Close to Heaven

Full review to be published online in mid November.

Oh, this was such a sweet little friends-to-lovers Christmas story...and bonus, Rain and Joe were real adults with some life under their belts, and not immature twenty-somethings. Really enjoyed the storyline of the boundaries of a longtime friendship being pushed into love.

5 "Santa came early..." Stars!

We return to Scarlet Springs and the Colorado High Country series, with Joe and Rain’s story; Close to Heaven.

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I was so excited for this couple’s book, partly because the hints as to their feelings towards each other in the previous books have been plentiful, what with Joe owning the Brew Pub & Bar; Knockers and Rain being it’s manager a lot of time has been spent in their company already, but only as secondary characters, and also because Pamela Clare gave them their HEA around my favorite season, Christmas!

She’d loved him for so long…

And boy what a book, I took Close to Heaven to bed with me, saying the famous last words 'Just one Chapter…' and I hit the 25% mark before I had even noticed it. I pretty much didn’t move from the sofa the following day until it was finished. Another huge plus is that this is a couple who have some life experience, Rain in her late 30’s Joe in his late 40’s there was none of your usual angst and drama that I would generally associate with a younger couple coming together under extreme circumstances. And extreme they were what with Rain pretty much losing her house in the early stages of the book, something which facilitates their coming together in that Joe offers her a place to stay.

Just love me…

Joe is a man of principle, and having worked together for twenty odd years, struggles to mask his deep feelings for Rain, with her in such close proximity, especially without the bar, the staff, and its patrons between them. Doesn’t help that Rain has decided enough is enough, and is making it pretty clear she feels the same way too.

I loved the secondary story the author told through Joe’s ancestor; Silas Moffat. The guy was an absolute monster, and it gave gravitas to Joe’s motivation and actions in the book (as well as the previous ones) and also gave you an understanding as to why he is extremely reluctant to take their relationship to the next level.

Our First Christmas Together.

Loved it, love this series, and I cannot wait to see who the author decides to give their HEA to next. Perfect Christmas reading, and although book five of the series, can absolutely be read as a standalone, but take my advice and read them all, you will not be disappointed.

Close to Heaven, is a feel good Christmas romance. I admit to sighing several times while reading it.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Pamela Clare is one of the very best romance, romantic-suspense authors ever. In "Close to Heaven" we have a sweet Christmas romance between two adults, Rain and Joe, with more than a little life under their belts. It's wonderful to see what their backstories are and how their romance ignites. The history woven throughout is sad, but really interesting as a foundation for who Joe is and how that came to be.

Rain Minear is feeling empty nest syndrome and the lack of direction in her life as her daughter is soon to graduate from college. More than half her life has been spent caring for Lark and now what? Add to that. the man she had loved for 20 years just doesn't show any sign of being at all interested. Talk about depressing and it's 27 days to Christmas and the forecast is for 4 feet of snow. Total Bah-Humbug. When Rain goes to bed she is thinking maybe it is time to change some things in her life.

Joe Moffat is one of those guys who would give you the shirt off his back and help you when you are down. He treats his employees at his bar/grill/brewery Knockers as family and he can't give back enough to his community of Scarlet Springs. But Joe has secrets and only one of them has to do with Rain. She showed up at Knockers 20 years ago as a 17 year old with a 2 week baby looking for a job. Joe was literally knocked over with insta-lust and firmly decided that was just not ever going to happen, ever. Rain was his employee and strictly off limits.

When Rain left homeless by a roof collapse, Joe has to reconsider how his hands-off policy has affected both their lives. With Joe and Rain snowbound in his house you would think something would finally happen. Yeah, lots happened, but not what you expect. Rain has nothing to lose and lays it all out. Joe, stupid, stupid man, has his reasons but Rain just thinks he really doesn't want her. Joe has to reconsider everything and make some hard decisions or he could lose Rain for good.

ARC - I voluntarily offered to review this book with no obligations and my opinions are honest!
Finally, we get Joe + Rain's book.
Rain has loved Joe for a very long time, and she was tired of waiting.
Joe has loved Rain for a very long time, but was afraid to act on it.
Now, it is time for Joe to make a decision.
Will he give love a chance or lose Rain forever ?
This was such a heartwarming story.
Best of all, it was set during Christmas times.
It seems that almost everyone knew that Rain + Joe were in love w/ each other.
They just don't know what is the hold up.
Loved the storytelling + the characters.

Some of my favorite tropes are here: older couple, forced proximity, long-simmering lust. To be honest, as much as I've enjoyed the Colorado High Country series, I never paid much attention to Joe, the owner of local brewpub Knockers. That was a huge mistake because it turns out Joe is full of sexy secrets. Like how he's secretly panted for years for bar employee and single mom Rain. Joe and Rain's story was the perfect way to celebrate Christmas in Scarlet Spring, Colorado, as it seems everyone in town knew that they belonged together, except for the very clueless and stubborn Joe.

