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Darling, VT #2
Someone to Love
A widower with two adorable boys and a Bohemian beauty who owns the local café are brought together in this emotional, heartwarming novel in Donna Alward’s Darling, VT series.
Widower Ethan Gallagher’s biggest challenge is just making it day to day. A firefighter and single father to two adorable boys, he juggles work and parenthood with the help of his family. When he volunteers at the temporary food bank site, he finds himself face to face with Willow Dunaway, owner of the Purple Pig Café. He’s still not over his wife’s death, but the carefree beauty has him thinking about living again…
Willow has worked hard to find inner peace and serenity, but Ethan challenges her at every turn, and before long the broody single dad gets under her skin. The passion between them is incendiary, and she also finds herself falling for his little boys, which resurrects all sorts of painful memories she thought she’d put behind her and disrupts her carefully calm existence.
But when Willow’s deepest secret is finally revealed, their fragile happiness is threatened. Ethan knows love is impossible without trust—but trusting is hard when falling in love is the most frightening thing of all.
Widower Ethan Gallagher’s biggest challenge is just making it day to day. A firefighter and single father to two adorable boys, he juggles work and parenthood with the help of his family. When he volunteers at the temporary food bank site, he finds himself face to face with Willow Dunaway, owner of the Purple Pig Café. He’s still not over his wife’s death, but the carefree beauty has him thinking about living again…
Willow has worked hard to find inner peace and serenity, but Ethan challenges her at every turn, and before long the broody single dad gets under her skin. The passion between them is incendiary, and she also finds herself falling for his little boys, which resurrects all sorts of painful memories she thought she’d put behind her and disrupts her carefully calm existence.
But when Willow’s deepest secret is finally revealed, their fragile happiness is threatened. Ethan knows love is impossible without trust—but trusting is hard when falling in love is the most frightening thing of all.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2017
217 people are currently reading
770 people want to read
About the author
Donna Alward
285 books692 followersSince 2006, New York Times bestseller Donna Jones Alward has enchanted readers with stories of happy endings and homecomings that have won several awards and been translated into over a dozen languages. She’s worked as an administrative assistant, teaching assistant, in retail and as a stay-at-home-mom, but always knew her degree in English Literature would pay off, as she is now happy to be a full-time writer. Her new historical fiction tales blend her love of history with characters who step beyond their biggest fears to claim the lives they desire.
Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and cats. You can often find her near the water, either kayaking on the lake or walking the sandy beaches to refill her creative well.
Find out more at www.donnajonesalward.com
Donna currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and cats. You can often find her near the water, either kayaking on the lake or walking the sandy beaches to refill her creative well.
Find out more at www.donnajonesalward.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
March 6, 2017
4 - "Have you wondered if we're both just too damaged to do this?" Stars!
The second book in Donna Alwards Darling, VT series gives us widower Ethan Gallagher’s story. Oh and I forgot to mention, he’s a single Daddy too!
This is definitely an opposites attract sort of romance, Ethan is pretty uptight and staid, especially at the beginning of the book, and I wasn’t sure whether I was going to warm to him initially as he came across as a bit of a judgey ass in the first couple of interactions with Willow. On the opposite side we have a woman who is all about calm, Zen and staying firmly in her happy bubble. Its difficult to see where they are going to find any common ground that will kick-start a potential relationship between them.
"You’re the first person to treat me like I am nothing special in months."
Ethans little boys Ronan and Connor were a huge part of the catalyst and I loved their inclusion into the story, but you also see as the story builds, that this is a couple that have more in common than you would initially assume, it also highlights that grief comes in many shapes and forms and it is something that we all deal with in different ways.
When a person stepped out of the dark and into the sun, it took a while for the eyes to adjust.
I think Somebody to Love has the potential to be a book that readers will either love or hate, the second half of the story errs into an area that I think will resonate strongly with some people and probably not in a good way, it resonated with me, but I was kind of expecting it to happen very early on after a few things were revealed by Ethan and Willow, so it wasn’t as much of a shock for me as it possibly could have been. That said I can see both sides of the coin, and therefore understand the different reactions that different readers will have to it.
"Are we becoming friends do you think?"
"I guess we probably are. Kind of an odd combo, but there’s nothing wrong with that."
I would call the authors choice of story direction a bit of a grey area, especially when you take into account both Ethan and Willow’s pasts, but it wasn’t dragged out too long, and the resolution was quick and pretty sweet in general.
I am really enjoying this series, the final Gallagher brother is up next in Somebody’s Baby and I just know it’s going to be another winner (probably because I have already read it!).
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
The second book in Donna Alwards Darling, VT series gives us widower Ethan Gallagher’s story. Oh and I forgot to mention, he’s a single Daddy too!
This is definitely an opposites attract sort of romance, Ethan is pretty uptight and staid, especially at the beginning of the book, and I wasn’t sure whether I was going to warm to him initially as he came across as a bit of a judgey ass in the first couple of interactions with Willow. On the opposite side we have a woman who is all about calm, Zen and staying firmly in her happy bubble. Its difficult to see where they are going to find any common ground that will kick-start a potential relationship between them.
"You’re the first person to treat me like I am nothing special in months."
Ethans little boys Ronan and Connor were a huge part of the catalyst and I loved their inclusion into the story, but you also see as the story builds, that this is a couple that have more in common than you would initially assume, it also highlights that grief comes in many shapes and forms and it is something that we all deal with in different ways.
When a person stepped out of the dark and into the sun, it took a while for the eyes to adjust.
I think Somebody to Love has the potential to be a book that readers will either love or hate, the second half of the story errs into an area that I think will resonate strongly with some people and probably not in a good way, it resonated with me, but I was kind of expecting it to happen very early on after a few things were revealed by Ethan and Willow, so it wasn’t as much of a shock for me as it possibly could have been. That said I can see both sides of the coin, and therefore understand the different reactions that different readers will have to it.
"Are we becoming friends do you think?"
"I guess we probably are. Kind of an odd combo, but there’s nothing wrong with that."
I would call the authors choice of story direction a bit of a grey area, especially when you take into account both Ethan and Willow’s pasts, but it wasn’t dragged out too long, and the resolution was quick and pretty sweet in general.
I am really enjoying this series, the final Gallagher brother is up next in Somebody’s Baby and I just know it’s going to be another winner (probably because I have already read it!).
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, and it was my absolute pleasure to provide the above honest review.
February 7, 2017
Someone to Love by Donna Alward is a 2017 St. Martin’s Press publication.
This contemporary romance got off to a solid start, but sadly, faltered around the midway point and never fully recovered.
Willow Dunaway has returned to Darling, Vermont after going through some hard times. She now runs her own business and lives a free-spirited life, facing challenges as they happen and taking advantage of opportunities as they arrive.
Ethan Gallagher is a single dad with a high pressure job, coping with grief. When he meets Willow, he is not exactly impressed with her pink highlights and nose ring, but as it turns out, Willow is his sister’s best friend and the two wind up crossing paths quite often.
The more time they spend together, the two complete opposites begin to forge a bond, but will their differences and painful pasts come between their budding romance?
I really tried to get into this book, but it just didn’t work for me. I usually like the ‘opposites attract’ trope, because it can be pretty funny or fiery at times, but this one fell flat. I liked Willow in the beginning, but in my opinion, she pulled an unforgivable stunt with Ethan that wasn’t fair to him at all. To be honest, I understood the psychology behind the decision, but still didn't agree with it, although I did try to empathize with Willow.
Ethan on the other hand, loosened up some, but remained a little aloof throughout, so the chemistry was erratic and shallow. The ending was rushed through, robbing me of any inspirational feelings of hope or a sigh worthy HEA.
This is not the best effort by this author, in my opinion, but, it was passable enough for a quick afternoon escape.
2 stars
This contemporary romance got off to a solid start, but sadly, faltered around the midway point and never fully recovered.
Willow Dunaway has returned to Darling, Vermont after going through some hard times. She now runs her own business and lives a free-spirited life, facing challenges as they happen and taking advantage of opportunities as they arrive.
Ethan Gallagher is a single dad with a high pressure job, coping with grief. When he meets Willow, he is not exactly impressed with her pink highlights and nose ring, but as it turns out, Willow is his sister’s best friend and the two wind up crossing paths quite often.
The more time they spend together, the two complete opposites begin to forge a bond, but will their differences and painful pasts come between their budding romance?
I really tried to get into this book, but it just didn’t work for me. I usually like the ‘opposites attract’ trope, because it can be pretty funny or fiery at times, but this one fell flat. I liked Willow in the beginning, but in my opinion, she pulled an unforgivable stunt with Ethan that wasn’t fair to him at all. To be honest, I understood the psychology behind the decision, but still didn't agree with it, although I did try to empathize with Willow.
Ethan on the other hand, loosened up some, but remained a little aloof throughout, so the chemistry was erratic and shallow. The ending was rushed through, robbing me of any inspirational feelings of hope or a sigh worthy HEA.
This is not the best effort by this author, in my opinion, but, it was passable enough for a quick afternoon escape.
2 stars
March 8, 2017
3.5 Stars. Small town romance is not one of my go to tropes anymore after getting burnt out on a long running series that shall not be named (unless someone really wants to know lol) but this one caught my attention. Ethan is a widowed dad with some bitterness and a whole lot of reluctance when it comes to everything from romance to accepting help from family. Willow is a nature-loving free spirit that, at first glance, appears to be incompatible with him. For some reason, they work. They compliment and support one another in very good ways. I really enjoyed their progression from animosity to love. The inclusion of the children was done with great taste and tact and the emotional component of the same was heartfelt and genuine.
The plot was interesting but towards the end, takes a not altogether unexpected turn that was handled poorly by Ethan. It's not to say that he's not allowed to handle it one way or another, but how he acted did not feel congruent with the character I thought was well established by then. The reconciliation felt rushed and unsatisfying. Despite this, I enjoyed reading this story.
Safety: No others for either. No rape or abuse. Brief separation.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
The plot was interesting but towards the end, takes a not altogether unexpected turn that was handled poorly by Ethan. It's not to say that he's not allowed to handle it one way or another, but how he acted did not feel congruent with the character I thought was well established by then. The reconciliation felt rushed and unsatisfying. Despite this, I enjoyed reading this story.
Safety: No others for either. No rape or abuse. Brief separation.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2017
4.5 stars
Someone to Love is a great addition to Donna Alward's Darling, VT series and with a brooding, widowed single dad, and a quirky, free-spirited heroine who is harbouring her own painful secrets, it's an emotional one.
"He is a grumpy shit, you know. But he has such a good reason. And he’s got a good heart underneath."
Ethan and Willow are two people who are certainly not looking for any type of relationship, let alone love. He is still grieving the loss of his wife and trying to juggle his job as a firefighter with raising his sons, and she is focussed on putting the past behind her and running a successful cafe. And, whilst their chemistry is tenuous at the start to say the least, circumstances see them spending time together and slowly but surely they lower their guards, largely thanks to Ethan's two adorable little boys, Connor and Ronan.
