I have been reading Mariah Dietz books from the beginning and Exception is her best book to date. I love the dynamic between Joey and Kennedy.

Exception by Mariah Dietz is the second book in the Heaven Point duet.
Book one, Curveball is Coen and Ella's story.
Joey DeLuca is rude, loud, arrogant and should be nothing to her.
Kennedy Wallace is temporary back from Boston to live with her 'rents again. She can't get the cop out of her head. Both are like catnip for each other. But both have issues and baggage that threatens to destroy their non-relaionship. I loved meeting the characters from Curveball, I love Ella, Coen and Hayden very much. I started reading and was sucked in Kennedy's world. There are a few characters I didn't like at all - no spoilers here - and some I liked very much, Violet you rock !
Exception gets exceptional 4 stars.

This lady is a new author to me and I thoroughly enjoyed Exception. It had a great story line with easy flow. I really enjoyed getting to know Joey and Kennedy they really complemented each other even though they probably wouldn't think so when they first meet.

Kennedy has temporarily had to move back to the small town she calls home and Joey is there helping his brother renovate a house. Both know they won't be in town for long so they do try to resist each other but its not easy, fate seems to have other ideas.

It's a great romance that I would highly recommend and I will definitely be going back and reading other books by this author.

**A free copy of this book was kindly provided via Netgallery for an honest review**

I did some beta reading on this book and I have to say when picking up the final copy I was pleasantly surprised the changes the author made in this book!! They made a huge difference in not only character development but in the flow of the story. And in the best way!!

Haven Point is quickly becoming a favorite place of mine. And not just because of the DeLuca boys. ;) I love a good, small town setting. Maybe it's because I live that life everyday and these stories give me hope but they have a place in my heart nothing will ever replace.

Although I didn't quite enjoy this book as much as Curveball I still enjoyed this one. Kennedy is the perfect balance of carefree and smart, sassy but respectful, loving but cautious. Her love for her family and friends, especially her sister and best friend pours out of the pages of this book. The parts with her sister about broke me and I applaud Mariah for taking on not one but two very tough subjects with the grace she did.

Joey. Oh Joey. I don't know what to say about him really. His job has made trusting people extremely difficult for understandable reasons but at times I wanted to smack him upside the head, kind of like his mama would have done. But boy did he make me smile. Under that untrusting layer is a good-hearted man that just wants to keep everyone safe from the horrors of this world.

If you're looking for a great book about family, friendship and love then Exception is for you. Because if life teaches us anything, there is exceptions to everything and sometimes those can make your life better.

When you begin the story you are a little wary. Why? Kennedy seems to have a stubborn streak about Boston. Don’t get me wrong love Boston but her mind is dead set against going back home and her attitude shows it. She is adamant about her length of stay in Virginia. That isn’t to say I didn’t like her I did. I liked how she was devoted to her sister and loved her family and town. I loved her passion and honesty. I also loved how she helped keep Joey in line and helped him open up and find what mattered-love.

Her friend Ivy is a hoot. This is a city girl who falls in love with the small town. when she sees the sheep in the road she loved it and wanted video. Kennedy was exasperated. But I also think she was scared. She now had to face her fears, what she ran away from and herself. Her idea of life and failures is pretty heavy compared to others. she didn’t give herself an inch. Her dad didn’t either. Not because he didn’t love her but because he didn’t want Kennedy to have any regrets. Because she was smart and a go getter and he felt she would grow resentful of small town life.

Joey when you first meet him is sarcastic and biting. You understand why and can tell that he is burnt out but also very self assured and confident. he does suffer fools wisely. He is from the big italian family and boy is he a family guy. Underneath his confidence he is wary of others, protective of his family and very loyal. He is also a sweetheart. But his job has worn him down and tore him apart. He is a shell of himself protecting himself from the horrors he sees everyday at work. Despite his healthy ego you will gravitate to him immediately especially with how he gets Kennedy’s dander up. Also because of his heart and wisdom.

When he and Kennedy first meet. Not good. They don’t exactly hit it off. He is intrigued and loves to push her buttons and she is irritated. They keep seeing each other though and over time get to know one another and see behind the masks. The attraction is there and Joey acknowledges it, Kennedy takes time to. She is also dealing with family issues and Joey is there to help her with that as well. He is also her sounding board and teaches her through his support and wisdom, yes wisdom, to go with her passion and not be afraid to live and try but also embrace it and if you fail you fail. He helps her see sometimes failure helps you grow and learn but also is a success for it shows you a way to go.

Their story is filled with sarcaster banter, sweet moments in a pond, sexy times in a storm and watching two people explore an attraction and take a chance. We see them figure out where they belong and what they want. the romance is not instant. They go from goading one another, to learning about each other, friendship and than love. It is sexy and sweet. You see them support each other and give each other strength.

A story that is filled with sarcastic banter, wonderful family moments, two characters finding love and where they belong, a family finding their way back again to each other and friendship. It shows strength, courage and that the fear of failure shouldn’t rule your actions but be respected and not have it stop you from doing what you love. A wonderful continuation in the series and I can’t wait to see what is next for this set of characters.

4.5 Stars!

This was the perfect book at the perfect time. There are times when I simply want a sweet romance without immense angst and drama. Exception was it. I truly enjoyed myself from beginning to end. While I found the main characters well-developed with believable back stories, motives and actions, the secondary characters were just as developed and vital to Joey and Kennedy's story. I was impressed with the author's handling of mental illness and it's effect on family members. Although this is the second Haven Point book, I had not read the first and found that this story worked great as a standalone. Overall, a well-written and refreshing romance. (This is my voluntary and unbiased review of an advanced copy of Exception via Netgalley.)

what a great book by this author. she always manages to take me on an emotional journey!
I volunteered to read a copy of this book

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. 
This Havens Point book follows Kennedy and Joey through their dance to become a couple.  Joey is the brother of Coen who you met or will meet in Curveball.  Joey is a police detective who's on vacation helping his brother move to a new town for his new Fire Chief position.  

Small towns are not Joey's thing.  There's not a whole lot to do and everyone's in your business.  Of course a detective is always suspicious of everyone.  So when he meets Kennedy in her family's hardware store they two didn't hit it off to say the least.  You could say they both had snarky moments. 

Intrigued by this woman named Kennedy. Joey still fights with his urge to flee the small town in order to get to know her better.  Meanwhile, Kennedy is fighting her own demons.  She's moved home to save money to move back to Boston.  She's sure everyone's talking about her as small towns often do, and she's not welcoming the thought.

Not to mention there's this annoying guy in town that intrigues but also puts her hackles up every time they're in the same place together. 

These two don't have a long road to hoe but they do have quite a few obstacles to overcome. Not everything is as it seems.  You know what happens when you assume, right?  Yeah, well that definitely rings true with Kennedy and Joey.  

I think you'll enjoy their love story.  There's some social issues mentioned in this book.  There's trials they both have to over come.  It's all worth it in the end, however.  That's the sweetest spot.

DNF at 47%.

Joey DeLuca is an irritating, annoying, rude, arrogant, FBI agent currently on leave. He’s come to this small town to help his brother, Coen, remodel his house and help him get settled in his new life. I did like Coen, his fiancé and her son.

Kennedy Wallace has returned home to live with her parents and work in their hardware store. She’s been unable to find a job in Boston with her teaching degree, is broke and needs to regroup and save some money.

Kennedy’s dad was constantly making mean comments and eroding her already low self-confidence, in public and at home. He didn’t care who heard his opinion of her. Her parents were also busy ignoring and downplaying her sister’s mental illness.

When Joey and Kennedy initially meet, it’s in her parents hardware store where he is bad-mouthing small town living and the inadequacies of the store. I never felt any connection between these two.

This book moves so s-l-o-w. It is depressing and boring. I picked it up and put it down so many times I lost count. I kept pushing myself to read a little more hoping it would pick up or appear to be going somewhere. Nope. Ugh!!

I voluntarily read an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

While I haven't had the pleasure of reading the first book in this series, I was able to follow along with this story and the new set of characters. I have read that they are interconnected, but you don't have to have read book 1 to enjoy this one. That said, I will be reading book 1 anyways because this one was so good. I fell deeply in love with the small town and cast of characters.

3.5 STARS!!!
Exception was a good read. To be honest, it did take a while to get into the story because of the slow pace and it also took a while for me to connect with the characters. However, once I did I actually started to enjoy this story so much more. I did not read "Curveball" so even though the characters cross over into this book, this story can be read as a standalone because this story gives readers Kennedy and Joey's story, but I do wish I had read "Curveball" first. I would have loved to have known Ella and Coen's history, but you definitely feel the love they have for each other in this book. The chemistry between Kennedy and Joey was undeniable and I loved the "slow burn" feel to their relationship. This is one story that gives you the dynamics of families, friendships, love and a sweet ending. It had a bit of a "rushed" feeling to the ending but, it was sweet none the less. I enjoyed the banter between the brothers, the love Kennedy had for her sister and her friendship with Violet. I would recommend readers giving this book a try and I look forward to reading more books from this author in the near future, starting with Curveball.

Kennedy has been in Boston for years, but is failing at everything ... her job, her love love and her happily-ever-after. So she decides to move back home to Haven Point to save some money so she can move back to Boston and get her life back on track. But she didn't plan on meeting Joey DeLuca ... he's rude and arrogant, the kind of man you hate. But you know that old saying "there's a fine line between love and hate". Joey is a detective with the DC police department and his job is under review (for getting too involved in a case), so he is helping his brother Coen (from book 1) renovate is newly purchased home in the small town of Haven Point. He has no time for women ... that is until he meets Kennedy. He can't get her off his mind, but he doesn't even remember how to flirt and he comes across as angry. But the sparks fly between them and neither can resist.

