I feel the job of a writer is to bring a feeling into their story, to touch the heart, created a memory...to walk away laughing, crying, or even just a simple smile. Ms London has done an exemplary job in this regard...this book was a roller coaster ride of laughing, crying, and smiling.

In Dax I felt despair for a man so removed from daily living because of his heartbreak, yet also a subtle underlying sarcastic humor that came to the surface when a little girl barreled into his life. For Kyra a sadness for her struggles to provide a good life for Ruby. In Ruby I felt my heart grow for a little girl who was a bundle of energetic life...and who genuinely made me laugh throughout the story...with her pink sparkle boots, her ginger curls and big beautiful blue eyes. The picture that was painted of this child was to my mind's eye of the true innocence and uninhibited joy of a child.

This story was filled with so many feelings that I didn't want the story to end. These characters became like friends who I now had an invested interest into their joys, sorrows, and their love. There was no greater happiness felt in the stories ending...knowing that the coconuts were finally home.

Oh, and let's not forget Otto...there is a feeling of pure unadulterated joy and freedom that only a dog could feel when he's found his little girl.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and Netgally, I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Suddenly Engaged, the third installment in Julia London’s Lake Haven series, is my most favorite so far! This was an irresistibly cute story of Kyra, a single mom and her adorable and precocious six year old daughter, Ruby. They move to an affordable area to try to get on their feet, as Kyra is waiting tables and trying to study for her Real Estate license. Their next door neighbor, Dax, is a self-employed furniture maker who relishes his solitude, especially after his devastating divorce. His quiet and solitude come to an abrupt halt with his new neighbors, in particular, cute little Ruby, who wants to make friends with Dax and his dog. What starts out as neighborly feuding, eventually turns into neighborly friendliness as darling Ruby wears down Dax’s tough exterior. It doesn’t help Dax any that he finds the Mom awfully attractive. This was a most enjoyable story about friendships begin and turn into the type of relationship where you would do anything at all to help when needed. A definite heartstring tugging, tear jerking, smile on my face wonderful read. Julia London does it again!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the author for this advanced copy in return for an honest review.

I am a predominantly HR reader and Julia London is one of my favourite HR author. This book not only is a rare deviation into contemporary territory for me, but is also my first CR by London. I was a bit apprehensive volunteering to preview this and worried she won't appeal to me in the modern setting like she does in the historical. I'm glad to report my fondness for her writing transcends time periods and London still manages to move me. This book's likability is boosted enormously by a little 6 year effervescent sprite, Ruby, who stole her way into my heart as readily as she did the hero's. Perpetually stressed single mum moves in next door to divorced, antisocial grouch. Dax abhors noise and company other than his faithful dog. He does not stand a chance against Ruby's persistent and lively intrusions. The hero is an attractive mix of gruff and tenderness and his reluctant but easy interactions with Ruby are pure gem. Kyra, the heroine, is believable as an affectionate, hardworking Mum who craves affection for herself. She is strong and used to fend for herself and her child until disaster strikes and she has to ask for help. Highly enjoyable.

She sounds selfish. I wouldn't have wanted to be her friend.

I love this little girl already.

Okay, Scrooge. Bah humbug to you too.

Ugh, Megan is one of the judgy moms.

This is one lazy babysitter.

Poor kid needs toys. Then she won't bother unsuspecting neighbors. Are there any kids living nearby full-time?

Hey I was born in Teaneck!

Ouch. That witch! Can she do that?

Why doesn't he fight for his rights as the baby's father? She stole his sperm!

Who cuts down a historic barn to make room for a pool?

Kyra really needs to learn to make two trips.

And that's what you get for not swallowing your pride and keeping the damn money.

Piece-of-crap old woman. And she said she had kids? They must have raised themselves.

Oh, is that what is wrong with Ruby? I was wondering. Good to have a paramedic around.

Oy, this isn't a barbecue, it's an open house!

Get a hobby, Megan.

A guy who's good with kids? Sold!

She needs to stop wasting money on wine and beer.

How is Heather's desperation his fault, Janet?

Ugh, I hate Stephanie. Ashley chose her over a prince like Dax?

I can't imagine having a sick child. I feel bad for my parents.

Deenie's just jealous.

Sounds like Liz should get rid of Josh.

Honey, huh.

Suddenly Engaged is the third book in the delightful Lake Haven series. Kyra and her 6 year old daughter Ruby arrive in East Beach looking for a place to call home, a place where Kyra can afford the rent and work on finding a career instead of a job. Dax feeling devastated from his marriage breakup just wants to be left alone to build furniture and nurse his heartbreak wounds. Ruby crawls under the fence and into his life shaking things up. Laughter and tears and a really good mushy ending ensue.

Kyra is a struggling single mother with a 6 year old daughter, Ruby. She lives next door to Dax who isn't interested in interacting with people. His wife left him for another woman and has used his banked sperm to become pregnant. He is reeling from the divorce and pregnancy. Ruby is irresistible. She is being watched by a babysitter who sits around watching TV or sleeping so Ruby gets bored and wanders the neighborhood. She keeps showing up on Dax's front porch and before he knows it he is looking forward to her visits.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved watching the relationship develop between Kyra and Dax. Ruby was a charming, precocious character. You will find both laughter and tears in this book. This is a great summer romance. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

While reading Suddenly Engaged, I thought that it had too much filler in it. But it all comes together just fine. Kyra's daughter Ruby is what stands out most for me in the book. I think that was the intention. Then there's the about face that Dax and Kyra take. From annoying neighbors to can't keep my hands off of my neighbor. They do make a cute couple though.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the author in return for an honest review. Kyra was a woman going places until a fling at a destination wedding led to an unplanned pregnancy. Jump ahead 7 years and she is raising her daughter out on Long Island while waiting tables to make ends meet, and taking an online real estate course.

