Happy Pub Day!! I always love Jill Shalvis’s books, they are such comfort reads especially when you are stuck inside with Covid. I really enjoyed this story about two friends and the found family they make. Our main story line follows Jane who is a traveling nurse and is stranded on a ski lift in Utah with Levi when the lift in front of them suddenly falls to the ground. This near death experience prompts Jane to come out of her tight shell she has wrapped around herself to not only let Levi in but other new friends as well. This book begins a new series and I am excited to continue on with it and see where she goes next. While this book did have some heavier topics I felt like overall this was still a more mellow read. If you have enjoyed her books in the past then I think you will like this one too! Thank you William Marrow for my #gifted copy for review!

A heartwarming story about finding exactly what you need in the most unexpected of places and ways. Jane and Levi have amazing chemistry but the story is not easy as they both have to get past their fears. It's sweet and heartwarming and makes me want to visit this town.

I loved it! The very first scene had witty banter, drama, and excitement. You immediately cared about the characters and were invested in them, their story, and their outcome. This had a fake dating trope and it was so great how it all played out. This book could have gone on forever and I would have been happy. Ms. Shalvis books, always a delight and never a disappointment.

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, but feel like there was something missing. Meeting in a high stress situation, their gondola was stuck due to a storm and there was no help in sight, Levi and Jane strike up a conversation. When all looks very hopeless, Levi calls home to say goodbye to his family and in the process tells his mom that he has a girlfriend (he know this is what she has always wanted). When they shockingly make it through the storm alive, he decides to ask Jane a favor, pretend to be his girlfriend for his parents anniversary party. She agrees and they decide they need to get to know each other better.

Jane had no family, so she tries to never have connections with anyone. She is very slow to realize she does already have connections, she just doesn’t want to admit it. Jane was very independent and head strong, almost to the detriment of her own happiness. I enjoyed her relationship with her roommate. When she agrees to help Levi, she doesn’t realize how that will change her life forever.

While spending time getting to know each other, their relationship starts feeling more real than fake. I loved how Levi was always there for her, no questions asked. I also enjoyed her relationship with her grandpa. His family was great, but I wish there would have been more discussion about how he always felt like the black sheep and how they truly felt about him.

I think part of the reason I feel like there was something missing is due to feeling like the end of the book was rushed. The relationship between her roommate/best friend and the neighbor was briefly mentioned at the end. There was also no closure to her grandpa’s storyline. In addition, I wish there was more to his sister’s story. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more stories in this series, I just wish that those issues would have been resolved a little further.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

When Levi Cutler and Jane Parks are stranded on a gondola ski lift together as a huge storm hits in Lake Tahoe they are doing ok until the gondola in front of them falls down off the track. When theirs keeps getting knocked around by the wind, it causes a shelf to dislodge and hit Levi in the head. Fearing a concussion, Jane, an RN tries to keep Levi awake. When Levi calls his parents to hear their voices incase they don't make it, his mom hears Jane's voice in the background and is all excited that he is with a female. Knowing it would make his mom happy, Levi tells her that Jane is his girlfriend. Right after that the phone goes dead. Of course these two are rescued but now there is the problem that Levi's parents think that Jane is his girlfriend and want to meet her. Levi convinces Jane to be his pretend girlfriend and come to his parents 40th anniversary dinner. As Levi and Jane spend more time together, the sparks start to fly. Too bad Levi actually lives in San Francisco and Jane is a traveling nurse who never stays in one place very long. Levi and Jane will both have to look deep inside themselves to figure out what they both really want in life and this will require them both to stop running away from their pasts. After they do that they can both finally have their happy every after.

I really loved this sweet, fake relationship romance story. Both Levi and Jane were wonderful characters. They're both strong individuals who were running from their pasts and once they confronted those demons they were able to find their true soul mate. I really enjoyed all the supporting characters too, especially Levi's niece, Peyton and Jane's friends Charlotte and Matteo. This book is a great start to this new series.

The Family You Make by Jill Shalvis is a fast-paced romance. A story about two couples, Levi and Jane and Mateo and Charlotte. While both couples are perfect for each other, they just have to overcome personal past issues to trust their feelings. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I had such a good time with this book. It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Jill Shalvis’s writing so I was eager to dive into this first book in a new series. I went into the book with fairly high expectations and this story lived up to every one of them. I got the heartwarming romance that I had hoped for along with a wonderful cast of characters that came alive on the page.

