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Heart Lake #2
The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane
A grumpy single dad and a small-town bookseller find love again in this charming contemporary romance in Sarah Robinson’s Heart Lake series.
As chaotic as it can be, Rosie Dean loves her unruly life. But between raising twins alone, running her struggling bookshop, and secretly writing a parenting advice column, the single mom can’t think about dating. At least that’s what she tells herself . . . until her high school crush (and his incredible blue eyes) return to Heart Lake for the summer. Even though Evan has grown into a huge grump, he’s still a super sexy one, and soon sparks begin to fly.
Single dad and widower Evan Mills is used to hearing he’s too serious. But with a grieving tween daughter to raise on his own, the graphic designer is just trying to stay strong for her. He hopes a few weeks at the lake will be the fresh start they both need. Evan never anticipated reconnecting with Rosie, or that she could make him feel whole again—if he’d give her the chance. Will one steamy summer with Rosie be long enough to melt Evan’s heart?
Includes the bonus novella, Annie Rains’ Kiss Me in Sweetwater Springs!
As chaotic as it can be, Rosie Dean loves her unruly life. But between raising twins alone, running her struggling bookshop, and secretly writing a parenting advice column, the single mom can’t think about dating. At least that’s what she tells herself . . . until her high school crush (and his incredible blue eyes) return to Heart Lake for the summer. Even though Evan has grown into a huge grump, he’s still a super sexy one, and soon sparks begin to fly.
Single dad and widower Evan Mills is used to hearing he’s too serious. But with a grieving tween daughter to raise on his own, the graphic designer is just trying to stay strong for her. He hopes a few weeks at the lake will be the fresh start they both need. Evan never anticipated reconnecting with Rosie, or that she could make him feel whole again—if he’d give her the chance. Will one steamy summer with Rosie be long enough to melt Evan’s heart?
Includes the bonus novella, Annie Rains’ Kiss Me in Sweetwater Springs!
321 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 23, 2023
23 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Robinson
51 books2,226 followers
Contemporary Romances Across the Rainbow…
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About Sarah:
Contemporary Romances Across the Rainbow…
Sarah Robinson first started her writing career as a published poet in high school, and then continued in college, winning several poetry awards and being published in multiple local literary journals.
Never expecting to make a career of it, a freelance writing Craigslist job accidentally introduced her to the world of book publishing. Lengthening her writing from poetry to novels, Robinson published her first book through a small press publisher, before moving into self-publishing, and then finally accepting a contract from Penguin Random House two years later. She continues to publish both traditionally and indie with over 18+ novels to her name with publishers like Penguin, Waterhouse Press, Hachette, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, and more.
In her personal life, Sarah Robinson identifies as a queer, non-binary mother and is happily married to the gentle giant of her dreams. The duo have two little children and are happily living in Arlington, Virginia where Robinson also works full-time as a psychotherapist with queer individuals and couples.
Stalk Sarah on Social Media:
Click on any of the links below to be taken to one of the social media sites!
Author Website | Subscribe to Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
About Sarah:
Contemporary Romances Across the Rainbow…
Sarah Robinson first started her writing career as a published poet in high school, and then continued in college, winning several poetry awards and being published in multiple local literary journals.
Never expecting to make a career of it, a freelance writing Craigslist job accidentally introduced her to the world of book publishing. Lengthening her writing from poetry to novels, Robinson published her first book through a small press publisher, before moving into self-publishing, and then finally accepting a contract from Penguin Random House two years later. She continues to publish both traditionally and indie with over 18+ novels to her name with publishers like Penguin, Waterhouse Press, Hachette, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, and more.
In her personal life, Sarah Robinson identifies as a queer, non-binary mother and is happily married to the gentle giant of her dreams. The duo have two little children and are happily living in Arlington, Virginia where Robinson also works full-time as a psychotherapist with queer individuals and couples.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
March 14, 2023
I loved this book!! it was so freaking cute. The whole story was very well written. I loved all the characters. I did not put this book down once until the last page of the book. It was so amazing
April 25, 2023
Review coming soon.
2023
October 22, 2025Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Forever
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Forever
May 21, 2023
I'm pretty sure Sarah Robinson is going to become an auto-read author now. She has such a magical way of writing a story and getting you invested in the characters. The characters were very well developed, and even for such a short book, I felt like they went through a lot in such a small amount of time. Robinson did a great job of showing someone who was grieving the loss of their wife and trying to move on. And the kids in this!! They were perfect! I might have liked them more than their parents who the story was about. Actually this story was more about family, but I still loved the three kids.
Read this if you love:
- Small town romance
- Single parent (both mom and dad)
- Childhood crush
- Widow
- Bookstores
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me an advanced physical copy of this book.
Read this if you love:
- Small town romance
- Single parent (both mom and dad)
- Childhood crush
- Widow
- Bookstores
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me an advanced physical copy of this book.
March 9, 2023
I received a free copy of, The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane, by Sarah Robinson, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Rosie Dean has been pretty busy raising twins, working at her bookshop, an writing secret parenting advice column. Single dad Evan, her high school crush returns to town, will sparks fly, or is Rosie way to busy for love? It was a good story, but it had an abrupt ending.
May 22, 2023
This is a super cute heartwarming story of two single parents who get off to a bumpy start when Evan comes off as a bit of a book snob to Rosie who owns a bookstore.
Evan and Rosie are both hyper-focused on their children but feel like there is something missing, and when they run into each other at the bookstore you could feel the immediate shift for both of them. I loved the chemistry between Rosie and Evan, and how their kids immediately bonded with each other.I loved both their family and friends.. I would absolutely love to visit this place, and make friends with everyone in this town! This was a feel-good romance that left me with that warm and fuzzy feeling when it was all over.
