I have a few favorite tropes when it comes to romance books. Second chance romance, marriage of convenience and forbidden love. This book involves the last one. Denise Hunter did a fabulous job with this one. The chemistry between Kate and Cooper is evident from the very beginning. You feel the yearning from both parties while they know their feelings are ill-timed and not okay, seeing as Kate just started a relationship with Cooper's brother Gavin. I enjoyed this (and many others by Ms. Hunter) and would recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet read. I'm assuming there are more coming in the series and I can't wait to read them.

Denise Hunter's Books are hits or misses for me. And this one was a miss. While I don't like love triangles tropes in my books, I can handle them if they are done well. The love triangle in this one was not done well. I have to say that I didn't like Katelyn from the start. Who starts falling for their boyfriends brother just because they save your life. Cooper the hero deserved better and do did his brother. I think this the first book where I wanted the heroine to end up with no one. It gave me too many Sweet Home Alabama vibes. However I can admit I loved the secondary characters and the small North Carolina town. And wouldn't mind reading a book about the brother.

I'm not one to read the back cover of books so when I asked to read this on NetGalley, it was with no preconceived notions. Then a friend shared the premise and I hesitantly began to read the book.
What I Liked
Riverbend Gap deals with a sin that's not often talked about, at least not from the sinners' perspective. Usually you read about the victim and how they overcome the wrong done to them. I liked the twist. I liked the emphasis on grace and forgiveness. Far too often, I think people preach forgiveness without living it out.
I also liked that this is a series because series are often some of my favorite sets. I'm intrigued to find out the rest of the siblings' stories and how Ms. Hunter will tell them.
What I Didn't Like
There were times I felt the heroine could have prevented so much from happening if she just spoke up. Yet, if she had, would we have learned the lessons in the book? It's a conundrum that made me think so bonus points to the author.
Overall, I'll be moving on to book 2 once it's released.

*I received an ARC copy from the publisher via NetGalley. My review was not required nor influenced.

Riverbend Gap is such a good read. All taking place in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. It is an emotional, heartbreaking and yet heartwarming story. From the very first chapter you are hooked. The Robinson’s are such a wonderful family, full of love for each other and God. I’ve often wondered what would happen if two brothers loved the same woman. How would this be dealt with and would anybody win? Well Hunter does the situation justice and has a happy ending. I loved the way the author created these characters and how she brought life to them, as if you were right there feeling their emotions. Also it is the story of a young woman’s search for identity and worth after feeling rejected all of her life. Through online searching she hopes to meet the mother she has never known in Riverbend Gap. Will she be disappointed and regret moving here? Will her mother reject her once again? You will love this book as Hunter weaves in trust and faith into the pages…… I appreciate Thomas Nelson, through NetGalley, making a copy of Riverbend Gap available for review. All opinions are my very own.

I’ve been a Denise Hunter fan for over a decade and have absolutely loved almost every book of hers I’ve read. Sadly though, this one was a bit of a miss for me. The main sticking point for me was the whole falling for someone while in a relationship with someone else trope. It’s a tough situation to navigate well in best case scenarios but adding in the fact that the two guys were brothers made it even trickier. I was hopeful that the author would find a way to work things out without crossing any lines but the line got blurrier and blurrier as the book progressed till it got crossed in a major way that was not okay in my book.
The main characters did have great chemistry and I would have loved them as a couple if only their “moments” together weren’t happening while she was dating his brother. I wish the author could have found a way to have the relationship with the brother end in a drama free way earlier in the story so we could have enjoyed the romance.
The family dynamic between the Robinsons was great and I admired how they fought through the tough situations to still be there for one another.
So this wasn’t the book for me but if this type of trope and situation aren’t a problem for you the writing was still great and this may be a win for you!

I must admit that had I read the description of this book and seen nearly any other author's name on it, I might have just skipped right over it. As I've mentioned in the past, I don't tend to prefer romances that start out with one of the romantic leads in a relationship with someone else. On the rare occasions where I did find myself enjoying those stories more, it tended to be more because that existing relationship was a bad one, and I found myself rooting for the character to find someone better...and even then it's still not a storyline I prefer. Either way, that wasn't the case in this story anyway. Still, as much as I dislike that type of story usually, I love Denise Hunter's writing. She is one whose new books I will pick up each and every time.