This book opens with a pretty intense scene. Jane and Levi are on a gondola during a storm when things go wrong and the one in front of theirs falls to the ground. Things don’t look good for the pair and Levi places a call to his mother hoping to talk to her one last time but instead ends up telling her that Jane is his girlfriend just to make her happy. What a great way to start a story! These two bonded right away because of the situation that they survived and I felt like they seemed perfect for each other from the start.

I fell in love with Jane and Levi right away. They both had some issues to deal with and I enjoyed watching each of them work through everything. They had fantastic chemistry together and the only real obstacle to a relationship was their own fear. Add a little fake dating into the mix and I knew that I would get the happily ever after that I craved. The secondary characters were equally wonderful. Jane’s friend Charlotte has been her rock but she had her own issues to deal with. Levi’s family was just a lot of fun. They were not perfect but you could tell that they cared for each other and only wanted the best for Levi. I really appreciated the fact that we were treated to a secondary romance and I loved being able to see both couples find happiness together.

I would highly recommend this book to others. I found this to be a wonderfully written story featuring characters that were easy to fall for. I cannot wait to read more of this amazing author’s work.

I received a digital review copy of this book from William Morrow Paperbacks.

THE FAMILY YOU MAKE – Jill Shalvis
Sunrise Cove, Book 1
William Morrow
ISBN: 978-0-063-02548-6
January 11, 2022
Contemporary Romance

Sunrise Cove, Nevada – Present Day

While Levi Cutler is in a gondola headed to the top of a ski mountain, a sudden storm comes in. When Levi arrives at the top, he is informed that he will have to turn back—and a woman who was at the medical station will join him for the trip down. But going down soon turns into a problem…the gondola stops. Now Levi and the woman, Jane, are stuck. Then Levi is hurt after a metal shelf falls and hits him, and Jane is now dealing with an injured—and soon, unconscious—man. Thank God she is a nurse. Soon after, the gondola is freed, and they are rescued. During the time Jane and Levi were stuck, he had called his parents. His mother wouldn’t stop blabbering and mistakenly believed that Levi was with a girlfriend—Jane. And that Levi will bring Jane to his parents’ upcoming wedding anniversary dinner.

Jane doesn’t do relationships, so the idea that she would gladly be Levi’s pretend girlfriend and his plus-one at the dinner scares her. To avoid commitment, Jane is always on the move so that she isn’t in one place for long. The only reason she is in Sunrise Cove is that her best friend (and landlady) Charlotte lives here. Oh, and Jane’s grandfather lives here but she hasn’t reached out to him yet. As a nurse, she was concerned about Levi’s medical condition, but should she admit that she finds him attractive as a man? He is charming, funny, and considerate. He’s also willing to “prop her up” when necessary. Levi should be the perfect guy, yet Jane can’t open up to him totally about her past—and her fears. However, she does agree to be his pretend girlfriend for the dinner. Will she be able to survive it without losing her heart to Levi and his family?

Meanwhile, Charlotte is playing a cat and mouse game with her neighbor and fellow doctor, Mateo. She prides herself on being independent, while he tries to help her out on occasion—despite her loud protestations. Yet, as much as they argue back and forth, there is a deep sexual tension thread running between them. Will they soon act upon it?

THE FAMILY YOU MAKE is the start of a new series by Jill Shalvis that revolves around a small mountainous community on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Jane rotates in the various hospitals/medical clinics in the area. She happened to be serving at the one at the top of the ski mountain when it got shut down because of the storm—and it led to her fateful trip down the mountain in a gondola with Levi. One thing can be said about the man: he’s persistent. He isn’t going to pressure her, but he makes a good argument for her to accompany him to the party. Levi isn’t into relationships himself after the untimely death of his fiancée years ago. Levi is a tech business owner who is only spending more time than usual in Sunrise Cove after his sister’s husband ran off with money from his parents’ company. His parents don’t know how bad things are for them…

If you love a fun, breezy tale that also tugs at the heartstrings, then THE FAMILY YOU MAKE is the perfect read for you. Levi has to work hard to break down Jane’s wall. Can he earn her confidence? Will he be a short-term fling for her? Every character in THE FAMILY YOU MAKE is enjoyable and entertaining, and this tale is one that you should not miss. Grab a copy today.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