This is a sweet romance that will have you laughing one minute and swooning the next. I liked that they took a little bit of time to get to know one another before jumping into bed. And it was a pleasant change that Joey wasn't a womanizer ... in fact he was a little awkward around women ... or maybe it was just Kennedy.

I received an ARC copy courtesy of Kindle Press through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Kennedy is the kind of girl who is hard on herself, who really judges herself on what others think of her. so when her life in Boston isn't going well, she decides to go home to Haven Point to regroup. She thinks this means she's a failure, so even though she loves her home town, she's determined to get back to Boston as soon as possible.
She's filling in at her parents hardware store when Joey Deluca comes in. You may remember him from Curveball- that book was about joey's brother Coen. Joey lives in DC, but is helping Coen build a house in town while he's on leave from the PD. He's arrogant and a bit rude and they dont hit it off very well- at first.
I loved that Kennedy was so independent, and that both Kennedy and Joey showed just how important family is. The small town was so easy to picture, it was almost a character itself. Violet was also a great character, and i hope she gets her own story.

Oh my goodness. I devoured this book.
I love small town romances and this one is no exception. (Pun Intended ;))
I adored the characters and LOVED the banter between these two main characters so much!
I couldn't get enough of them and that ENDING... epic!

An amazing read and I hope Violet gets her own book. I'd love to see more of these characters!

4.5 stars from me.

*Recv'd copy via Netgalley*

Exception is a beautiful story that takes place in the small town of Haven Point, Virginia. It’s the story of two people trying to live their lives how they think they should be living it. Kennedy is living in Boston,barely scrapping by doing a job she doesn’t like. She isn’t making enough money so she heads back to Haven Point, moves in with her parents and feels like a complete failure.
Joey is on administrative leave from his job as a dectective in Washington D. C. and he heads to Haven Point to help his brother restore an old home he brought into a dream house for himself and his family. Neither Kennedy nor Joey like small towns nor do they like each other after their first disastrous meeting. As with most small towns everybody knows everybody else’s business. But there are a couple of hidden secrets.
This is a character driven story with well developed characters. Ms. Dietz faces head on a serious topic that is relevant to today’s society but doesn’t make it the complete focal point of the book. She also doesn’t provide insta-love or insta-sex with the two main characters. She takes her time to build the relationship between Joey and Kennedy. She also writes the love scenes PG rated and very well done.
I really enjoyed this book and the only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was there were a few story lines that I wish had been further developed to make the book a little more exciting. But I love the ending and you definitely a HEA
I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

This 4 star story was not only a romantic story but one about family dynamics and friendships. It was about making choices and taking a chance.

Kennedy tired to make it work in Boston. After a few years away from Haven Point, Virginia she must return unwillingly. Joey finds himself in that town helping his brother out. He’s on leave from his job. Sparks fly upon meeting it’s almost hate at first site. A friendship will be born that will flourish into love. Now they both have choices to make.

It was a great story, although it was slow easing into the story but once in it was hard to let go. There was a lot of family drama from Kennedy’s side that was quite heartbreaking. Her sister Grace is going through some rather difficult times. Kennedy is not quite sure how to help her. A story that has been told numerous times over with a storyline that was not unique. It was still entertaining and a fun read. The bantering from Joey and Kennedy was funny at times.

Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I recommend this story.

5 STARS FOR EXCEPTION!! This story was perfect blend emotions, humor, tough issues and sexiness. It clicked all my emotion buttons and had me turning pages. I fell in love with Joey from his first word he is a detective, confident, sexy and so arrogant. Kennedy is beautiful, strong and trying to figure her life out. Kennedy go home to her parents house for a couple months and Joey is visiting his brother in the same town. These two run into each other and sparks fly in the good way and bad way. I loved this story so much, it is they perfect read by this amazing author. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book from publisher via NetGalley.

This was an enjoyable small-town romance. I loved the characters and town. The end felt a little bit rushed, but it was still a great read. I would definitely read another book by this author.

Aww such a sweet story about finding love and what truly makes YOU happy! Kennedy and Joey meet in a small town and instantly feel an attraction they work on ignoring while bickering back and forth. Kennedy is moving back in with her parents and trying to find a job that actually makes her happy while also dealing with the tragic and emotional effects of her sisters mental illness that fills her with guilt from not being there. It was a touching story and with an awesome range of characters. Violet was great as Kennedy’s best friend and we got to see a little bit of Coen, Ella and Hayden from curveball! Really loved this book! "I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review”

Kennedy doesn't want to move back home to her parent's, but her financial situation dictates otherwise. Joey is in her hometown helping his brother renovate a house. When these two meet, it's fireworks, but not of the romantic kind...these two can't stand each other! Their interactions are pretty comedic. We all know there's often a thin line between hate and love, and when two people feel the same depth of emotion, it's bound to turn passionate. That first kiss certainly proves that point...holy hot! I love a story that leaves me smiling when it ends, and this book is no "Exception".

The added storyline dealing with mental illness hit very close to home for me, and although some of it was difficult to read, I appreciate the author tackling such a delicate subject with such understanding and compassion.