Can self-arranged marriages end in true love?

Brady Collins was on the fast track to becoming a custom car mechanic. But when his ex-wife suddenly dies, he finds himself a single dad to a nine month old boy. Even so, he has found joy being a dad and taking care of him, even if he has to rely on friends more to watch his son while he works. One day Brady gets devastating news: his ex-wife’s parents have filed for a paternity test of his son and the results indicate that he is not the father. Driven to stay the boy’s legal father, Brady’s attorney gives him advice that if he was in a stable engagement or marriage, it could sway the court’s opinion to keep the family unit as it currently is. But where would Brady find a willing woman to agree to be his wife?

Hope Daniels is a local radio celebrity who has been working part time at a station in Atlanta. When she is home, she helps out Brady with watching his son. When she hears the news that Brady could lose his son, she proposes that they get engaged to help the court’s opinion. After a temporary victory, Hope then learns that they would likely have to get married. Could she agree to a loveless marriage for her friend? And what could it do to her career?

This was a light romance read that was perfect for summer. It was an easy, predictable novel that had a storyline that kept the pages moving forward to see how it was going to play out. I can’t imagine having a child and then finding out you’re not the parent while having others trying to take the child away. Hunter quickly draws readers into becoming an ally for Brady and all that he has to deal with. Readers will also love Hope’s attitude and willingness to help out her friend’s needs ahead of her own. The idea of two people agreeing to a marriage for the good of a child that isn’t theirs was an interesting concept. I enjoyed how it started as a mutual friendship that escalated into a romance. Quite a good summer read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

A heartwarming story of unconditional love.

Brady Collins finds his world falling apart when his ex wife's sudden death also brings devastating news that he isn't really the biological father of baby Sam. Although being a single dad is very challenging, Brady will fight with everything in him to keep Sam and raise him as his own. Brady's longtime friend Hope Daniels has been helping by babysitting as often as her work schedule allows. When Hope finds out that Brady would have a better chance of getting custody of Sam if he were married, she agrees to play the part of his fiancé. Hope once thought she had found the love of her life, but that ended in tragedy and she never really recovered from her grief. Can Brady keep his own emotions under control, and help Hope face her fears? Or, is he setting her up for another devastating loss?

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. This book will have your emotions all over the place, and you might want to have some Kleenex nearby! Brady's unconditional love for baby Sam shows in his willingness to do whatever it takes to keep him. This book is definitely worth reading.

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

After the death of his ex-wife, Brady Collins is struggling with his work and his infant son, Sam. Hope Daniels has just been offered the job of her dreams. The two of them have both lost at love before, so when Sam's grandparents sue Brady for custody after a paternity test shows that Brady is not the child's biological father, they decide to marry to increase the odds that Brady can keep the baby. Will this marriage survive? Will their plan work?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it will make a great summer read! I highly recommend it!

This romance melted me into a puddle of languid endorphins. Brady and Hope’s relationship had everything I love most in a romance: a strong friendship, genuine respect for one another, flirtatious banter, and heart-pounding chemistry. Add in a storyline like Brady’s—he’s just taken full-time custody of his son following his ex-wife’s death, only to discover he’s not the biological father—and you’ve got yourself a heart-grabbing read.

In our romance-centric culture, it can be difficult to create a convincing scenario for a marriage of convenience, but I thought Brady and Hope grew into the idea fairly convincingly. They had some candid discussions about expectations and entered into the relationship with their eyes open, committed to one another regardless of the outcome of Sam’s guardianship. If anything, I wondered that an attraction hadn’t already developed between them, but I guess when you’re in the place they were in their lives, you don’t really have time to think about it.

I floated quite happily through the story on my cloud of endorphins, so weaknesses didn’t really occur to me until after I finished, but looking back now, the complications that arose at the end of the story relating to Hope’s fears and her job did feel a little sudden and somewhat out of character. I think it would have been less abrupt if Hope had been struggling with her fear more in the lead up to the action she took. (Sorry for being vague. Trying to avoid spoilers here!) Brady was also possibly a little too good to be true, but to be completely honest, none of that mattered while I was swept up in the story. I was too busy swooning to be pragmatic!

