I loved how they gave her a sense of comfort and safety that she hadn't felt at home, or with her mother. By the way, I HATED her mother (which I'm sure was the author's point, and she did it well).
All in all, what that means is the author has created a wonderful cast of characters who endear themselves to the reader quickly and invite you into their hometown to sit down on the back deck, put your feet up, and stay a while. They embraced Kari in that way and make the reader feel that you are right there with them!
March 12, 2014
A trip back to Cedar Springs is how I spent part of my spring break. I was glad I had some time off because I just couldn't seem to put this book down.
The last book left us off where Officer Rhys Anderson was headed out on a call. He was just expecting it to be a simple boring call that normally happens in his small town. What he doesn't expect is to find a very attractive lady with a broken down car in front of his aunts house. Despite the immediate attraction to this woman, he can tell that she is hiding something!
Kari is on the run and trying to escape an abusive ex. She is driving with very little money to her name just to get as far away as she can and hopefully start over. Little does she know that breaking down in a small town will hold so many possibilities. Getting a job, friends and even finding love seems to make the past a distant memory, but the past can't stay buried forever and the secrets that she is hiding could ruin everything she has worked so hard to establish.
This book has all our favorite people from past books and you will love seeing them all grow and change through this amazing story. Elena Aitken books just seem to get better and better! This is one story that you wont be able to put down.
The last book left us off where Officer Rhys Anderson was headed out on a call. He was just expecting it to be a simple boring call that normally happens in his small town. What he doesn't expect is to find a very attractive lady with a broken down car in front of his aunts house. Despite the immediate attraction to this woman, he can tell that she is hiding something!
Kari is on the run and trying to escape an abusive ex. She is driving with very little money to her name just to get as far away as she can and hopefully start over. Little does she know that breaking down in a small town will hold so many possibilities. Getting a job, friends and even finding love seems to make the past a distant memory, but the past can't stay buried forever and the secrets that she is hiding could ruin everything she has worked so hard to establish.
This book has all our favorite people from past books and you will love seeing them all grow and change through this amazing story. Elena Aitken books just seem to get better and better! This is one story that you wont be able to put down.
March 30, 2014
Falling Into Forever, is the second book in The Spring series. Officer Anderson, Rhys, is called to help a stranded motorist in front of his Aunt Daisy's house. Kari Fox's Mercedes has broken down in Cedar Springs which is not good when you are running away from an abusive ex. Rhys is attracted to Kari yet he senses that something is going on with Kari when she won't use her credit card to fix her car. Rhys valves honesty. Kari needs to make some money and gets a job at the Springs. She is living as honestly as she can and is finding that she wants to stay in a Cedar Springs with Rhys. However, before she can be honest with Rhys her ex husband shows up, is assaulting her when Rhys walks in and stops him. Kari must be strong and honest to make Rhys hers forever. I really enjoyed the second book in the series. It is a must read and looking forward to a third book. I highly recommend any books written by Elena Aitken.
March 26, 2014
This is my first visit to the Springs! I somehow managed to miss the first book but don't worry, it is great as a stand alone. (although I plan to add the first book to my reading list!) Falling Into Forever was a great read and a wonderful escape. Rhys and Kari have a believable connection and great chemistry. Made me want to run away to the mountains and have MY car break down! Looking forward to book 3... hoping maybe Beth will find her match?
March 27, 2014
Officer Rhys came along when Kari needed help with her car. Kari has some secrets...
Each time I read a book by this author, I say it is my favorite. Let's face it, I love them all! I think many of us can relate to Kari and her need for secrets. I read this book in two days. I simply could not put it down. I found myself on edge and hoping...
I love this series and can't wait for the next one! All of the characters are well written, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
Each time I read a book by this author, I say it is my favorite. Let's face it, I love them all! I think many of us can relate to Kari and her need for secrets. I read this book in two days. I simply could not put it down. I found myself on edge and hoping...
I love this series and can't wait for the next one! All of the characters are well written, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
March 16, 2014
I really enjoyed the Castle Mountain Series and the SpringsSeries. The characters are engaging and likeable that you find yourself routing for them. I was a little disappointed in Rhys for his attitude towards Kari, but thank god Archer has some sense!
My only concern is the length of the book compared to the price. I will be causious in the future.
My only concern is the length of the book compared to the price. I will be causious in the future.
April 22, 2014
A little bit of mystery and romance.
This author is good at mixing a little romance and mystery together. A good, clean read; enjoyable and not too much smut.