And somehow, despite those initial hesitations, this one still did not disappoint. Right from the start, the chemistry between Katie and Cooper leapt off the pages and drew me in... try as I might, I couldn't help but be drawn into their romance. It was certainly a messy one... but then I suppose love can be like that in life too, can't it? I can certainly see where some might find it problematic, and in my head I thought the same too... but again, in my heart... well, I still couldn't help but enjoy it. This being the first book in the new series, I cannot help but think that the author has something even better in store for Gavin down the line too!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to see what happens next in the series!

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

This is the first book I've read by this author. I've heard many good things about her books so I was anxious to read this. I really liked her style of writing and enjoyed the location she chose to write about. I found the Appalachian Trail area fascinating! I did like the characters themselves and found each one had a great depth to them. However, the "love triangle" bothered me. Katelyn is dating Cooper's brother but when she first meets him, she doesn't know that and neither does he. There is a definite spark there though. Katelyn and the brother aren't highly invested in their relationship yet but still, she continues to date him after moving to a new town where his family lives. She does try to make it work but is continually drawn to Cooper. Cooper has never felt about a woman the way he feels about Katelyn. Because she's dating his brother, he tries to stay away from her but it's hard when she's always at family activities. They always seem to get pushed together. I couldn't understand why Katelyn didn't just drop the brother! She should have been honest with him at that point. The story still could have been interesting and taken different turns but with her still dating the brother and yet having feelings for Cooper, it was basically cheating. It was uncomfortable. I wished I could enjoy it but I didn't. I felt for Katelyn in the end when she was shunned but it was her fault for not breaking up with the brother! I would love to read other stories in the series because I liked the other characters, just not this premise!

A great beginning to a new series by Denise. From the beginning you know there is going to be a lot of tension and it’s tension that makes it hard for the reader to deal with because you can’t really find fault with either option. You will have to read the book to see what I am talking about.

Katie’s backstory is also very interesting and how she is wrestling with that during this journey.

Also, the setting is beautiful and makes me want to visit the area.

I can’t wait to see which Robinson the next book will be about.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Why did I wait so long to read a work of art by Denise Hunter? I love her writing and I've added her other books to my - need-to-read-now list! I enjoyed the setting - the Appalachian Mountains - I'm an Appalachian Mountain girl myself! Ahhhhhh, Katelyn and Cooper - a great couple. Such wonderful characters and great writing in this book!

Denise is a master storyteller.

From the opening pages of this story, I was hooked by the peril and the main characters’ chemistry. Very compelling first scene! We learn of the hero’s competence, career, and nobility right away. The heroine’s strength and courage help us root for her, caring for her immediately.

These two had great banter. He’s not a talker, but when he needs to save someone’s life, he rises and even cracks jokes, helping to calm the other person.

I loved that the hero was a sheriff’s deputy. His goal is to overcome his father’s sins, to shine in his own right, to redeem his family’s reputation. A lofty goal for someone in this fictional small town where everyone’s memories prevail almost as assuredly as their commitment to rumors and gossip.

Deputy Cooper Robinson came alive on the page. I loved his courage and will, his determination to help. He’s fiercely loyal to his family, especially wanting to see his brother Gavin thrive after a devastating loss. This element made me respect Cooper’s why-not in this romance.

Kate Loveland wants a family. She’s on a search for answers and longs for a chance to make amends. She’s also suffering from a loss and could use a support system to help her through. She finds that in this small town, with the Robinson family.

I loved the secondary characters, especially Cooper’s step-dad. His two cents method of letting his step-kids choose whether they wanted his input or not was clever.

Some themes include: discovering your own identity, beyond your family of origin; overcoming the past; loss of family members; overcoming addiction; chasing one's dreams; family devotion.

This was one of my favorite reads this year. Very enjoyable. Compelling issues and relatable emotional conflicts, but not too heavy. I highlighted phrases in my e-reader as I went, and at some points my notes read simply: magic. Such great dialogue!

We also get to learn more about the Appalachian Trail through this novel. As a northerner who has only ever heard about it, I loved this element. I look forward to reading Gavin’s story at some point in this Riverbend Romance series.

Highly recommended!

~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~

Denise Hunter is quickly moving up the rank of my favorite authors. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to next in the series. This is the story of Katelyn and Cooper, who meet serendipitously when Katelyn crashes her car. Their attraction as the story progresses is palpable through the pages. But, of course, there are some major roadblocks they must face first. Denise Hunter does such a good job developing her characters and their stories. The overall themes of this book are family, forgiveness, healing, and romance. I would definitely recommend Riverbend Gap, it was the perfect book for me to curl up with on the cool fall Michigan evenings.

