I thoroughly enjoyed Drew and Lola’s story along with the quirky town residents Curtis created in make-believe Sunshine, Colorado. Lola came across as compassionate, lovable, scarred, creative and just what Drew needed. I loved Drew’s daughter Becky. I am looking forward to the next book in this new series.

Can't Hurry Love is the first book in a new series by Melinda Curtis. While I liked certain aspects of this story, there were just a few things that held it back in my opinion.

One of the main things that I disliked was the main character, Drew's obsession with the idea that getting married would solve his custody issues. He literally was going to ask the woman he went on one date with to marry him. Additionally NO ONE thought this was a horrible idea. He constantly was trying to make his daughter more "stable" so that his ex couldn't get custody and that the daughter would never leave their hometown.

Then there was the main female character, Lola. While I liked her more then Drew, many of her actions were questionable. This was one of those stories where the main characters spend barely any time together and then all of a sudden are madly in love.

I did love getting to know this town, and will be returning for the second book but there were just somethings that prevented me from giving it a higher rating.

Sweet romance with a size of humor! With the first book in her new Sunshine Valley series Melinda Curtis takes her reader deep into the heart of small town living in CAN'T HURRY LOVE. Everybody knows your business and you can't hide from your mistakes, but you also have a built in support system when things go wrong. This cast of characters were a bit quirky, and the story line drug a bit in parts, but overall I enjoyed Sunshine, Colorado and plan to make a return visit!

Lola Williams is easy to sympathize with. She finds herself living a small town life after giving up her big city dreams to marry a man who left her a widow within a year's time. She's an interesting character and we can relate to her need to find answers about her husband's secrets before she moves on.

Drew Taylor is easy to like. He's a single dad trying to do right by his daughter at the same time he keeps peace in Sunshine as the sheriff, but he isn't sure what to do about all of the drama floating around lately having to do with Lola. He's finding it easier to keep her in his sights than find out what she's up to after the fact ... of course that might have to do with the fact that he sort of fancies her.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a small town sweet romance. The drama is high, and the kindness of the townsfolk is high.

Can't Hurry Love by Melinda Curtis is the first book I have read from this author and it will not be the last. It was so cute and heartfelt. I loved Lola from the beginning and was rooting for her happiness. Drew was a great hero and easy to root for as well. I definitely recommend this one!

Book 1 of The Sunshine Valley series. I love this story. It's easy to read and funny. If you want a book to relax and take your mind off of the world events, this is it. I laughed, it's a page turner. Great characters, kids, cheating husband's, runaway mother's, a match making widows group, and blow up dolls. What's not to like? Thanks Melinda Curtis for another awesome read.

I'm sort of on the fence about this book - it's my first by the author and while I enjoyed it enough to want to continue with the series (especially since the H and h are introduced here), something about the writing style just didn't vibe with me. There were SO MANY characters introduced and so many connections between them all, that I felt sort of lost any time some one other than the main 10 (yes 10) are mentioned. I did enjoy the build up between Lola and Drew, as well as each of their personal arcs through the story, but I also felt like the end came sort of quickly. I also was expecting for there to be some sort of interlude between Lola and Drew, I was even prepared for it to possibly be a closed door or fade to black, but we didn't get anything other than a couple kisses. Now that my expectations have been properly set, I'll happily return to Sunshine Valley for the small town antics and zany characters. I do think this would be better classified as Women's Fiction/Chick Lit as opposed to romance. 3 out of 5 wine glasses.

I wasn't too impressed with this one it had a good story in all but I just didn't like the characters, except Lola. Drew was a bit of an ass, and half the time he was rude to Lola just flat out mean. Best character out the whole thing was Drew's daughter.

was not a huge fan of this story. while it was a sweet small town romance, there were just too many side characters to keep track of. even though i wasn't a big fan, this would make a great hallmark movie.

Sweetly thrilling, sexy, fun and emotional romantic journey filled with small-town goodness, engaging charters, witty dialog, heart racing twists and undeniable passion. Really enjoyed this exciting and heartwarming journey!

This is a sweet small-town story that I very much enjoyed very much.

I thought it was very well written and I am thinking I will be reading more books by Melinda Curtis in the future.

I do recommend

Lola gave up everything for her husband Randy when she went from New York City to Sunshine, Colorado. Its been a year since he passed away and shes finally getting to his stuff when she comes to find some of his hidden secrets. Now shes a women on a mission to find out the truth and then leave. Sheriff Drew Taylor is a single dad who maybe fighting for custody when it comes to his child and his flake ex he doesn't need any problems in his life. It seems Lola though can't seem to not cause a stir and Drew is there to keep her out of the trouble she seems to be going straight towards.