Both Ethan and Willow are characters who you get to know and warm to as their story unfolds and they're as frustrating as they are loveable. But when they do cross over that line from friends to more, the passion is unleashed.
"I’m going to take you into your bedroom. I’m going to kiss every square inch of your body. And when you can hardly take anymore, I’m going to be inside you. Fair warning."
This story took a path that wasn't entirely unpredictable for me, but I have to give props to Donna Alward for taking it the route she did because there are elements that are likely to split reader opinion. I was in the camp pleased she did because I felt wholly conflicted: I empathised with both characters yet at the same time I was equally furious with them, and when emotions like that are pulled from me, you'll get no complaints.
"Darling was, simply, home."
This is another series I can't get enough of and I can't wait to see how Rory and Oaklee's romance plays out.
Copy received courtesy of St. Martin's Press for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Someone to Love is a great addition to Donna Alward's Darling, VT series and with a brooding, widowed single dad, and a quirky, free-spirited heroine who is harbouring her own painful secrets, it's an emotional one.
"He is a grumpy shit, you know. But he has such a good reason. And he’s got a good heart underneath."
Ethan and Willow are two people who are certainly not looking for any type of relationship, let alone love. He is still grieving the loss of his wife and trying to juggle his job as a firefighter with raising his sons, and she is focussed on putting the past behind her and running a successful cafe. And, whilst their chemistry is tenuous at the start to say the least, circumstances see them spending time together and slowly but surely they lower their guards, largely thanks to Ethan's two adorable little boys, Connor and Ronan.
Both Ethan and Willow are characters who you get to know and warm to as their story unfolds and they're as frustrating as they are loveable. But when they do cross over that line from friends to more, the passion is unleashed.
"I’m going to take you into your bedroom. I’m going to kiss every square inch of your body. And when you can hardly take anymore, I’m going to be inside you. Fair warning."
This story took a path that wasn't entirely unpredictable for me, but I have to give props to Donna Alward for taking it the route she did because there are elements that are likely to split reader opinion. I was in the camp pleased she did because I felt wholly conflicted: I empathised with both characters yet at the same time I was equally furious with them, and when emotions like that are pulled from me, you'll get no complaints.
"Darling was, simply, home."
This is another series I can't get enough of and I can't wait to see how Rory and Oaklee's romance plays out.
Copy received courtesy of St. Martin's Press for an honest and unbiased opinion.
March 8, 2017
4 Heartfelt Stars
Someone to Love was an emotional and heartwarming read.
After reading the first book Somebody Like You in the Darling, VT series, I couldn't wait to read Ethan's story in Someone to Love. And I can honestly say I was not disappointed.
The storyline was beautifully written and brought out all the feels.
I loved Willow, she had a beautiful, thoughtful and caring heart. I admired how she took charge of her life after battling with her inner demons to come out stronger and sure of herself and not allowing other people's opinion of her and her life choices hurt her.
In the beginning, Ethan's character was not very likable. I found him grumpy, rude and judgemental towards Willow. I wanted to reach into my kindle and smack him on more than one occasion lol
But the more I heard from him the more my heart went out to him, I knew his actions and words were said because he was still grieving his late wife and scared of the feelings Willow was making him feel.
These two touched my heart with their story, I loved watching them slowly open up their hearts to let the other in, and I loved Willow with Ethan's adorable little boys, they truly made my heart swoon.
Someone to Love was an emotional rollercoaster of a read and a wonderful addition to the Darling, VT series.
Each book can be read as a standalone, and I highly recommend them all.
*A big thank you to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts*
Someone to Love was an emotional and heartwarming read.
After reading the first book Somebody Like You in the Darling, VT series, I couldn't wait to read Ethan's story in Someone to Love. And I can honestly say I was not disappointed.
The storyline was beautifully written and brought out all the feels.
I loved Willow, she had a beautiful, thoughtful and caring heart. I admired how she took charge of her life after battling with her inner demons to come out stronger and sure of herself and not allowing other people's opinion of her and her life choices hurt her.
In the beginning, Ethan's character was not very likable. I found him grumpy, rude and judgemental towards Willow. I wanted to reach into my kindle and smack him on more than one occasion lol
But the more I heard from him the more my heart went out to him, I knew his actions and words were said because he was still grieving his late wife and scared of the feelings Willow was making him feel.
These two touched my heart with their story, I loved watching them slowly open up their hearts to let the other in, and I loved Willow with Ethan's adorable little boys, they truly made my heart swoon.
Someone to Love was an emotional rollercoaster of a read and a wonderful addition to the Darling, VT series.
Each book can be read as a standalone, and I highly recommend them all.
*A big thank you to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts*
June 1, 2017
4.5⭐️
"I can't fix the whole world, Ethan. But maybe I can do something about my little corner of it. Imagine what would happen if we all did that? The world would be filled with happy little corners."
"The most important thing she'd learned during her time away was that taking care of other people was the best way to take care of herself. When she focused on others, and tried to make their day better, her day got better, too. Call it karma, call it whatever, she knew that giving of herself made it possible to receive good things in return. She was a nurturer at heart, which was a huge surprise considering her upbringing."
"...she liked to feel as if she'd balanced her inner perfectionist with acceptance and calm."
The main characters, Willow Dunaway, widower Ethan Gallagher and his two young sons, Connor and Ronan, are well developed and feel genuine and real. Ethan started out a bit prickly, guilty for needing help raising his boys and grieving for his former perfect life. In spite of secrets and flaws, these characters were loveable and would be easy to pick out in a park or any social setting.
I liked Ethan's musing about Willow, "She was a ray of sunshine that refused to go behind a cloud."
This story with its downs and ups and bumps like a roller coaster ride and even shed tears - frustration, sorrow, relief and happiness had me thoroughly engaged.
SOMEONE TO LOVE is # 2 in the DARLING, VT. SERIES by Donna Alward, but it can easily be read as a standalone book. I also enjoyed Somebody Like You #1 and look forward to reading Somebody's Baby the next novel in the series to be released.
Special thanks to Donna Alward, Justine Sha, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
~ I apologize to the publisher for using quotes from my ARC that may not necessarily be in the finished copy of the book.
"I can't fix the whole world, Ethan. But maybe I can do something about my little corner of it. Imagine what would happen if we all did that? The world would be filled with happy little corners."
"The most important thing she'd learned during her time away was that taking care of other people was the best way to take care of herself. When she focused on others, and tried to make their day better, her day got better, too. Call it karma, call it whatever, she knew that giving of herself made it possible to receive good things in return. She was a nurturer at heart, which was a huge surprise considering her upbringing."
"...she liked to feel as if she'd balanced her inner perfectionist with acceptance and calm."
The main characters, Willow Dunaway, widower Ethan Gallagher and his two young sons, Connor and Ronan, are well developed and feel genuine and real. Ethan started out a bit prickly, guilty for needing help raising his boys and grieving for his former perfect life. In spite of secrets and flaws, these characters were loveable and would be easy to pick out in a park or any social setting.
I liked Ethan's musing about Willow, "She was a ray of sunshine that refused to go behind a cloud."
This story with its downs and ups and bumps like a roller coaster ride and even shed tears - frustration, sorrow, relief and happiness had me thoroughly engaged.
SOMEONE TO LOVE is # 2 in the DARLING, VT. SERIES by Donna Alward, but it can easily be read as a standalone book. I also enjoyed Somebody Like You #1 and look forward to reading Somebody's Baby the next novel in the series to be released.
Special thanks to Donna Alward, Justine Sha, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
~ I apologize to the publisher for using quotes from my ARC that may not necessarily be in the finished copy of the book.
March 10, 2017
I should have skipped this one. No one can write a decent widower's romance and that makes me so sad.
March 26, 2023
I haven't read anything by Ms. Alward until now but I loved the town of Darling, Vt. The romance itself took s the 'opposites-attract' to the extreme, but the author did it in a tasteful way.
I can't say I liked Ethan Gallagher all the time, but his grief is realistic. Willow Dunaway reminded me of an earthbound personification of Gaia, but with a sad childhood.
In addition, I enjoyed the secondary characters. I look forward to reading more about the residents of this small town.
I can't say I liked Ethan Gallagher all the time, but his grief is realistic. Willow Dunaway reminded me of an earthbound personification of Gaia, but with a sad childhood.
In addition, I enjoyed the secondary characters. I look forward to reading more about the residents of this small town.
March 8, 2017
I don't think this was in any way a bad book, it just isn't my sort of book.
This is the second in a series, I haven't read the first book but this was easy to read as a stand-alone.
Willow Dunaway has returned to her childhood town of Darling. "Things" happened in her past and she never intended to return to the place which caused her so much pain but for some reason she felt the tug of her roots and so she returned and opened the Purple Pig Cafe based on the philosophy of organic, local and fair-trade. She also wears vegan clothing and does yoga. She irritated the cr&p out of me.
Ethan Gallagher is the brother of one of Willow's two friends in Darling, and his brother is married to Willow's other friend. He is a fire-fighter, and a widower with two small children. Ethan is a beer and a burger kind of guy, Willow is a veggie wrap kind of woman. They get off on the wrong foot when Willow meets his two boys on the green when Ethan is in a bad mood. They meet again at a Gallagher family dinner where Willow brings some bean salad which the Gallagher's generally avoid like the plague. She and Ethan are very antagonistic towards each other and yet they both feel an undeniable attraction.
It felt clear to me that the reader was supposed to relate to Willow and to think that she was a sympathetic character. As I said, she irritated me, she was narcissistic, she replaced one form of self-absorption with another and thought only of her own feelings. She lied to Ethan and then turned around and blamed him. She told him not to call her and then blamed him because she felt alone. She professed to love Ethan's children but made no contact with them when she and Ethan were at odds. Her food and drinks fads were (frankly) depressing and the non-stop yoga got boring really quickly. I also felt that she was economical with the truth when telling Ethan's sister what had happened between them which laid the blame squarely on Ethan.
I felt more sympathy for Ethan. He works long unsocial hours and relies heavily on family and babysitters to look after his boys. Luckily that is all irrelevant as he injures his arm in a fire early in the novel so he is conveniently off work for most of the story. After nursing his wife through terminal cancer he is desperately lonely and afraid of loving again, he also quite naturally feels that his attraction to Willow is disrespectful to his wife's memory.
I think this would work better for a reader who is interested in things like vegetarian food and yoga and would therefore find Willow more sympathetic. I also found some of the interactions between Ethan and Willow to be too flowery and new age (there I finally said it), too navel-gazing.
Now, the quandary, is this indicative of the series or was it just Willow? Should I read the next one? EDIT: I've read the next one and really liked it.