Her next door neighbor, Dax, recently went through a messy divorce when his wife left him for his female coworker while they were going through in vitro, but she continued the treatment after the split.

Initially Dax is aggravated by Kyra and her taught ear Ruby, or "Coconut", his nickname for her daughter, but they all become close. They become so close that Dax is the first person to notice a possible health issue with Ruby.

Will Ruby's illness bring them closer together or tear them apart?

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time! I wish I could give it 10 stars! The story and writing are just great. Even though I felt sad about all the hard and different things each one of them was going through, I was happy about all the love and hope they found in each other.

Full review to be published online in late July.




SUDDENLY ENGAGED is a nice enough book, but I didn't enjoy it as much as the first two books in the series. It was very slow to get going. Most of the time was spent in either Dax or Kyra's head, and they didn't really get together until after the first third of the book. The setup just took too long. Ruby was cute, though.

I wasn't really crazy about Kyra. The prologue about her past kind of turned me off to her. I liked Dax okay, but his past story...the ex-wife who left him for a woman, having his baby and planning to raise the baby with her gf...the whole thing felt lifted straight from Ross and 'Friends'. It just didn't work for me at all.

The biggest issue I had with the book was that all the problems that popped up just went away a few pages later or were solved so unrealistically easy. I know it's a light romance, but don't introduce real life issues into the storyline if you're just going to sweep it all under the rug.

SUDDENLY ENGAGED is the third book in Julia London's "Lake Haven" series. Overall, it was not a bad read; but there was so much potential that just wasn't explored. Still like the author and this series; but this entry wasn't up to par. It was a sweet story, but not particularly memorable. Can be read standalone.

Suddenly Engaged, A Lake Haven Novel Book 3, Julia London

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Romance, General Fiction (adult)

I really enjoyed the first two Lake Haven novels and was eager to read this one. Its another great read, full of emotion and drama but tempered with some fantastic humour from little Ruby. 

Kyra, she's lovely but its hard, there's only her and Ruby, her dad lives far away and isn't really close to her, mum died when she was a kid and she's no other family. Still, she knuckles down and does the best she can for her and Ruby, works hard even if its is only breadline earnings.
Ruby is a wonderful character and gave the novel so much fun. I could picture her red head nodding enthusiastically, her mouth moving at a mile a minute. Who couldn't love her? Some kids are like that - when mine were small I used to say all kids should come with volume controls. Wouldn't that be great? Save on the eardrums when all three were arguing, trying to get their voice heard. There was only three years separating eldest and youngest so....

Then there's Dax, the neighbour in the new house they've just moved to. Mr Grumpy as Kyla refers to him.
Poor guy, he's got a sad past, bad divorce, bad situation and I so felt for him. That must have been so tough emotionally. Ruby wears him down though, slowly bit by bit.
He calls her and Kyra the Coconuts, play on their surname which makes Ruby giggle. she's such a sweet child, so full of fun, loves his dog Otto, knows no boundaries and has this innocent logic " but I didn't go under the fence today mummy, I went around it!" That kind of logic where she does just as she wants, seeming to feel she's still within mum's rules.
She was a really great part of the story, the way she slowly wormed herself into Dax's heart. 

It was great seeing Wallace again too, from the furniture shop. He's a real character, and I enjoyed the way he put the moves on Dax every time he came in to bring his latest works. Its all chat and fun, he has his partner but can't resist embarrassing Dax. 

Who else? Well there's loads of characters, from Ruby's father to Furniture shop employee Janice and her friend Heather, who she kept trying to set Dax up with. I felt a little sorry for Heather, Dax really hadn't led her on, but she was hearing and feeling what she wanted to happen, and not what actually did happen or was said. Sad, but no ones fault. She was a little over enthusiastic, slightly pushy and I think most guys would feel a little taken aback by her attitude, even if they weren't hoping to be more with someone else...There's the diner staff, the others who live around the Lake, plus the summer visitors, and of course Ruby's father and his wife...

When things take a turn for the worse with Ruby's health I so felt for Kyra. I'm so glad we have the NHS in the UK, and we don't need to find cash for surgery and doc visits, choose between expensive health plans or food and a roof.
I understood just how scared and desperate Kyra must have felt. I loved Dax for what he offered, but was so cross at him not acknowledging even to himself how he felt until it was almost too late. But it would have cut short the story if he had ;-)

The drama keeps on coming with Ruby's health issues, the financial side, the romance between Dax and Kyra and the involvement finally of Josh - and I so did not like him! Jerk! 

Its got the perfect ending, as with the whole story everything is perfectly paced, measured and we have to wait for the right moment, for the time when all falls into place. Its a great read, and one I'll re-read. 

Stars: five, a fabulous story, full of pathos and emotion, perfectly paced and with some terrific humour from Ruby lightening the story. 

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers