Thank you to William Morrow Books for my gifted review copy.

When one of my favorite book recommendation sources shared that she couldn't put this one down, I had to immediately look it up!

The main characters that meet while stuck on a gondola during a snowstorm, well developed and totally enjoyable supporting characters and the start to a brand new book series?? Sign me up!
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I have been in the mood for lighter reads during the last month which has felt pretty heavy and The Family You Make was a great pick! ⁣The setting was perfect for a winter weekend read and the messages woven through make this both layered and heartwarming. ⁣
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It was also my FIRST Jill Shalvis book, but it won't be my last! I highly recommend this wonderful winter read and can't wait to read more of her books in the future.

🌬️Book tour and review! ❄️
Thank you to Jill Shalvis and Let's Talk Books for letting me be part of this book tour!

🌬️From Amazon: "During the snowstorm of the century Levi Cutler is stranded on a ski lift with a beautiful stranger named Jane. After strong winds hurl the gondola in front of them into the ground, Levi calls his parents to prepare them for the worst…but can’t bring himself to say goodbye. Instead, wanting to fulfill his mother’s lifelong wish, he impulsively tells her he’s happily settled and Jane is his girlfriend—right before his phone dies.
But Levi and Jane do not.
Now Levi’s family is desperate to meet “The One.” Though Jane agrees to be his pretend girlfriend for just one dinner, she’s nervous. After a traumatic childhood, Jane isn’t sure she knows how to be around a tight-knit family that cherishes one another. She’s terrified, and a little jealous. But an unexpected series of events and a host of new friends soon show Jane that perhaps this is the life she was always meant to have.
As Jane and Levi spend more time together, pretend feelings quickly turn into real ones. Now all Jane has to do is admit to herself she can’t live without the man she’s fallen in love with and the family she has always dreamed of."

❄️My review: This book was super cute. Exactly what you'd expect for a snowy ski town romance. It felt very much like a Hallmark movie!
The opening chapters were my favorite, with Levi and Jane stuck in the ski lift. I did feel like it kind of tapered off at the end.
I found myself more interested in Charlotte, Jane's dear friend and roommate, and her love interest Matteo. Plus there was an adorable mini side story of a cat.
If you love predictable, sweet and snowy romances, definitely give this one a read.

#thefamilyyoumake #jillshalvis #letstalkbookspromo #bookreview #snow #snowyromance #throwntogether #janeandlevi #predictable #hallmark #romance #fakedating

Wonderfully written story with characters you grow to love. I'm so excited that this is the first of a series that I look for to diving into. It's not just a Rom Con. I feel like it could be categorized as women's fiction as well. It's my first Jill Shalvis book but I'm looking forward to finding more from her.

I always enjoy Jill Shalvis books. This is no exception. Nicely told story with a lot of heart. Look forward to a lot more books from this author.

Readers who enjoy an involving story with characters that have some complexity should give this women’s fiction title a look. I very much enjoyed it.

Ms. Shalvis drew this reader in immediately. The first chapter of the book evoked strong feelings in me. Levi and Jane are stuck in a gondola (way high up) during a major weather event. I was almost literally trembling for them even though I knew that an author would not kill her main characters at the beginning of a novel. Still, I felt the cold, the shaking of the car, the fear of death and the relief when feet were again on the ground (just where I like mine to be!)

From this opening the author goes on to create a story with people about whom I cared. A few of them are:

Jane: She had a difficult childhood. Jane now works as a traveling nurse, never staying too long in any one place and, up until now, avoiding romantic attachments.

Levi: As a good male protagonist, he is nice looking and smart but he is dealing with a past grief. It is he and Jane who are trapped in the air together.

Charlotte: She is the one person to whom Jane has let herself become close. However, Charlotte has her own backstory with its repercussions in her current life.

Mateo: He knows all three of the others. Mateo is an ER doctor, so knows Charlotte, a surgeon at the same hospital. He and Levi were best friends for many years. Levi also knows Jane who lives with Charlotte and is a nurse in the same community for part of the year.