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
This is the second in a series, I haven't read the first book but this was easy to read as a stand-alone.
Willow Dunaway has returned to her childhood town of Darling. "Things" happened in her past and she never intended to return to the place which caused her so much pain but for some reason she felt the tug of her roots and so she returned and opened the Purple Pig Cafe based on the philosophy of organic, local and fair-trade. She also wears vegan clothing and does yoga. She irritated the cr&p out of me.
Ethan Gallagher is the brother of one of Willow's two friends in Darling, and his brother is married to Willow's other friend. He is a fire-fighter, and a widower with two small children. Ethan is a beer and a burger kind of guy, Willow is a veggie wrap kind of woman. They get off on the wrong foot when Willow meets his two boys on the green when Ethan is in a bad mood. They meet again at a Gallagher family dinner where Willow brings some bean salad which the Gallagher's generally avoid like the plague. She and Ethan are very antagonistic towards each other and yet they both feel an undeniable attraction.
It felt clear to me that the reader was supposed to relate to Willow and to think that she was a sympathetic character. As I said, she irritated me, she was narcissistic, she replaced one form of self-absorption with another and thought only of her own feelings. She lied to Ethan and then turned around and blamed him. She told him not to call her and then blamed him because she felt alone. She professed to love Ethan's children but made no contact with them when she and Ethan were at odds. Her food and drinks fads were (frankly) depressing and the non-stop yoga got boring really quickly. I also felt that she was economical with the truth when telling Ethan's sister what had happened between them which laid the blame squarely on Ethan.
I felt more sympathy for Ethan. He works long unsocial hours and relies heavily on family and babysitters to look after his boys. Luckily that is all irrelevant as he injures his arm in a fire early in the novel so he is conveniently off work for most of the story. After nursing his wife through terminal cancer he is desperately lonely and afraid of loving again, he also quite naturally feels that his attraction to Willow is disrespectful to his wife's memory.
I think this would work better for a reader who is interested in things like vegetarian food and yoga and would therefore find Willow more sympathetic. I also found some of the interactions between Ethan and Willow to be too flowery and new age (there I finally said it), too navel-gazing.
Now, the quandary, is this indicative of the series or was it just Willow? Should I read the next one? EDIT: I've read the next one and really liked it.
I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
March 3, 2017
Reviewed for Romancing the Readers Blog:
http://romancingthereaders.blogspot.c...
I have to say that I enjoyed Someone to Love almost more then Somebody Like You. I really enjoyed both Ethan and his sons. In fact, I like the whole Gallagher family. They really crack me up.
You met Ethan in Somebody Like You and right away you knew he had a wounded heart. But even with that he's shows you what a great father he is.
You learn in the first book that Ethan is a widowed father with two young boys. Right away you can tell he's feeling all the things mothers have felt forever. The feeling of never having enough time with your family, not really being there for them when you have to be at work.
You know they feelings.
I liked having the script switched and having the hero feeling overwhelmed and like he didn't measure up. Not to worry, Ethan was doing a great job so he had nothing to worry about.
Not only did I like Ethan, I loved Willow. She was such fun to read about. She really worked hard to take care of those around her. You loved how comfortable she is around Ethan's boys. Even when she's not sure what she's doing.
These two take a while to figure out what they both want but it does happen in the end.
Follow me on:
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ARC received for a honest review
http://romancingthereaders.blogspot.c...
I have to say that I enjoyed Someone to Love almost more then Somebody Like You. I really enjoyed both Ethan and his sons. In fact, I like the whole Gallagher family. They really crack me up.
You met Ethan in Somebody Like You and right away you knew he had a wounded heart. But even with that he's shows you what a great father he is.
You learn in the first book that Ethan is a widowed father with two young boys. Right away you can tell he's feeling all the things mothers have felt forever. The feeling of never having enough time with your family, not really being there for them when you have to be at work.
You know they feelings.
I liked having the script switched and having the hero feeling overwhelmed and like he didn't measure up. Not to worry, Ethan was doing a great job so he had nothing to worry about.
Not only did I like Ethan, I loved Willow. She was such fun to read about. She really worked hard to take care of those around her. You loved how comfortable she is around Ethan's boys. Even when she's not sure what she's doing.
These two take a while to figure out what they both want but it does happen in the end.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
https://twitter.com/Romancingreader
ARC received for a honest review
March 2, 2017
Someone to Love is the second book in the Darling, VT series by Donna Alward. I had the pleasure of reading the first book, but you don't have to have read it in order to fully enjoy this book.
Willow is the owner of the local health food cafe in Darling. Although she has had a tough life she has learned to love herself and be a more centred person thanks to her love of yoga and treating her body correctly, eating healthy food etc. She's been hurt by men, and by her mother and she's learned to not trust in love because it can only bring you pain. She's content with her life as it is, with her job, and with the friends she has. One of those friends is the sister of Ethan Gallagher. Another is his sister in law. Willow gets her first proper introduction to him when she is invited by them to one of the Gallagher family gettogethers.
Ethan is a firefighter. He's a single dad of two young boys, and he is still in the grieving process after losing his wife. He knows it's time he moved on, but he still hurts so much. He spends his time keeping busy with his job and his children. He is lucky to have a supportive family who help with childcare, though he does feel guilty at how often he has to rely on them.
When Ethan and Willow sit next to each other at the family gathering, despite acknowledging, if only to themselves, that there is an attraction between them, they don't get on. Ethan is a grump, and seems to run down Willow's lifestyle. Whereas she is all that is sweet and light and hates knowing that Ethan seems to look down on her. It's definitely not a good start to any sort of friendship with her.
But as time goes on, through various occasions when they are brought together, they both start to learn more about each other, and the attraction grows. The problem is that both of them are scared to let themselves feel again, they don't want to trust, they don't want to love and lose somebody. They both have a lot of baggage. Can they learn to share the load, learn that it's OK to have feelings for another person, to learn to trust again?
This was such an emotional, passionately written story. Learning what Willow and Ethan have been through, especially Willow's past, brought a tear to my eyes. Of course there were plenty of light hearted moments, and some romantic moments too, this book definitely wasn't a depressing one. It was just very deep in places. I absolutely adored the relationship that formed between Willow and Ethan's sons, a lot of sweet moments there. Then there was the knowledge the author shared of all the wonderful sounding healthy foods at the cafe, and the various yoga moves, and deep breathing practising that Willow does. It kind of got me wanting to look into yoga by the time I was finished the book.
I loved the first book in the series, and I equally enjoyed this one. It's a book that makes you think, is informative, and makes you run the whole gamut of emotions. I cannot wait for the next book in the series if the first two are any indication of what it will be like.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers' Copy of this book.
Willow is the owner of the local health food cafe in Darling. Although she has had a tough life she has learned to love herself and be a more centred person thanks to her love of yoga and treating her body correctly, eating healthy food etc. She's been hurt by men, and by her mother and she's learned to not trust in love because it can only bring you pain. She's content with her life as it is, with her job, and with the friends she has. One of those friends is the sister of Ethan Gallagher. Another is his sister in law. Willow gets her first proper introduction to him when she is invited by them to one of the Gallagher family gettogethers.
Ethan is a firefighter. He's a single dad of two young boys, and he is still in the grieving process after losing his wife. He knows it's time he moved on, but he still hurts so much. He spends his time keeping busy with his job and his children. He is lucky to have a supportive family who help with childcare, though he does feel guilty at how often he has to rely on them.
When Ethan and Willow sit next to each other at the family gathering, despite acknowledging, if only to themselves, that there is an attraction between them, they don't get on. Ethan is a grump, and seems to run down Willow's lifestyle. Whereas she is all that is sweet and light and hates knowing that Ethan seems to look down on her. It's definitely not a good start to any sort of friendship with her.
But as time goes on, through various occasions when they are brought together, they both start to learn more about each other, and the attraction grows. The problem is that both of them are scared to let themselves feel again, they don't want to trust, they don't want to love and lose somebody. They both have a lot of baggage. Can they learn to share the load, learn that it's OK to have feelings for another person, to learn to trust again?
This was such an emotional, passionately written story. Learning what Willow and Ethan have been through, especially Willow's past, brought a tear to my eyes. Of course there were plenty of light hearted moments, and some romantic moments too, this book definitely wasn't a depressing one. It was just very deep in places. I absolutely adored the relationship that formed between Willow and Ethan's sons, a lot of sweet moments there. Then there was the knowledge the author shared of all the wonderful sounding healthy foods at the cafe, and the various yoga moves, and deep breathing practising that Willow does. It kind of got me wanting to look into yoga by the time I was finished the book.
I loved the first book in the series, and I equally enjoyed this one. It's a book that makes you think, is informative, and makes you run the whole gamut of emotions. I cannot wait for the next book in the series if the first two are any indication of what it will be like.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers' Copy of this book.
April 6, 2017
I really wished I could say I enjoyed Someone to Love (Darling, VT #2) by Donna Alward. This book has everything I like in a Contemporary romance from a small town, a quirky, independent loveable heroine, and a cast of friends and family members who help the hero and the heroine fall in love. The big problem with Someone to Love is that the hero is definitely not someone to love, including the heroine who should have walked away from him (and kept on walking) the moment he was standoffish and rude to her because he doesn’t like how she dresses or her free spirit attitude, including owning a business that sells healthy and vegan type food. The hero continues his disdain and nose in the air, I’m better than you attitude even though the heroine is great with his two younger sons, who still miss their dead mother, and a father who is working all the time that he uses his family to watch his sons constantly. For some reason he’s very suspicious of the heroine’s sunny demeanor and her love of healthy snacks and yoga. Because the hero is a class A jerk, the chemistry falls way flat for him and the heroine, meaning I didn’t believe their HEA, which then means this romance fails.
Willow lives in the small town of Darling, and owns and operates a unique bakery/café that sells organic and health type foods. Even though she works herself to the bone, she has a very positive outlook on life, although her past was full of darkness. Willow may or may have not tried to commit suicide, but it’s vague, which may leave it up to the reader to decide if Willow did try, or just thought about it. Ethan is a single dad with two sons under the age of five. Ever since he’s wife died, he’s in a bad place emotionally. But he has a lot of support from his big family and parents. He and Willow cross paths at the park, and when they meet he is not the friendliest person to her. This continues many more times when they see one another, which for Ethan becomes worse when he realizes he’s attracted to Willow who is the total opposite of his dead wife.
Willow tries to befriend Ethan and his sons, even going out of her way to babysit the boys and play with them. Even though Willow does this and establishes a big trust with Ethan’s sons, Ethan is still not that welcoming. But then when Willow tells him about her past and how darkness almost ended her life, he changes his mind about her. You can guess where this relationship is headed.
I really liked Willow because she had a unique personality, but I just couldn’t get behind her attraction to Ethan who is better off alone, taking care of his sons and trying to heal over the loss of his wife. The romance between these two is simply not there. The attraction is forced and uncomfortable to read because of Ethan. Willow deserves someone better than Ethan, who I can see getting into major arguments or fights with Willow in the future just because he didn’t get his way.
Someone to Love is a pass because of the unbelievable HEA between a couple that are better off alone or finding love with someone else.
Willow lives in the small town of Darling, and owns and operates a unique bakery/café that sells organic and health type foods. Even though she works herself to the bone, she has a very positive outlook on life, although her past was full of darkness. Willow may or may have not tried to commit suicide, but it’s vague, which may leave it up to the reader to decide if Willow did try, or just thought about it. Ethan is a single dad with two sons under the age of five. Ever since he’s wife died, he’s in a bad place emotionally. But he has a lot of support from his big family and parents. He and Willow cross paths at the park, and when they meet he is not the friendliest person to her. This continues many more times when they see one another, which for Ethan becomes worse when he realizes he’s attracted to Willow who is the total opposite of his dead wife.
Willow tries to befriend Ethan and his sons, even going out of her way to babysit the boys and play with them. Even though Willow does this and establishes a big trust with Ethan’s sons, Ethan is still not that welcoming. But then when Willow tells him about her past and how darkness almost ended her life, he changes his mind about her. You can guess where this relationship is headed.
I really liked Willow because she had a unique personality, but I just couldn’t get behind her attraction to Ethan who is better off alone, taking care of his sons and trying to heal over the loss of his wife. The romance between these two is simply not there. The attraction is forced and uncomfortable to read because of Ethan. Willow deserves someone better than Ethan, who I can see getting into major arguments or fights with Willow in the future just because he didn’t get his way.
Someone to Love is a pass because of the unbelievable HEA between a couple that are better off alone or finding love with someone else.
March 6, 2017
This is the second book in the wonderful Darling, VT series. It has two of my favourite tropes – small town romance and opposites attract and I am pleased to say it fulfilled every one of my needs! The books can be read as a standalone as each are about the separate Gallagher brothers but so much better to read all so you know the backstory of what has gone on before.
Ethan Gallagher is one of the local firefighters who is a young widower with two young boys. His loss of his wife has understandably had a big impact on his life and his grumpy and standoffish ways are a coping mechanism for him. After all by not letting anyone close then he can’t hurt anymore. His one love has come and gone for him so now his focus is on raising his young boys. But then Willow comes into his life via his sister and she is so different to any woman he has met. With her pink striped hair, her tattoo and her pierced nose, this earth woman is so far-fetched from his world. Or is she?
Willow is back in her hometown after a dark and depressing time. The issues she has coped with over the last decade have left her yearning to hide herself away and throw herself into her business, the local alternative café – The Purple Pig. Love is not for her as she has found out with a mother who has never cared for her and a disastrous first love with a painful outcome she still bears the emotional scars of in the present. When she meets Ethan she can see that he doesn’t even like her but she cannot help feeling this kind of connection to him. After they both find themselves being brought into close proximity a gradual awareness and understanding of each other transpires which moves into friendship and surprisingly to so much more.
I absolutely love this series and I have been dying to get my grabby hands on Ethan’s story as there is nothing more rewarding that to see a damaged and hurting man finally cast aside his darkness and find joy again in his life. The two young boys Connor and Ronan were so sweet and endearing and the way they took to Willow was so lovely to read.
The connection between the two main leads was delightfully built from a single spark to an abundance of passion and hot chemistry. The way that these two opposites came to support and eventually bring forth the change they both were needing to heal from their past was so compelling and brought forth a whirlwind of emotions.
This is an auto author for me now and the small town of Darling is an absolute firm favourite. I feel like I am part of the community now and I can’t wait to catch up with the next brother. Luckily the wait is not too long. A definite must read and a strong five star rating.
ARC kindly provided by the publishers, St Martin's Press via Netgalley to Foxylutely Books blog in exchange for an honest review
Ethan Gallagher is one of the local firefighters who is a young widower with two young boys. His loss of his wife has understandably had a big impact on his life and his grumpy and standoffish ways are a coping mechanism for him. After all by not letting anyone close then he can’t hurt anymore. His one love has come and gone for him so now his focus is on raising his young boys. But then Willow comes into his life via his sister and she is so different to any woman he has met. With her pink striped hair, her tattoo and her pierced nose, this earth woman is so far-fetched from his world. Or is she?
Willow is back in her hometown after a dark and depressing time. The issues she has coped with over the last decade have left her yearning to hide herself away and throw herself into her business, the local alternative café – The Purple Pig. Love is not for her as she has found out with a mother who has never cared for her and a disastrous first love with a painful outcome she still bears the emotional scars of in the present. When she meets Ethan she can see that he doesn’t even like her but she cannot help feeling this kind of connection to him. After they both find themselves being brought into close proximity a gradual awareness and understanding of each other transpires which moves into friendship and surprisingly to so much more.
I absolutely love this series and I have been dying to get my grabby hands on Ethan’s story as there is nothing more rewarding that to see a damaged and hurting man finally cast aside his darkness and find joy again in his life. The two young boys Connor and Ronan were so sweet and endearing and the way they took to Willow was so lovely to read.
The connection between the two main leads was delightfully built from a single spark to an abundance of passion and hot chemistry. The way that these two opposites came to support and eventually bring forth the change they both were needing to heal from their past was so compelling and brought forth a whirlwind of emotions.
This is an auto author for me now and the small town of Darling is an absolute firm favourite. I feel like I am part of the community now and I can’t wait to catch up with the next brother. Luckily the wait is not too long. A definite must read and a strong five star rating.
ARC kindly provided by the publishers, St Martin's Press via Netgalley to Foxylutely Books blog in exchange for an honest review
May 11, 2017
If you are looking for a sweet romance novel look no further than Someone To Love, the second book in Donna Alward’s Darling, VT, series. I’m seriously suffering from book hangover since finishing this second book in the series.
Willow has returned to her hometown of Darling (and isn’t that a precious name for a town in a romance novel?) to open and run a little coffee shop and bakery. When she left right after high school she was a wounded animal, suffering from a terribly broken heart, but not in the way you might think. Abandoned by her mother after suffering one of the worst catastrophies a teenager might endure alone, Willow has looked to yoga for internal peace to find her center and learn how to go forward without slipping into a dangerous state of mine. She carries a semicolon tattoo on her wrist, and most people know what that means. It isn’t something she’s willing to talk about with anyone. She is stronger than when she left but determined not to depend on anyone other than herself to make decisions that will guide her life. Then she meets Ethan. Brooding, gruff, widower Ethan.
Ethan lost his wife Lisa 18 months ago, leaving him to raise two boys under five alone. Oh, he’s got a hugs family willing and able to help him, and he does depend on them, but he is so bewildered in his own head how to proceed with his life outside of his job as a firefighter and his duties as a father, he comes across as closed off and unable to make a connection with another human being. What appears initially as grumpiness is just a lost soul who misses the love of his life. When his grief begins to fade that state of mind scares him as much as losing Lisa did.
Lisa permeates the story. She is and always will be part of Ethan’s life and as he and Willow grow closer she is smart enough to recognize that she will need to embrace Lisa as part of her own life, even though she never met her. Ethan’s sons Connor and Ronan adore Willow and when a mistake leads to heartbreak that interrupts Willow and Ethan’s close relationship the boys are also wounded. The question is, can their love be patched? Is there a place for Ethan in Willow’s life and a place for Willow in Ethan’s life? I’ll give you a hint: it’s a romance novel, but getting to that HEA or HFN is not an easy road.
This book can be read as a stand-alone but you are going to want to read the the first book in the series and coming soon (as I write this review) is the next book, and you will join me in eager anticipation for it.
Willow has returned to her hometown of Darling (and isn’t that a precious name for a town in a romance novel?) to open and run a little coffee shop and bakery. When she left right after high school she was a wounded animal, suffering from a terribly broken heart, but not in the way you might think. Abandoned by her mother after suffering one of the worst catastrophies a teenager might endure alone, Willow has looked to yoga for internal peace to find her center and learn how to go forward without slipping into a dangerous state of mine. She carries a semicolon tattoo on her wrist, and most people know what that means. It isn’t something she’s willing to talk about with anyone. She is stronger than when she left but determined not to depend on anyone other than herself to make decisions that will guide her life. Then she meets Ethan. Brooding, gruff, widower Ethan.
Ethan lost his wife Lisa 18 months ago, leaving him to raise two boys under five alone. Oh, he’s got a hugs family willing and able to help him, and he does depend on them, but he is so bewildered in his own head how to proceed with his life outside of his job as a firefighter and his duties as a father, he comes across as closed off and unable to make a connection with another human being. What appears initially as grumpiness is just a lost soul who misses the love of his life. When his grief begins to fade that state of mind scares him as much as losing Lisa did.
Lisa permeates the story. She is and always will be part of Ethan’s life and as he and Willow grow closer she is smart enough to recognize that she will need to embrace Lisa as part of her own life, even though she never met her. Ethan’s sons Connor and Ronan adore Willow and when a mistake leads to heartbreak that interrupts Willow and Ethan’s close relationship the boys are also wounded. The question is, can their love be patched? Is there a place for Ethan in Willow’s life and a place for Willow in Ethan’s life? I’ll give you a hint: it’s a romance novel, but getting to that HEA or HFN is not an easy road.
This book can be read as a stand-alone but you are going to want to read the the first book in the series and coming soon (as I write this review) is the next book, and you will join me in eager anticipation for it.
August 13, 2022
JUST TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME
I enjoyed this emotional, heartwarming story that has likable and realistic characters, interactions, and emotions. The story has two emotionally broken individuals that find happiness with someone completely different than themselves.
Ethan Gallagher lives in an emotional fog. His high school sweetheart-to-wife, Lisa, died, and he still hasn’t figured out how to pick up the pieces. Trying to raise two young boys, work shifts as a firefighter, and exist, is almost too much. He feels guilty for needing to rely on his parents and siblings. There really is no joy left in his life he is so overcome with grief.
Willow Dunaway comes across as a happy, energetic person. Running her business, The Purple Pig brings her joy, but it is work. Willow grew up in Darling, but it wasn’t a happy childhood. Her mother provided the necessities but never love or support. Willow moved away after high school to Clearwater, Florida, but there wasn’t happiness there either. Now, she is back in Darling and does have several friends, Hannah Gallagher and Laurel, who have married Aiden Gallagher.
The story will have Willow invited to a dinner at the Gallagher home, and she and Ethan meet, but he is rather crass and rude to her—yet she keeps a sweet nature to his barbs. Ethan’s sons, Connor and Ronan, are drawn to Willow. They even ask for a treat from her shop. It isn’t long before Ethan and Willow are in contact more often. No matter how condescending he is, she always keeps a positive attitude.