This was such a fun read I just couldn't put the book down. Poor Lola having to deal with her husband infidelity after he's gone and shes not one to do things quietly. I loved the ruckus she kept stirring and it made the book all the more enjoyable because she was so unpredictable. Then there was the slight romance between Drew and Lola you can't help but root for the two, they are such opposites but I love seeing that opposites attract kinda thing. Lola really did keep things interesting while Drew was the straitlaced one trying to keep her from going too far. Then theres the who drama that Drew has to deal with on the side. I keep wanting to say more about little things that happen throughout the book but you'll have to see it for yourself. It really is a cute book and I really enjoyed and think you readers will too.

Lola, a year after her husband has passed away, finds out that he had been cheating on her for the period of their marriage. She begins to act out, and try to find the person who was sleeping with her husband. She attracts the attention of Sheriff Drew when she decided to light all of her husband's underwear on fire in her driveway. From there, Drew keeps a very close eye on Lola, and begins to notice other things about her, not just the crazy things.
Drew is a single dad, raising his daughter with the help of his family when he is working. His ex is showing signs that she wants to be back in the picture with their daughter, but Drew can't trust her. His lawyer says he should get married.
All of these things lead to a lovely small town romance, with some drama and mystery thrown in. I enjoyed the journey that was Can't Hurry Love, and I think that things were well handled on both of the major storylines. It is definitely worth checking out. These characters are flawed and realistic for their particular situations. I'm excited to see the future stories that will come from this small town.

3.75 rounded up

This book was exactly what I needed to read right now. This was a fun, but unpredictable romance that brought a smile to my face. It takes place in the small town of Sunshine, CO and the setting was absolutely perfect. Lola and Drew were loveable characters and I was rooting for them the whole time. While this book does touch on serious topics, the author was able to do it in a way that this was still a witty lighthearted novel. If you're looking for a whitty romcom, definitely pick this one up.

Can't Hurry Love won me over with a cast of characters. I'm a sucker for a small town romance, where everyone is all up in your business, for better or worse. The widows club was awesome and enjoyable. I adored Lola, she was feisty, determined and strong (with some week moments for sure, but that just makes her more real. I also loved Sheriff Drew and his adorable daughter. My only issue was the slow pace of the book, but honestly that could possibly be attributed to how unfocused I am with everything going on in the word.

I look forward to the next book in the series!

CAN’T HURRY LOVE is the first book in the SUNSHINE VALLEY series, and I can’t wait to read more. (Note, this book contains the novella, KISS ME IN SWEETWATER SPRINGS by Annie Rains.) There are so many characters and so many stories to tell! This is Lola and Drew’s story, but it’s so much more as we get introduced to the town, Drew’s family, the businesses, the characters, and most of all their secrets.

Drew is the sheriff and single parent to his young daughter, who adds a lightness to the story. Lola transplanted from New York City where she did makeup to the stars on Broadway. She fell in love with Randy and went to live in his hometown. Since his death a year ago, she’s trying to come to grips with all she’s lost…until she finds out that Randy seemed to lead another life. Lola does her own snooping to try and solve the mystery of her husband, but Drew tries to curtail her actions, and there’s an attraction between them that just won’t quit. He’s trying to find a wife for his daughter’s sake, and his sights aren’t on Lola.

There are a lot of layers to this story. We get immersed in small town life with its clubs, secrets, and gossip. I love how Lola had to reinvent herself when she came to Sunshine, since she works at both the senior citizens home and the mortuary. Lola rises above every putdown she gets, and in the process she learns a lot about her fellow citizens—not all good. Her efforts pay off, and she becomes a part of the community. There is some closure but the story ended too abruptly for me.


The novella, KISS ME IN SWEETWATER SPRINGS, book 2.5 in the SWEETWATER SPRINGS series by Annie Rains, is a very enjoyable read. I love the characters of Lacey and Paris and how they connect well despite being opposites. The author does a terrific job showing us their characters through their pasts and how they respond to each other in a loving way.

The story has closure, but I’d love to know what happens to them next and hope they will appear in another book in the series. The only other book I’ve read in this series was also a novella, A WEDDING ON LAVENDER HILL. A wonderful series!

Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.

This series would be great for anyone who is a fan of Hallmark movies. It has a great cast of characters (although there are A LOT of them to keep track of) and a little added mystery. There is one main story, focusing on Lola and Drew, but many other smaller ones within this book. I was primarily interested in the main characters and skimmed over the others. I think my mother in law who likes feel good stories with light romance would love this book.

4 1/2 stars

In a time when you almost feel obligated to be reading various news agencies on the Internet, drowning in sadness and reality, you can become so grateful to a writer whose novel transports you away from stark reality, makes you laugh and think and feel, feel something, anything, else.