Watching how these people find their ways makes for a warmly involving read. This is the second novel that I have read by Ms. Shalvis and it will not be my last.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Family you Make by Jill Shalvis is the first in the new Sunrise Cove series, and I thought it was an emotional story of finding the place where you belong and real love. The drama begins with two strangers, Levi and Jane, thinking they aren’t going to survive the night, and she’s been mistaken for his girlfriend. Fortunately, they survived and Levi would like make Jane his ‘pretend girlfriend’ to make his family happy. Jane however, doesn’t do happy family, never having one of her own. She’s a lone wolf of sort and a travelling nurse, making a stop in Lake Tahoe before the next contract takes her away. What may have started out as pretend, slowly becomes real for both of them, and they both don’t know what to do about it.

I adore Jill Shalvis for her humorous and witty stories and this one is no exception. The Family you Make is a charming and heartfelt story that her fans are going to love. She develops her stories with input from other characters to add depth to the development of the romance. An added bonus was a budding romance between two of Jane’s friends, Charlotte and Mateo, which had their own issues to overcome, but somehow manage it which was very entertaining. The author has set the stage for a new series and I look forward to visiting Sunrise Cove soon.

From my blog: Always With a Book

I’m not quite sure how I’ve never read this prolific author yet, but that is definitely going to change. I’m so glad I ended up saying yes to this book because I really enjoyed it and lucky for me that it’s the start of a new series!

As soon as I read the summary for this book, I just knew I would enjoy it but little did I know how much! I don’t tend to read a lot of romance anymore, but I loved how this book had substance to it. There was definitely more going on here than just the characters finding a happily-ever-after. I loved the different themes that the author explored here – that family is not always just the ones you are born into, and also how past hurts really play a factor into trust moving forward.

The characters really come alive on the page and I felt so invested in their lives. I loved that not only is there the romance brewing between the two main characters, but there are also fully developed secondary characters and another romance that blossoms. As I haven’t read this author before, I’m not sure how her series tend to work, so I don’t know what to expect with book 2, but I’d love to explore these other characters more fully.

I’m so glad I read this one. It reminded me a little of some of the Susan Mallery books I’ve read in the past and now I am eager to check out some of Jill Shalvis’ books…and lucky for me she has quite an extensive backlist! I’ll have to read some while I wait for book two of this new series.

Jill writes the sweetest romance books. The Family You Make is no exception. Yes, they all start to seem like a Hallmark movie, but by the end you find yourself just as in love with the characters and the plot as you always do!

You know that feeling of a warm hug as soon as you walk in from the freezing snow? That's exactly what this book felt like.

Jill Shalvis is one of my favorite authors and I truly believe it's because her books feel like warm hugs.

Jane and Levi's story started off right from the jump with a bang and did not slow down. Characters were built up and the dynamics in the families were truly laugh out loud.

This book had minimal angst, minimal drama and was genuinely a feel good book all around. Grab a cup of hot chocolate or tea and dig in!

Title: The Family You Make
Author: Jill Shalvis
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5

During the snowstorm of the century Levi Cutler is stranded on a ski lift with a beautiful stranger named Jane. After strong winds hurl the gondola in front of them into the ground, Levi calls his parents to prepare them for the worst...but can't bring himself to say goodbye. Instead, wanting to fulfill his mother's lifelong wish, he impulsively tells her he's happily settled and Jane is his girlfriend--right before his phone dies.

But Levi and Jane do not.

Now Levi's family is desperate to meet "The One." Though Jane agrees to be his pretend girlfriend for just one dinner, she's nervous. After a traumatic childhood, Jane isn't sure she knows how to be around a tight-knit family that cherishes one another. She's terrified, and a little jealous. But an unexpected series of events and a host of new friends soon show Jane that perhaps this is the life she was always meant to have.

As Jane and Levi spend more time together, pretend feelings quickly turn into real ones. Now all Jane has to do is admit to herself she can't live without the man she's fallen in love with and the family she has always dreamed of.

I think I enjoyed the community of people in this book the most. Levi’s family is a bit much, and Jane has some serious issues she’s working through, but the people around them made this well-worth reading. This was a solid read that delivered on its promises.