I also really enjoyed the bonus story at the end!
I have loved both books in this series and am looking forward to the next one!
Evan and Rosie are both hyper-focused on their children but feel like there is something missing, and when they run into each other at the bookstore you could feel the immediate shift for both of them. I loved the chemistry between Rosie and Evan, and how their kids immediately bonded with each other.I loved both their family and friends.. I would absolutely love to visit this place, and make friends with everyone in this town! This was a feel-good romance that left me with that warm and fuzzy feeling when it was all over.
I also really enjoyed the bonus story at the end!
I have loved both books in this series and am looking forward to the next one!
May 23, 2023
Single mom of twins, Rosie, enjoys her life taking care of her kids and running the town bookshop. One day in the shop she runs into Evan, Rosie’s high school crush who is now a widower with a young daughter. The two connect over their children and with the hope of second chances they begin a new relationship.
I struggle with romances involving children. It’s a me problem because I just don’t connect with the parents or the children and because of it I found myself skimming much of this book. I liked both Rosie and Evan just fine, but I thought their relationship moved way too fast especially because there were kids involved. I was surprised at how short his book was because I was not expecting the novella to start at 70%. Overall this was a short read, but I was not the target audience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I struggle with romances involving children. It’s a me problem because I just don’t connect with the parents or the children and because of it I found myself skimming much of this book. I liked both Rosie and Evan just fine, but I thought their relationship moved way too fast especially because there were kids involved. I was surprised at how short his book was because I was not expecting the novella to start at 70%. Overall this was a short read, but I was not the target audience.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2023
I received an ARC from Forever Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Rosie Dean is a single mom of twins who spends her days running her bookstore and writing an anonymous advice column. She doesn't have time for anything else, much less dating. Enter Evan Mills, her high school crush, in town for the summer to help his parents. Evan is a grumpy widower with a tween daughter. One day he finds himself in a tiny bookstore and quickly insults the owner. But when his daughter and Rosie's twins hit it off, they find themselves in each other's company more often than not. Will they make a connection despite his grumpy exterior and her aversion to relationships?
I was looking forward to this book based on the premise. As a divorced single mom, I look for that representation in books. Unfortunately, this book just didn't work for me. It felt like they went from "maybe we like each other" to "I need to have you now," and there just wasn't enough sexual tension for that to be realistic to me. And the incident that led to the 3rd act breakup seemed very very overblown to me. I did overall enjoy the characters, the book recs, the anonymous emails, and their relationships with family and friends.
I was looking forward to this book based on the premise. As a divorced single mom, I look for that representation in books. Unfortunately, this book just didn't work for me. It felt like they went from "maybe we like each other" to "I need to have you now," and there just wasn't enough sexual tension for that to be realistic to me. And the incident that led to the 3rd act breakup seemed very very overblown to me. I did overall enjoy the characters, the book recs, the anonymous emails, and their relationships with family and friends.
May 10, 2023
Sarah Robinson returns to Heart Lake for the second is a series. Rosie Dean is a single parent to her twin nine year olds. She runs the towns struggling book store and also secretly writes an advice column for the local paper. Evan Mills is a widower and single father to his daughter Tess. He’s returns to his hometown for the summer to help out his parents his aging parents. He plans to return to his home and work in Chicago. Tess and Rosie’s twins become friends bringing their parents together for simple things like sandwiches, ice-cream and picnics.
The speed of the romance between the adults is helped along as both had crushes on the other during high school. It is also pushed forward by their precocious kids. This is a sweet small town romance. Everyone knows the two are attracted to each other just by how they look at the other. The only real question is if Evan wants to return to Chicago or will stay. Everything is very idealistic in that there are no problems from the kids accepting new adults into each others lives. It could almost be a Hallmark movie if not for modest heat on the page.
This can be read as a stand alone. Rosie’s brother and wife are the MC’s in the first book (which I’ve read) and they make appearances in this story. I was very excited that my ARC came with a bonus novella (80 pages) from Annie Rains called Kiss Me in Sweetwater Springs (Aug 2019). She is an author I enjoy and a series where I’ve read some but not all of the books.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.
The speed of the romance between the adults is helped along as both had crushes on the other during high school. It is also pushed forward by their precocious kids. This is a sweet small town romance. Everyone knows the two are attracted to each other just by how they look at the other. The only real question is if Evan wants to return to Chicago or will stay. Everything is very idealistic in that there are no problems from the kids accepting new adults into each others lives. It could almost be a Hallmark movie if not for modest heat on the page.
This can be read as a stand alone. Rosie’s brother and wife are the MC’s in the first book (which I’ve read) and they make appearances in this story. I was very excited that my ARC came with a bonus novella (80 pages) from Annie Rains called Kiss Me in Sweetwater Springs (Aug 2019). She is an author I enjoy and a series where I’ve read some but not all of the books.
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.
May 24, 2023
Quick Summary: A sweet two-become-one romance
My Review: The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane by Sarah Robinson was a lovely love story. It featured a widowed father and a single mother of two. Not only was the story a beautiful reunion between past crushes, but it was also a fascinating coming together of two families who longed for more.
The community of Heart Lake was special. I loved how invested the people were in each other. It will be interesting to see what comes next.
My Final Say: Readers who enjoy stories where an unexpected love comes into being will enjoy this book. It is a quick read that is all about friendship, family, connection, and love.