After trying to be engaged in a novel that was superficially funny, superficially romantic, I was grateful to begin reading Can’t Hurry Love.

To tell you that I loved almost all of the characters in this novel would be an understatement. This is a cast of people from a small town who are, rightfully, human, with all of the foibles that entails.

Lola, our heroine, is just freaking fantastic. She fell in love with a sensitive blonde Greek god. Moved from her beloved job on Broadway to small town Colorado. Lost her husband and then had the worst possible thing happen on top of that–discover that he’d been unfaithful.

Now she’s left with remnants of his affairs. Remnants that allow her to track down the women he’d been with. But she’s more than a shell, she’s vibrant and kind and, well, just wonderful.

Drew. Ah, well, I kind of loved Drew because he was loyal and sweet, sometimes stupid and awkward, and a guy. He so wanted to always do the right thing and frequently failed, and I loved that about him. And, I loved that he wanted to be the hero to all of the women in his life, although he would never use the word hero. I would.

And then there was Rosie the pig, Mim the savy widow, and a cast of unbelievably wonderful characters. I can’t remember the last time I fell so in love with a small town cast.

I laughed out loud, giggled, smirked, felt tearful, loved, and was transported gladly to another time that was not now.

Many, many thanks to the publishers offering me a copy for an honest review.

I recommend Can’t Hurry Love to anyone who loves thoughtful romances with humor and insight.

Right now, I and probably most readers need a funny, feel-good love story that will bring on the chuckles, a touch of heartache for the past, and a couple who will make you smile as they get a bit of help from well-meaning town matchmakers in their journey to a happy ever after future. Can’t Hurry Love delivered all of that, and so much more.

Throughout this romance are well placed, serious, real-life issues. Lies, betrayal, learning to trust again and thinking you know someone when you truly have no real clue. Drew and Lola have issues, there is no denying that. Yet the way that Drew stands up for, and tries to lead Lola past some of her shenanigans in her search for the truth are heartwarming. Watching this couple discover that love doesn’t always end up hurting, with the right person it can be the most wonderful feeling around was a delightful experience. I had fun, and that’s the entire point. If you love a really good love story with real people facing believable issues, if you love meddling matchmakers, or if you simply enjoy watching two deservings of happiness type people fall in love then Can’t Hurry Love is perfect for you. Although the next story in this series doesn’t come out until the Fall, I’m definitely looking forward to revisiting Sunshine Valley and learning even more secrets along the way.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from Forever – Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I think single parent trope is starting to become a favorite. I'm especially gullible when it's a super duper cute little girl! I stayed up all night on Sunday to finish Can't Hurry Love by Melinda Curtis and it was definitely worth the tired eyes. ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5. I most definitely recommend and cannot wait to read more.
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I loved the small town feel of Sunshine Valley and the Widows Club. I found myself laughing at Lola and her sense of humor throughout her grief process after finding that her husband was not faithful. I cannot wait for the next story to come out and be submerged in Sunshine Valley again.
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Lola uprooted her life in NYC to small town Colorado because she was determined her Happily Ever After was with her husband Randy. Until Randy was in a terrible car accident. A year later when she was ready to start to move on, she found a box of condom but they were empty. One problem, Randy and Lola were trying to get pregnant. Lola does the only sane thing, and that's light all his underbriefs on fire in their driveway. Drew, the sherrif, happens to get the call and he decides that Lola is one step away from going crazy. If she's so unhinged why is he so drawn to her? He needs stability for him and his daughter as he takes on his ex-wife in a custody battle. Can Lola and Drew both find new love?

I adore this small town of Sunshine, Colorado! The author has made me want to live there! She has created a town of fun, sometime quirky characters but yet they certainly care about each other. As with many small towns, sometimes they care too much and are in each other's business a little more than is comfortable! Although there is two main characters, lovely Lola and Sheriff Drew, there is also ongoing focus on a couple other stories so all these characters are interwoven in the fabric of Sunshine life! Lola is a transplant to Sunshine from New York City when she married her husband, Randy and now she's a widow but in cleaning out his belongings, she found he had a secret life and she's overcome with the need to find out all she can about this life....to the point that it disrupts the town! Sheriff Drew tries to get her to stop because he feels that it isn't healthy but that poor man has SO many people who depends on him to do things, it's a wonder he's even sane! I can't believe how much that man is burdened! Yikes! However, he's drawn to Lola and yet he can't be because he needs a nice, quiet girl because he's fighting for custody of this daughter! There is SO much funny stuff and yet a lot of tender happenings in the book too. A winner in my book! Can't wait to read more in the series!