This is the third book in the Willow Hill series. This one can be read on its own, but it’s nice to have read the first two for the background information. It’s not really necessary to have read the previous ones, though.

The book starts out with Jack and Linny on their honeymoon. They are having the perfect time, until family obligations interfere. It feels as if everyone wants a piece of Linny from her mother to her sister to even her new husband expecting her to take a backseat to his ex-wife and their teenage son. While I certainly understand Jack's need to be there for his son, his constantly giving in to his ex-wife at Linny’s expense was annoying to me.

After just a couple of weeks of marriage, Jack and Linny have to go their separate ways to accommodate Linny’s mother and Jack’s son. Then, Linny’s sister has a crisis and it’s Linny to the rescue. There are quite a few major obstacles for a brand new marriage, but the newlyweds make the best of it.

The best way to describe this book is a huge “slice of life”. The problems are all realistic, emotional and many readers will probably be able to identify with Linny. I would have liked to see more interaction between Jack and Linny, though. Most of the time they were involved with other people. The characters are all well-written and developed to perfection. It’s a heartwarming novel which brings both tears and smiles until the last page is turned.

LINNY!

JACK!

Neal.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved it, but am sad that it’s the last book in the series. I absolutely love the whimsical Linny, the ever patient – and sometimes too nice – Jack, and the typical tween Neal, who tests Linny’s patience…as well as the reader.

And don’t forget Vera. Ugh, how the heckfire did Jack manage to handle that woman? And have a child with her!!

Linny’s mother cracks me up, as does her gaggle of friends.

Though it could be read as a stand alone, I highly suggest that you read all three books in order. Linnie’s growth and strength spreads across all three. Though naive in so many ways, she never loses sight of the big picture and deserves every good thing that happens to her.

I find it hard to not give away spoilers, so this is all that I will say! The characters are easy to fall in love with and you find yourself staying up all night to finish. The writing flows excellently and there’s never a dull moment.

Ms. Schild has done her characters justice in this trilogy and I can’t wait to see what else she has in store as she moves away from Linny (*sniffles*) and into new waters.

DISCLAIMER: I requested a review copy of this book so that I could participate in the Tasty Books blog tour. All thoughts are my own.

"Sweet Southern Hearts" by Susan Schild. This is a heartwarming tale that nicely finishes out this series. Having read the earlier books in the series (which I highly recommend), I have grown to love Linny and Jack and was invested in the story. Linny is struggling to settle into her new role of wife and stepmom, on top of dealing with her mom, sister and her husband's ex. At times, I found myself screaming for some things she dealt with, other times I was laughing at her inner talks. Ms. Schild has penned a tale that the reader can certainly relate to. This story goes through real life situations that happen every day. It was a joy to read Linny's journey and to see her grow and believe again. I hope Ms. Schild is planning another book or series soon as I will most certainly check it out. (received copy for honest review).

I received this novel from the author via Net Galley, and it was the perfect read for my recent relaxing vacation! This is one of those “slice of life” novels, where realistic characters deal with real world problems, but with an uplifting and positive feel to it.

Here’s the overview:

Description

Susan Schild welcomes you back to the offbeat Southern town of Willow Hill, North Carolina, for a humorous, heartwarming story of new beginnings, do-overs, and self-discovery…
When it comes to marriage, third time’s the charm for Linny Taylor. She’s thrilled to be on her honeymoon with Jack Avery, Willow Hill’s handsome veterinarian. But just like the hair-raising white water rafting trip Jack persuades her to take, newlywed life has plenty of dips and bumps.