This was the perfect winter story. Levi and Jane meet during a snowstorm on a gondola. A gondola they're trapped on and hanging on for dear life. Levi is injured and Jane, a nurse, cares for him while they wait to be rescued. One thing leads to another and Jane gets to know Levi under the guise of parading as his fake girlfriend for his family. But Levi is serious about Jane. She just needs to learn to let people in. To let others love her. This story was full of prickly and fun characters. It's about renewing family ties and choosing people who aren't blood to be your family. They can love you just as well, and sometimes they can love you better. Sweet story! Can't wait for more from Sunrise Cove! 4 stars

Novels with this theme are one of my favorites. Let’s face it. A lot of people have really lousy families they're born into, but family is what we make it. If we're lucky, we'll collect family members of the heart throughout our lifetime.

Our shero, Jane, has learned this to some degree, but she's still cautious and lets very few into her inner circle. When a blizzard and a perilous gondola ride at the ski resort where she works opens the door for the man in the gondola with Jane to scale her impenetrable walls, Levi knows patience will be the key.

Levi's family may be an annoying interference on most days, but they love each other and have each other's back. Thanks to Levi's fabricated overshare on a good-bye phone call when he thought death was imminent, his family is eager to meet his girlfriend, Jane. And his mother and sister don’t know the meaning of words like decorum or restraint. Or patience.

Once again Shalvis gives us a charming story, this time including a little drama and danger with a ton of heart. Levi won me over from the start, and I desperately wanted to wrap my arms around Jane and encourage her to be brave and take a chance on love. Sweet, heartfelt and compelling, this phenomenal story of change, growth and love will leave a smile on your face and the happiest of sighs in your heart. Add it to your TBR today so you don’t miss it!

Levi and Jane meet during a blizzard in a gondola on a ski mountain in Lake Tahoe. When it seems they are not going to survive, Levi calls to say goodbye to his mother, but can’t. Instead he decides to give her the one thing she always wanted and tells him Jane is his girlfriend. They survive the storm, but then Levi’s family wants to meet Jane so he asks her to be his pretend girlfriend.

I don’t always love pretend relationship romances, but I thought this one worked well. I found it believable that both of our main characters were apprehensive to be in a real relationship due to their pasts. It was also realistic to me how quickly they actually developed feelings for each other with the circumstances of how they met.

There are some great secondary characters in this book including Levi’s family especially his niece, Peyton, Jane’s roommate Charlotte and their neighbor Mateo. One of the best parts of this story was Levi’s family and how his mom, dad, and sister all found ways to meet Jane before Levi was willing to introduce her.

My only complaint would be throwing in the Charlotte and Mateo love story since that isn’t even mentioned in the synopsis. I honestly think they deserved their own book rather than to be a part of Levi and Jane’s story. This obviously didn’t affect my rating though.

I haven’t read many “found family” novels, but I really loved that aspect of this book. I hope to find more novels like this one in the future.

The Family You Make is book 1 in Jill Shalvis’ new Sunset Cove series. I loved the Lake Tahoe setting and look forward to reading the next book in the series when it comes out in June.

Thank you Get Red PR, NetGalley, and William Morrow and Custom House for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I love all things Jill Shalvis and this book does not disappoint. “Family’s not always blood, family can be who you choose.” Found family is the trope of this book, but it seems to be so much more than that. The book focuses on 2 couples, the primary couple is Jane and Levi, and the secondary couple is Charlotte and Mateo. Both stories revolve around paste tragedy’s where some of the characters are closed off to new love and connections. Jane and Levi, having gone thru a near death experience, begin fake dating to appease Levi’s family. While getting to know each other they start building a bond that continues throughout the story. I love Charlotte and her ‘don’t help me I can do it myself’ attitude, and Matteo is the perfect compliment to this. Both stories are written exceptionally well, and I absolutely loved this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow and Custom House for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

The Family You Make is the first book in a new series from Jill Shalvis. It follows Levi and Jane who have a very dangerous meet cute on a ski lift. When they both believe they are not going to make it, Levi calls his mom and impulsively tells her that he has finally met “the one”. However, when they both make it out alive, they are stuck in a predicament. Jane agrees to be his pretend girlfriend, but finds herself developing very real feelings.