Jill Shalvis is a bestselling author. The Family You Make is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of William Morow in exchange for an honest review.)

I adored this book. It made me smile, blush and tear up. What is better than a emotionally hard woman the the sweetest book boyfriend....I'll tell you having a two-for-one special of these book boyfriends included. Sign me up for Levi or Mateo!

I loved the found family aspect of the book as well. From the pets to the friends that become family it all worked for me.

Read this is you love the fake-dating trope with lots of chemistry and complicated familial relationships.

Definitely a fan of Jill Shavis and The Family You Make, is a good lesson on the past and how it can haunt you. This is the first book in the Sunrise active series. Right from the start there is trouble. Levi and Jane have are the last two down the the mountain during a storm. The gondola they are on isn’t stable. The wind is blowing it all over the place. Then the gondola in front of them and there’s bumps them around. They both get hurt but Levi is in bad shape. Jane keeps her cool & keeps him talking & as a nurse begins to take care of him. Levi’s mom calls and not knowing how things would end he tells her he is with Jane and that they are dating.. Then the phone dies.
They get off the mountain.. they aren’t hurt that badly. But now Levi’s mother wants to meet Jane. Actually the whole family wants to meet her. Levi makes the decision to take date Jane and she agrees. But Jane had such a sad past.. has hang ups that she has never addressed.. this whole relationship fake, is ok as long as that is all it is. Jane turns to her roommate, a Doctor who works at the hospital and knows Levi. Between the two of them they decide it can’t hurt to pretend.. As Jane meets and gets close to Levi’s family, things start to get too real. Jane is scared and she doesn’t know what to do? Is she falling in love with Levi? Can she change her career path? Can she get the family she has always wanted? I really liked the story and liked the characters. This was a good light hearted read. I look forward to reading the second book in the series. Thank you to Netgalley & Jill Shavis for my copy for an honest review. It was a pleasure reading and reviewing.

Thanks for the chance to read this ARC copy. Yet again, another fun, easy to read book by Jill Shalvis. The characters were very likeable, and the storyline kept you wanting more. I had a hard time putting it down !

It's been years since I read a Jill Shavis novel, so I'm happy to have read the start of a new series and to have been reminded that I really enjoy her writing.

This was a good book about family (both blood and the one you make), a new outlook on life and overcoming past hurts so that you can truly live and love again. This book is unique in that there are actually two storylines, the main one with Levi and Jane, and a secondary minor storyline with Charlotte and Mateo.

The book starts with Levi and Jane stuck on a gondola during a blizzard. The empty gondola in front of them falls to the ground, so Levi and Jane think that they may suffer the same fate as that gondola. Levi calls his mom and instead of saying his goodbyes, he tells her he has a girlfriend to make her happy. Well, they don't die, obviously, and Levi doesn't want to let his mom down, so Jane agrees to be his pretend girlfriend until the big Cutler dinner to celebrate his parent's 40th anniversary.

Jane was passed around from family member to family member as a kid, so she has serious abandonment issues. She's now a travel nurse with short assignments. She'd rather leave before others have the chance to leave her. This is a common theme throughout the book. While it did get annoying towards the end when it was on repeat in her inner dialogue, I understood why she felt the way she did, I just wish she hadn't held back in her 'relationship' with Levi for so long.

Levi is the nerd and black sheep of the family. He's never quite felt like he belonged with the family he was born into. While everyone else in his family works at their family's outdoor store, Levi decided to leave home for school and become a data scientist with his own startup company. He's back home now to spend some time with his family before their anniversary and to figure out what's really going on that prompted his parents to request his presence. Levi was pretty hot. I love a great alpha-ish nerd. And he had the biggest heart, even more to like about him.

As expected, Jane and Levi's 'pretend' relationship turns into a real one, even though Jane doesn't want to admit it. I really enjoyed reading about them together and how they brought out the best in one another. They saw through to the true person hidden underneath all that past hurt. It all works out in the end, but not without some drama and back-and-forth feelings from Jane.

