A super cute, fun romance. Well worth the read.

Four stars.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

Loved this one. ♥ I simply really like this authors writing style. Tanner and Crystal worked together to overcome and build a relationship.
Such interesting characters.
Sweet friends to lovers romance and a second bonus romance with Tuck and Essie.
I loved Rip the dog 🐶 too.

Safe

Two heart-melting romances in one…

I ran, not walked, back into the world of Mystic Creek! This small town has heart and soul and so do the characters who live in it… First off, there is Tanner Richards. He was a single dad, enjoying his kids and his life in this slower-paced corner of America. When his good heart put him at odds with one of his favorite customer’s granddaughter, little did he realize how big an impact this woman would have on his life, and heart. Crystal Malloy was struggling. Her grandad was constantly breaking the rules at the retirement center while his dog was giving her fits! When cupid struck Tuck as well, love was going to cause chaos and mayhem, the likes of which Mystic Creek may not have seen until now…

And chaos it was. The best kind told in a style that Catherine Anderson does so well. Crystal is battling demons from her past and was afraid to take the love and caring Tanner was offering. Crystal and Tanner battle their way through misconceptions and those demons, one slow, sweet step at a time. Tuck and Essie’s romance was an integral part of that journey and added so much to this story. They were older but definitely not too old for love and, regardless of age or circumstance, they knew what was important and had the strength to fight for it.

Another great addition to this series!

I broke one of my golden rules by reading Spring Forward; I didn’t read a series in order. Spring Forward is the fourth installment in the Mystic Creek series and I haven’t read any of the other books. I’m a little ashamed of myself; however, in my own defence I was in the mood for a bit of cute small town magic and Spring Forward had the added allure of a cheeky pet dog. For those of you who don’t mind reading out of order or are feeling like breaking the reading-in-order rules, I can confirm that I didn’t feel like I had missed out by not having read any of the previous books. There was no storyline that carries on from one book to the next, nor did their seem to be many other characters other than the one involved in the romance.

Spring Forward didn’t manage to quite work its magic over me despite my high hopes, although I liked it I wasn’t completely charmed by it. Maybe I am just not accustomed to the slow pace of a small town romance followed by a fairly anticlimactic getting together of the main couple. It was all rather lovely, with loads of cute kids and a rambunctious dog thrown in, but I just found it a bit boring. I liked the secondary romance a lot more, between the heroine’s grandfather and a lady he meets at his respite home. That romance seemed to contain more passion than the younger couple’s.

This wasn’t quite what I was after, it was a little too sedate for me in both its characters and its emotions. I will carry on looking for my ideal small town romance, which has the charm of a close knot community, but with a bit more passion and humour thrown in.

Another great Catherine Anderson book! I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for more by this author!

This is part of the Mystic Creek series, #4. I have not read the previous books and had no problems enjoying this book. Crystal is doing fine with her salon and looking after her Grandfather until he breaks his leg and she becomes responsible for his dog Rip. Tanner moves his children to Mystic Creek after he is transferred there by his employer. He's determined to help Crystal believe in herself and take a chance on love. Fans of Debbie Macomber will love this book.

Always a huge fan of Catherine Anderson. This book didn't disappoint.

This author does slow-paced, down home family, hurting people, and easy going lightly spiced romance like few other’s can. I feel like I’m settling into a comfortable pair of jeans or getting a mug of thick velvety hot cocoa when I pick up one of her books and Spring Forward was no exception.
Review

As the fourth installment in the Mystic Creek series, this book has stepped away from the Sterling family for a bit and takes up the story of two new characters. Not that it matters because Spring Forward, like the other books in the series can standalone just fine.

Spring Forward is actually the story of two couples- an older pair in their winter years and a middle aged pair with some mileage on them. Crystal had a horrific childhood until her crusty grandpa, Tuck, takes her away from it all and raises her on his ranch. Now Tuck is recovering from a bad fall on his hip at an assisted living home where he raises a ruckus because of the marshal-law manager there, his dog Rip is giving Crystal fits, and now she’s gotten Tuck’s friend into trouble for doing a misguided but kind thing. This event leads Crystal and widower with two kids, Tanner, to start a tentative friendship in their shared care for Tuck and Tuck’s stay at the assisted living center gets easier when he makes overtures to a lonely lovely Essie.