If you’re after a contemporary story with a strong romantic thread, this one’s definitely worth a read.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Brady's ex-wife died and left him with a baby son, Sam. Hope, who had crush on Brady for ages, watches Sam while Brady works. When Brady discovers that Sam is not his biological son and Sam's grandparents want full custody, Sam fights them in court. His lawyer feels he would have a good chance to win if he were married. Hope and Brady marry and face many adjustments.

Hope and Brady's friendship and eventual romance was so sweet. She was filling in as a friend, and circumstances took them so much further than that. The progression of their relationship was very natural, and the way they stuck by each other through hard stuff life threw at them was much appreciated.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Honeysuckle Dreams is the first book I've read by this author and while part of a series, I read it as a stand alone and had no problems with back story or anything. It was a sweet read that was fairly predictable, but the characters were interesting and the story did pull me in.

Definitely worth a read. I requested this book on Netgalley and appreciated the opportunity to read it before it was published.

I really loved this book and reading Brady and Hope's story. Two broken souls who are afraid to love enter into a marriage of convenience after a long friendship. They both have something to gain from this marriage but neither is looking for love. What do you do when you fall in love but you're afraid to let your heart sour? Will their hearts stay locked up like a bird in a cage with it's wings clipped or will it take flight and trust before it flies? This is Denise Hunter at her possible best and so much better than her first book in this series. Beautiful sense of hope,faith,trust,forgiveness,redemption. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
Pub Date 01 May 2018
Thank you to Thomas Nelson--FICTION I received a complimentary copy through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Loved this title. It got me to read the rest in the series. Heartbreaking and warmly written. Happy endings are my favorite.

So, i found a new favorite author! I've not read anything by Denise before, but I vastly enjoyed her writing. While this is book two in a series, it can be read as a standalone. From what I understand these are characters mentioned in book one but book two is their story.

Overall, Denise weaves a beautiful tale with vivid writing. This story shows us how people can stand up for whats right even when its not easy. That sometimes we need to give it to the Lord and pray for our answers. When things in life are handed to us but comes at a price what do we choose?

The characters in this novel really drove the story along! You see how both Brady and Hope really have a deep friendship and want to help one another. however you see Hope question if its what is best to do in order to get what she wants. This book gives us a lot of food for thought and comes with great lessons.

5/5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a contemporary "marriage of convenience" story...and I loved it!

Hope and Brady have been friends for a long time and have only thought of each other as such...until Brady finds out he could lose custody of his young son. An assumption is made, not corrected, and this leads to the two friends marrying. Brady needs a mother for his son, Sam and Hope is looking for a family of her own. They believe they can fulfill a need for each other. But, as in all relationships, difficulties arise. Brady's wife lied to him, divorced him, and then died. Hope's high school sweetheart died suddenly. They're both hurting and scared. They have to figure out how to trust each other.

I really enjoyed this story! The friendly banter between Hope & Brady, the love they both have for Sam, the romance that forms between them, it's a fun story that's well written! I liked seeing the characters grow and lean on God for their needs. Well done Denise Hunter! Looking forward to On Magnolia Lane!!

I loved the premise of this story: Brady Collins needs a wife to secure custody of his baby boy, Hope Daniels never wants to fall in love again so a ready-made family sounds like a dream.

This was such a quick read, and I think it was my favorite Denise Hunter novel thus far! The characters were multi-dimensional and flawed. There was great conflict, which ebbed and flowed well. There were several conflict-inducing secondary characters. Such a fun page turner ~ highly recommend Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter!

Wow this book really tugs at the heart strings and has a twist I never expected.
I was brought to tears and found myself reading as fast as I could, I had to know now.
Loveable characters, true friendship, family love and family turmoil makes this so much more than just a love story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalleky, I so enjoyed the book...

Great book with a great interesting plot and well developed deep characters. Love the connection to the first book in the series but this book can definitely be read without reading the first book. Sometimes Hope’s character drove me a little nuts. She seemed kind of ditsy in her responses and that didn’t really match with how her character was supposed to be a radio jock. I thought her dialogue would be better. Other than that loved Brady and Zoey. I’m curious what happened to the Mom. Her character kinda just disappeared. Maybe we’ll find out in the next book?! Ms Hunter is great at writing characters with difficult emotional trauma. I feel like she does a great job with developing this and weaving the characters so deeply. Love that about her writing.
I received a digital copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter is the second book in the Blue Ridge Romance series. This book tells the story of Brady, the brother of the protagonist in the first novel. Brady is raising a toddler after the death of his estranged wife. Hope is a good friend that has stepped in to help. When Brady's custody is challenged by his estranged wife's parents, Brady begins the fight of his life. But how far would he go to keep his child? And will Hope be a willing conspirator in his plot? Ms Hunter's latest novel is a delightful tale that will leave you wanting more stories in this series. It can be read as a standalone novel, although I think reading it after reading the first book is preferred. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good love story. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher. These opinions are entirely my own.