“I think about all the good things in the right now, and it makes me feel better.” “I can’t fix the whole world, Ethan. But maybe I can do something about my little corner of it. Imagine what would happen if we all did that? The world would be filled with happy little corners.”
Ethan and Willow are feeling an attraction. “The pull between them had trouble written all over it.” Yet, they can’t resist how they feel. They will each decide to step out of the box they have been living in and date; start developing strong feelings for each other.
“We can just be. In the moment. It’s really the only way to live. We can’t change the past, Ethan. And we can’t predict the future. But sitting in front of a fire with you is a very nice now to be in.”
What happens when there is a conflict that interferes? How will they each handle it? What will they do when they are faced with a life-altering event—something not planned and maybe not wanted?
“Happiness does not come from staying in place.”
I enjoyed this emotional, heartwarming story that has likable and realistic characters, interactions, and emotions. The story has two emotionally broken individuals that find happiness with someone completely different than themselves.
Ethan Gallagher lives in an emotional fog. His high school sweetheart-to-wife, Lisa, died, and he still hasn’t figured out how to pick up the pieces. Trying to raise two young boys, work shifts as a firefighter, and exist, is almost too much. He feels guilty for needing to rely on his parents and siblings. There really is no joy left in his life he is so overcome with grief.
Willow Dunaway comes across as a happy, energetic person. Running her business, The Purple Pig brings her joy, but it is work. Willow grew up in Darling, but it wasn’t a happy childhood. Her mother provided the necessities but never love or support. Willow moved away after high school to Clearwater, Florida, but there wasn’t happiness there either. Now, she is back in Darling and does have several friends, Hannah Gallagher and Laurel, who have married Aiden Gallagher.
The story will have Willow invited to a dinner at the Gallagher home, and she and Ethan meet, but he is rather crass and rude to her—yet she keeps a sweet nature to his barbs. Ethan’s sons, Connor and Ronan, are drawn to Willow. They even ask for a treat from her shop. It isn’t long before Ethan and Willow are in contact more often. No matter how condescending he is, she always keeps a positive attitude.
“I think about all the good things in the right now, and it makes me feel better.” “I can’t fix the whole world, Ethan. But maybe I can do something about my little corner of it. Imagine what would happen if we all did that? The world would be filled with happy little corners.”
Ethan and Willow are feeling an attraction. “The pull between them had trouble written all over it.” Yet, they can’t resist how they feel. They will each decide to step out of the box they have been living in and date; start developing strong feelings for each other.
“We can just be. In the moment. It’s really the only way to live. We can’t change the past, Ethan. And we can’t predict the future. But sitting in front of a fire with you is a very nice now to be in.”
What happens when there is a conflict that interferes? How will they each handle it? What will they do when they are faced with a life-altering event—something not planned and maybe not wanted?
“Happiness does not come from staying in place.”
March 8, 2017
SOMEONE TO LOVE is a sweet and emotional story of healing and finding happiness again and a really great addition to this series.
A free-spirited, New Age-y heroine and an uptight, closed off single dad do not seem like a good match in any way, but Ethan Gallagher and Willow Dunaway have one thing in common: they have suffered loss and are still struggling to deal with it.
For Ethan, his wife's death caused him to pretty much shut down and the only things that keep him going are his kids and work. Willow took the opposite tack and is focused on making her business a success.
Their initial meeting was not exactly great but her affection for Ethan's kids is where they find common ground and their relationship progresses from a cautious friendship to more. Ms. Alward certainly took a risk with this story because the story wasn't a straight line to happy ever after for these characters.
Ethan and Willow were so different that it's surprising that they had anything in common. My feelings for them swung between annoyed and sympathetic, and I had some reservations about how the story played out. However, I particularly admired Willow's personal strength. Her history could have damaged her irrevocably but she was determined to make something of herself and she did.
Ethan's kids were a very welcome addition to this series and provided much needed humor. I also enjoyed the support their family and friends provided them as they struggled through their issues.
I think that opinions are going to be split on this book, but I enjoyed it, uncomfortable as some parts were and I'm looking forward to more in the series.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
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A free-spirited, New Age-y heroine and an uptight, closed off single dad do not seem like a good match in any way, but Ethan Gallagher and Willow Dunaway have one thing in common: they have suffered loss and are still struggling to deal with it.
For Ethan, his wife's death caused him to pretty much shut down and the only things that keep him going are his kids and work. Willow took the opposite tack and is focused on making her business a success.
Their initial meeting was not exactly great but her affection for Ethan's kids is where they find common ground and their relationship progresses from a cautious friendship to more. Ms. Alward certainly took a risk with this story because the story wasn't a straight line to happy ever after for these characters.
Ethan and Willow were so different that it's surprising that they had anything in common. My feelings for them swung between annoyed and sympathetic, and I had some reservations about how the story played out. However, I particularly admired Willow's personal strength. Her history could have damaged her irrevocably but she was determined to make something of herself and she did.
Ethan's kids were a very welcome addition to this series and provided much needed humor. I also enjoyed the support their family and friends provided them as they struggled through their issues.
I think that opinions are going to be split on this book, but I enjoyed it, uncomfortable as some parts were and I'm looking forward to more in the series.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
Want more? Subscribe to my Newsletter on The Sassy Bookster.
Follow me on Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin’.
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March 1, 2017
Grieving widower meets Zen yogini – or – the tale of opposites.
Willow Dunaway and Ethan Gallagher strike sparks from the get-go. He finds her too different, too happy and too much when he meets her. She finds him a grouchy, mean, rude individual – even though his sons are charming. They meet a few times, talk a few times, spent a bit of time together and eventually the sparks of dislike turn a different kind of conflagration. A mistake was made and consequences occurred that the two had to face, find a solution to and then move forward from. The ending was a HFN and not a HEA but I have a feeling there could be a HEA for the two before the end of the series.
Ethan was curmudgeonly and unkind in the beginning but did improve over time. His lot as a single parent was not easy but his family was there to help out when needed. I had the feeling that he was a good man changed by grief and that if allowed his true nature would eventually surface. He had loved deeply, he was a great father, he was a great brother and son SO the potential for him with a future partner is possible.
Willow was, on the surface, always calm and in control with nothing phasing her. In reality that is not quite true. She has a past that pushed her into choosing a way to cope and yoga, meditation and going with the flow (to the best of her ability) was her coping mechanism. She is caring, empathetic and wonderful MOST of the time but when the sh*t hits the fan she loses her Zen abilities and ducks back into herself in a way that I understood but wished could have been avoided – but in reality we all have times in our lives when we lose it, don’t we?
I felt much in this book. I found family to be central to the story – good and bad families, both. Friendship, communication and trust were also important. I did enjoy this book and look forward to reading more in this series. I am now wondering which Gallagher will have his or her story told next ;)
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. This is my honest review.
Willow Dunaway and Ethan Gallagher strike sparks from the get-go. He finds her too different, too happy and too much when he meets her. She finds him a grouchy, mean, rude individual – even though his sons are charming. They meet a few times, talk a few times, spent a bit of time together and eventually the sparks of dislike turn a different kind of conflagration. A mistake was made and consequences occurred that the two had to face, find a solution to and then move forward from. The ending was a HFN and not a HEA but I have a feeling there could be a HEA for the two before the end of the series.
Ethan was curmudgeonly and unkind in the beginning but did improve over time. His lot as a single parent was not easy but his family was there to help out when needed. I had the feeling that he was a good man changed by grief and that if allowed his true nature would eventually surface. He had loved deeply, he was a great father, he was a great brother and son SO the potential for him with a future partner is possible.
Willow was, on the surface, always calm and in control with nothing phasing her. In reality that is not quite true. She has a past that pushed her into choosing a way to cope and yoga, meditation and going with the flow (to the best of her ability) was her coping mechanism. She is caring, empathetic and wonderful MOST of the time but when the sh*t hits the fan she loses her Zen abilities and ducks back into herself in a way that I understood but wished could have been avoided – but in reality we all have times in our lives when we lose it, don’t we?
I felt much in this book. I found family to be central to the story – good and bad families, both. Friendship, communication and trust were also important. I did enjoy this book and look forward to reading more in this series. I am now wondering which Gallagher will have his or her story told next ;)
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. This is my honest review.
February 5, 2017
My Rating:
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
He blinked back tears, wondering at the odd sensation of grieving for his actual grief. Because the absence of heartbreak had to mean he was moving on. It was a sad, complicated feeling.
I can’t fix the whole world, Ethan. But maybe I can do something about my little corner of it. Imagine what would happen if we all did that? The world would be filled with happy little corners.
We can just be… In the moment. It’s really the only way to live. We can’t change the past, Ethan. And we can’t predict the future. But sitting in front of the fire with you is a very nice now to be in.
You give good advice. Except to yourself.
My Review:
Someone To Love picks up one month after Somebody Like You, with the same characters but featuring a different couple. Each book could stand alone, but honestly, you will want to read them both. I adored and was intrigued by Willow from the very first mention of her in the first book. I knew she was haunted by something troublesome and I was anxious to learn her secrets. I also admired her greatly and coveted her joy, self-ease, and serenity. I wanted to be Willow, but without the pesky painful past. Ethan took longer for me to warm up to, he was broody and snappish as he continued to be mired in grief, and he was a cranky bastard to my sweet Willow, but he could not totally repel her sweet charms and her sparkle prevailed. Ethan was lucky Willow was patient; I would have set his hair on fire. The storyline for Someone to Love was angsty, heart-squeezing, and full of feels. The writing was thoughtful, emotive, insightful, and relevant. My eyes stung and my throat closed up a few times, which is a testament to the high quality of Ms. Alward’s word skills. It is my fervent hope that she is currently locked away in her writing cave and pounding out book three… I’d like to think so anyway.
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
He blinked back tears, wondering at the odd sensation of grieving for his actual grief. Because the absence of heartbreak had to mean he was moving on. It was a sad, complicated feeling.
I can’t fix the whole world, Ethan. But maybe I can do something about my little corner of it. Imagine what would happen if we all did that? The world would be filled with happy little corners.
We can just be… In the moment. It’s really the only way to live. We can’t change the past, Ethan. And we can’t predict the future. But sitting in front of the fire with you is a very nice now to be in.
You give good advice. Except to yourself.
My Review:
Someone To Love picks up one month after Somebody Like You, with the same characters but featuring a different couple. Each book could stand alone, but honestly, you will want to read them both. I adored and was intrigued by Willow from the very first mention of her in the first book. I knew she was haunted by something troublesome and I was anxious to learn her secrets. I also admired her greatly and coveted her joy, self-ease, and serenity. I wanted to be Willow, but without the pesky painful past. Ethan took longer for me to warm up to, he was broody and snappish as he continued to be mired in grief, and he was a cranky bastard to my sweet Willow, but he could not totally repel her sweet charms and her sparkle prevailed. Ethan was lucky Willow was patient; I would have set his hair on fire. The storyline for Someone to Love was angsty, heart-squeezing, and full of feels. The writing was thoughtful, emotive, insightful, and relevant. My eyes stung and my throat closed up a few times, which is a testament to the high quality of Ms. Alward’s word skills. It is my fervent hope that she is currently locked away in her writing cave and pounding out book three… I’d like to think so anyway.