Through the story, Crystal is forced to slowly come to terms with her past. She is gunshy of relationships because she has the idea that she’s incapable of not killing or harming any living thing she touches whether its people or animals. She tries to push Tanner away and refuse responsibility for a stray kitten, but its time to face her past if she wants any chance at the future.

For the most part this one would appear to be a string of little scenes and events though there are a good amount of conflict high notes spread throughout. I was cheering Tuck and Crystal on against the Hitler type running the care facility and holding my breath when Crystal was home alone against an intruder.

The romances were sweet and tender, but had their spicy moments that were not quite closed door. I loved following the growing relationships of both couples and loved them together. That said, I felt like this was more a women’s fiction story because though it was prominent, the romance only felt like one of the central elements instead of The element, if that makes sense. I don’t say this because I didn’t like it, but more to give others an idea of what to expect if unfamiliar with the author’s writing style.

There is emotional depth and good development through and through. This book gave me the feels. Rip and Tuck’s antics cracked me up, Tanner had me swooning with his handsome looks, hardworking responsible single dad self, and Crystal’s pain and internal scars nearly broke my heart.

All in all, I enjoyed cozying up to this story and spending many delighted hours engaged between the covers. This is good heartwarming, humorous and very touching small town contemporary romance.

My thanks to Penguin for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sandy M’s review of Spring Forward (Mystic Creek, Book 4) by Catherine Anderson
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 2 Jan 18

Because I loved the first three books in this series – those Sterling brothers stole my heart each time – I was really looking forward to this new release. However, this time around, while we still get to interact with a couple of the Sterlings, it’s Tanner and Crystal who are front and center. Unfortunately, even being the engaging people they are, their story drags until the last quarter of the book, and the usual pulled heartstrings are left by the wayside. Very unusual for a Catherine Anderson book.


Tanner makes deliveries in a nearby town, his schedule down pat so he can spend more time with this two kids. When he discovers his friend Tuck is now in an assisted living center in Mystic Creek, he visits to get the lowdown on Tuck’s accident and resulting injuries. Tuck also asks Tanner to smuggle in contraband to help the older man’s time there go a bit faster, especially when it comes to the holier-than-thou administrator of the place. Tanner agrees, but then all hell breaks loose and Tanner ends up demoted, now delivering in Mystic Creek, which will curtail that time with his children.

It’s Crystal, Tuck’s granddaughter, who puts Tanner’s demotion into action. She finagles the mysterious delivery person’s info from Tuck and reports to the administrator, who then insists and basically blackmails Crystal into making a complaint about Tanner. She does so only because she has no backup if Tuck is ousted from the center when he’s still unable to live on his own. She’s got so much going on in her life with her own successful business to run and Tuck’s Blue Heeler Rip, a dog who is out of control when it comes to making people pay a toll to reach the front door of her house.

And that’s the biggest issue for me for the first half of this book. We do get a prologue about how Tuck comes to have Rip in his life, so we know years later they are as close as any pet and owner can be. But the antics of this dog go way overboard for me. An example: though Tanner and Crystal have met once before, they don’t realize who each other is in respect to being in Tuck’s life. Trying to keep Rip contained in her yard, she buys equipment to remedy the situation and, of course, Tanner delivers it. Because he doesn’t have the proper amount of treats on him to get past Rip, coming and going, Tanner ends up with a ripped-up uniform and stranded on Crystal’s porch for hours until she comes home at the end of the day. Now, I realize that some animals can be a bit trying and frustrating to people, but for a romance book, this is over the top. And that’s just one example of what this dog does. Just too much focus on him for me.

This does bring Tanner and Crystal closer together so they realize they have feelings for one another. I’m thinking because I was so wrapped up in not caring for the Rip angle in the story that Crystal’s past didn’t hit me with the usual emotion I’ve come to expect in a Catherine Anderson book. Because Crystal’s past is very emotional. I feel for her, of course, but her story doesn’t move me as I expected. That past is the reason she can’t move forward with Tanner when he’s ready for the next level in their relationship. Which is unfortunate, because she’s found exactly what she’s missing in life with Tanner and his kids.