Jack’s twelve-year-old son is resisting all Linny’s efforts to be the perfect stepmother, while her own mother, Dottie, begs her to tag along on the first week of a free-wheeling RV adventure. Who knew women “of a certain age” could drum up so much trouble? No sooner is Linny sighing with relief at being back home than she’s helping her frazzled sister with a new baby…and dealing with an unexpected legacy from her late ex. Life is fuller—and richer—than she ever imagined, but if there’s one thing Linny’s learned by now, it’s that there’s always room for another sweet surprise…

“This charming and well observed novel about finding the courage to love after loss will make you smile as well as cry more than a few happy tears. Be prepared for a story of true tenderness, humor, and sometimes nail biting tension. Sweet Southern Hearts delivers all this and more.” –Holly Chamberlin, author of Summer with my Sisters

*********************************
While I got the sense that there are other books that focus on these characters, this was definitely a stand-alone title. I loved the character of Linny and cheered her through her challenges. She managed to get through it all with grace and a sense of humor!
Highly recommended if you enjoy pleasant yet realistic women’s fiction.
Thank you for my review e-copy!

This delightful book is the third book in the Willow Hill series about Linny and her search for happiness. After being widowed twice, Linny is hoping that her third marriage to Jack will be her happily ever after despite all of the obstacles in their way. Jack has a teenage boy who runs hot and cold with Linny, an ex wife who feels the need to talk to him daily, a new consulting company just starting up, a mother who is getting ready to go on a big trip with her friends and a sister with a new baby. With all of this going on, how is she ever going to find time to spend with her new husband?

As the book begins, Linny and Jack are on their honeymoon on a white water rafting trip. Linny is a people pleaser and even though she would like to be anywhere else, she takes the rafting trip to make Jack happy. They have to cut their honeymoon short because Jack's son is upset and needs them home. So begins the story of Jack and Linny's first year of marriage. The main problem that Linny needs to overcome is whether she can learn to speak her mind and put herself and her marriage first. Will she find her happily ever after with Jack?

This is a great series of books and I have enjoyed getting to know the characters - a lot of them are like people that I know. My favorite characters in this book are Linny's mom and her friends and I laughed out loud about some of their experiences on their cross country camping trip. This is a fun series and I highly recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Sweet Southern Hearts is #3 in the Willow Hill series by Susan Schild. Linny and Jack have tied the knot and the great adventure of marriage beckons. Linny has had two previous husbands, (both now deceased) and this one hopefully is going to be third time lucky.

The book opens with the two on their honeymoon, engaged in a wild water rafting trip, - Jack's choice! Linny just hangs on, but it is kind of exhilarating for her too. It turns out this is a kind of a metaphor for that first year of marriage as while there are some quiet patches in it, they sure hit a lot of rapids as well.

Linny is a bit of a people pleaser, dutiful and responsible. It's not long before things begin to mount up for her. Her business needs her attention, her mother is throwing a hissy fit over a trip she had previously wanted to go on and now has cold feet. Her stepson Neal is a two-timer, sometimes adorable and sometimes the 'kid from hell'. Jack isn't dealing that well with his ex - who has marriage problems. His boundaries are rather weak. Onto that load a crisis for sister Kate and an unexpected arrival on the doorstep. Quite a lot to deal with. Plus - its that first year of marriage.

Jack loves Linny but... at times he annoyed me with his inability to speak up to his ex and his son where he needed to. I wanted to eye him and tell him to man up. He has a treasure - take care of it.

As well there is three fun old women - Linny's mother one of them who set out on an RV trip and have a little fun and romance along the way. Life is full of second chances when you go looking.

So there needs to be compromise, past life complications have to be dealt with and worked through, resentment might just be beginning to rear its ugly head. As Mary Catherine ( Linny's good friend) says to Linny she needs to "toughen up". Well a white water ride might just do that and I sure was relieved when that ride was completed and there were some very happy and proud 'rafters'.

While this is part of a trilogy, this book could easily be read alone. The author deftly catches us up on the previous happenings.

Obstacles, road blocks, family & friends all should be in the past since the wedding has taken place and now it’s time for their honeymoon. Linny and Jack have finally got their happily ever after or at least it was supposed to be that way. The wedding was behind them it was honeymoon time. That was until a phone call. After the phone call things for the honeymooning couple takes on a character of fun, excitement, and entertainment. Through it all you had to feel with and for Linny. She was the champ of this one. She stood by everyone that needed her for something or another.