This author is good at mixing a little romance and mystery together. A good, clean read; enjoyable and not too much smut.
May 29, 2017
An OK romance, but the ending was cut short for me.
September 6, 2023
Rhys & Kari
Sweet romance with a bit of angst. Run away to hide from controlling ex, try to keep secret but falling in love with sexy officer that has previously been hurt from lack of honesty in his relationship. Quick, entertaining read.
Sweet romance with a bit of angst. Run away to hide from controlling ex, try to keep secret but falling in love with sexy officer that has previously been hurt from lack of honesty in his relationship. Quick, entertaining read.
May 19, 2015
This review was originally posted to Jen in Bookland
3.5 stars
I wasn't sure how well I would like Falling Into Forever. I mean the first book in this series was just a light read and this one has a more serious subject matter so I wasn't sure if it would work. Somehow it did. It was still a light, fast read, but it did have a bit of a darker storyline as well. It was fun and things wrapped up quickly, but I enjoyed it.
Rhys grew up in Cedar Springs and moved away once he graduated high school. After living in the city for a number of years he has come back to be the cop in town. He used to date Beth, who if you read the first book she is a minor character in there as well. He thinks he is over her, and they are still good friends. He is happy enough with where he is in life and things are good. Then he answers a call and finds Kari and her broken down car.
Kari escaped the city after some not so good things happened to her. She doesn't trust easy and she is a bit skittish when she first arrives, but there is just something there between Rhys and her. She likes him, though she is not really sure what if anything to do about that.
They have a few small hiccups before things go well for them, but they were cute together. The ending was a bit too quick and easy, but so is the entire book so it worked. Do I think things are fine and Kari will never have to worry about something happening again? No, not really. You don't really know what happens after the incident so who knows. Maybe it comes up in passing in the next book, but Rhys and Kari are happy together so that is all that really matters. A fun, quick, light read.
3.5 stars
I wasn't sure how well I would like Falling Into Forever. I mean the first book in this series was just a light read and this one has a more serious subject matter so I wasn't sure if it would work. Somehow it did. It was still a light, fast read, but it did have a bit of a darker storyline as well. It was fun and things wrapped up quickly, but I enjoyed it.
Rhys grew up in Cedar Springs and moved away once he graduated high school. After living in the city for a number of years he has come back to be the cop in town. He used to date Beth, who if you read the first book she is a minor character in there as well. He thinks he is over her, and they are still good friends. He is happy enough with where he is in life and things are good. Then he answers a call and finds Kari and her broken down car.
Kari escaped the city after some not so good things happened to her. She doesn't trust easy and she is a bit skittish when she first arrives, but there is just something there between Rhys and her. She likes him, though she is not really sure what if anything to do about that.
They have a few small hiccups before things go well for them, but they were cute together. The ending was a bit too quick and easy, but so is the entire book so it worked. Do I think things are fine and Kari will never have to worry about something happening again? No, not really. You don't really know what happens after the incident so who knows. Maybe it comes up in passing in the next book, but Rhys and Kari are happy together so that is all that really matters. A fun, quick, light read.
March 31, 2014
Elena has another winning series in the making! I loved the first series, Castle Mountain, because the characters were so well written and this series is no different. Rhys and Kari's story was a great read, being seamlessly woven in with the rest of the Springs characters. Both were likable and relatable, which is something special, but always present in her books. I love that Kari had a past, and that Elena wrote the hesitant and distrusting behavior as if it really was a person and not fiction. Because of this, the book had a darker tone than the previous book, but not dark enough that it overtook Kari's journey of healing. Definitely a great read :-)
March 28, 2014
Elena Aitken keeps getting better! I received this book as an advanced reader copy from the author. I've always liked how she creates interesting and realistic characters that you can relate to. This time she piques your interest about them and takes a little more time for you to uncover all their secrets and motivations. The slow reveal is always more interesting. Good escapist read for an enjoyable afternoon.
November 22, 2014
I loved this book. Interesting from beginning to end. No TSTL moments. Great characters. I liked that the heroine didn't act like a scared little mouse. Nice to read a book were the hero wasn't constantly thinking,"oh I'll just sleep with her but I'm not interested in having a relationship." Definitely going to read more from this author.
June 27, 2015
Empowering read
Fantastic story. Beautifully written storyline with strong wonderful characters. The message in this was important and done in a very dignified way. The sex scenes were super hot. The chemistry between lead characters was perfect.