We also get a secondary romance with Tuck and his new lady love, Essie, who has moved into the center. While I enjoyed most of their growing relationship, it does feel as though there’s too much focus on them throughout, taking away from Tanner and Crystal. But Essie does add a new layer to the story, especially when it comes to how seniors are treated by people in their various worlds.

A heck of a lot goes on in this book. I’ve scratched only the surface in these few paragraphs. We do get to meet the next Sterling brother, Jonas, and I’m hoping his book is next up. I’m also hoping more Sterlings will show up somehow. Mystic Creek is the Sterlings and doesn’t need to be muddied by extraneous folks around town.

Grade: C+

Catherine Anderson makes you feel! I cried while reading this book! I don't cry easily but this author had me feeling so bad at some parts of this story that I sat there with tears dripping down my cheeks while I grappled with my emotions & continued to read to the end. After I got into this story, I was drawn into the power struggles, the humor, the fear, the love & the hilarious scenes with a dog matter than some humans.

Crystal is trying to take care of her grandfather, Tuck after he fell off his porch. He hates being in the nursing home with an administrator that sucks the life out of everyone, Tanner is a delivery man that had struck up a relationship with Tuck & his dog Rip. Tanner is a young widower with two children to raise. When Tanner & Crystal meet through a misunderstanding with Tuck, the chemistry between them comes through the anger & emotion of the exchange. Their mutual love & affection for Tuck & Rip continues to draw them together.

This book had it all - a descriptive style of writing, well defined characters, episodes of humor, grief, passion, a great dog & kitten. From the beginning, the author gripped the reader's attention & emotions. Through twists, turns & surprising events, the plot holds your attention throughout. Great emotional read!

Another winner in author Anderson's hit parade

Catherine Anderson is a go-to author of mine. I do believe I've read all of her books.

To me, it is an injustice to call her books romances. They include romance, sure, but they include all the other feelings too. I laugh when I read her books. I usually cry at least once. I get mad; I get sad. Well, you get the point. This author is tops, in my opinion.

This tale takes us back to Mystic Falls, Oregon.

Crystal Malloy owns her own hair salon there and visits her grandfather Tuck Malloy, who raised her, while he's temporarily in an assisted living facility (from hell) after suffering a bad fall.

Tanner Richards is a driver/deliveryman for a package delivery service (think UPS - he even wears brown shorts in the summertime). He is also a widower, father of two, and is a friend of Tuck's.

Wonderful character development is a hallmark of Anderson's books. I always feel like I would know any of her characters if I happened to meet them.

Her stories usually have animals in them too, which I enjoy. In this case the story revolves around Rip, a smart blue heeler dog.

I loved Rip and I also loved Essie, another resident of the assisted living facility.

Laughing out loud fun, romance, with tense moments thrown in - if you haven't read this author before, try her. You won't be disappointed.

I received this book from Berkley Publishing through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read the book and leave an unbiased review.

I have been enjoying this story so much I was sad to see it end. At first I wasn’t sure what to expect with the plot. But, that’s the beauty of discovering an author you find you enjoy immensely.

The author reminds me a bit of the writing by Debbie Macomber. With her warm writing and emotional connections, you cannot help but get entwined with the story and the characters.

In the small-town atmosphere we meet an aging rancher, Tuck, who was injured and forced into a rehab home. His granddaughter is his advocate and main focus having raised her much of her life. Much of the story revolves around Crystal caring for him and his crazy dog along with trying to live life.

But we also meet Tanner who is a friend of Tuck and their lives begin to intertwine with her and soon a budding romance breaks through.

As with every one in life, there are trials and tribulations. We experience the highs and lows and the author takes us through many of Crystal’s struggles from the past that start to peek through. Soon issues and accidents create havoc and tug on our own heartstrings as we watch her stumble. I was cheering her on as she works to realize that Tanner and all he represents is a risk worth going for.

This book is finely detailed with highs and lows, humor and light, dark spots and warm hearts. I loved all of the characters together and final happily ever after, times two, is a definitely sweet.

As part of a series, Spring Forward is a standlone read with supporting characters that are found in each book. I have not read any of the other books and had no issues following the plot.

For feel good, sweet romance stories, Catherine Anderson is definitely an author to add to your must-read list. Spring Forward is a great choice to start.