Other: The author did a fantastic job of presenting modern day families. There were so many issues represented - aging parents, surviving as a widower, dating post a loss, merging families, single parenthood, communication between a parent and his or her child(ren), and co-parenting. It was really a rich reading experience, regarding the aforementioned.
* There is a bonus story in this book. It is called Kiss Me in Sweetwater Springs, and it is authored by Annie Rains.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status: M
Level: 🍬💕💗
Trigger: Loss due to cancer
Appreciation is extended to the author and to Forever (Grand Central Publishing). Thank you for making this work available via NetGalley. The words I have shared have been voluntarily submitted.
My Review: The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane by Sarah Robinson was a lovely love story. It featured a widowed father and a single mother of two. Not only was the story a beautiful reunion between past crushes, but it was also a fascinating coming together of two families who longed for more.
The community of Heart Lake was special. I loved how invested the people were in each other. It will be interesting to see what comes next.
My Final Say: Readers who enjoy stories where an unexpected love comes into being will enjoy this book. It is a quick read that is all about friendship, family, connection, and love.
Other: The author did a fantastic job of presenting modern day families. There were so many issues represented - aging parents, surviving as a widower, dating post a loss, merging families, single parenthood, communication between a parent and his or her child(ren), and co-parenting. It was really a rich reading experience, regarding the aforementioned.
* There is a bonus story in this book. It is called Kiss Me in Sweetwater Springs, and it is authored by Annie Rains.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status: M
Level: 🍬💕💗
Trigger: Loss due to cancer
Appreciation is extended to the author and to Forever (Grand Central Publishing). Thank you for making this work available via NetGalley. The words I have shared have been voluntarily submitted.
May 25, 2023
This was such a great story about two families coming together and becoming whole.
The characters, specifically Rosie and Evan had a lot of character growth as they both went from not looking for love and not feeling like they were in that place to opening up to growing to care for each other and think about more. Honestly the kids were the selling point, how they came together the only ways kids do and become BFFs instantly, Rosie and Evan’s relationship may never have happened without them. I really liked how the story showed as we grow up we see both our parents in a different light and can reassess what they did and how we saw it as kid and how as adults we can move past that. It’s seemed there was a lot of mental health positivity focus.
I enjoyed this book, it was a fun and cute read. I definitely would recommend it to anyone who likes small town romance with a second chance at love.
⭐️High school crush
⭐️Parkinson’s disease rep
⭐️Single mom & single father
⭐️Widower
⭐️Small town romance
⭐️Dual POV
The characters, specifically Rosie and Evan had a lot of character growth as they both went from not looking for love and not feeling like they were in that place to opening up to growing to care for each other and think about more. Honestly the kids were the selling point, how they came together the only ways kids do and become BFFs instantly, Rosie and Evan’s relationship may never have happened without them. I really liked how the story showed as we grow up we see both our parents in a different light and can reassess what they did and how we saw it as kid and how as adults we can move past that. It’s seemed there was a lot of mental health positivity focus.
I enjoyed this book, it was a fun and cute read. I definitely would recommend it to anyone who likes small town romance with a second chance at love.
⭐️High school crush
⭐️Parkinson’s disease rep
⭐️Single mom & single father
⭐️Widower
⭐️Small town romance
⭐️Dual POV
May 24, 2023
Sarah Robinson has hit another hit on her hands. I really enjoyed this book. Rosie and Evan crossed paths in their younger years. Now, a decade or so later, Evan returns to his home town to visit his parents, they meet again.
Rosie is a single mom, raising twins and running a bookstore. Evan is a widower and single dad, returning to his home town for the summer. Their kids hit it off right away and want to have play dates a lot. This allows Rosie and Evan time to spend together.
It took a few chapters for me to get into the characters. I was familiar with the basic town setting (from the previous book) but Rosie wasn't clicking with me right away. Somehow, I understood Evan's angst right away and was rooting for his outcome long before he realized it.
I would recommend this book for many romance readers. Especially those who enjoy a HEA and a quick way to love.
Thank you for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Rosie is a single mom, raising twins and running a bookstore. Evan is a widower and single dad, returning to his home town for the summer. Their kids hit it off right away and want to have play dates a lot. This allows Rosie and Evan time to spend together.
It took a few chapters for me to get into the characters. I was familiar with the basic town setting (from the previous book) but Rosie wasn't clicking with me right away. Somehow, I understood Evan's angst right away and was rooting for his outcome long before he realized it.
I would recommend this book for many romance readers. Especially those who enjoy a HEA and a quick way to love.
Thank you for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 28, 2023
Rosie Dean is busy with her bookstore and raising her twins. She writes a column for the local paper on parenting advice. Evan Mills is in town with his daughter for the summer. Seems he had a crush on Rosie in high school.
The twins and Evans daughter make fast friends they are the same age. As the two adults spend some time together can they realize they were made for each other?
Evan is struggling with staying in Heart Lake are returning to Chicago and Rosie's twins dad shows up and wants to spend time with the kids.
Bonus book from Annie Rains set in Sweetwater Springs. This was a short read great story.
I loved Annnie and Sarah's books
The twins and Evans daughter make fast friends they are the same age. As the two adults spend some time together can they realize they were made for each other?
Evan is struggling with staying in Heart Lake are returning to Chicago and Rosie's twins dad shows up and wants to spend time with the kids.
Bonus book from Annie Rains set in Sweetwater Springs. This was a short read great story.
I loved Annnie and Sarah's books
July 22, 2023
I love a good single parent meets single parent story! The book ended with a bow on top and I couldn't be happier with that.
. . . . . .
The dialogue in this felt stilted -- one second the character would be cussing and in the next they'd be prim and proper. I don't like it when a book does that because it really takes me out of the story.
. . . . . .
The kids were cute as a button BUT the two little girls seemed wise beyond their years and that just felt ...unrealistic? I guess? I understand that it was attributed to the fact that they're readers, but so is the boy twin and he was presented as younger than his age and overly exuberant (he's described as being more immature than his sister but they're literally the same age).
. . . . . .
I thought that the "crisis" near the end of the book--y'know, the moment in the story where the couple breaks up temporarily--was whack and should've been replaced with a different issue. Rosie should've been THRILLED that Evan knew her true identity! It takes away all the stress involved with keeping a secret...and yet Rosie was willing to throw away their relationship because of it.
. . . . . .
Otherwise I enjoyed the romance between the MCs. I was also glad to see that we got some spice in this one.
. . . . . .
The location is chef's kiss and positively idyllic. I desperately want to go stay at a lake house B&B or SOMEthing because it sounds heavenly.
. . . . . .
Favorite character: Amanda -- I loved how she came up with little ploys to get the MCs to spend time alone together ^_^ // Least favorite character: Billy! You almost k!ll your child and still get access to him after that?! Crazy
. . . . . .
The dialogue in this felt stilted -- one second the character would be cussing and in the next they'd be prim and proper. I don't like it when a book does that because it really takes me out of the story.
. . . . . .
The kids were cute as a button BUT the two little girls seemed wise beyond their years and that just felt ...unrealistic? I guess? I understand that it was attributed to the fact that they're readers, but so is the boy twin and he was presented as younger than his age and overly exuberant (he's described as being more immature than his sister but they're literally the same age).
. . . . . .
I thought that the "crisis" near the end of the book--y'know, the moment in the story where the couple breaks up temporarily--was whack and should've been replaced with a different issue. Rosie should've been THRILLED that Evan knew her true identity! It takes away all the stress involved with keeping a secret...and yet Rosie was willing to throw away their relationship because of it.
. . . . . .
Otherwise I enjoyed the romance between the MCs. I was also glad to see that we got some spice in this one.
. . . . . .
The location is chef's kiss and positively idyllic. I desperately want to go stay at a lake house B&B or SOMEthing because it sounds heavenly.
. . . . . .
Favorite character: Amanda -- I loved how she came up with little ploys to get the MCs to spend time alone together ^_^ // Least favorite character: Billy! You almost k!ll your child and still get access to him after that?! Crazy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2023
This book is so good. I've never read hers before, but I couldn't put it down.
May 7, 2023
The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane was such a lovely story! This was my first Sarah Robinson book, but it will definitely not be my last.
Rosie Dean is a single mother of 8-year-old twins and she owns the local bookstore Fact or Fiction. She doesn't have much extra time for dating, not that she's all that interested in it anyway, but she always makes time for her friends. She is also the anonymous writer of a parenting column in the local newspaper. She still loves living in her hometown after all of these years.
Evan Nowak is a widower who has a 9-year-old daughter and he has come back to his hometown for the summer to help out his parents, as his father is in ailing health. He is working remotely and he is very focused on keeping his daughter focused on her studies over the summer instead of allowing her to be a child and to have fun.
Evan ends up going into the bookstore and runs into Rosie, who was his high school crush, where their children meet and become fast friends. It takes longer for Evan and Rosie to reconnect, but once they do, a friendship quickly grows. Evan also implores the help of the Miss Mommy column, which is the one that Rosie writes. As the two families spend more time together, the bonds continue to grow and Evan realizes that coming back to his hometown might not be the worst decision. Will he decide to stay and try to build something with Rosie? Or will he choose to go back to Chicago and leave what could be a new start for him and his daughter?
I really enjoyed this story and how it unfolded. I appreciated how both Evan and Rosie handled their situations given both are single parents. I loved the three kids in this story! They were amazing and the interactions between them were great and I just loved them!
While I haven't read the first book in this series, I look forward to reading what comes next in this series!
**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Rosie Dean is a single mother of 8-year-old twins and she owns the local bookstore Fact or Fiction. She doesn't have much extra time for dating, not that she's all that interested in it anyway, but she always makes time for her friends. She is also the anonymous writer of a parenting column in the local newspaper. She still loves living in her hometown after all of these years.
Evan Nowak is a widower who has a 9-year-old daughter and he has come back to his hometown for the summer to help out his parents, as his father is in ailing health. He is working remotely and he is very focused on keeping his daughter focused on her studies over the summer instead of allowing her to be a child and to have fun.
Evan ends up going into the bookstore and runs into Rosie, who was his high school crush, where their children meet and become fast friends. It takes longer for Evan and Rosie to reconnect, but once they do, a friendship quickly grows. Evan also implores the help of the Miss Mommy column, which is the one that Rosie writes. As the two families spend more time together, the bonds continue to grow and Evan realizes that coming back to his hometown might not be the worst decision. Will he decide to stay and try to build something with Rosie? Or will he choose to go back to Chicago and leave what could be a new start for him and his daughter?
I really enjoyed this story and how it unfolded. I appreciated how both Evan and Rosie handled their situations given both are single parents. I loved the three kids in this story! They were amazing and the interactions between them were great and I just loved them!
While I haven't read the first book in this series, I look forward to reading what comes next in this series!
**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
March 5, 2023
Rosie Dean has her hands full. As a single mother of 8-year-old twins and owner of the Fact or Fiction bookstore in Heart Lake, she doesn't have time for dating. She does manage to squeak in her weekly writing of an anonymous parenting column for the local paper, as well as time with friends, but otherwise her schedule just doesn't have room for surprises.