The secondary story involves Charlotte, Jane's landlord/best friend and Mateo, Jane's neighbor and Levi's former best friend. They've been circling each other for years. Mateo is an ER doctor in love with Charlotte, but she doesn't give them the time of day. Instead, the OR doctor makes him put back the snow he shoveled from her driveway simply because she doesn't want him doing anything for her. She's basically stubborn just to be stubborn even though she's attracted to Mateo. She doesn't want a relationship with any man after an assault in college. So I understood her hesitancy to start something with Mateo. But at least she gives him a chance by the end of this book. Mateo was such a great guy with a big heart like Levi, plus it didn't hurt that Dr. McHottie was just as hot as Levi.

The epilogue was sweet and cute. My only complaint is that we didn't hear anything more about Jane's grandpa. I can assume what happened based on the previous chapter(s) but it would have been nice to have him mentioned.

I look forward to Book 2 since it seems those are all new characters that we didn't meet in this book.

Two damaged women, one due to parental abandonment and the other due to a traumatic event in her teens, have shut themselves off from love. Their friendship has been the one relationship where they’ve both opened up and found (platonic) love, but they can’t see that this is proof that they’re capable of romantic love. Luckily for them, they’ve both found men who are kind, loving, patient, and understanding. They both just need to believe that they’re worthy of love.

I really appreciated the terrifying meet-cute between Levi and Jane, when a near-death experience bonds them in a way nothing less could. In that short time in the swinging gondola, they expose their true selves. When they embark on a fake relationship, it’s inevitable that strong feelings will grow and that Jane will have to make a choice.

As for Charlotte and Mateo, theirs is an enemies-to-lovers tale but Mateo never saw her as the enemy. It was more like a Taming of the Shrew scenario where Charlotte is trying to protect herself from further emotional damage from a man. So, it doesn’t make sense when she uses the excuse that people you love leave when this was Jane’s reality, not hers. In fact, she has family that live and miss her.

Overall, this was a beautiful dual love story in which female friends who choose each other as family agree to support each other in overcoming trauma and opening to the possibility of life. It’s also about chosen family and forgiveness. These women are fortunate to find men who come from loving families, so that when they and their partners eventually choose each other, the familial embrace is expansive and hugely heartwarming.

Shalvis proves, once again, why she is one of the reining queens of contemporary romance. This is the first in her new series Sunrise Cove, set in the Lake Tahoe area, so her fans have much to look forward to.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from William Morrow through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Maybe it is because I live in LA and we have no winter but I love reading wintery books. I got all the cozy vibes from The Family You Make. It is the story of Levi and Jane who are trapped together in a gondola at Lake Tahoe during a major storm and in the middle of their traumatic event, Levi pretends that Jane is his girlfriend to appease his family and set them at ease that he isn’t alone. I love a fake dating trope and throw in meddling family members and friends who will do anything for you, this book was all kinds of heartwarming and sweet. The book opened like a major summer blockbuster of a movie but delved into a sweet romance and a story of second chances and overcoming the past to find happiness. All with the underlying theme that family is the people you surround yourself with for you love and support and not necessarily the family you were born into. The relationships in this book felt so real and honest that I felt like I could live in this world and be friends with these characters. This is the first in a new Sunrise Cove series and I can’t read the next installment.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the first book in a new series, and as I love everything I have read by this talented author, I am delighted to have a chance to read it.

We meet Levi and Jane in the most harrowing of situations, and whilst I knew it had to turn out okay, it was quite stressful. I am not a great fan of gondola ski lifts in good weather, so it was easy to imagine the imminent disaster.

Then the story unfolds about these two people who believe themselves to be misfits in the world, and a really delicious story of trying to get them to acknowledge the truth, rather than the fakeness of their relationship. Be ready for some truly funny moments, but also some very poignant ones. Some misunderstandings of youth being righted, and a genuine opportunity to lessen the burden on their shoulders and be happier, more fulfilled people.

