Story Line: 5 Stars
Depth: 4 Stars
Faith: 4 Stars
Love Story: 5 Stars
Overall: 4.5 Stars



The Blue Ridge series continues with Honeysuckle Dreams and believe us when we say Denise Hunter brought her "A" game with this novel! We are thrilled to give her an excellent review after giving up some much coveted sleep as we read, "just one more chapter!" ;)

We were introduced to both Brady and Hope in Denise's previous book, Blue Ridge Sunrise, but now we get a front row seat into their stories. Brady has recently taken sole custody of his son, Sam after the passing of his ex-wife. However, just when he feels he's getting into a new rhythm as a single dad he is dealt a huge blow. He has come to find out he actually is not Sam's biological dad and his in-laws are filing for custody. While Brady is devastated he most definitely will not give up without a fight. Biological or not, Sam is his son! After a misconception from his attorney, Brady is led to believe his chances will improve greatly if he was engaged.

Hope, Brady's sister's best friend, has happily been helping Brady out by watching his son Sam when she can. Not only does she love this little boy, but his dad has been a friend to her for years and naturally she wants to help him out. How far will she go to help him out though? When Brady mentions his chances in keeping Sam are better if he is engaged, is it crazy that Hope offers to step in and be his fiance? As friends of course! Because that's what any good friend would do right?

This story flowed so effortlessly. We were hooked in the first few pages and did not want to put it down. The characters are both real and lovable. We appreciated the way Denise navigated through the hurts and baggage that both Brady and Hope have from the past. We also loved how the characters both have to rely on the Lord to teach them valuable truths in order to walk fully in Him. Can they trust Him not only with their past hurts but with their hopes for the future as well?

Pick up this book, you will not be disappointed. Now we patiently, or not so patiently await her next book in the series!

After Brady Collins’ ex-wife dies, he receives devastating news—his nine-month-old son Sam isn’t his son at all. And Sam’s wealthy maternal grandparents want custody of the child. Brady knows he’s in for the fight of his life. But regardless of what any blood test says, Sam is his son, and Brady will go to any lengths to keep him.

Brady’s attorney tips him off that one major life change would virtually assure him of winning guardianship of baby Sam at the final hearing: an impending marriage. And his friend Hope is willing to step in as the loving and devoted fiance.

Local radio celebrity Hope Daniels has been driven by a solitary goal her entire life, and after a happy accident she’s finally offered her dream job. But if the truth comes out about her arrangement with Brady, she may miss the chance of a lifetime and stand in the way of a dear friend’s dreams.
As Brady and Hope make sacrifices to help each other in their times of need, they risk uncovering a truth neither of them expects to find.

I found this to be a story about bad choices gone even worse. Brady finds out that the child he believes to be his in reality is not. But he has helped raise Sam for all his young life. He will do anything to keep him. Hope has helped Brady out by babysitting Sam and loves Sam like her own so she suggests her and Brady marry.

I recommend this story to those who enjoy a good love story.

I was given this book by Netgalley in exchange in for an honest review. I was not compensated in anyway.

A sweet story. When I first read the description I was doubtful about friends who agree to marry in order to win custody of an infant. I should have known that Denise Hunter could pull this off in a believable manner. This book did not disappoint.

A sweet story about two friends that fall in love. They have been friends forever. Hope is already helping take care of his son so she has a bond with him as well as his father. Even though they have the best of intentions their situation is not without problems.

Sam's grandmother isn't buying the convenient marriage. She thinks it is a ploy to help Brady win custody of Sam. She makes things difficult for the two.

Hope is offered a position at at radio station in a different city. It is her dream job and Brady doesn't want her to sacrifice the job to stay with him and Sam.

I admit I wanted to knock some sense into Hope a time or two, but that's how you know the writer has written a compelling scene. I felt invested in the outcome.

This is an inspirational love story so it is a clean read. It would be a perfect Valentine gift...just saying.....

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I really enjoyed this book. It had romance, court room scenes that I always enjoy and a few surprises through the book. I

Honeysuckle Dreams is beautiful book that had me engaged from the first chapter. I truly enjoy every book that Denise Hunter writes. This a sweet love story of a marriage of convenience. Both of the main characters, Brady and Hope, have experienced tremendous heartache and aren't looking for a love affair, friendship suits them just fine. Until feelings grow and the relationship changes. My favorite quote from the book is "When you truly trust God with your future, there's no room for fear. You know He's got your back. You know He's going to get you through, no matter what happens." For this quote alone I am thankful I read this book. It was a great reminder for me to cling to my faith in difficult times and trust God. He's got my back!.