Fantastic story. Beautifully written storyline with strong wonderful characters. The message in this was important and done in a very dignified way. The sex scenes were super hot. The chemistry between lead characters was perfect.
May 11, 2020
Kari is running away from her old life and when her car breaks down in small town Cedar Springs she meets a great group of people who welcome her. Rhys is instantly attracted to her but can tell she’s hiding something. Brice is her ex-husband and is definitely not just going to let her go.
March 16, 2014
Awesome book I love that Kari got out of her relationship and ended up with Rhys..I like it when women are strong!
May 31, 2014
This book was amazing! Each book keeps getting better! Looking forward to reading the next one! Please keep them coming!
May 9, 2020
I’m not sure whether at 175 pages this story qualifies as a novella or an actual full length book? At that length it feels like something in-between. I found it as part of a free collection of stories under the book title of Hometown Hope. IMHO it was okay. Not terrible (except for the typos which you’d think would have been corrected 6 years after the book was originally published in 2014) but not special either. The plot was extremely predictable even for a genre where plot predictability is fairly status quo. We get the back story on Cedar Springs police officer Rhys, our male lead and Kari our on the run abused ex-wife female lead, yet they still felt one-dimensional. We got to know the secondary characters even less. Apparently they were all introduced in the first book in The Springs series. Which has me a little confused because there are already four characters coupled up but only one previous book?
Kari or Karina is on the run from her abusive, wealthy and well connected ex-husband Brice when her Mercedes (or his) breaks down in the little tourist town of Cedar Springs. Officer Rhys shows up to check the situation out. Here’s my first problem with this story. Even given that Rhys feels it was his abuse of power by using his connections to look into his former love’s activities that cost him that relationship, the immediate signs that Kari was an abused woman on the run should have been too obvious for him to ignore. Despite the bruise on her face and the obvious lie of an explanation she gives him for it, her uneasiness and fear, he choses to ignore all of it. A minor annoyance was a place called “The City” keeps being referred to as to where Kari was from, where Rhys used to work as a detective, but we’re never told what city. Nor are we told where the imaginary town of Cedar Springs is supposed to be. All we know is that it’s so remote that it takes days to get parts to repair a Mercedes Benz. Despite Kari telling us how safe she feels with Rhys, she still doesn’t trust him enough to tell him her real story despite him being a big strong police officer who can protect her from her ex. Which of course we know will eventually blow up in her face. Honestly the longer I write this review the more I find problems with this story. I was ready to give it 3 Stars at the beginning but that’s now fallen to 2 Stars so I’ll just stop writing.
Kari or Karina is on the run from her abusive, wealthy and well connected ex-husband Brice when her Mercedes (or his) breaks down in the little tourist town of Cedar Springs. Officer Rhys shows up to check the situation out. Here’s my first problem with this story. Even given that Rhys feels it was his abuse of power by using his connections to look into his former love’s activities that cost him that relationship, the immediate signs that Kari was an abused woman on the run should have been too obvious for him to ignore. Despite the bruise on her face and the obvious lie of an explanation she gives him for it, her uneasiness and fear, he choses to ignore all of it. A minor annoyance was a place called “The City” keeps being referred to as to where Kari was from, where Rhys used to work as a detective, but we’re never told what city. Nor are we told where the imaginary town of Cedar Springs is supposed to be. All we know is that it’s so remote that it takes days to get parts to repair a Mercedes Benz. Despite Kari telling us how safe she feels with Rhys, she still doesn’t trust him enough to tell him her real story despite him being a big strong police officer who can protect her from her ex. Which of course we know will eventually blow up in her face. Honestly the longer I write this review the more I find problems with this story. I was ready to give it 3 Stars at the beginning but that’s now fallen to 2 Stars so I’ll just stop writing.
May 14, 2017
Summary: Falling Into Forever is a contemporary book that follows Kari, a woman desperate to run away and start over. But when her car breaks down in a small town her plans change.
What I liked about this book:
Honestly? I'm a sucker for contemporary especially when I feel a connection between the characters. I found the relationship to be genuine and believable for the most part between Kari and Rhys. I knew this book was filled with common tropes but this book was the definition of a guilty pleasure.