Evan Nowak, a relatively recent widower with a 9-year-old daughter, is spending the summer in Heart Lake with his aging parents, working remotely and trying to keep his daughter on task academically but struggling to connect with her emotionally. He bumps into Rosie (his high school crush) at the bookstore, where their children meet and become instant friends, but it takes the adults a little longer to warm up to friendship. In the meantime, Evan also seeks advice from Miss Mommy, the local parenting columnist. And as Evan and Rosie and their families spend more time together, Evan thinks there might just be good reason to return home to Heart Lake for good.
This second book in the Heart Lake series (following Dreaming of a Heart Lake Christmas) is filled with the same warmth and humor as the first. Rosie and Evan are both likeable and relatable characters, sometimes struggling to be good parents, sometimes screwing up, but always trying to learn and do better. They have the advantage of both having crushes on each other in high school, making their current attraction easy to believe, and they support each other in their parenting adventures and family gatherings. But honestly, the kids steal the show -- twins Becca and Zander as well as newcomer Tess are full of energy and questions but also give lots of love and support to their parents.
Low angst, mild steam level, but entirely heartwarming and cozy. 4 stars.
Thank you, Forever/Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.
Evan Nowak, a relatively recent widower with a 9-year-old daughter, is spending the summer in Heart Lake with his aging parents, working remotely and trying to keep his daughter on task academically but struggling to connect with her emotionally. He bumps into Rosie (his high school crush) at the bookstore, where their children meet and become instant friends, but it takes the adults a little longer to warm up to friendship. In the meantime, Evan also seeks advice from Miss Mommy, the local parenting columnist. And as Evan and Rosie and their families spend more time together, Evan thinks there might just be good reason to return home to Heart Lake for good.
This second book in the Heart Lake series (following Dreaming of a Heart Lake Christmas) is filled with the same warmth and humor as the first. Rosie and Evan are both likeable and relatable characters, sometimes struggling to be good parents, sometimes screwing up, but always trying to learn and do better. They have the advantage of both having crushes on each other in high school, making their current attraction easy to believe, and they support each other in their parenting adventures and family gatherings. But honestly, the kids steal the show -- twins Becca and Zander as well as newcomer Tess are full of energy and questions but also give lots of love and support to their parents.
Low angst, mild steam level, but entirely heartwarming and cozy. 4 stars.
Thank you, Forever/Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.
May 24, 2023
I just finished The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane by Sarah Robinson @booksbysarahrobinson and here are my thoughts on it.
Rosie Dean is living the single mama life to twins while running a bookshop. She also secretly writes an advice column for the local paper. Looking for love is low low low on her list.
That is until the day her high school crush, Evan, comes back for a summer vacation with his daughter. A man widowed and wallowing but those eyes.
Neither of them were looking for anything but fate has a funny way of intervening and opening you up to something you didn’t know you needed.
This book is super sonic CUTE!!!! The idea of two single parents clashing but slowly coming around to opening up to each other is adorable in the best kinds of ways. I have a real thing for the grumpy sunshine dynamic and this book has it in spades.
The book is written in both Rosie’s and Evan’s POV and is the second book in the heart lake series but honestly, it is a stand alone with characters that crossed over from book one. So don’t worry if you haven’t read the first book yet, it is enjoyable regardless. I took a while to warm up to Evan so I felt like I was channeling Rosie a little. I fell in love with both of them at the end and I was sad it was over.
The plot was steady and exactly what you would expect from a romance novel. The storyline was clever and entertaining with some really delightful banter between the lead characters. The kids coming together the way they did was magical for me.
I have a soft spot for happily ever afters so the ending was excellent for me.
Definitely cannot wait for the next installment.
4.5 stars. Thank you to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for my gift copy! Out NOW!!!!
#foreverpublishing #netgalley #thelittlebookstoreonheartlakelane #sarahrobinson #heartlakeseries #romancereader
Rosie Dean is living the single mama life to twins while running a bookshop. She also secretly writes an advice column for the local paper. Looking for love is low low low on her list.
That is until the day her high school crush, Evan, comes back for a summer vacation with his daughter. A man widowed and wallowing but those eyes.
Neither of them were looking for anything but fate has a funny way of intervening and opening you up to something you didn’t know you needed.
This book is super sonic CUTE!!!! The idea of two single parents clashing but slowly coming around to opening up to each other is adorable in the best kinds of ways. I have a real thing for the grumpy sunshine dynamic and this book has it in spades.
The book is written in both Rosie’s and Evan’s POV and is the second book in the heart lake series but honestly, it is a stand alone with characters that crossed over from book one. So don’t worry if you haven’t read the first book yet, it is enjoyable regardless. I took a while to warm up to Evan so I felt like I was channeling Rosie a little. I fell in love with both of them at the end and I was sad it was over.
The plot was steady and exactly what you would expect from a romance novel. The storyline was clever and entertaining with some really delightful banter between the lead characters. The kids coming together the way they did was magical for me.
I have a soft spot for happily ever afters so the ending was excellent for me.
Definitely cannot wait for the next installment.
4.5 stars. Thank you to @netgalley and @readforeverpub for my gift copy! Out NOW!!!!
#foreverpublishing #netgalley #thelittlebookstoreonheartlakelane #sarahrobinson #heartlakeseries #romancereader
May 20, 2023
Can we talk about how fun summer reading can be? You know what I mean? The weather is nicer, time seems to slow down a little, and finding a spot to sit and be becomes easier for a while. Maybe it's the vitamins coming from the sun or maybe it's time to exercise the brain with a little romantic escapism. Sarah Robinson has given me all these things with The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane. Perfect summer reading at the perfect time!
