HEARTSONG COTTAGE - Emily March

#10 in the Eternity Springs series

Familiar and Welcoming - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Daniel visits Eternity Springs to attend a wedding, but he stays because he's burned out with his job of searching for kidnapped children. Shannon is hiding there from a dangerous situation, also looking for peace. There's a connection between them that slowly turns into something more.

Writing - 4 stars - March has created a warm and inviting setting filled with attractive characters, and this book is no exception.

Characters - 4.5 stars - This is where the story particularly shone for me. Shannon is a strong woman who has built a nice life from the ashes of her previous one. (Well, at least that's what we assume since we know very little of her past through most of the book.) She fits in to the town, although we actually don't see a lot of her interactions with characters from previous books. Daniel has lived through tragedy. Since we met him and heard much of his story in Holly's book, we feel like we know him already. As we learn more about him, he becomes even more of a strong man who shoulders the struggles of others despite it also emotionally hurting him. He's just looking for a place to relax and refresh, and he feels that at Shannon's house, in Shannon's presence.

Title - 4 stars - This is the name for the cottage that Shannon is revitalizing. The name came about naturally from a conversation she had with Sage, but it also fit the tone of the book and Shannon's hopeful relationship.

Cover - 4 stars - As always, this is a beautiful setting that depicts the peace and harmony found in Eternity Springs. It definitely takes an appealing look at this location.

Overall - 4 stars - This series is fast becoming one of my favorites. It's warm and loving, and the growing group of characters sets the stage for a familiar place to go when I'm looking for a relaxing read. Yes, there can be excitement and/or bad news, but mostly this series is about hope and love and finding a way to cope.

I will be honest. This book was really not for me. I added it to my review pile without a lot of thought and overlooked it for longer than I would like to admit. I did eventually get around to it and had rather mixed results. I felt like there were some things that I did like, and some that I didn't care for at all.

The book did start out strong and I really felt for the Hero, Daniel. How could you not? As the book progressed and focused more on both Daniel and Shannon, I couldn't completely get on board with their romance. There were way too many secrets and overreactions. They also seemed really quick to forgive each other, so much so, it didn't always feel authentic.

I will say that there is one scene that really ruined this book for me. I think that my 3-star rating is quite generous considering how much I hated this one scene. I finished this book over a year ago and this scene has stayed with me. When Shannon gives Daniel some news that he does not want to hear, he crosses a line that completely changed how I looked at his character. I am all for flawed characters making mistakes and coming back from them but his behavior was unforgivable. I wanted Shannon to forget about him and find someone that would treat her better. He didn't deserve a second chance after the things he says in this book.

I thought that Amy Landon did a good job with the narration. I did think that some of her voices were not distinctive enough and I sometimes had a hard time determining who was talking but that was only an issue when there was a larger group of characters. I wouldn't hesitate to listen to more of her work.

I can't recommend this book. I thought that the book started strong but ended quite poorly. I would give the author another try in the future though.

I received a digital review copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.

A part of the Eternity Spring Series. Daniel and Shannon have past tragedies and it was sweet to see them overcoming their grief and finding their romance and life together.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC

I love Emily's books. There is something about her storytelling that appeals to my softer side. I really enjoyed this book and the characters. It's one of those books that will put me in a good mood when I need it.

The Eternity Springs series is probably best read in order, but I have jumped around and have not had too much of a problem following the stories. Daniel Garrett and Shannon O'Toole are both hiding out in Eternity Springs for different reasons. Shannon is hiding from a stalker and Daniel is hiding from his memories. When they get drunk at a wedding and end up in bed together, the expectation is that it will be a one night stand. Unfortunately, life does not always work out the way you plan. They run into each other a few times and realize that they do have feelings for one another. Of course, once that realization hits, everything goes wrong. Will they find their way to each other? Will Shannon be able to be honest with Daniel? Will love win out once again in Eternity Springs?

This is a sweet romance with some angst along the way. There are a lot of characters from other books in the series and of course Celeste is there giving her enigmatic advice to the pair. My one niggle is that everyone is pretty well off and beautiful, but I can overlook that as I do enjoy this series. This was an emotional story with both Daniel and Shannon having has very sad past lives. They both deserve to love again, if they can overcome the hurdles they have set for themselves. This was not really a holiday story, which I had expected, but it was still a very heartwarming story, just what I expect from Emily March and the Eternity Springs series.

Shannon O’Toole is renovating a cottage in Eternity Springs. She is also trying to rebuild her life because of a stalker. Daniel Garrett is a haunted man who tries to bring home children that have been kidnapped. When they meet at a mutual friend’s wedding, sparks are ignited and they end up having a one-night stand.

When Shannon discovers she is pregnant, she is unsure what her next step will be. As she works to restore some small cabins, she encounters Benny and Linda. The story is that Linda is Daniel’s wife which sends Shannon on a whole new thought path.

It doesn’t take long for Linda and Shannon to take a liking to each other and Linda tells Shannon she is under Daniel’s protection and not his wife. She is hiding from an abusive husband until a divorce and custody can be arranged.

This again sends Shannon on another thought path. So far, she has not been truthful with Daniel but then he hasn’t told her his whole story either.

Between the wonderful small town friendships, the determination of a man to overcome his past and for a woman who wants to be unafraid, the story is a wonderful mix of emotion, love and friendship showing what those things can accomplish when put together.

Sadly, this book was archived before I had a chance to read it.
Under these circumstances any star rating is not valid.

Loved this romance between two damaged souls, Daniel and Shannon. Their story was engrossing and very touching. Eternity Springs provided a great backdrop for the romance. Love this series!