What I disliked about this book:
Even though I enjoyed this read, there are still many factors that are hard to ignore when actually reviewing this book. First, Kari is escaping from an abusive ex-husband which is not entirely expressed when we first meet her but the signs are absolutely obvious. However, Rhys who is a cop that has dealt with many individuals who have experience spousal abuse is unable to pick up the painfully obvious warning signs? I have a hard time believing that if Kari was so afraid of her ex-husband she would have contacted her mother who so clearly preferred Brice. Just seems too much of a risky move and an easy way to get caught. Also, Kari didn't anticipate that Brice would report the car stolen that she had taken to run away? When the car broke down she should have saved some cash from working at the Springs and then found the nearest public transportation to keep moving. But the biggest issues with this book were the lack of communication among characters and the overall lack of a plot throughout this book.
Overall Thoughts:
Falling Into Forever is an easy read with a semi-enjoyable story, however, there are many plot holes. If you love contemporary with a plot that you can spot a mile away then you will love this book. You will guess what's going to happen next, there really is no element of surprise. The reality is that while I enjoyed the first read, I would probably never pick this book up again.
Rating: 2 Stars
What I liked about this book:
Honestly? I'm a sucker for contemporary especially when I feel a connection between the characters. I found the relationship to be genuine and believable for the most part between Kari and Rhys. I knew this book was filled with common tropes but this book was the definition of a guilty pleasure.
What I disliked about this book:
Even though I enjoyed this read, there are still many factors that are hard to ignore when actually reviewing this book. First, Kari is escaping from an abusive ex-husband which is not entirely expressed when we first meet her but the signs are absolutely obvious. However, Rhys who is a cop that has dealt with many individuals who have experience spousal abuse is unable to pick up the painfully obvious warning signs? I have a hard time believing that if Kari was so afraid of her ex-husband she would have contacted her mother who so clearly preferred Brice. Just seems too much of a risky move and an easy way to get caught. Also, Kari didn't anticipate that Brice would report the car stolen that she had taken to run away? When the car broke down she should have saved some cash from working at the Springs and then found the nearest public transportation to keep moving. But the biggest issues with this book were the lack of communication among characters and the overall lack of a plot throughout this book.
Overall Thoughts:
Falling Into Forever is an easy read with a semi-enjoyable story, however, there are many plot holes. If you love contemporary with a plot that you can spot a mile away then you will love this book. You will guess what's going to happen next, there really is no element of surprise. The reality is that while I enjoyed the first read, I would probably never pick this book up again.
Rating: 2 Stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2018
I read the previous book in the series and I didn't particularly enjoy it, but thought I would give the series another chance, as I enjoy small-town romances. This book didn't work for me, though. I never connected with the characters and found the part that was supposed to be the plot twist toward the end to be a little rushed. The heroine is running away from her abusive ex-husband, but I found her character was missing a bit of depth, I could never really connect with her on an emotional level. I think, because of the theme, it would have been nice to have a better insight into her mind, to be able to feel her inner struggle. And although I usually like a hero in a uniform, Rhys never really made me go "wow". I felt that, apart from the obvious strong physical attraction, their feelings never jumped off the page.
The epilogue in another character's point of view threw me off a bit, especially when I realized that the next book wasn't going to be about her. I personally didn't understand the author's choice.
There were a few scattered typos that could have been spotted by a proofreader and a couple of head hopping instances within the same scene that made me stop for a moment, and a descriptive sex scene that threw me off a little, as other books I read from this author were on the cleaner side.
All in all, I don't think I will continue with the series.
It works as a standalone, although reading book 1 will help get a better picture of the Springs Resort.
The epilogue in another character's point of view threw me off a bit, especially when I realized that the next book wasn't going to be about her. I personally didn't understand the author's choice.
There were a few scattered typos that could have been spotted by a proofreader and a couple of head hopping instances within the same scene that made me stop for a moment, and a descriptive sex scene that threw me off a little, as other books I read from this author were on the cleaner side.
All in all, I don't think I will continue with the series.
It works as a standalone, although reading book 1 will help get a better picture of the Springs Resort.
July 1, 2017
Falling Into Forever (the Springs book #2)
Wow!!! Elena Aiken really delivered a great read with this book. I loved Rhys and Kari's story. This book really had everything that makes up a great read. I found myself crying one minute and laughing the next minute. My heart even swooned.
In Falling Into Forever we get to meet Rhys Anderson and Kari Fox. Rhys is the town sheriff and he meets Kari when she's stranded on the side of the road. Kari is on the run from a painful and scary past. Determined to do everything on her own with no links to her former life. Scared of her ex husband and knowing no one she's forced to trust Rhys.