Spring Forward by Catherine Anderson is the 4th book in her wonderful Mystic Creek series. Crystal Malloy, our heroine, lives with her grandfather (Tuck), who brought her up; she also manages a hair salon. Crystal’s grandfather is currently recovering from surgery after a fall at a retirement home, and Crystal is beside herself trying to find his dog, Rip, who is always running away every day.
Tanner Richards, our hero, is a parcel delivery driver, who has always been a friend to Tuck; and when Tuck calls him to bring him some beer and chewing tobacco, he doesn’t hesitate. Unfortunately, Tanner will get into trouble, as the nasty head of the facility discovers the forbidden goods, and calls Crystal. She will threaten Crystal to report the truck driver, or she will send Tuck home, even if he isn’t ready.
This will open the door for Crystal and Tanner to meet. Some fun begins when Tanner has to deliver a package to Crystal and finds himself trapped in the yard by Rip, who was a terror and blocks him from escaping, eventually trying to pulling off some clothes to distract the dog. Crystal will arrive home to see a half naked stranger stuck on her porch; she will rescue him, and in a short time when they meet again, and a slow built romance will begin.
What follows is a sweet romance between Tanner, who is a widower, with two children and the single, but emotionally damaged Crystal. Before Tuck took Crystal to live with him, she suffered emotional abuse from her father and mother, and the tragic loss of her younger sister. Crystal loves her grandfather very much, but those days with her parents caused her to blame herself for anything that goes wrong; she doesn’t think she is good for Tanner and his children. Tanner will do all he kind to convince Crystal to believe in herself. Will Crystal’s love for Tanner help her get past her issues?
There is also a very nice side romance between Tuck and a lady in the retirement home, Essie. Essie is a very smart, independent and wealthy woman, who will fall for Tuck. There is some fun when it is Essie who will help Tuck against the evil administrator. Catherine Anderson’s ability to create wonderful characters makes this a great series; as I loved Tanner, Crystal, Tuck, Tanner’s kids and Essie. I loved Rip more so later in the book, when he calmed down more and was very loving to the kids, and Crystal, as well as being protective.
Spring Forward was a fun, romantic and sexy read, with two great couples, cute children, and a crazy dog. Catherine Anderson once again gives us a wonderful story that was very well written. I suggest if you have not read the Mystic Creek series, you need to do so soon and start with the first book.

I am usually a huge Catherine Anderson fan, but this book did not work for me. It got off to a slow start and did not hold my attention.

I always enjoy reading Catherine Anderson, and she hasn't let me down!

This story features Tuck and his granddaughter Crystal. Tuck was severely injured after a fall and winds up in a assisted living home with a tyrannical director/administrator at the helm. All the rules she has placed upon the people living there has Tuck and many others miserable. The story takes off when Tuck asks his friend, Tanner, to smuggle in contraband, beer and chew. Tanner agrees and smuggles in both, claiming they are a package he was sent to deliver. Despite Tuck hiding all his goods, the iron fist director gets wind and conducts an illegal search of Tuck's room, taking all his booze and chew away.

His granddaughter, Crystal, is called in as the director is threatening to evict Tuck within 24 hours. Despite it being one of the busiest times of year for her, Crystal drops everything to come to Tuck's aid. Accused of providing Tuck with the substances, Crystal is forced to find out who provided it or risk her grandfather being thrown out.

Crystal manages to wrestle the information from Tuck, promising not to get his friend in trouble. But that promise is broken when the villainous administrator tells her she has to lodge a complaint against the man or her grandfather will be tossed out. Doing so causes friction between Crystal and Tuck and changes Tanner's life, nearly getting him fired and his route changed.

Bad goes to worse as Tanner makes a delivery to Crystal, only to meet Tuck's blue heeler Rip, who has an attitude problem. Rip is something of a wholly terror. Smart, but a wholly terror. He bites people who don't give him treats. 4 treats in total in order to cross the yard. If the toll isn't paid, he will trap you in the yard and refuse to let you leave. If you try, he bites you. Not hard enough to break skin, but hard enough to leave bruises.

Anyhow, if you can get over the dog's bad habits this part of the book is pretty hilarious. Not spoiling too much, Crystal returns home to discover Tanner trapped on her porch. Sparks fly, electricity arcs, chemicals mix; attraction is the name of the day.