I absolutely loved Jill Shalvis’ Wildstone series and devoured the entire series this past summer. While this entry in the new Sunrise Cove series didn’t surpass a few of her previous books, it is still a solid start. I really enjoyed the side romance with Jane’s friends (I love enemies to lovers) and all of the characters were very well-written. Plus I love the setting with Sunrise Cove. It is so cozy and dreamy. I am very excited to see where Shalvis takes this series with The Friendship Pact.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Full review to be posted during target range of February 16-25.

I finally scored an ARC of a new Jill Shalvis book! I've said it before and I'll say it again, Ms. Shalvis is my very, very favorite author. I have never read anything by her that I haven't totally loved. She writes snarky strong headed women who find love in spite of themselves--and they are perfect for me!

In The Family You Make, she had me snagged from the very first page. There was high drama involving a crazy unexpected snow storm and a falling gondola going down the side of a mountain! Our H&h are in the one behind it and don't know if they are next.

We actually get two reluctant romances in this book--Jane and Levi and Charlotte and Mateo . Both of the women have issues from their pasts and aren't about to let any man close to them, so the guys really have to fight hard to get past their very hard shelled reluctance. Who doesn't like to see a man fight hard for love? It's sooo gratifying!

I was gifted a copy of this book via William Morrow and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

The opening scene sets you up for an amazing 4 star read! I devoured this book in two days. The story is about close friends and tow couples in particular, Levi and Jane and Mateo and Charlotte. Jane has abandonment issues after being abandoned by multiple family members as a child Levi doesn't fit in his family. Matteo and Levi grew up together as best friends and Levi's fiancée was Mateo sister she died. Charlotte has trust issues with mend due to to her past trauma of being drugged …. All together an amazing read. The opening scene really grabs your attention. I highly recommend this book. I had it on order at the bulbi library but when I received an ARC from NetGalley I was thrilled.. This book surpassed my expectations .


********************I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.**********************************

If you saw your life flash through your eyes, would you rethink what is important and what you’ve missed out on? Romance blooms in the face of danger in this delightful story. Learning to trust again, belief that love is worth the chance, and family is earned not inherited seems to be the overall theme.

Caught in an unexpected blizzard, high up in a swinging gondola on a ski mountain, two strangers, Jane, a nurse and Levi, a data consultant, face a harrowing time whether they will survive this ordeal. Levi, calls to say goodbye to his mom, but instead lets her know that he finally has a girlfriend which makes his mom happy. However, they survive and his family is thrilled to meet this pretend girlfriend. Panic time for Levi. Jane is not one to have connections with people, having a very traumatic childhood, being shuttled from one relative to another after her parents deserted her. This explains her life as a travel nurse and thus never having to put down roots. Jane lives at Charlotte’s house, which is the closest to having a true home. It also so happens that Jane’s grandpa still lives in Sunrise Cove and she has avoided him for twenty years since he let her go after her grandma died. However, life has a way of serving you up a cupcake, a cookies and cream from Cake Walk to be specific. Jane is embraced by Levi’s family, the pretend aspect becomes more real, and Jane and Levi wrestle with their growing attracting to each other and town they come from.

Dr. Charlotte is also dealing with relationship trauma of her own which puts her at odds with her developing feelings for her hot and kind neighbor, Mateo. Dr. Hottie Patottie thinks Charlotte is the one but getting close to her is like trying to hug a cactus. Can kindness and showing he cares win her over?

I enjoyed the back and forth between Levi and Jane and also between Mateo and Charlotte as they wrestle with their true feelings. How delightful to live in a town where everyone cares so much about you that they only want to see you happy. Great character development and glimpses at what makes a family. As Jane’s grandpa says, blood doesn’t make a family, it is choice. And he chose her. That is a heart-warming sentiment that Jane realizes as she looks at Levi, Charlotte, Mateo, her grandpa, and Levi’s family. I’m going to be sure to find what else Jill Shalvis has written because I like her style and her message. This is a great feel-good book to enjoy.