This book was a terrific read. Packed with a lot of emotion and even excitement and lots of romance. I enjoyed it from page 1. I loved watching as Kari and Rhys overcome their struggles and let go of the past. I enjoyed seeing them come together. I loved the secondary characters as well. By the end of the book I felt like I was a part of Cedar Springs. I also felt like the struggles were realistic and I could relate.
I love this book. It is a must read for any romance lover. I highly recommend this book and give it a 5 star rating and definitely 2 thumbs up. I definitely will be reading more of The Springs series. Elena Aiken has become one of my favorite authors.
Wow!!! Elena Aiken really delivered a great read with this book. I loved Rhys and Kari's story. This book really had everything that makes up a great read. I found myself crying one minute and laughing the next minute. My heart even swooned.
In Falling Into Forever we get to meet Rhys Anderson and Kari Fox. Rhys is the town sheriff and he meets Kari when she's stranded on the side of the road. Kari is on the run from a painful and scary past. Determined to do everything on her own with no links to her former life. Scared of her ex husband and knowing no one she's forced to trust Rhys.
This book was a terrific read. Packed with a lot of emotion and even excitement and lots of romance. I enjoyed it from page 1. I loved watching as Kari and Rhys overcome their struggles and let go of the past. I enjoyed seeing them come together. I loved the secondary characters as well. By the end of the book I felt like I was a part of Cedar Springs. I also felt like the struggles were realistic and I could relate.
I love this book. It is a must read for any romance lover. I highly recommend this book and give it a 5 star rating and definitely 2 thumbs up. I definitely will be reading more of The Springs series. Elena Aiken has become one of my favorite authors.
October 27, 2019
I enjoyed this book very much. It is the second book in the series. I like how each book can stand alone; but at the same time there is a continuity between the books in the series. All of the characters remain and are an important part of the storyline in each book in the series. Not only does the romance that was the center of each book continue to strengthen; but the friendship between the different characters is important and strengthened too. For example in this case between Sam and Kari. Other friendship were strengthened too. The main characters in this book was Katrina “Kari” Fox who was not only running from an abusive relationship but left a Mother that cared more about herself than her own daughter and she makes this observation about the friendships that she had made since coming to Cedar Springs, “...she’d barely had time to get settled before the first snowfall, but the town felt like home, and the people in it hadn’t just become her friends, they’d very quickly become family.” I liked the fact that there was little to no profanity in the book and the dialogue for the love scenes were not overly graphic nor did they take up too much space in the storyline. I look forward to reading other books in the series.
June 4, 2017
There are two things I especially enjoyed about this book. One is the the author, Elena Aitken, is one of my favorite authors and second, it’s part of a series which I love to read. It’s so interesting reading about each character in a book and then another book will expand on the particular character. This was a great story about someone we’ve read before and a new person, Kari Fox.
The story is about Kari running away from secrets and getting stranded in Cedar Spring. Along comes Officer Rhys Anderson to help this beautiful woman. Kari ends up staying at Cedar Springs to make money for her car repair. Every time Kari and Rhys see each other there’s special feeling. As time goes by Kari and Rhys are ready to start something but what exactly are Kari’s secret and will it ruin her new life in Cedar Springs.
The story is about Kari running away from secrets and getting stranded in Cedar Spring. Along comes Officer Rhys Anderson to help this beautiful woman. Kari ends up staying at Cedar Springs to make money for her car repair. Every time Kari and Rhys see each other there’s special feeling. As time goes by Kari and Rhys are ready to start something but what exactly are Kari’s secret and will it ruin her new life in Cedar Springs.
June 5, 2017
Slow build, fast drop
Okay is probably the best description for this book. For a short romance, the initial development is slow. I actually was about 30% if the way through when I accidentally opened another book on my kindle and got distracted. It pulled me in on the first page while this one took half the book. Once the romance really started, though, it moved quickly, maybe too much so.
There's clear history and previous development of most of the characters in other books in the series that I haven't read, which isn't a problem for me though rarely I felt a little lost on that front.
I'm not sure where the "holiday" part comes into this romance, but that's just a minor nit.
So in summary, not a bad read so I'd read others by this author, but nothing if go out of my way for.
Okay is probably the best description for this book. For a short romance, the initial development is slow. I actually was about 30% if the way through when I accidentally opened another book on my kindle and got distracted. It pulled me in on the first page while this one took half the book. Once the romance really started, though, it moved quickly, maybe too much so.
There's clear history and previous development of most of the characters in other books in the series that I haven't read, which isn't a problem for me though rarely I felt a little lost on that front.