~Tanja
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~Tanja
Follow me on
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April 3, 2023
Congratulations to Sarah Robinson and her newest book The Little Book Shop on Heart Lake Lane!
Rosie Dean is managing her bookstore, raising her twins alone, and writing and parenting advice column. She doesn't have time for dating. When her high school crush, Evan, comes back to town she is intrigued. Evan is a widower and single dad who's back home for the summer with his daughter to help his parents out. When Rosie sees him and his daughter in the book store he's a little bit grumpy, but the sparks start to fly. Evan never anticipated that reconnecting with Rosie would allow him to feel a sense of calm. His daughter and the twins hit it off and are spending more and more time together, leading to Rosie and Evan spending time together. Both need to decide if they can open their hearts up for a chance at love.
This was a cute story. I don't generally like a lot of "kids scenes" in my romances, but this didn't seem to bother me. I liked that the kids were spending time together and brought Evan and Rosie together. I loved watching Rosie and Evan's banter and flirting back and forth. It was almost as if they were discovering how to do that again. I also really liked the connection and emotion included in this story. There wasn't a ton of angst or drama in this book, which made for a light and quick read.
This was a sweet contemporary romance and I look forward to seeing what comes out next in these companion novels! Thank you to NetGalley and Forever publishing for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.
Rosie Dean is managing her bookstore, raising her twins alone, and writing and parenting advice column. She doesn't have time for dating. When her high school crush, Evan, comes back to town she is intrigued. Evan is a widower and single dad who's back home for the summer with his daughter to help his parents out. When Rosie sees him and his daughter in the book store he's a little bit grumpy, but the sparks start to fly. Evan never anticipated that reconnecting with Rosie would allow him to feel a sense of calm. His daughter and the twins hit it off and are spending more and more time together, leading to Rosie and Evan spending time together. Both need to decide if they can open their hearts up for a chance at love.
This was a cute story. I don't generally like a lot of "kids scenes" in my romances, but this didn't seem to bother me. I liked that the kids were spending time together and brought Evan and Rosie together. I loved watching Rosie and Evan's banter and flirting back and forth. It was almost as if they were discovering how to do that again. I also really liked the connection and emotion included in this story. There wasn't a ton of angst or drama in this book, which made for a light and quick read.
This was a sweet contemporary romance and I look forward to seeing what comes out next in these companion novels! Thank you to NetGalley and Forever publishing for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.
April 10, 2023
Rosie Dean’s life is full. She owns a bookshop, single parent of twins and is secretly writing parenting advice column similar to Dear Abby. Besides the daily stress all is good with her life until Evan walks into her bookshop. She does not recognize him at first just that he is a book snob and she is not impressed. Rosie and Evan’s daughter quickly become good friends and they are now forced into spending time together. Evan soon realizes he is too serious and placing too much pressure on his daughter without giving her time to grieve and remember her mother. Rosie soon learns that self-sabotage is not the way to a full and happy life.
The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane by Sarah Robinson is the perfect beach read. There is not too much thought needed in trying to anticipate what is happening next. It is a great feel good easy read. Her description of Heart Lake makes it easy to picture the water and sitting on the deserted beach or joining in the town’s celebration. Rosie’s character is also easy to identify with even for someone without twins. Her trials and tribulations are faced by most single parents but her way of dealing with them provide both humor and hopefully inspiration for someone else to rethink their situation.
Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Robinson and Forever Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in return for my honest review.
The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane by Sarah Robinson is the perfect beach read. There is not too much thought needed in trying to anticipate what is happening next. It is a great feel good easy read. Her description of Heart Lake makes it easy to picture the water and sitting on the deserted beach or joining in the town’s celebration. Rosie’s character is also easy to identify with even for someone without twins. Her trials and tribulations are faced by most single parents but her way of dealing with them provide both humor and hopefully inspiration for someone else to rethink their situation.
Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Robinson and Forever Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in return for my honest review.
April 1, 2023
Rosie is seemingly content with life. She runs a bookstore in her small and charming town, and she has two great kids. Evan, her high school crush, returned to town for the summer with his daughter. Their children became instant friends, but Rosie and Evan had a rocky start. As the summer progresses, chemistry begins between the parents, and Evan thinks he could stay in Heart Lake permanently. They must determine if they can open up entirely to each other or if their past could hinder their potential future.
The Little Bookstore On Heart Lake Lane is the second book in the Heart Lake series. I loved reuniting with Rosie, Nola, and Amanda and welcoming new people, especially Evan. This book warmed my heart so much. I loved the backstory of the bookstore and the brewing romance between Rosie and Evan. I love Sarah Robinson’s writing style, and I think all the children ( Zander, Becca, and Tess) made the book much better, and I loved their humor! If you want a charming and heartwarming story, go grab this book, and I can’t wait to get the next book in the series in the fall!
Thank you to Netgallery and to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for giving me a copy of the book.
The Little Bookstore On Heart Lake Lane is the second book in the Heart Lake series. I loved reuniting with Rosie, Nola, and Amanda and welcoming new people, especially Evan. This book warmed my heart so much. I loved the backstory of the bookstore and the brewing romance between Rosie and Evan. I love Sarah Robinson’s writing style, and I think all the children ( Zander, Becca, and Tess) made the book much better, and I loved their humor! If you want a charming and heartwarming story, go grab this book, and I can’t wait to get the next book in the series in the fall!
Thank you to Netgallery and to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for giving me a copy of the book.