A great start to a new series:
This book captured my attention and drew me in from the very beginning. I felt like I was friends with the different characters from the start and the small town of Riverbend Gap was charming.
Despite a strong attraction, Katie and Cooper resisted their feelings and it didn't help that when the they met Katie was dating his brother. Personally I would have liked to see things resolved between them sooner and I found the whole love triangle thing rather upsetting.
The tone was a bit sad and melancholic at times however I appreciated that it dealt with real life issues and problems. There was only a very light Christian thread and I would have loved faith to have been featured more. I did love the Appalachian mountain setting and I look forward to returning to this town and the people who live there.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

This is my first read from Denise Hunter and I loved it! I'm happy to hear it's the start of a series! I loved Katelyn and the Robinson family. I also enjoyed Katelyn's story as a foster child and some much needed healing that came during the story. It was also nice to see Cooper’s journey, too! One of my favorite romance reads of 2021!

If you like and read contemporary Christian romances, you’ll love Riverbend Gap!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I like books set in my home state of North Carolina, and this book fit the bill. It also featured a fictional town and family where the AT passed through. It involved romance, family situations, highs and lows of real life. Would recommend to lovers of romance especially.

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

The opening of this book totally hooked me, and the rest of the story kept its hold. I loved how believable the heroine and hero’s relationship was, from how it started, to how it progressed. The setting of the Appalachian Mountains added a great background to the twists and turns in this novel, along with the faith elements and complex relationships within the Robinson family.

Denise Hunter is a new author to me. I feel she did a great job with this story. It is a very sweet romance that will pull at your heart strings. I will definitely have to check out more from this author.

Riverbend Gap by Denise Hunter is a first or stand-alone novel that takes place in the Appalachian Mountains. It begins with a tense accident that leaves Katelyn Loveland’s car dangling off the mountain side. This could and probable does happen more than one would expect with wildlife running into the road. It would be especially dangerous in the mountains. From the physical tense moments the story veers into an emotional one.

Kate is looking to connect with family, something she has never had. The connections happen but she is dating one brother while being drawn to the other. Because of other circumstances Kate is somehow not able to break off with one or totally avoid the other. This feels authentic and makes life difficult since she is trying to do the right thing. Sometimes life is not clear cut, we want it to be but it is not. So there is a lot of small town talk, drama, and angst. Small towns can be great but Ms. Hunter hit the nail on the head when she shows that they can also be toxic. I live in one so I have seen both sides.

Well-written story on a difficult subject of hurting someone else or denying your feelings. Not always an easy answer. The situation is handled with grace, sensitivity, and forgiveness.

The publisher through Net Galley provided a digital ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.

Denise Hunter has created a romance filled with obstacles to be overcome. The storyline is original, the plot interesting with the right amount of tension to drive the reader to pursue resolution, the setting is quaint, and the dialogue believable. If you are looking for a quick read, a good vacation book, or a sweet romance for a cool fall or winter's night, this is an excellent choice.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Riverbend Gap from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Riverbend Gap
by: Denise Hunter
Lace up your hiking boots and grab a bag of peanut M&Ms for a trek to the Appalachian Trail town of Riverbend Gap, North Carolina. Author Denise Hunter leads with a heart pounding cliffhanger on a steep, winding road, before tapering gently into a story of community spirit, family reckonings, and romantic resolutions.
The Robinson family, brothers Cooper and Gavin and sister Avery, are well established in close knit Riverbend Gap, with deputy Cooper running for sheriff. Katelyn arrived recently, searching for family connections and newly immersed in a complicated love scenario. Time spent with these characters is moving, surprising, exciting, and sometimes heart wrenching. The setting is pure exhilaration, with hikes, Trail Days, and gardening against the naturally beautiful background. The weaving of faith into the story adds an even deeper dimension.
I'm anticipating another sojourn to Riverbend Gap, since this book is first in the new Riverbend Romance series. With backpack ready, I'll be prepared to hit the trail reading as soon as the second one is published!
Thank you to Net Galley and Thomas Nelson-Fiction, Thomas Nelson. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#RiverbendGap #NetGalley

Such an amazing book! I loved reading the story about Cooper and Katie. Every book that I read by her becomes my new favorite. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and to see where the rest of the characters end up.