Member Reviews

This touching story is one that grabs you from the first page to the last.
This stand alone in the series, belongs to Brenna McConnell and Luke Marini.
Luke is not only new in town, and a firefighter, but he is also Brenna’s handsome new neighbor.
Brenna owns and operates Taste of Heaven, a catering company. One she took over when her parents died . An event that changed her life. She left college, and became mother and father to her younger sister.
Now that her sister is 18 and determined to become a firefighter, Brenna is thinking about make a change in her life. But what happens when the friendship with Luke becomes more, her sister no longer needs her, and the possibility of going away to college is closer than ever?
Luke too has had a past that transformed his life forever.
This is a story about second chances in life , and love. About family, responsibilities and following ones dreams.
The plot was engaging and the characters complex and likable.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

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This book is the fourth book in the Sweetwater Springs series. I actually didn't realize it was part of a series but it didn't stop me from enjoying it! In fact, I want to go back to read the others now. It's a nice, peaceful small town romance. You really can't go wrong. Recommended!

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Loved it. My first trip to Blueberry Creek and won't be my last. I am eager to read more by this author. I appreciated the lack of intimate details. Romance, life, back stories, a dog, and so much more.

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Starting Over at Bluberry Creek by Annie Raines. You will love this book the story is set in Sweetwater Springs. Sweetwater Springs is a beautiful town. Get to know the characters Brenna McConnel owner of Taste of Heaven a catering business and Luke a fireman. Read the story you will love 💕 it.

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Great book. Loved the story from beginning to end. I loved Nate an Luke. Strong males that were confident in themselves ,in such different ways.

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Starting Over At Blueberry Creek
Annie Rains
February 25, 2020
Brenna and Eve McConnel lost their parents to a horrible car accident when Brenna was starting her senior year of college. Eve was 13 years old, young and frightened. Brenna had two choices. One, to give guardianship to her mother’s sister Thelma, or come home to continue her parents catering business and raise Eve. She wanted to finish college and become a teacher but she knew in her heart that Eve needed her more than she needed to finish her dream, there was time for that once Eve took off for college in six years. Brenna continued on with the family business, running it successfully. As Eve entered high school Brenna tried to get Eve interested in helping out but Eve was not to be pushed into something she didn’t want to do. She felt that her business was not Brenna’s worry. She was old enough to take care of her own life, a theory that most high schoolers gave to their parents. Brenna however was not her parent, she was doing her best to help Eve despite missing out on her own dreams and discoveries.
Eve graduated high school and went on to graduate from the fire academy. She was bound to continue on in her father’s footsteps as he was a master firefighter. She spent many of her days off school at the firehouse learning from the best. In her later years of high school she volunteered for duty at the house and enjoyed every minute of it. Recently the firehouse had a new assistant chief, Luke Marini started in that position about 5 months prior to Eve’s applying for a non-existant position. The fire chief, was good and Luke felt he could carry on his career in Sweetwater Springs. He also bought a house in the country very near the McConnel home. Brenna had spent her morning off making donuts to take to him as ‘welcome to the neighborhood’ gift. She usually was quicker with the welcome but A Taste of Heaven, the catering business had been exceptionally busy for the past few months and she hadn’t had the time. She brushed the flour from her apron and tried to straighten her hair a bit as she walked over to Luke’s home. She found him in the backyard repairing a fence. Her appearance surprised him a bit. He had seen her on occasion and he couldn’t help but be attracted to the nice looking gal who lived next door. When she appeared with the donuts it was a welcome visit. He was about to head off to work. After tasting one, he decided the crew at work would also enjoy the treats she. The duo were a bit embarrassed by the attraction they felt but after Brenna left for home Luke carried on with getting ready, got into his truck and waved to her as he saw her outside of her front door dusting off her apron he could only smile as he waved and think, ‘what if’?
This wonderful love story of Brenna and Luke tells us the tale of the McConnell girls lives and that of the Marini boys who lost their home to a fire when they were young. Once again, I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Rains latest journey to Sweetwater Springs. Her characters are well thought out, charming and familiar. I really like her descriptions of the town of Sweetwater Springs and the little country areas like Blueberry Creek that surround it. Annie Rains latest book, Starting Over at Blueberry Creek will be published on February 25, 2020 by Hachette Book Group, Inc. I appreciate Forever, Hachette allowing me to read and review this selection from Ms. Rains. I enjoyed it from start to finish and imagine that her fans will as well. It is an easy book to pick up if readers have not been introduced to the Sweetwater Series before. I would also like to thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review selected new published works.

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A fun, lighter read set within the small town of Sweetwater Springs, where all the younger generation seem to be dropping like flies to a crazy little thing called love, whether they're ready or not lol.
The backgrounds for both Brenna and Luke had tragedies greatly impact their paths. Luke just knew he was going to be a fireman, but Brenna had some soul searching to grow through. There were a few intense, life-threatening scenes, but not really descriptive enough to cause a lot of angst for me.
Got to meet up with some of the characters in the earlier books, though this is a stand alone with Brenna and Luke being the mains with their own journey and very HEA. I really liked Luke's character, strong, honest and always thinking of others. His hot factor wasn't too shabby either, but his personality is what I found most compelling. Brenna was a bit too neurotic for me, always wanting to boss her sister, losing her cool with her and with Luke also, it just got a tad tiring, along with the mind speak also. I could've done with a few less details, but maybe because I've already read all the books in this series so far.
I loved the lines used, regarding Firefighters, their attitudes and all around comradery.
A great read for a pick me up feel good romance just to relax with!
I received an ARC through Forever and NetGalley, and am voluntarily leaving my honest thoughts and opinions.

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Starting over at Blueberry Creek is another story about the characters in Sweetwater Springs. You'll enjoy reading how they follow their dreams and find love. The sisters learn to loosen the strings and get back to being sisters again. With love you'll find a way to follow your dreams.

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Next door neighbors fight an attraction that is powerful. The characters are believable and delightfully flawed. Pasts ripe with loss shape the two and their interactions. Brenna and Luke seem like people you know that you would love to spend time with and I did. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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I was looking for a light and peaceful read with a happy ending for my weekend and this worked out perfectly for that. Reading this will definitely make the readers fall in love with the small town of Sweetwater Springs and the two characters - Luke and Brenna as they are simply amazing and relatable too.

Luke is a hot firefighter, neighbor to Brenna who owns a catering business. As neighbors they initially decide to keep themselves away from each other but they dont manage that. Brenna's sister Eve is one spirited person who becomes a firefighter too. Initially I felt she was being horrible to her sister but later her refreshing character comes up. The entire book seemed so real with regular usual things any normal person does in life and it was also probably due to the amazing writing. I truly enjoyed it and I could sense their friends in this one will have their own stories. I would love to read them for sure.

It is such a sweet romance and the settings of Blueberry Creek make it absolutely endearing!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader copy!

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I imagine Sweetwater Springs as this picturesque little town with a peaceful Blueberry Creek with cute little houses and feisty sister/momma living with her hothead sister with a hottie firefighter living next door!

Brenna and Luke's story was sweet and slow and definitely sexy. Brenna's life stopped when her parents passed away and she had to leave college to go home and take care of her sister who was only 11 and a famliy business. You definitely sympathize with Brenna as a caretaker and one who has taken over an enormous amount with little to no thanks or appreciation. Her sister, Eve, just comes across as such a brat and so unappreciative. Thankfully, Annie Rains gives her redeeming qualities that will endear us to her when (?) she gets her own book.

Luke is all kinds of hot and sexy. trying not to get burned again after a bad past with a neighbor, Luke does his best to friend zone Brenna. These two are just inevitable- too hot to contain their fire! Loved it!

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Wow!! Once again I was not disappointed by Annie Rains and her fantastic storytelling. Each book has made me long for a visit to Sweetwater Springs. I am truly enjoying meeting each of the characters and living vicariously through each of them. Keep the books coming!

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I absolutely loved being able to go back and "live" in Sweetwater Springs while reading this book. Luke and Brenna were two flawed characters who you grew to love as they developed and found love both for themselves and finally for each other. I appreciated getting to revisit several characters from Sweetwater Springs that I knew and loved and to see updates on their lives and how they were doing. I wish Sweetwater Springs was a real place that I could go visit, and I so love reading the books in this series and getting to escape there in my mind! I hope that Annie Rains has many more Sweetwater Springs books headed our way in the future!

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Starting Over at Blueberry Creek is the fourth installment of the Sweetwater Springs Series and it follows the story of Luke & Brenna. Ever since Brenna lost her parents in a tragic accident. Her life has been in limbo. She put her dreams on hold and stepped in to take care of her sister. Even though Brenna's sister is old enough to fend for herself now, she's not ready to let go and move on...When Luke moved to Sweetwater Springs, he had high hopes for his future and a new town where no one knew about his past. Everything was going to plan until Brenna decided to welcome him to the neighborhood. Luke's not looking for romance or anything serious, but he can't deny the pull he feels towards Brenna. Brenna & Luke seem to be headed down two different paths, but fate might have other plans in store for these two. Will Luke & Brenna take a chance on love? Will Brenna finally put her dreams first and move on? There's only one way to find out...

Overall, I thought this book was a really sweet and entertaining read. I loved the characters and the story-line. I found the writing to be flawless and was easily captivated by Brenna and Luke's story. I really liked the chemistry between Luke & Brenna. It had a nice slow burn to it. The will they/won't they moments kept me coming back for more. Luke & Brenna both had incidents in their pasts that caused them pain and I liked how their situations never got them down, and made them stronger.

Starting Over at Blueberry Creek isn't just a love story. It is a story of friendship and loss. A story of family and forgiveness. A story of moving on and not being afraid to take chances. It is a story that will suck you in from the very first page and I promise, you'll have a hard time putting this one down. I absolutely loved getting lost in Brenna & Luke's story and look forward to seeing where this series will go next.

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Starting Over at Blueberry Creek is a heartwarming story of second opportunities, taking chances, and starting over. I enjoyed this return to Sweetwater Springs, catching up with characters from previous books, and reading Brenna and Luke’s story. They are wonderful characters and this was a captivating read!

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What can I say about this series, I have already not done so?

I love it. Simply put. This is the HEA I could share with my mama. No steam to speak of....just delightful characters living in this sweet little town.

I'm ready to head back to Sweetwater Springs. I hope Annie keeps bringing me back!

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Annie Rains really tugs at my heartstrings with all of these books in the Sweetwater Springs series. I always look forward to her next book and the next couple I get to be swept away with. Starting over at Blueberry Creek had the added element of the main character's love interest being a Firefighter. I enjoyed watching the relationship between Luke and Brenna, who live next door to each other, unfold. I also enjoyed the secondary story of Brenna's sister becoming a firefighter. It is good to see a strong young woman doing what she wants in this world, no matter what anyone else thinks! I, of course, also LOVED seeing snippets of many of my favorite characters from the other series drop in to the story! I was sad when the book was over, but I saw a few little snippets of possible romance that could be future books in this series, so I will be patiently waiting for the next installment! I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sweet, (mostly) innocent romance novels.

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.5 Sweet(water Springs) stars

Copy received via Netgalley from Forever for an honest review

I am saying it right now - I want to move to Sweetwater Springs and find a hottie living next door!

Brenna and Luke's story continues my love affair with this town ad the characters we have previously met and loved (you can read this as a standalone if you haven't started the series yet).

Brenna's life has been in limbo, and now it is time to move on - no matter how hard it is for her. Her hurt and heartbreak is palpable and leaps off the pages.

II just wanted to dive into the book and give her a big ol' hug.

Luke is all kinds of swoonworthy and I want one of my own.

I need many more stories set in Sweetwater Springs - so please make that happen Ms Rains!

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