May 1, 2023
We’re back in Heart Lake with a grumpy-sunshine romance story! “The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane” by Sarah Robinson follows Rosie Dean, a single mom and business owner trying to keep everything together, and Evan Mills, a single dad trying to make sure his daughter doesn’t fall behind in anything. Evan and Rosie know each other from high school, but Evan is only in town for the summer. Is one summer enough for sparks to fly?
Have I mentioned lately that I love love? The Heart Lake series is CUTE and I was so excited to step back into this small town that I started it the second I got it in the mail. Robinson really found something special in this made up corner of the world and I am here for it!
Rosie’s sunshine is the perfect thing to balance out Evan’s grump, you root for them from the first second they meet. And while this love story feels predictable, it’s the kind of predictable I would sign up for again and again and again.
This book was a solid 4 star read for me! I hope we’ll be seeing more of the series in the future!
Thanks to Forever Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! This book hits shelves May 23rd!
Have I mentioned lately that I love love? The Heart Lake series is CUTE and I was so excited to step back into this small town that I started it the second I got it in the mail. Robinson really found something special in this made up corner of the world and I am here for it!
Rosie’s sunshine is the perfect thing to balance out Evan’s grump, you root for them from the first second they meet. And while this love story feels predictable, it’s the kind of predictable I would sign up for again and again and again.
This book was a solid 4 star read for me! I hope we’ll be seeing more of the series in the future!
Thanks to Forever Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! This book hits shelves May 23rd!
March 1, 2023
I love contemporary romance books and really enjoyed book 2 in the Heart Lake series. This is Rosie and Evan’s story.
Rosie has quite the chaotic life trying to raise twins along with running her bookstore and writing a parenting advice column in secret. She tells herself she has absolutely no time for dating . That is until her high school crush returns to Heart Lake for the summer.
Evan Mills is a single dad and widower of a grieving tween daughter and a bit of a grouch. I think of him more as a serious guy trying to do the best he can to raise his daughter on his own and to stay strong . He hopes a few weeks at the lake is just what they need.
Evan never anticipated reconnecting with Rosie Dean or that he could ever feel whole again. Will the summer be long enough to heal two hearts?
I enjoyed reading Rosie and Evan’s story and getting to know their children and catching up with some of the characters from the first book in the series.
I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rosie has quite the chaotic life trying to raise twins along with running her bookstore and writing a parenting advice column in secret. She tells herself she has absolutely no time for dating . That is until her high school crush returns to Heart Lake for the summer.
Evan Mills is a single dad and widower of a grieving tween daughter and a bit of a grouch. I think of him more as a serious guy trying to do the best he can to raise his daughter on his own and to stay strong . He hopes a few weeks at the lake is just what they need.
Evan never anticipated reconnecting with Rosie Dean or that he could ever feel whole again. Will the summer be long enough to heal two hearts?
I enjoyed reading Rosie and Evan’s story and getting to know their children and catching up with some of the characters from the first book in the series.
I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 2, 2023
A very sweet romance between two single parents. Rosie Dean is a mom to twins. The twin’s father is a rocker who hasn’t had much to do with them, and hasn’t paid child support. Rosie has had to deal with everything that life hands her on her own. Evan Mills is a widower who has a daughter about the same age as Rosie’s twins. His wife died about four years ago when his daughter was four. Like Rosie, he has been focusing on raising his daughter, and really hasn’t dealt with moving on with his life. Both Evan and Rosie went to high school together, and had a bit of a crush on each other, but never acted on it. Now they have a second chance. Overall, an enjoyable read. I will say, that the issue that eventually causes a rift, seemed out of character for Rosie, and that did annoy me a bit. This is the second book in this series and can definitely be read as a standalone (I didn’t read the first book and I had no problem reading this). I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.
May 15, 2023
Rosie has always loved to read so owning her own bookshop is an amazing dream, but real life intervenes and the shop is struggling (probably from all us e readers). When this gorgeous yet uptight, stuck in the mud dad enters her store telling his tween daughter that graphic novels aren’t “real” books she thought she’d be arrested for bodily injury. The worst thing, this hot dad actually is the adult version of her nerdy yet cute teenage crush. This was a nice sweet second chance romance. Both Rosie and Evan are single parents of adorable children but their relationships have been lacking and their hyper focused need to “be the best “ has been a bit rough for the kids. The book seemed so real life it feels like the leads are actually people you know. It’s more about the relationship and building up the steam between the two than lots of overly heat but still a great summer read. 4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review
May 16, 2023
The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane is the second standalone romance in the Heart Lake series. Rosie Dean, a single mother of twins who owns a bookshop, reconnects with her high school crush, single dad, Evan Nowak. The two reconnect at a time in their lives where both need each other without even knowing it. Evan and Rosie are both going through similar struggles of single parenthood and as they share this common ground, sparks start to fly.
I found this to be an enjoyable sweet, romance read. I haven’t read the first book in this series, but definitely think this can be read as a standalone without missing anything. I really enjoyed the characters of the kids in this book and loved how they created their own friendships as well as helping push their parents together. The story was good, but the ending was a little abrupt for me. I feel like there could have been another chapter for two to flesh it out, but overall this was an enjoyable romance.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!
I found this to be an enjoyable sweet, romance read. I haven’t read the first book in this series, but definitely think this can be read as a standalone without missing anything. I really enjoyed the characters of the kids in this book and loved how they created their own friendships as well as helping push their parents together. The story was good, but the ending was a little abrupt for me. I feel like there could have been another chapter for two to flesh it out, but overall this was an enjoyable romance.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!
May 24, 2023
Happy Publication Day!!