This was one sweet southern American romance with the fact that family really did exists. Susan Schild put her spin a happily ever after for a woman that has had her share of upset, heartbreak, life changing events. With the help and support of the very family and friends that were there for their dating, proposal, wedding planning, and the wedding gives the final installment rich character, enchanting scenes, and a bit of extra southern flavor. Family and friends are an American Southern staple. This read gives you that and more.

I've loved reading this series and its just gotten better with time! I love the characters and the storyline just continues to pull me in!

Having read and appreciated the time spent with Linny as she tackles the next chapters of her life, I was excited to see if she would find what she has been searching for. Opening with her honeymoon to the handsome Jack, the town vet, she is just starting to find those moments of connection and satisfaction in her new roles as wife, step-mother and new aunt.

But, Jack’s rather passive approach to his ex-wife and more than disrespectful son are huge issues, and the ex-wife (Vera) is one of those women who uses little girl lost and that wheedling voice to get what she wants. Whether Jack is capitulating to get away from it, or just because it’s easier to give in than to set limits I’m not really certain. And neither is Linny as everything seems to pile on her plate, while he’s rather free to do his own thing. More than once I hoped she would put her foot in him, and reclaim her zen by making him do some of the mollifying and smoothing. But…I digress

What Schild does with such disarming regularity is present the good, the bad, and the mundane of a normal everyday life, with a few added tweaks, and keep you caring about HOW Linny will approach each situation, solve the problems, or simply ignore the misbehaviors (think teen boy) and do what you were planning anyway. It’s delightfully nuanced, layered with plenty of challenges and joys, and even those unexpected moments of humor from people and situations that happens when least expected. It’s been such a wonderful journey with her as she regrouped, realigned and reformed her life into a vision she built and nurtured, and you can’t help but smile as this new friend moves off into her life.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Favorite Quotes:

Buy Pizza and Get Gas at Gino’s Gas and Go! She grimaced. The best pizza in Willow Hill, which just happened to be located in a gas station, needed to change their motto.

… in general teenaged boys are like jackals. They’ll turn on you with bared teeth, tell you they hate your guts, and then they’ll ask you to fix them a grilled cheese sandwich.

‘That was the most perfect day.’ Looking dreamy, she clasped her hands together… Linny nodded, remembering Jerry’s nephew drinking too much beer and driving an ATV into the porta-potty the minister’s wife was using, and Jerry’s uncle from Possum Trot, North Carolina, eating his first shrimp ever and going into anaphylactic shock. But she just smiled at her sister.

‘I only got the necessities,’ Mama said looking self-righteous as she pulled out toilet tissue, marshmallows, two half gallons of ice cream, caramel popcorn, a bag of pork rinds, and a big box of Luzianne tea.

Those men claim they love sleeping under the stars on their air mattresses, but in the morning both of them walk crooked and smell like Bengay.


My Review:

The talented scribe known as Susan Schild has delighted me once again with the latest addition to her highly entertaining Willow Hills series. Sweet Southern Hearts was exactly that, and I adored it. The endearing and highly relatable character of Linny quickly found herself sucked into a whirlwind of chaotic activity with no transition time to ease into her new roles of wife and stepmother. Non-stop challenges continually vexed her attempts at Zen such as the friction provided by her husband’s demanding ex-wife, her surly teenaged stepson pushing her limits, her fledgling new business contracts, and a senior citizen cross-country “freewheeling RV experience” with her mother and two other widows. Linny was beyond overwhelmed as she frantically juggled these many obligations into her already hectic calendar when an even bigger surprise landed on her doorstep. I was holding my breath for sweet Linny for fear that either this new wrinkle or her spineless wuss of a husband would cause her to finally crash and burn. The storyline was lively and relevant and well-paced. Ms. Schild’s writing, as always, was engaging and full of levity, humorous descriptions, and comical observations, insights, and inner musings. Linny has an active imagination that I find highly amusing. I also enjoy her colorful friends with the same level of enchantment and am already looking forward to future trips to Willow Hill.