Brady Collins is already struggling to find his footing as a single dad after the death of his ex-wife. Then, his ex in-laws sue for custody...on the grounds that he isn't Sam's biological dad. When his attorney suggests that a stable two-parent household might be the thing to sway the judge to award custody to Brady regardless of biology, he and his long-time friend Hope concoct a plan to give Sam a family. Can they make a marriage of convenience based on friendship and necessity work? What if they find out they want something different once they've already committed to this arrangement?

I have to say I didn't love this book. The marriage arrangement deal has been done before, but I knew that plotline going into the book. However, both partners had some big issues that they were working on separately, and I didn't feel like they did a good job seeking help from each other, or even outsiders (other than a brief mention of therapy for Hope). Rather, it seemed to be mostly internal dialogue that moved them to their individual conclusions. Overall, I felt like there could have been more there - more talking to each other to grow closer, more seeking help from friends or pastors to get outside perspectives, and more prayer and seeking God for healing and direction.

I also didn't realize that this was the second book in a series, so some of the side characters clearly had backstories that weren't filled in during this book. Those bumps could be solved by paying attention to series order. Oops.

I give this book 2 stars. I didn't even find myself rooting for these characters to come together, and that's not a good sign in a romance novel.

I received a digital copy of this book, via NetGalley, from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was a little leary going into this one, as I hadn't truly loved the first book in the series, Blue Ridge Sunrise. This one, however, was exactly what I've come to expect from a Denise Hunter story, and I found myself really drawn into the beautiful story I was reading.

Hope and Brady are friends who are forced to become something more. Brady's indiscretion led to a baby, a baby who means the whole world to him, and that he now has sole custody of. His whole world is ripped apart when its discovered that he has no biological claim to his son, and that the biological grandparents are determined to take him away. Hope and Brady devise a plan, a plan to enter into a marriage of convenience in order for Brady to be able to retain custody of his son.

As Brady and Hope start to spend more time together, real feelings start to develop between the two of them, but both have many obstacles they need to overcome on their way to love. In flashback chapters, the reader is shown the devastating events that Hope had to overcome with her first love, and the consequential fear, panic and anxiety that plague her in the present at the thought of trusting herself to let anyone close again. Brady has always felt unwanted; ever since his birth mom dumped him on her family, and his first wife left him when he was no longer of convenience to her. The tensions, fears, and insecurities that exist from these life circumstances really brought the the character's to life for me, and I felt that Denise Hunter wrote about all of it in a way that made the reader feel they were experiencing everything right along with the characters.

Brady and Hope were both characters I liked right from the start, and I felt their growth over the course of the story only endeared them more in my eyes. They both come to find that they can't overcome the past without help from their Heavenly Father, and I enjoyed the way this is accurately represented, and the way they both struggle to come to terms with this notion. Fear is perhaps one of the things that has the potential to pull Christians the furthest from God, and Denise Hunter did a spot on job of representing this throughout Honeysuckle Dreams.

All in all, I loved the romance, the focus on a non-conventional marriage that starts with the couple as friends growing into more, the way that Hope and Brady both have to overcome their fears, the cast of supporting characters, the way that faith plays a much bigger role than it did in the first novel, and the way that once again Denise Hunter is able to write a romance novel that keeps the reader glued to the page all while keeping the content completely clean. I gave this one four out of five stars, and I'm already looking forward to the next release in the series. Denise Hunter is definitely one of my all time favorites, and this was exactly the kind of beautiful story I've come to expect from her.

Thanks so much for reading guys! And thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing the complimentary copy for review!

Fear. If there was ever a thing that robs your emotional & spiritual freedom, this is it. When we are so consumed by fear - there is no room to breathe. Both Hope & Brady have plenty to fear. Much of this story focuses on Brady's battle for his son. It is well written and clearly researched. I appreciate when an author puts in the time to cover all the details accurately. In the beginning you believe that Brady is the one shouldering the majority of the conflict. Hope is a convenient aide, a best friend who comes to his rescue. But as the story progresses, so does our insight into Hope's past. We get a look inside her memories. Painful, heartbreaking and everything becomes clear. The reasons for her anxiety. The nightmares.