The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane is a sweet summer cozy romance that’s sure to leave you with a smile on your face.
Rosie Dean and Evan Nowak are both single parents just trying to do the best they can for their kids when fate, or should I say their kids, bring them together. The banter between Rosie and Evan was fun and I really enjoyed watching things play out for for them. I fell in love with Heart Lake and its residents. It’s the kind of town and community I’d want to live in, and I loved the support Rosie received from everyone. So heartwarming.
The second book in Sarah Robinson’s Heart Lake series, this can be read as standalone (a few characters from the first book make cameo appearances). 3.75 fun, fluffy stars from me for this warm and fuzzy happily ever after.
A hearty thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy of this story. This is my honest review and the opinion above is my own.
The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane is a sweet summer cozy romance that’s sure to leave you with a smile on your face.
Rosie Dean and Evan Nowak are both single parents just trying to do the best they can for their kids when fate, or should I say their kids, bring them together. The banter between Rosie and Evan was fun and I really enjoyed watching things play out for for them. I fell in love with Heart Lake and its residents. It’s the kind of town and community I’d want to live in, and I loved the support Rosie received from everyone. So heartwarming.
The second book in Sarah Robinson’s Heart Lake series, this can be read as standalone (a few characters from the first book make cameo appearances). 3.75 fun, fluffy stars from me for this warm and fuzzy happily ever after.
A hearty thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy of this story. This is my honest review and the opinion above is my own.
March 13, 2023
This is the second book in the Heart Lake series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone. In this story we get Rosie the bookstore owner’s story. Rosie is a single mom to twins, struggling to keep her bookstore open and be a good parent to her twins. One day Evan walks into her bookstore with his daughter, and the two of them end up turning her life upside down. Evan is a single father, a widow, and a former crush of Rosie’s from high school. Rosie and Evan’s children hit it off instantly and want to spend all of their free time together despite their parents having a rocky start. As the summer progresses sparks fly between the parents. Can the two of them open their hearts completely to each other, or will their pasts lead them to keep their hearts closed off to the idea of love? This was a really sweet contemporary romance, and I look forward to the next book in this series. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.
May 22, 2023
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane continues the Heart Lake series with two single parents, a revised high school crush, and three kids who practically steal every single scene they’re in. Basically, my kind of mid-heat, low-angst, believable romance.
Rosie’s life is full. She’s a single mom to 8-year-old twins who keep her on her toes constantly. She owns the town’s bookstore, Fact and Fiction, and while it’s not easy making a living from the store these days, she’s not about to give up. In her downtime (yeah, right), she writes a parenting advice column for the local newspaper… anonymously, of course, don’t need to get into arguments with the residents over parenting advice! She’s not worried about dating because one, she doesn’t have time, and two, well, see reason one. That may change though when her high school crush comes back to town for the summer. There are possibilities… and complications, as well.
Evan is back in town for the summer, but only to help his parents, especially his father. His parents are aging, and Evan doesn’t like it one little bit, but time moves on for everyone. He’s fortunate that he can work remotely while tending to things, making sure his 9-year-old daughter keeps her nose in her study books (and doesn’t get to act like a kid on summer break!), and trying his best to get through this time back home. When his daughter makes friends with the bookstore owner’s twins he realizes just how time has moved on when he discovers his high school crush is all grown up with kids of her own.
Now about that parenting column… yeah, talk about a minefield when Evan writes in for advice.
I had fun with Rosie and Evan’s story. A lot of that “getting to know” someone new was set aside when these former high school crushes were brought together through their children, and then by choice. Watching them navigate their different parenting choices, discover that the sparks were still flying between them after all this time, and make the tough choices to allow their summer relationship to grow into something that could thrive all year, all their lives long was emotional, engaging, and filled with laughter as adjustments in attitude and lives were made. I enjoyed myself back in this world, and look forward to the next release.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
The Little Bookstore on Heart Lake Lane continues the Heart Lake series with two single parents, a revised high school crush, and three kids who practically steal every single scene they’re in. Basically, my kind of mid-heat, low-angst, believable romance.
Rosie’s life is full. She’s a single mom to 8-year-old twins who keep her on her toes constantly. She owns the town’s bookstore, Fact and Fiction, and while it’s not easy making a living from the store these days, she’s not about to give up. In her downtime (yeah, right), she writes a parenting advice column for the local newspaper… anonymously, of course, don’t need to get into arguments with the residents over parenting advice! She’s not worried about dating because one, she doesn’t have time, and two, well, see reason one. That may change though when her high school crush comes back to town for the summer. There are possibilities… and complications, as well.
Evan is back in town for the summer, but only to help his parents, especially his father. His parents are aging, and Evan doesn’t like it one little bit, but time moves on for everyone. He’s fortunate that he can work remotely while tending to things, making sure his 9-year-old daughter keeps her nose in her study books (and doesn’t get to act like a kid on summer break!), and trying his best to get through this time back home. When his daughter makes friends with the bookstore owner’s twins he realizes just how time has moved on when he discovers his high school crush is all grown up with kids of her own.
Now about that parenting column… yeah, talk about a minefield when Evan writes in for advice.
I had fun with Rosie and Evan’s story. A lot of that “getting to know” someone new was set aside when these former high school crushes were brought together through their children, and then by choice. Watching them navigate their different parenting choices, discover that the sparks were still flying between them after all this time, and make the tough choices to allow their summer relationship to grow into something that could thrive all year, all their lives long was emotional, engaging, and filled with laughter as adjustments in attitude and lives were made. I enjoyed myself back in this world, and look forward to the next release.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
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