Meanwhile Tuck is also finding a romantic partner in Essie, a rich lady living in the complex. They hit it off after Tuck uses some good ol' Texas/Idaho quick wit to make Essie laugh instead of sending him packing. Finding that not everyone in the assisted living building is only interested in talking about prune juice and bowel movements, Tuck actually makes a friend (two if you include Essie).

Essie and Tuck make a cute couple. Tanner and Crystal make a cute couple as well, but Crystal's mysterious past keeps Crystal from wanting to commit. She worries that she might accidentally cause his kids to get hurt. Love is not on the table for her.

This book is a busy book. Without spoiling absolutely everything, Crystal mysterious past makes for relationship trouble, Tuck's past decisions makes trouble for Rip and Crystal (mostly Crystal), Essie has troubles, Tuck has troubles with the director that brings Crystal into the game, there is a random criminal problem that could have been removed completely with a few tweaks.

Catherine Anderson has done it once again, writing a story that grips the reader's interest and won't let go. And if you like books where dogs (even badly behaved ones) are almost as prominent as the main characters, this book is definitely for you!
That said, we probably could have done without Essie's 'problems' and the criminal aspect altogether. Without it we still would have had an awesome book, possibly even better because there would be less stuff going on.
An excellent book, but slightly busy.

Homespun, warm fluffiness is always a good option when January’s snows roll in.  Catherine Anderson’s latest, Spring Forward, in the ongoing story about life and love in Mystic Creek proves a delicious option when all you want is a cup of hot tea and a big fluffy sweater with your romance.  By the end of the novel, when some big plot twists hit and spike the book with brandy-sharp turns you’re ready for them.

Tanner Richards is an ex-stockbroker whose career came to a dramatic and financially unrewarding end, forcing him to start over again in Crystal Falls, Oregon as a UPS driver sharing his mother’s house with his two small children.  Hanging out with his elderly ex-rancher neighbor Tuck Malloy, and Rip, Tuck’s rambunctious, alcoholic, ornery escape artist of a blue-heeler (Australian Cattle Dog) are the highlights of his rootless life. That is until Tuck falls off his porch and hurts himself, requiring his temporary removal to nearby Mystic Creek’s assisted living facility until he’s steady on his feet again.  Tanner keeps sneaking contraband materials like beer and chaw in. which irks the staff, and results in an official complaint being filed against him. Which brings him into contact with Tuck’s granddaughter, Crystal.

Crystal has an extremely busy life and worrying about her granddad is just one of her problems.  Between taking care of him and being Mystic Creek’s best beautician, she has absolutely no time left over for a social life. Her spunky, independent grandfather wants nothing to do with an old folk’s home, but until he regains his strength he can’t return to his own house, and so Crystal is stuck with Rip, who has a tendency to bite and disobey her, and a small wild kitten she finds near Tuck’s house.  She has no experience of raising animals and even less in dodging the harridan running the home, but she’s willing to learn how to adjust.

Though Tanner and Crystal start off on the wrong foot, they have much in common – and are put in even closer contact when Crystal’s complaint results in Tanner being re-assigned to work in Crystal’s neighborhood.  They both of them care desperately about Tucker and Tanner is the only one who has a magic touch with Rip; and she comes to rely on his expertise with the dog to guide her disciplinary measures.  But when Rip runs away, Tanner gets the opportunity to return to a route in his own neighborhood and Tuck falls in love with a rich woman at the home, Crystal’s got even more on her plate than ever before.  Can she overcome a major childhood trauma and allow herself to open up?

Spring Forward is one of those little surprises that pop up on one’s reading list and take you by surprise you with its enchanting plot.  Miss Anderson’s historicals have been hit or miss for me since I was a romance-devouring teenager, and it’s refreshing to see her find her footing in contemporary romance.

Crystal is a difficult nut to crack; even though she’s extremely self-defeating and accusatory, she’s a good person at heart.  She cares about her work as a beautician, and she cares about her family and fairness; her past scars are slowly reveled to the reader in a way that makes sense.  But here’s a warning for dog lovers - she is rather nasty to Rip during the first portion of the book, he does bite her and there is use of a shock collar in training him, which causes her to threaten him multiple times with violence, but their evolving relationship helps make the novel entertaining.