Many thanks to #netgalley #thefamilyyoumake #jillshalvis for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Levi Cutler knew there was a snow storm coming, he just didn’t think it would move so quickly, thinking he could get one more run. When Levi reaches the top, he’s told the slopes are closed and he needs to ride the gondola down. A beautiful woman gets in and it seems she’s a bit nervous. He tries to make conversation, to no avail, but he does get her name. As the winds get stronger, the gondola in front crashes down. Thinking he needs to call his Mom and say goodbye. However, not wanting to bring such sadness to her, he tells her that the voice she’s hearing in the background is his girlfriend. His mother starts asking questions when his phone dies. Jane hears all this and doesn’t understand what she just heard., but right now she’s more concerned about dying. Yes, the gondola crashes and Levi gets on top of Jane to protect her. When he wakes up in the hospital, Levi finds out that he has a concussion which isn’t bad considering he could be dead. Now he needs to convince Jane to be his pretend girlfriend for his Mom’s celebration party.

Jane can’t believe what she has agreed to. Having been abandoned by her family, as a traveling trauma nurse, Jane doesn’t stay long in one place, this way she can’t get hurt by anyone. Meeting Levi’s family scared her to no end, even when they embrace her like a new family member. Now she’s meeting his sister for lunch, whaaaat!

Levi wants more time with Jane, but she is skittish. How can he convince her to be his girlfriend or real.

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. When they are stuck together in a ski gondola accident, Jane and Levi form a connection. Thinking he might die, he canned his family to say goodbye, but instead told them that he'd found a girlfriend. After he recovered from his injuries, Jane agreed to be his fake girlfriend, and you can definitely guess how that went.
The Family You Make is a nice book about nice people who take care of each other. Jane has a lot of issues, but the author managed to ride that line of "get this girl in therapy NOW" and "she should maybe rethink some of her coping skills", so it didn't detract from the story. The secondary story was sweet, and I would quite like to cuddle Cat. However, some of the family issues were resolved a little too easily. You cannot resolve decades of trauma with one conversation, and it felt a bit too pat. Otherwise, this is a nice read about nice people, which is sometimes all you want.

The Family You Make is a charming start to a new series by Jill Shalvis. A perfect winter read, it tells the story of two strangers thrown together in an emergency who end up building something real between them when they come through the other side.

Levi Cutler and Jane Parks meet as they are stranded on a ski lift in a blizzard, one strong gust of wind away from a steep drop and quick death. Fearing it's his last chance, Levi calls his parents to tell them he loves them, and unexpectedly gets roped into a conversation about his dating life. Not wanting to end on a bad note, literally, Levi manages to tell them that Jane is his new girlfriend before the power cuts out. Jane is not impressed, but nonetheless manages to enjoy the remaining time stuck in the gondola with Levi, bantering with him and talking about what's meaningful in their lives. A few hours later, safely returned to solid ground, the feeling of intimacy between them lingers.

Jane, however, has no plans to do anything about that feeling. Effectively abandoned by her family as a child - or neglected enough to feel abandoned - Jane is extremely skittish about getting into relationships. Instead she works as a traveling nurse, allowing her to rotate positions and never stay in one place long enough to put down roots. Is a perfect, and very lonely, setup for her life.

Luckily, Jane's nomad lifestyle isn't enough to deter Levi. After looking her up through some hospital connections, he asks Jane to come to dinner at his house to pacify his family. By bribing her with cupcakes and making it clear that he'd like to make the fake relationship a real one anytime she's ready, Levi slowly entices Jane to give him a shot. It's a little like watching someone coax a shy woodland creature to eat from their palm - in dating Levi, Jane is leaving her natural habitat far behind.

Of course, Levi is carrying his own share of relationship baggage. Years ago his highschool sweetheart died, and Levi has never gotten over the guilt of not proposing to her before she passed. Even more, he feels guilty for not wanting to propose to her. As Jane stumbles down a path toward trusting people, Levi works on trusting and respecting himself. Despite a few hiccups along the way, these two complement each other well, and both show some real growth over the book.

My biggest critique - and it's not very big - is that I simply don't have more to say about this book. It's a lovely story about a couple finding each other, healing from old wounds, and building a life together. The secondary characters (which include another couple, who are friends of Levi and Jane) are also nice, well-rounded people with a good romance. I may not be raving about this as the best book of 2022, but I will highly recommend it as a perfect winter read (though maybe not on a ski trip?). Fans of Shalvis are sure to enjoy it, as will any new readers as it's the first book in a new series.

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Jill Shavis writes romances that I want to experience myself. Always a fun and fast read that I absorb faster then should be done. Never have sour words for her.