It's so easy to say, that faith overcomes the fear. There is truth in that, but for the one who has actually 'experienced it' and not just watched it as a bystander (as Denise Hunter states) it can seem overwhelmingly impossible to achieve. Allowing that trust and faith in God, to take the place of fear is the resolution we all want to see with Hope. However, as those of us who have experienced it, such a mountain to climb.

Beautiful cover, great location. I'm enjoying this series set in the Georgia countryside.

Thank you to Netgalley & Thomas Nelson for the eARC. This is my honest review.

I enjoyed this story although it seemed a little far fetched. The story was a bit slow but did not seem to stall out. The twist after the marriage with Hope's issues just didn't seem to mesh with the whole story. It seemed to be thrown in at the end. I did like how the characters grew in their spiritual relationship throughout the story.

Every book I’ve read written by Denise Hunter is fabulous. She creates believable characters, charming hometowns, page-turning suspense, and heart-tingling romance. She’s truly a gifted storyteller!

I’m so blessed to receive an advanced copy of Honeysuckle Dreams. It is the second of the Blue Ridge Romance novels, and serves nicely as a stand-alone, but Blue Ridge Sunrise will familiarize you with some of the characters of this book and their backgrounds—plus, it’s a great second-chance romance story. (And one of my favorite books of 2017!)

Honeysuckle Dreams is a friends-to-more story. Hope Daniels and Brady Collins have been good friends since high school. They are drawn together when life gets a little rocky, and they find a possible, though unconventional solution to some of their problems. With painful pasts, and uncertain futures, can they learn to be content in their present situation?

I love so much about this story—the romance, the characters, and the setting are so memorable. This is the second book set in Cooper Creek, so it has a going-back-home kind of feel to it. The charming town, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, has so many familiar faces, and a strong sense of community.

It’s easy to sink into this story, and get lost in the emotional climb. The pacing is fast, there are no lagging parts, the secondary storylines are full and believable, and the ending is satisfying.

I’ll miss these charming characters, but before I know it, I’ll be peeking into the lives of the Cooper Creek residents when Ms. Hunter writes her next book.

I love this story.

5 Stars

Cover: Love
Title: Love
Pages: 320
Series: A Blue Ridge Romance #2
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
First Line: Playing house was just a little too easy for Hope Daniels.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley.

I love the romance stories where the main characters start out as best friends and Hope and Brady are. She is between jobs and helps Brady out by taking care of his son. Brady's ex wife has recently died in a tragic accident. The deceased ex-wife parents want to claim custody of Brady's child. They claim he is not the biological daddy and has no rights to the baby. Hope would do anything to help her friend. I loved the chemistry of Brady and Hope and how they grew in love. There were more than one obstacle in their relationship and loved how they eventually worked those things out. Another thing I enjoyed about this story was getting to know some of the other characters in the town who will be in future stories. I have a feeling the good looking preacher will be the next one.

Thanks to the Thomas Nelson books and Netgalley for providing me a digital copy of this book to read and review. This book will be released on May 1, 2018.

The premise of this book is just a little too far-fetched - marrying a good friend just to give him a better chance of retaining full custody of his non-biological son.. Still, it was a sweet love story and some great courtroom drama.

Denise Hunter produces a great story again! This story is part of the Blue Ridge series. This book focuses on Brady and Hope who are two secondary characters in the first book in the series. You do not have to read the previous book in the series to read this one, but the first one will give you some insight into this book. This book examines how we can let fear limit us instead of letting God lead and direct our paths. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it! If you have read the previous books, you will be able to see a glimpse in the lives of the other characters. Ms. Hunter gives the reader a romantic, thought-provoking tale and you will not be disappointed!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, I have purchased her books before.

Once again Denise Hunter did not disappoint, her stories are wonderful with loving characters. Honeysuckle Dreams is a sweet, heart-warming, and delightful book about two people falling in love after a long friendship.

Once again, Denise Hunter put together a masterpiece! The characters were relatable and the plot was easy to fall in love with. Honeysuckle Dreams kept me warm while it was snowing outside.

Aw, cute baby!

It sounds kind of callous, having to marry because you want to keep your kid.

Her boyfriend died? Poor thing. And why are her parents in Ecuador?

There's a flashback, which explains things, but it's in the middle of the story, which was confusing for me. I was lost about her backstory for half the book.

Sammy-boy's got perfect timing.

I feel bad that the Parkers lost a daughter, but they seem like they would be borderline-abusive grandparents.

She really needs counseling.

She's driving while on medication that makes her sleepy, at night? Does she want to die?