Brady Collins becomes a full-time single dad when his ex-wife die in car accident, he loves his son, Sam, and wants to do everything he can to give him a good life. Brady is shocked when Sam's maternal grandparents sue for custody and require a paternity test.



Hope Daniels has been helping to watch Sam during the difficult transition, and is there when Brady's lawyer gives him the bad news. The lawyer assumes that Brady and Hope are engaged, and says that it will help their case in the custody battle. Hope agrees to the engagement, but the lawyer keeps pushing for them to get married before the court date.



Will their ruse be worth it?



I like that Brady and Hope talk about what marriage would mean for them, no matter how the case goes. Brady feels trapped, but feels like getting married would be insane. While Hope has been hurt in the past, but would like to have children.



Brady realizes that he needs to courts his fiance, and later his wife. He is very supportive of her work and dreams. They both use humor to lighten tense situations, and communicate well. I liked them together, and Brady is such a good man. Brady is committed to making their marriage work, even if it wasn't the way that he thought he would find love again, and he never gives up.



Hope is used to solving her own problems and has trouble confiding in Brady and letting him share her burdens.



This book had a good premise, and a great ending, but there was a lot of "head talk" with psychological undertones. I liked the characters, especially Brady. The romance was more PG-13, and there were parts that I wasn't completely sure what to do with, but it did get resolved by the end. Not quite my cup of tea, but good premise, and great characters.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Honeysuckle Dreams
by Denise Hunter
Thomas Nelson--FICTION

Thomas Nelson
Christian , Romance
Pub Date 01 May 2018


I am reviewing a copy of Honeysuckle Dreams through Thomas Nelson and Netgalley:


Brady Collins not only looses his ex wife, but after she dies she learns the nine month old boy he thought was his son is not his child. After learning this Brady know he will have to fight for his son because blood or not he's the boys father, he will go to any lengths to keep her.


Brady's attorney tells him one major life change would virtually assure him of winning guardianship of baby Sam and that was if he married his friend Hope.



Hope Daniels is a local radio who has been offered her dream job, but if they find out about the arrangement with Brady, she may miss out on the chance of a lifetime as well as stand in the way of a friends dreams.


Brady and Hope both make sacrifices to help one another in their time of need. The two also risk uncovering a truth neither expected to uncover.


I give Honeysuckle Dreams five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Honeysuckle Dreams was just what I expect from a Denise Hunter novel. The story was engaging, the characters likeable, and the romance was amazing. I loved the contemporary marriage of convenience storyline; it was unique to have it in a contemporary setting and I think the way it was done was great.

After being introduced to both Brady and Hope in Blue Ridge Sunrise, I was eager to read their story and see how everything played out. Brady just lost his ex-wife and Hope has her own heartache. The reasons for their to decision to get marriage were realistic and I liked how they were up-front about their expectations and that they would "court" with the intentions of it leading to a "true marriage" in the future.

All in all, Honeysuckle Dreams was a wonderful contemporary read. After being disappointed in the first book, Blue Ridge Sunrise, I am so happy that this book was typical Denise Hunter fiction and I recommend it to fans of contemporary romance! I cannot wait to read the next book, On Magnolia Lane.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

I received and ARC for an honest review.
Absolutely loved it! Amazing charecters in this book. Brady and Hope have a special friendship that grows into so much more! Each of them has their own issues and it is great to see love conquers all.

Honeysuckle Dreams may be my favorite Denise Hunter novel yet! Two romance conventions for the price of one: a marriage of convenience AND friends to lovers.

I loved both Hope and Brady - and their scenes with little Sam. Even the incidentals resonated with me - the radio job, the car mechanics, the panic attacks.

Overcoming fear by trusting in God sounds simple, but as Hope discovers in dramatic fashion, it’s not easy. When you’ve been hurt, true intimacy is a mighty big risk.

This is one I’ll read again!