Tanner is a good dad, ashamed of his past but utterly captivated by the notion of doing the right thing. Watching him grapple with his new position in life is fascinating.  His moral core is the best part of him, and the part the book thoroughly explores to its benefit, but most of the plot meat regarding his career shift is dealt with early on.

The romance between Tanner and Crystal builds internally, with a lot of self-examination – but once it finally turns the corner and gets going, everything flows beautifully from that point.  They’re cute together, and the way they reason and battle life’s curves as a unit is great.

The supporting characters are endearing.  Tuck Malloy is our third PoV in the novel, and he’s the kind of guy who spends days looking for a friend’s lost pregnant blue heeler dog on the acres of land he’s been working, then takes gentle care to bring the dog back in time to give birth to her pups.  Meeting him as a slightly cantankerous but gritty older gentleman, he’s fun to root for, and his secondary romance with the rich Essie is filled with personality. Tanner’s family, including his children, avoid the cloying traps of being too-cute moppets and have realistic problems and attitudes (Tori hating her curly hair and loving dogs, Michael being sullen and angry due to the upheaval in his life).

Anderson, as always, does a good job of portraying the sparse, sandblasted world of the open plains of the Midwest. She gets the people and attitudes of living in a tiny town just right.  Even when the plot suffers from an unfortunate mid-book detour involving a lingerie-stealing bandit and indulges in a few predictable and melodramatic plot twists, it works well because the author has given us characters we can invest in.

Spring Forward is imperfect but generally comfortable – like your favorite chill-beating sweater it’s relaxing, but it’s just itchy enough to keep you thinking hours after you put it down.

Buy Now: A/BN/iB/K

This is the fourth book in the Mystic Creek series. I have really enjoyed this series. Catherine Anderson always puts a lot of emotion in her books. You will love the characters and the settings--and the dog. I am looking forward to her next book

Fantastic addition to the Mystic Creek series. I enjoyed it very much. I hope that this series continues! Definitely recommended.

This is the 4th installment of the Mystic Creek series. I'm a big fan of this author and always look forward to a new story.

The prologue was a little confusing until you reached halfway through the book. I wasn't sure that detail would have grabbed me in the book description to feel motivated to read, but as that part of the story unfolded, I became engaged, (interesting and different), and I wanted to learn more.

The story centers around Tuck and his granddaughter, Crystal. Tuck is living in an assisted living facility after taking a fall and sustaining injuries. He's miserable and is doing everything to heal so he can get out of there. Crystal is preparing for his return while managing her very busy salon in Mystic Creek. Tuck decides to reach out to his friend, Tanner, to see if he can smuggle some beer and chew in the facility. Tanner misses Tuck and pays him a visit. Crystal receives an urgent call from the administrator of the facility, who is also our villian. She tells Crystal that Tuck is being thrown out because he had alcohol and tobacco in his room and she needs to come and pick him up. She arrives at the facility and is told that if she didn't provide the alcohol, she wants the name of the individual who did. Crystal needs Tuck to get better and there is no other place she can take him that is close to her business. She forces Tuck to reveal the source and he does on her promise that she won't betray him. But the administrator forces her to tell her or Tuck is out. This starts a chain of events that causes changes to Tanner and Crystal.

Crystal and Tanner manage to cross paths as he is a delivery man and dropped off a delivery at her home, but he is stranded on her porch because Tuck's dog, Rip, won't let him pass to his truck. The introduction is hilarious and I don't want to spoil it as it is worth discovering on the pages. They bump into each other again and soon an attraction begins. Their feelings are strong and Tanner wants to move their relationship forward, but Crystal is struggling with an event from her past that she cannot let go, and believes Tanner is better off without her.

Meanwhile, Tuck, has met a resident at the facility named Essie, and the two hit it off immediately. Tuck's gruff, no-nonsense way has swept her off her feet and he learns that she is a no-nonsense gal who's headstrong and knows what she wants. I loved this storyline and I wish there was more.

The story managed to tie-up neatly in a pretty bow, and what I enjoy about this author is that her attention to detail allows you to move with the story with the vivid descriptions in your head as if you can see each character, right down to the loyal dog who is central to these storylines. Cannot wait for more to the series.......