January 14, 2017
At the time I'm writing this review, there's only one other review for this book...and it's not a good one. I totally disagree with the other review that the male character wasn't worth loving. He'd recently lost his wife and was struggling to raise his two sons on his own. Things are even more complicated because he's a firefighter and working their crazy schedule. As the wife of a firefighter, I can tell you that alone would be very, very tough and those circumstances would have anyone in that situation tied in knots and feeling like life was constantly dumping on them. No, Ethan didn't like Willow at first. I'm pretty sure most of us are guilty of judging by first impressions. I think it was awesome that Ethan was able to overcome his "aversion" to Willow's brightly colored hair and nose ring and go on to see all of the good qualities in her. Think of how often people don't overcome their prejudices to see the person inside. Willow had her own issues that were keeping her at a distance from Ethan. She had to let go of those as well.
I thought Ms. Alward did an amazing job with the emotions of the characters in this book. Yes, Ethan is a real jerk at times, but he owns up to it. That's an awesome quality to have. Once Willow explains her issues to Ethan, he is very understanding and compassionate. I totally loved him for that! They both had a lot to overcome in order to come together.
Ethan's sons played a pivotal part in the story. They were incredible and showed how Willow was slowly able to love the entire family, but also showed Ethan's increasing trust in Willow. Their physical attraction for each other has consequences that send them both back to where they started. Can they overcome the problems and find their way together?
I thought Donna Alward knocked it out of the park with Someone to Love!
I thought Ms. Alward did an amazing job with the emotions of the characters in this book. Yes, Ethan is a real jerk at times, but he owns up to it. That's an awesome quality to have. Once Willow explains her issues to Ethan, he is very understanding and compassionate. I totally loved him for that! They both had a lot to overcome in order to come together.
Ethan's sons played a pivotal part in the story. They were incredible and showed how Willow was slowly able to love the entire family, but also showed Ethan's increasing trust in Willow. Their physical attraction for each other has consequences that send them both back to where they started. Can they overcome the problems and find their way together?
I thought Donna Alward knocked it out of the park with Someone to Love!
June 28, 2017
Boring couple in a boring, predictable story. Let me start by saying that this was not a bad book. It was written well and I've read many books by this author that I have enjoyed. But this was a snoozefest with an cliché ending and so I must rate it as such.
First off, the hero was an ass throughout the book to the point where I don't even understand how they ended up together. There are so many references to her not being his type and thinly veiled insults that "sounded bad" but aren't actually what he meant. Also, the plot took a very stupid turn 3/4 of the way through:
First off, the hero was an ass throughout the book to the point where I don't even understand how they ended up together. There are so many references to her not being his type and thinly veiled insults that "sounded bad" but aren't actually what he meant. Also, the plot took a very stupid turn 3/4 of the way through:
Read
April 15, 2017I could not continue past chapter 2. It was disappointingly boring and not very engaging which is a shame because I was looking forward to reading Ethan's story.
March 9, 2017
Someone to Love was definitely Willow's story. I know in the first book Aidan and the rest of the Gallagher family were set up to be the focus of this series and this is Ethan's HEA but for me the center stage belonged to Willow.
I loved her zen vibe, her emotional growth, her bravery and her soul searching honesty. She was an h I wanted to claim as bbf and sister. I loved her. She was the quiet quirky girl that charms you with soft words and gentle eyes.
Her story had me bouncing all over the place with a wide range of emotions. I honestly didn't know how I was going to rate this until I started writing up this review. But in the end she left an undeniable impression on me.
They were both too broken and neither of them wanted to be broken further.
Both Ethan and Willow have emotional baggage that they have to work through to get to their HEA and it is angsty and sad but also sweet and hopeful. This was definitely an emotionally charged read. It packs a punch and it grabs hold of you until the end.
Caught between a memory and a possibility, afraid to let go of one and afraid to embrace the other.
I had to bust out the tissue for this one because when Willow finally reveals what almost broke her, I cried. After everything that she went through, she still stayed such a great human being. I liked her as the wise and controlled Willow, but fearless stands-her-ground Willow was the best. She always said what she felt and owned up to her fear. She put herself out there and when push came to shove, she didn't let her doubts and insecurities stand in the way of doing what she thought was right.
Your heart calls to mine, Ethan. It calls and mine answers and that is something so rare it needs to be treasured.
Seriously the three stars are solely for Willow. I loved her so much and I wanted her to be happy and if that was with Ethan than I was okay with that. Normally I stay far away from Hs or hs with dead spouses because I don't like the fact that (especially if the spouse was loved) there is always a third wheel in the their relationship. For the safety gang this is not a safe read. For the majority of the book, Ethan constantly brings up his dead wife Lisa, who was the love of his life, mother to his two boys and woman he was very much still mourning. This is not particularly romantic but this story is about personal growth and part of Ethan's journey is accepting he is still alive and living.
Why three stars than? Because Willow managed to come off as understanding and supportive. Don't confuse this with doormat behavior, she genuinely was okay with Ethan's need to remember good memories of his wife. She was a better person than me because I don't know that I would handle it as gracefully as she did.
Ethan . . . I don't hate him but I don't really like him either. I thought his waffling back and forth with Willow was manipulative. Maybe not intentionally but if you're that scared of letting go of the past, maybe you shouldn't push to start something with someone else. If you need time, take the damn time to figure out what you want. Just saying. Also I still haven't forgiven him for that last stunt at the end. Granted he didn't know about Willow's past yet, but even when she does come clean he somehow makes it all about him! Not the kind of reaction I want from my H. I really needed a bigger gesture from him and definitely a grovel period. If you're going to play the dead spouse card and drag it out so much, there better be sufficient evidence that he's moved on. That the new h is special, The One,that theirs is a love that is not second best.
I know for Willow it's special because she's never loved anyone but him. With Ethan, I wanted more from him. The ending was super rushed and I think an epilogue a little ways down the road would have helped cement their HEA.
This author's writing is boss and I like her style. I don't want this to discourage anyone from reading this because I think Willow deserves to be known, unfortunately I know that Ethan's past will be a huge deal breaker for some readers, so fair warning.
*** ARC provided for an honest review ***
Safety: Ethan is 32, Willow is 26. Neither are virgin. H is a widower so some OW drama, no cheating, ends with a HEA and no epilogue.
Triggers: Dead Spouse, (past) Eating Disorder, (past) attempted suicide, abortion, depression, grief and small separation (about a week?)
March 10, 2017
FINAL DECISION: The story of two damaged people who are survivors of some of life's tragedies, this book dwells not on the sadness of their lives but how they can move forward to find joy in one another.
THE STORY: Ethan Gallagher is a widower with two young boys. Having met, married and lost the love of his life, Ethan is dwelling in his grief and has no intention of falling in love again. When he meets his sister-in-law's best friend, the two rub each other the wrong way. Willow Dunaway is too much of free spirit according to Ethan. From her dyed hair to her tattoo, Willow is not serious according to Ethan. When his sons take to Willow, however, Ethan finds himself spending more time for Willow and finding out that that former high achieving high schooler has rebuilt herself after her life was shattered. Willow is herself afraid of falling in love, but this firefighter and his two adorable children call to her heart.
OPINION: Can I admit to really liking stories where the main characters get each other completely wrong in in the beginning? And boy do Ethan and Willow see one another in a warped way in the beginning. Assumptions, stereotypes and just plain misunderstandings abound in the beginning. The two end up fighting and arguing and just purely want to dislike one another. Because, of course, they are perfect for one another but neither wants that to be true.
Ethan is a good and honest man who loved his deceased wife tremendously. The two made promises on the infamous kissing bridge (which promises love for life), but the lifetime the two expected ended far too soon. Buried in grief since her death, Ethan finds himself being pulled, unwillingly, into life again. Willow touches something in Ethan that he believed broken and he finds himself resenting it. He doesn't want to feel again and he certainly doesn't want to love. But despite himself, he begins to fall for Willow.
Willow, herself, is closed off to the possibility of love. A youthful mistake almost destroyed her and caused her to reinvent herself. Her safe and comfortable self discounts the possibility of truly opening herself up to weakness and love. It is much easier for her to keep her relationships constrained and herself in control. Quirky and unique, Willow demonstrates the dangers of assuming you know someone's story based on appearances or superficial knowledge. As Ethan (and we the readers) learn, Willow has deep reasons for being who she appears to be on the outside. Ethan and his sons begin to break down the protective walls that Willow has built and he thus challenges her control.
The romance between Willow and Ethan is so powerful because these two seem to have no chance as the book begins. They learn that they are more similar than they expected and liking one another turns to a powerful sexual attraction and eventually they have to make the leap of faith to trust love. Even if there are no guarantees.
WORTH MENTIONING: For fans of the first book SOMEONE LIKE YOU, there is a little special surprise for you too!
CONNECTED BOOKS: SOMEONE TO LOVE is the second book in the Darling, VT series. The romance in this book is independent of the other book in the series, but the main characters of this book do appear in the prior book. This book can be read as a standalone.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.This review was originally posted on Top10RomanceBooks.com
THE STORY: Ethan Gallagher is a widower with two young boys. Having met, married and lost the love of his life, Ethan is dwelling in his grief and has no intention of falling in love again. When he meets his sister-in-law's best friend, the two rub each other the wrong way. Willow Dunaway is too much of free spirit according to Ethan. From her dyed hair to her tattoo, Willow is not serious according to Ethan. When his sons take to Willow, however, Ethan finds himself spending more time for Willow and finding out that that former high achieving high schooler has rebuilt herself after her life was shattered. Willow is herself afraid of falling in love, but this firefighter and his two adorable children call to her heart.
OPINION: Can I admit to really liking stories where the main characters get each other completely wrong in in the beginning? And boy do Ethan and Willow see one another in a warped way in the beginning. Assumptions, stereotypes and just plain misunderstandings abound in the beginning. The two end up fighting and arguing and just purely want to dislike one another. Because, of course, they are perfect for one another but neither wants that to be true.
Ethan is a good and honest man who loved his deceased wife tremendously. The two made promises on the infamous kissing bridge (which promises love for life), but the lifetime the two expected ended far too soon. Buried in grief since her death, Ethan finds himself being pulled, unwillingly, into life again. Willow touches something in Ethan that he believed broken and he finds himself resenting it. He doesn't want to feel again and he certainly doesn't want to love. But despite himself, he begins to fall for Willow.
