Harvest Moon (Riverbend #3) by Denise Hunter is finally Gavin’s story that explains why he is like he is and why he’s divorced from Laurel. But when best friends of the former couple die in a tragic accident they leave their little girl in their custody. Will it work? Can they overcome their past tragedy to take care of this precious little girl?
I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone needing an escape.

This culmination of the Riverbend series is a heartwarming story of love, loss, regret, grief, forgiveness, second chances, and putting the needs of an orphaned two year old above personal feelings. I enjoyed this book and getting to spend some time with the Robinson family in the town of Riverbend.

Harvest Moon is the third book in the Riverbend Romance Series. Gavin Robinson receives devastating news that his best friends, Mike and Mallory, have died in a plane crash. He also learns that he has been named guardian of Emma, Mike and Mallory’s daughter, along with his ex-wife, Laurel. But how will Gavin and Laurel ever be able to put their past behind them in order to do what’s best for Emma. They will have to figure it out quickly or risk losing Emma to a family member who may do her more harm than good. Will Gavin and Laurel be able to work together and maybe even find their way back to each other?

I thought Harvest Moon was an enjoyable read, however I did prefer the first two books in the series to this one. I appreciate having the characters’ backstories, especially the history of their relationship. It adds depth to the characters and helps to show the reasons for their woundedness. I wasn’t a fan of how Gavin and Laurel’s high school story was written. I assume that since they were in high school, that section was written in a kind of juvenile way. That section just didn’t feel like I was reading a book written for adults. It felt strange to me, and I didn’t particularly like it. What I did appreciate about the book was that it tells a story of redemption and forgiveness. It shows two very hurt people who are willing to put their their own hurts aside to do what’s best for this child they both love, and in doing so, they are able to once again see the best in each other. I thought that this aspect of the story was beautiful. And as always with this author, I appreciate that she writes clean, faith-based romance. So overall, I thought that this book, and this series, was quite enjoyable to read.

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

Gavin and Laurel divorce was hard on all the family. Gavin felt he let down Laurel and after their son's death he pulled farther away. Emma's parents are Gavin and Laurels best friends and died in a plane crash. They are named guardians of Emma. They are forced to spend time together for the first time in years. They find they both have did some growing up in the past few years. Laurel has baggage from her father leaving and Gavin from his father being a drunk. We are given flashbacks of Laurel and Gavins relationship from high school and until their divorce. Gavin returned to his hometown and took a job working at a campground and Laurel worked at the Biltmore house hoping to be promoted to a head gardener. I have read all the previous Riverbend stories.

The third in the series but can be read as a stand alone. The author did a great job addressing grief in a very realistic way. Gavin was a very caring guy who had never forgiven himself for a past tragedy. Lauren is harder to warm up to but as her childhood is revealed her behavior is more understandable. I think Emma was portrayed at a much higher age than a 2 1/2 year old at times. The story was a little predictable but well worth the read. Recommended.

Denise Hunter is one of my favorite authors. Like her other books this one you can loose yourself in. I'm glad that Gavin has had his book. He was a character I was interested in knowing more about in her first book of the series. I thought this was an excellent addition to the trilogy.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

I enjoyed this solid conclusion to the Riverbend series. I did think that perhaps the child would have had much more grief and issues but everyone's grief journey is different.

A beautiful story about love, forgiveness, and second chances. I have been looking forward to Gavin’s story from the very first book and this one did not disappoint! We get to learn more about what happened with Gavin and Laurel’s relationship and what led to their divorce and how they can come together and overcome their differences. One of my favorites of the year!

*I received an e-ARC copy of the book from Netgalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Another 5 star book by Denise Hunter! I have loved this series so much and it really ended with total satisfaction!

In Harvest Moon we finally get Gavin's story and when tragedy strikes he and his ex-wife Laurel come together to take care of little Emma. They both grow a lot and see what needs to be changed in their lives. Such a beautiful story that brought me to tears a few times. I have loved all the Riverbend books so much but I think this was my favorite. Read them all and read them in order and you'll while away some very enjoyable hours.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publishes 5 September 2022.

Harvest Moon is the third book in Denise Hunter’s Riverbend Romance series. It was a good story encompassing so many different emotions. There was anger, grief, and regret. Struggling through the grief of losing their best friends and finding out they are guardians of a two year old, Gavin and Laurel work through their differences. They learn the meaning of family and second chances all while figuring out how to forgive and trust each other again. This is a good culmination of the series, one I recommend.

I've long been a fan of Denise Hunter and always will be. This last book in her Riverbend series is very good. I wondered how she would manage this story, given the history of the two main protagonists. But she did a mighty fine job of it. I really enjoyed it very much.

My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion is expressly my own here.

I discovered Denise Hunter several years ago and am so happy I did. She writes faith-based love stories that are sweet and relatable. This is the final in the Riverbend Romance trilogy (and yes, I’ve read the previous two).

This one was not a “typical” romance storyline as it centers around some tragic and heartbreaking events, and the divorced couple (Gavin and Laurel) who lived through them. While yes, the material was heavier, it also had moments of hope and joy, and I especially loved watching the leads grow as they began to re-connect and work together towards a shared goal.

Very well done, and I really enjoyed the entire series. Looking forward to more from Ms. Hunter.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for providing the free early arc of Harvest Moon for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

A beautiful story of forgiveness, second chances, and redemption! This story is masterfully written and brought out all the emotions- heartbreak, joy, fear. You easily lose yourself in the story feeling every emotion the characters feel. It perfectly captures the scripture that God works everything to the good of those that love him even when we cannot see how it is possible.