I'm not sure where the "holiday" part comes into this romance, but that's just a minor nit.
So in summary, not a bad read so I'd read others by this author, but nothing if go out of my way for.
March 30, 2022
Karina Fox is fleeing her abusive ex-husband Brice when her car breaks down in a small town called Cedar Springs. A quick phone call to the station brings Officer Rhys Anderson to the scene where he offers to drive Kari to the town.
He puts her up in a in a room in pub called Grizzly Paw that’s run by his friend Samantha.
With no money to fix her car, Kari takes up a job in a resort where she hopes to work until she saves up some money to fix her car and then be on her way. But she ends up liking it in Cedar Springs.
Officer Rhys can’t help wondering what Kari is running from but he can’t deny the attraction growing between them. As the truth of her past comes to light, will their connection be strong enough to withstand the truth of her past?
A small-town romance with warm characters in an idyllic setting.
He puts her up in a in a room in pub called Grizzly Paw that’s run by his friend Samantha.
With no money to fix her car, Kari takes up a job in a resort where she hopes to work until she saves up some money to fix her car and then be on her way. But she ends up liking it in Cedar Springs.
Officer Rhys can’t help wondering what Kari is running from but he can’t deny the attraction growing between them. As the truth of her past comes to light, will their connection be strong enough to withstand the truth of her past?
A small-town romance with warm characters in an idyllic setting.
May 16, 2017
A soso romance that depends heavily on the overused premise of domestic violence and a knight in law enforcement coming to her aid. The plot dragged at times to the point I forgot what it was exactly that I was reading. The bedroom scene could have used a tad more color, and there were gaps in the time line that could have been filled in with more than dead air. It's really hard to live vicariously through a character that time travels forward when it's not supposed to be that type of story. This isn't television where you can just cut to a commercial and then pick up the next morning while the reader (me) is expecting something to happen between the 'miscommunication' in the lake and waking up the next morning besides dead air.
July 1, 2020
This was a quick read with likable enough characters. The storyline is pretty predictable, so no major surprises. This is a standalone, but reading the first book would help with some of the other characters.
Kari is running from an abusive ex and her car breaks down. Rhys is the cop who comes to her rescue. They are instantly attracted to each other, but he knows she is hiding something. We spend the story frustrated from lack of communication.
The story is on the short side with an unimaginative plot. I wanted to like it more because Rhys was dreamy, but it was just ok for me. The epilogue preps us for the next book, which is a pet peeve of mine! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kari is running from an abusive ex and her car breaks down. Rhys is the cop who comes to her rescue. They are instantly attracted to each other, but he knows she is hiding something. We spend the story frustrated from lack of communication.
The story is on the short side with an unimaginative plot. I wanted to like it more because Rhys was dreamy, but it was just ok for me. The epilogue preps us for the next book, which is a pet peeve of mine! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 22, 2026
Rhys is a cop in Cedar Springs and Kari is running away from her ex.
Kari is trying to run away from her ex husband after he left a bruise on her face when she breaks down in Cedar Springs. Rhys is the police officer who comes to help her. Sparks fly from both of them and the longer she stays in town, the harder it is to deny their feelings anymore. But will Kari ever tell him the truth about who she is and why she was running before he finds out? Will he use his police contacts to find out about her before she can tell him? What happens when her ex finds her and tries to force her to leave with him?
Kari is trying to run away from her ex husband after he left a bruise on her face when she breaks down in Cedar Springs. Rhys is the police officer who comes to help her. Sparks fly from both of them and the longer she stays in town, the harder it is to deny their feelings anymore. But will Kari ever tell him the truth about who she is and why she was running before he finds out? Will he use his police contacts to find out about her before she can tell him? What happens when her ex finds her and tries to force her to leave with him?
May 18, 2017
I had forgotten that I hadn't read this book in the Springs series so to my delight when it was offered for free for a limited time, I snapped it up.
Great story with some depth to it. I just have to say I love Elena's books. I can get through them in a weekend and I am totally satisfied at the end. I love how her different series are some how connected so you become very familiar with characters. It is like a tv series and you are always taken away to some sort of destination. I just love "escaping" for a little while
Great story with some depth to it. I just have to say I love Elena's books. I can get through them in a weekend and I am totally satisfied at the end. I love how her different series are some how connected so you become very familiar with characters. It is like a tv series and you are always taken away to some sort of destination. I just love "escaping" for a little while
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