Willow, herself, is closed off to the possibility of love. A youthful mistake almost destroyed her and caused her to reinvent herself. Her safe and comfortable self discounts the possibility of truly opening herself up to weakness and love. It is much easier for her to keep her relationships constrained and herself in control. Quirky and unique, Willow demonstrates the dangers of assuming you know someone's story based on appearances or superficial knowledge. As Ethan (and we the readers) learn, Willow has deep reasons for being who she appears to be on the outside. Ethan and his sons begin to break down the protective walls that Willow has built and he thus challenges her control.
The romance between Willow and Ethan is so powerful because these two seem to have no chance as the book begins. They learn that they are more similar than they expected and liking one another turns to a powerful sexual attraction and eventually they have to make the leap of faith to trust love. Even if there are no guarantees.
WORTH MENTIONING: For fans of the first book SOMEONE LIKE YOU, there is a little special surprise for you too!
CONNECTED BOOKS: SOMEONE TO LOVE is the second book in the Darling, VT series. The romance in this book is independent of the other book in the series, but the main characters of this book do appear in the prior book. This book can be read as a standalone.
STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to provide a review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.This review was originally posted on Top10RomanceBooks.com
October 31, 2017
Emotional story of two people who seem like complete opposites but have more in common than they expect. Willow was a big part of the previous book, Somebody Like You, as Laurel's quirky best friend. She owns the Purple Pig Café, a healthy food restaurant, has colored streaks in her hair, a tattoo and a pierced nose, and does yoga and meditation. She has her life together just as she wants it to be. Ethan is a firefighter, widower, and father of two little boys. Though he has family to help, he often feels overwhelmed, guilty about taking advantage of them, and bitter about the loss of the life and dreams he'd had. Ethan frequently appears as grumpy, uptight, and brooding.
There are sparks between Ethan and Willow from the beginning, albeit unwilling ones. Their first couple of encounters don't go all that well. Willow sees Ethan as grumpy and judgmental and wonders how he can be such a grouch around his two adorable boys. She definitely gets the feeling that he looks down on her. At the birthday dinner at his parents' house, Ethan is snarky and snide about her yoga and meditation. It isn't until a little later that we get to see that it is really a bad case of envy that has Ethan behaving so badly. But as Fate finds ways to throw them together, Willow and Ethan discover that they have a connection that neither can deny.
I enjoyed seeing Willow and Ethan get to know each other, their early encounters facilitated by Ethan's sons. I loved the way that Willow stepped in to watch the boys when Hannah couldn't. She doesn't have much experience with kids, and it was fun to see her deal with the little crises that are inevitable. She was well on her way to falling for Ethan's sons. Ethan made me mad with his attitude when he arrived. I got that he was in pain, and frustrated, but he could have been at least a little grateful. One of my favorite parts was the day he took the kids to the Pig and had to eat a little crow along with the brownie. This begins a slow building relationship as Ethan and Willow acknowledge that they are drawn to each other. With each encounter, Ethan finds himself a little closer to being the man he used to be, able to smile and laugh and just be himself. But both are also wary of getting too involved. Ethan has been hurt so badly by the loss of his wife that he is reluctant to open himself up to that level of caring. Willow has issues from her past that she thought she had come to terms with, but because of her growing feelings for Ethan, she realizes that she had simply buried them beneath her surface serenity.
When the building attraction finally hit its combustion point, the result was frightening for each of them. Neither expected it to be as intense as it was, which sent both Ethan and Willow scrambling for cover. There was a lot of soul-searching and worry about being "ready" that neither was ready to face. The last several chapters were intense and emotional as something comes up that causes a collision between Willow's past and her future. I ached for her as she had to face those memories and make some decisions. I understood why she handled it the way she did, but I could see the trouble that was waiting for her. I could also understand Ethan's anger at what he saw as her betrayal. The pain that each experienced was heartwrenching, and I wondered how they were ever going to find their way back together. A scare brought on by an encounter with a bicycle opens Ethan's eyes to the truth. There was a terrific conversation between Ethan and Aiden that helped Ethan have the courage to open his heart completely to Willow. I also loved seeing Willow own up to her mistakes and take her own leap of faith. The icing on the cake was the final scene with Ethan's sons and Willow.
There are sparks between Ethan and Willow from the beginning, albeit unwilling ones. Their first couple of encounters don't go all that well. Willow sees Ethan as grumpy and judgmental and wonders how he can be such a grouch around his two adorable boys. She definitely gets the feeling that he looks down on her. At the birthday dinner at his parents' house, Ethan is snarky and snide about her yoga and meditation. It isn't until a little later that we get to see that it is really a bad case of envy that has Ethan behaving so badly. But as Fate finds ways to throw them together, Willow and Ethan discover that they have a connection that neither can deny.
I enjoyed seeing Willow and Ethan get to know each other, their early encounters facilitated by Ethan's sons. I loved the way that Willow stepped in to watch the boys when Hannah couldn't. She doesn't have much experience with kids, and it was fun to see her deal with the little crises that are inevitable. She was well on her way to falling for Ethan's sons. Ethan made me mad with his attitude when he arrived. I got that he was in pain, and frustrated, but he could have been at least a little grateful. One of my favorite parts was the day he took the kids to the Pig and had to eat a little crow along with the brownie. This begins a slow building relationship as Ethan and Willow acknowledge that they are drawn to each other. With each encounter, Ethan finds himself a little closer to being the man he used to be, able to smile and laugh and just be himself. But both are also wary of getting too involved. Ethan has been hurt so badly by the loss of his wife that he is reluctant to open himself up to that level of caring. Willow has issues from her past that she thought she had come to terms with, but because of her growing feelings for Ethan, she realizes that she had simply buried them beneath her surface serenity.
When the building attraction finally hit its combustion point, the result was frightening for each of them. Neither expected it to be as intense as it was, which sent both Ethan and Willow scrambling for cover. There was a lot of soul-searching and worry about being "ready" that neither was ready to face. The last several chapters were intense and emotional as something comes up that causes a collision between Willow's past and her future. I ached for her as she had to face those memories and make some decisions. I understood why she handled it the way she did, but I could see the trouble that was waiting for her. I could also understand Ethan's anger at what he saw as her betrayal. The pain that each experienced was heartwrenching, and I wondered how they were ever going to find their way back together. A scare brought on by an encounter with a bicycle opens Ethan's eyes to the truth. There was a terrific conversation between Ethan and Aiden that helped Ethan have the courage to open his heart completely to Willow. I also loved seeing Willow own up to her mistakes and take her own leap of faith. The icing on the cake was the final scene with Ethan's sons and Willow.
June 9, 2021
I loved this story. The large supportive family warms my heart. I have said many times I love these books in a series.
March 1, 2017
ARC received for an honest review
This is the second book in the Darling, VT series and it can be read as a standalone, but do you really want to miss out on all the goodness from book 1?
I adored Willow from the first book, she was just one of those characters that I could help but want to be friends with. She is a bit of a free spirit, but there is something beneath all that new age stuff.
Ethan... well, for most of the book he really isn't that likable. He is not just gruff, he is rude and nasty and just not a nice guy. Yes I understand he is going through a lot, but ugh the way he treated people wasn't always nicest - and I know I would have run the other way!
But as the story progressed and both Willow and and Ethan opened themselves up to love, he did become a lot more tolerable and even lovable.
The little scene stealers in this book though are Ethan's two boys. Oh my heart!
I loved the snark between our lovelies, and can't get enough of the banter between Ethan's family and Willow and her friends. The small town feel of the story is a winner for me too(I live in a small town so i sure can relate to it).
Whilst I didn't get as swept away in Willow and Ethan's story as I did the first book, it doesn't mean that I didn't like it!
I loved that we got more of Ethan's brother Rory, and is a great lead up to the 3rd book in the Darling, VT series.
Bring it on!
This is the second book in the Darling, VT series and it can be read as a standalone, but do you really want to miss out on all the goodness from book 1?
I adored Willow from the first book, she was just one of those characters that I could help but want to be friends with. She is a bit of a free spirit, but there is something beneath all that new age stuff.
Ethan... well, for most of the book he really isn't that likable. He is not just gruff, he is rude and nasty and just not a nice guy. Yes I understand he is going through a lot, but ugh the way he treated people wasn't always nicest - and I know I would have run the other way!
But as the story progressed and both Willow and and Ethan opened themselves up to love, he did become a lot more tolerable and even lovable.
The little scene stealers in this book though are Ethan's two boys. Oh my heart!
I loved the snark between our lovelies, and can't get enough of the banter between Ethan's family and Willow and her friends. The small town feel of the story is a winner for me too(I live in a small town so i sure can relate to it).
Whilst I didn't get as swept away in Willow and Ethan's story as I did the first book, it doesn't mean that I didn't like it!
I loved that we got more of Ethan's brother Rory, and is a great lead up to the 3rd book in the Darling, VT series.
Bring it on!
March 3, 2017
Someone to Love by Donna Alward is the 2nd book in her Darling, VT series. Willow Dunaway is our heroine, and we had met her in the first book of this series. Willow, who runs a successful bakery café that leans on the healthy organic side, is also very likeable, independent, a hard worker and very different than your local business woman. She has a blue or purple streak in her hair, and has a nose ring.
Ethan Gallagher, our hero, is a widower, who lost his wife a few years ago. He has two wonderfully adorable sons, but he remains cold and embittered by the loss of his beloved wife. Ethan relies on his big family to help him, when he is off to work on his fire fighter duties; but when he is home, his whole life are his sons. Ethan had met Willow at Laurel and Aiden’s wedding, as she is Laurel’s best friend. But when he runs into her with his sons by her café, Ethan is unfriendly and rude, even if his sons take a liking to Willow. Early on, though I understood his pain, I really didn’t like Ethan too much. That did change as the story progressed, though he did continue to act like a jerk at times, which would have turned me off of him. Poor Willow had her own issues to get past from her teenage years. Despite this, she was so great with the boys, and that was a lot of fun.
What follows is a slow build romance between two unlikely people. Both Ethan and Willow have to face the pain of their past, in order to trust their hearts to each other. Ethan is afraid to get hurt again, but his wonderful family pushes him to move on. Willow has told no one about her past, but she also has her best friend Laurel and Ethan’s sister to help her. The key is for both them to open up to each and once they do, their love will bloom in a beautiful heartwarming romance. But there are a few obstacles that will come up that can break up their relationship. Will Ethan and Willow be able open up and help each other to get past their issues?