Gavin Robinson is finally starting to get his feet back under him several years after his divorce from his high school sweetheart, Laurel. When tragedy strikes, Gavin and Laurel are forced to come together to find a guardian for their friends Mike and Mallory’s daughter, Emma, and someone to run their apple orchard. Gavin and Laurel are each faced with confronting the past they thought they left behind and the futures they saw for themselves to be able to help a little girl they each love.

I loved this series, but this book has been my favorite! Honestly, it has been my favorite this year. It brought out all the feels for me. One minute I was crying and the next smiling. I hope we catch up with the wonderful Robinson family in the future. I hated to see this one end.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

One of my favorites of Denise Hunter's books...the others in this series were fun, but this one has a lot more depth to it as well as a real Christian message.

In the earlier books we get the sense that Gavin looks back on the loss of his marriage with very mixed feelings as well as a sense of grief, plus we aren't told why he feels such a deep sense of personal guilt over losing his child. Here is the story where we find out why, and also why being named the guardian of his good friend's toddler is so stressful to him. The question is--does he have a real reason to feel guilt and apprehension, or is he saddling himself with it voluntarily?

Then there's his ex-wife Laurel. She has moved on to follow her dreams as a landscape designer and has a fancy new job at the Biltmore. She has tried to forget how much she loved being a mother and how much she and Gavin failed at marriage. But when she suddenly inherits guardianship of her best friend's little girl, how much do those carefully built dreams of hers matter compared to the needs of that tiny child?

The result of this inheritance leads to a deeply thoughtful story about the most important things in life and complex questions about where relationships go wrong. Overall, a delightful and satisfying story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required.

Harvest Moon is the third and final (and best!) book in Hunter's Riverbend series...it was such a great read!

I absolutely loved the romance in this one. After reading the first two and being disappointed with those romance stories, it was wonderful to finally love this one. I didn't expect Gavin's story to go this way, but it was perfect.

Some aspects of the story weren't 100% believable to me, but overall I still loved it and definitely recommend Harvest Moon. Looking forward to seeing what Hunter releases next.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

This was a sad and happy read.
As so often happens with the loss of a child, couples grieve differently and often end up divorced. I appreciated the author’s in depth look at why certain events happened. There is the reality of Christians bring human and falling short of Godly responses.
The story drew me in and I did not want to put the book down!

Can a tragedy bring Laurel and Gavin back together after they’ve already been torn apart by an earlier tragedy?
It just might when a cute blonde bombshell named Emma and her best friend Sunny need to be looked after.
It’s such a sweet story. I loved that Laurel worked at Biltmore and lived in Asheville because I just visited there last month so it made the landscape very visual for me.
The Robinsons, although well meaning, are a tad bit intrusive and very much into knowing everyone’s family business.
I thoroughly liked this latest book in the Riverbend Gap series.

I just finished reading Harvest Moon by Denise Hunter and I am just amazed at how well she tells a story. She makes you feel for her characters, and root for them. In this second chance romance there were so many emotions and she did a great job making me fully invested. I was sitting at the edge of my seat up until the end, to see how everything would resolve in the end.
I've read everything Ms. Hunter has written and this is one of my favorites-which is saying something because I've truly enjoyed all her books. She did a great job at this second-chance romance. I wanted things to work out between Gavin and Laurel. Flashbacks throughout the book helped you see where they'd been and how they've grown over the years.
This is a standalone book. Characters from other books play roles but you could read this without needing to know their stories. However, you should just go ahead and read their stories, too.

Harvest moon is a heartwarming story about lost and second change at love. The characters will take you on their journey and their paths to forgiveness and redemption.

Harvest Moon is the final title in Denise Hunter's Riverbend trilogy, and I can definitely state that she saved the best for last. While both of the first titles had moments I enjoyed, I wouldn't have considered either of them new favorites. However, this final title was definitely everything I was hoping for and more, and was exactly what I was waiting for ever since Gavin's story was first hinted at in the first installment.

I'm personally a big fan of second chance romances, and this one ended up being extra special as not only is it this type of romance, but it's one step further in that the romance is between a couple that ended up divorcing years prior due to the horrific circumstance of having their toddler son pass away. This story is definitely not light hearted, and the reader is given a first hand look at grief, and the many different ways it affects everyone experiencing it. Gavin and Lauren are drawn back together by the tragic accident that takes the life of their best friends. When they are named as guardians of their little girl, neither is sure how to go about such a tricky situation, but knowing they'll both do whatever it takes to give Emma the security she needs going forward.

Gavin has been a character I felt for right from the first title in this series, and reading more of his backstory only endeared him to me more. He has such a caring heart, and I adored reading about his initial attraction to Lauren, and the depths he goes to prove his devotion to her. He's been through so much, especially since he refused to let anyone into his hurt, and I thought his character showed such growth and maturity by the end of the story. I have to be honest that it took me longer to warm up to Lauren, as I didn't always agree with the way she handled certain situations. However, I thought the author did a fantastic job of showcasing how much her childhood had impacted her, and how those deep seated fears and insecurities that were never dealt with ended up playing a big part in each relationship she forms over the years.

Overall, this was a wonderful contemporary romance that was both heart wrenching and heartwarming, and kept me engaged right throughout. My only minor complaint was that I thought the ending all wrapped up a bit too quickly, and I wanted a bit more. All in all though, I really enjoyed it, and it's definitely my favorite of the series.

Final Rating: 4/5.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.