As well as family helping them make their realisations, so do Levi's best friend, and Jane's landlady. As it happens, they also have feelings for each other which are subject to complications of their own. They do provide a great mirror to the couple and serve to stabilise and question their decisions. Of course I could not fail to mention Alley Cat, as her importance in creating a family cannot be denied.

Delicious, heartwarming read, and I can't wait for the next one!


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆
I must say this book didn't grab me the way Jill Shalvis' books normally do. The premise of the book was one that I think we can all understand – who would be our last call and if we could, would be let them know that we found the one who made us happy? That's what Levi did, then he perpetuated the fib after the danger was over because he didn't want to see the disappointment in parents’ eyes again.

Levi, doesn't quite fit in with his family. They are boisterous and outgoing, and he can be a bit introverted. He needs the quiet in order to let his brain relax and calm itself, and his parents and sister never understood that. Nor did they understand why he always had his head in a book when he wasn't on the slopes. Like a square peg in a round hole, loved but didn't quite fit.

Jane knows all about being the square peg. Her own mother dropped her off at her grandparents when she was just a child and left to live her life. Being shuffled from one relative to the next left her with a sense of insecurity that has never faded. She knows that the only person she can depend on is herself and when it appears that she only has moments to live – well, no great loss.

This book had so much potential. Shalvis explored a lot of the reasons of why Levi moved away from Sunrise Cove but did little to really delve into Jane's backstory. Yes, the reader was given the high points, however, I would have liked to have known more about Jane's mother and if Jane had tried to make contact as an adult. Or been in therapy.

I will read book two as once I start a series, I find it hard to put it down.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

4.25 Hearts This is the first in a new series by Jill Shalvis and I was so excited. I love Shalvis and have enjoyed each of her books and this was no exception.

This book is just adorable. Every part of it. From strangers, Jane and Levi, becoming fake partners to the family and friends the “couple” have.

Shalvis is really one of the best and doesn’t get enough love for her books, characters and her writing skills. I would love to see her books come to life on a streaming service.

Any fan of the romance genre will love Shalvis and since this is a new series it is a perfect time to discover (or rediscover) such a wonderful author.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

During the snowstorm of the century Jane and Levi are trapped in a gondola over a ski resort when the empty gondola in front of them crashes to the ground! Terrified, they try to make their gondola as steady as possible until Levi is injured. Jane, who works as a travel nurse, offers first aid. Thinking this is the end, Levi uses his cell phone to call his family and blurts out that Jane is his girlfriend before his phone dies. But Levi and Jane are rescued and, rather than disappoint his ecstatic mother, Levi asks Jane to pose as his girlfriend at a family dinner. Jane reluctantly agrees and they go on a series of fake dates to get to know each other. Soon, real feelings take over.

Jane does not have a family. She travels from one location to another for work. She longs for connection --to belong and to set down roots. But, as a child, she was passed from one family member to another, so she never feels good enough.

What Jane does have is a community of friends who love her and help her to believe in herself enough to find love.

𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨: This book captured my attention from the beginning with the life or death situation! I really liked the main characters and I found myself routing for Levi and Jane. There is also a love story between two secondary characters and I enjoyed that story as much as Levi and Jane’s. The author does a great job layering vulnerable characters and building the sense of a tight family unit that ultimately pulls Jane and Levi together.

This book is the first of a new series, Sunrise Cove, set near Lake Tahoe. This was the first book I had read by this author and I will definitely be reading more!

𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
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Wow. This book starts with a rollercoaster first few scenes. It’s impossible to describe the plot of this book with spoilers. So I won’t try. Plus I want you to be surprised like I was.
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All the characters in this book were so fun to get to know, and had so much depth. The main story is about Levi and Jane, and their story was wonderful. But I loved the story and connection between Charlotte and Mateo too. The fake dating trope is so much fun, getting to be on the outside watching while two people that are fake dating realize they want to really date makes my heart melt.
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It’s set in the dreamy wintery landscape of Lake Tahoe during skiing season. While I’m not a cold weather type of woman, the scenes in this book made me want to pack up and go there right away.
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This book was a heartwarming read you won’t want to miss. I can’t for the second book in the Sunrise Cove series!