The best part of this sweet story, are Ethan’s sons Connor and Ronan. I loved them both and loved how Willow was with them. I really loved Willow throughout the whole book. Ethan took some time, but did get better closer to the end. I love the Gallagher family, too, and look forward to more stories from the rest of the siblings. If you love small town romances, family, friendship and adorable children, I suggest you read this series.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
Ethan Gallagher, our hero, is a widower, who lost his wife a few years ago. He has two wonderfully adorable sons, but he remains cold and embittered by the loss of his beloved wife. Ethan relies on his big family to help him, when he is off to work on his fire fighter duties; but when he is home, his whole life are his sons. Ethan had met Willow at Laurel and Aiden’s wedding, as she is Laurel’s best friend. But when he runs into her with his sons by her café, Ethan is unfriendly and rude, even if his sons take a liking to Willow. Early on, though I understood his pain, I really didn’t like Ethan too much. That did change as the story progressed, though he did continue to act like a jerk at times, which would have turned me off of him. Poor Willow had her own issues to get past from her teenage years. Despite this, she was so great with the boys, and that was a lot of fun.
What follows is a slow build romance between two unlikely people. Both Ethan and Willow have to face the pain of their past, in order to trust their hearts to each other. Ethan is afraid to get hurt again, but his wonderful family pushes him to move on. Willow has told no one about her past, but she also has her best friend Laurel and Ethan’s sister to help her. The key is for both them to open up to each and once they do, their love will bloom in a beautiful heartwarming romance. But there are a few obstacles that will come up that can break up their relationship. Will Ethan and Willow be able open up and help each other to get past their issues?
The best part of this sweet story, are Ethan’s sons Connor and Ronan. I loved them both and loved how Willow was with them. I really loved Willow throughout the whole book. Ethan took some time, but did get better closer to the end. I love the Gallagher family, too, and look forward to more stories from the rest of the siblings. If you love small town romances, family, friendship and adorable children, I suggest you read this series.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
March 2, 2017
To say that Ethan Gallagher has his hands full is an complete understatement, between being a single father to two rambunctious little boys and putting in long hours at the fire station he has little time for himself or much of anything else for that matter. Losing his wife unexpectedly has certainly taken it's toll on the three of them, but little by little they are finding a way to meander through life and adjust to their new situation with the help of his family. The loss of his wife has left Ethan a hardened man, one who has completely lost his faith in love, and he has no desire to ever travel down that path again... but fate has other plans for him, now he just has to find the courage to embrace the one thing that scares him the most...love!
After her world was turned upside down Williow Dunaway decided it was time to make a change, so she moved back home to Darling in hopes of having the life she has dreamed of for some time now, and to hopefully put a little peace back into her life. She had no intentions of looking for love, but it unexpectedly finds her, in the form of a brooding handsome man with demons of his own, and little by little these two rediscover themselves and find love in the process. Now they just have to find a way to keep their demons at bay, and let their love for one another prevail...
This touching love story stirred my emotions, warmed my heart and renewed my faith in happily ever afters. From the moment I started it I found myself being pulled right back into lives of the folks from Darling, it feltas if I had never left them, and I have to say it turned out to be quite an enjoyable reunion. With each page I turned the more I became completely enraptured with Willow and Ethan's story, their path to finding one another was certainly a bumpy one, but I think that is what made it have such a realistic quality, one that was easy to connect to and believe in. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this one, it's been a while since I have read something that gave me the feels the way this one did, it definitely had me feeling the words!! I highly recommend you give this one a try, Ms. Alward's endearing characters are sure to pull you into their world and make you feel right at home... and score a special place in your heart!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.
After her world was turned upside down Williow Dunaway decided it was time to make a change, so she moved back home to Darling in hopes of having the life she has dreamed of for some time now, and to hopefully put a little peace back into her life. She had no intentions of looking for love, but it unexpectedly finds her, in the form of a brooding handsome man with demons of his own, and little by little these two rediscover themselves and find love in the process. Now they just have to find a way to keep their demons at bay, and let their love for one another prevail...
This touching love story stirred my emotions, warmed my heart and renewed my faith in happily ever afters. From the moment I started it I found myself being pulled right back into lives of the folks from Darling, it feltas if I had never left them, and I have to say it turned out to be quite an enjoyable reunion. With each page I turned the more I became completely enraptured with Willow and Ethan's story, their path to finding one another was certainly a bumpy one, but I think that is what made it have such a realistic quality, one that was easy to connect to and believe in. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this one, it's been a while since I have read something that gave me the feels the way this one did, it definitely had me feeling the words!! I highly recommend you give this one a try, Ms. Alward's endearing characters are sure to pull you into their world and make you feel right at home... and score a special place in your heart!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.
March 10, 2017
4 Stars
I was happy to be back in Darling ! "Someone to Love" tells us the story of Willow Dunaway, a lively café-owner, and Ethan Gallagher, the broody single dad of two energetic little boys. In her endearing style, Donna Alward has delivered a cast of appealing characters and an emotional plot.
Willow is a busy bee, but tries to adopt a zen attitude in all circumstances. She is Laurel’s best friend and is often invited to Gallagher’s family gathering. Her interactions with the eldest Gallagher brother, Ethan, are tense at first. Ethan is a widower, father to two young boys. His life has been torn apart by his wife’s death, and he tends to be grumpy and bad-tempered. But his two boys enjoy Willow’s company and they spend more and more time together.
Willow is on her own, but she has always longed for a loving and close-knit family like the Gallagher. Willow and Ethan are both conflicted by the attraction they feel for each other. Willow has built herself a serene life and although she comes across as uncomplicated, she wants to avoid feeling too much. She has been hurt before and doesn’t trust easily. But she is not immune to Ethan’s charm, despite her best effort. Ethan is grieving and intends to keep things casual between them, but doesn’t succeed. It took me some time to warm up to this character, but I loved when he finally lowered his guard and let Willow see his trueself.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed this beautifully written story, I have to mention that the author introduced a final twist I was not so keen on.
There was a lot of push and pull between Willow and Ethan, feelings of insecurities, grief and trust issues to overcome. Willow and Ethan’s story was a bumpy and emotional ride!
With this second installment in her Darling series, Donna Alward celebrates the importance of family and friendship to find one’s path in life. I enjoy the charming small town vibe and the attaching characters of this series. And two adorable little boys definitely stole the show in this sweet and emotional story.
An advanced copy of this book was kindly provided to me by publisher St Martin's Press, via NetGalley.
I was happy to be back in Darling ! "Someone to Love" tells us the story of Willow Dunaway, a lively café-owner, and Ethan Gallagher, the broody single dad of two energetic little boys. In her endearing style, Donna Alward has delivered a cast of appealing characters and an emotional plot.
Willow is a busy bee, but tries to adopt a zen attitude in all circumstances. She is Laurel’s best friend and is often invited to Gallagher’s family gathering. Her interactions with the eldest Gallagher brother, Ethan, are tense at first. Ethan is a widower, father to two young boys. His life has been torn apart by his wife’s death, and he tends to be grumpy and bad-tempered. But his two boys enjoy Willow’s company and they spend more and more time together.
Willow is on her own, but she has always longed for a loving and close-knit family like the Gallagher. Willow and Ethan are both conflicted by the attraction they feel for each other. Willow has built herself a serene life and although she comes across as uncomplicated, she wants to avoid feeling too much. She has been hurt before and doesn’t trust easily. But she is not immune to Ethan’s charm, despite her best effort. Ethan is grieving and intends to keep things casual between them, but doesn’t succeed. It took me some time to warm up to this character, but I loved when he finally lowered his guard and let Willow see his trueself.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed this beautifully written story, I have to mention that the author introduced a final twist I was not so keen on.
There was a lot of push and pull between Willow and Ethan, feelings of insecurities, grief and trust issues to overcome. Willow and Ethan’s story was a bumpy and emotional ride!
With this second installment in her Darling series, Donna Alward celebrates the importance of family and friendship to find one’s path in life. I enjoy the charming small town vibe and the attaching characters of this series. And two adorable little boys definitely stole the show in this sweet and emotional story.
An advanced copy of this book was kindly provided to me by publisher St Martin's Press, via NetGalley.
Read
March 16, 2017Someone to Love is the second book in Donna Alward’s Darling Vermont series. It’s a thoughtful, character- driven novel which touches upon the importance of family, the grieving process and the ability to make hard decisions. The novel features Café owner Willow Dunaway and widowed firefighter Ethan Gallagher. Their unlikely opposites attract love story drew me into this fabulously written novel.
Ethan and his late wife, Lisa, promised to love each other forever. The Gallagher’s picture perfect life ended when Lisa died of cancer leaving Ethan with two young sons to raise. The demands of raising two small children alone and working fulltime as a firefighter have brought Ethan to the breaking point. He is ill-tempered and rude to Willow when they sit next to each other at a Gallagher family dinner.
The couple finds common ground when the town’s food pantry is relocated in the storefront next to Willow’s café. Ethan and Willow try to fight their attraction but the physical pull is undeniable and a passionate relationship ensues. The author’s descriptive writing style shines in the novel. She does a fabulous job bringing Ethan’s children Ronan and Connor into the storyline. The two boys warm up to Willow immediately and I could hear Ronan say ‘Wil-low” and imagine Connor running after a soccer ball. Willow makes a choice which effects Ethan and the choice leads to a huge falling out between the couple.
The last few chapters were fast paced, exquisitely written— and kept me reading past my bedtime. I enjoyed how the author let Willow’s personal story unfold during the course of the novel and contrasted it with Ethan’s publically visual situation. I felt for Willow and came to understand Ethan as I read each page. The author stayed true to her characters Willow’s choice was heartfelt. Ethan’s reaction was pure Ethan; a boatload of angry words, finger pointing and denial. I preferred the open- ended conclusion to the novel as opposed to the traditional happily ever after ending that one might have expected. It was perfect! Looking forward to the next book in the series!
Ethan and his late wife, Lisa, promised to love each other forever. The Gallagher’s picture perfect life ended when Lisa died of cancer leaving Ethan with two young sons to raise. The demands of raising two small children alone and working fulltime as a firefighter have brought Ethan to the breaking point. He is ill-tempered and rude to Willow when they sit next to each other at a Gallagher family dinner.
The couple finds common ground when the town’s food pantry is relocated in the storefront next to Willow’s café. Ethan and Willow try to fight their attraction but the physical pull is undeniable and a passionate relationship ensues. The author’s descriptive writing style shines in the novel. She does a fabulous job bringing Ethan’s children Ronan and Connor into the storyline. The two boys warm up to Willow immediately and I could hear Ronan say ‘Wil-low” and imagine Connor running after a soccer ball. Willow makes a choice which effects Ethan and the choice leads to a huge falling out between the couple.
The last few chapters were fast paced, exquisitely written— and kept me reading past my bedtime. I enjoyed how the author let Willow’s personal story unfold during the course of the novel and contrasted it with Ethan’s publically visual situation. I felt for Willow and came to understand Ethan as I read each page. The author stayed true to her characters Willow’s choice was heartfelt. Ethan’s reaction was pure Ethan; a boatload of angry words, finger pointing and denial. I preferred the open- ended conclusion to the novel as opposed to the traditional happily ever after ending that one might have expected. It was perfect! Looking forward to the next book in the series!
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