As a fan of the series, it was really wonderful to get glimpses of the other Colorado High Country couples and familiar townsfolk. The town itself is practically a character in the book: the way Joe learned about the meaning behind the locals' favorite cocktail Sex in the Spotlight was hilarious.

I do have to admit I missed the flair of suspense and drama Pamela Clare usually brings to this series. No thriller rescues or chases, just the cozy story of two lonely people finding the heat and heart they always craved from each other.

Note: I received an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

While I liked this one I was frustrated with the couple, Joe and Rain. What frustrated me was that they both were attracted to each other for 20 years, but did nothing about it. I think about all that wasted time, time they could have spent with each other, time that Joe could have been a real dad to Lark, time that Rain wouldn't have had to struggle so much, so much time wasted. Even as Rain made her move Joe was stupid and didn't do anything until a close friend clued him in. I thought Rain standing naked in front of Joe was brave, thought it would do the trick, not so much. Instead Rain had to play her last card, a desperate hail mary, good thing it worked!

Even as I complained about being frustrated I loved how this one ended up, loved that Joe loved Rain, loved their surprise and loved that Joe let Lark know how important she was to him too.

I adored this book! I loved Joe and a Rain soooo much! Normally this is where I’d say how much I loved watching these two fall in love but they’ve been in love forever, this book was about finding the courage to admit you’re in love and being willing to take the risk. I also loved learning more about the history of Scarlett Springs, though much of it is unhappy. I was fascinating to learn more about Joe and what motivates him to do what he does, I’m looking forward to going back and re-reading the previous books through my new lens. Rain and Joe are so perfect together, they really are the heart and soul of the town. I loved that they had a very grown up relationship, they’re not young 20 somethings and they don’t act like they are, they face challenges but they don’t have stupid fights or temporarily break up to create angst, they really, truly love each other and it was wonderful to read. I loved this book and I highly recommend both it and the entire series it is a part of. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Close to Heaven is a fabulous friends-to-lovers Christmas story! Rain and Joe were great characters with substance and depth allowing me to read and immerse myself in the story. Do yourself a favour and pick this one up, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did

**I received a copy of Close to Heaven from Net Galley in exchange for a voluntary and honest review**

Close to Heaven by Pamela Clare is the fifth book in her Colorado High Country series. I have read 2 of the 5 out of order and had no problems reading this one as a stand alone. I loved this book and would give it more than 5 stars if I could. I loved how Silas's journals tied into the story as it gave it some extra background on Joe's ancestor.

Joe Moffat has one rule: No dating the staff in his brew pub and even though he's loved Rain for 20 years he doesn't want her to know it. But when she was a young teen when no one would give her a job because she had an infant, Joe did. So when a big snowstorm hits Scarlett Springs he drives to her house to check on her. But he ends up rescuing her and bringing her to his home in the hills.

Rain Minear has loved Joe forever and now that she has a empty net she decides it high time that Joe knows it. But first she has to survive a roof collapse and having Joe in the same close but once these two finally give into each other the snow will melt just from their heat.

I loved the true meaning to why Sex in the spotlight became a drink, plus the whole town letting Joe know that he took way too long letting Rain know he loved her.

Wow, I can't believe it. I've read 5 books in this series. I still want more. I love it when an author can do that.
I've loved the little bit that I've read about Rain and Joe in the previous books.
Rain is much softer than I realized- and a little insecure. She's also sweet, loving and giving. Rain's practically the heart and soul of Scarlet Springs.
Rain is 37 y/o and Joe is 10 years older. Rain has worked at Joe's pub for the last 20 years.
Rain's daughter Lark is away at college in Boulder. Rain is really missing her terribly. .
She feels lost and has given up on Joe ever noticing her.
This is 3rd person POV, so I got to read about Joe's frustration too. He adores Rain. He is determined to never let her or anyone know. At first I thought it was due to the boss/employee thing. There's some timely discussion about men being (in)appropriate around coworkers.

I enjoyed the constant tease that Joe and Rain experienced. I experienced it too!
Rain was much more up front about expressing her attraction. Joe fought hard to keep his love/lust to himself.
For 20 years Rain has struggled to raise Lark and work to support herself and have a home. When the book begins, she experiences a terrible set back.
This puts her directly in Joe's path. He still tries to resist. He also jumps in to help Rain without thinking twice.
The person gym scene was smokin' hot. There are several scenes that just build onto a big show down.
Joe's a lug head. A lovable lug head. His reasons for living his life alone comes out gradually.
Rain finds a journal that provides some painful truths about the past.
The journals are peeks into the past without flashbacks (thank the Lord).
I love that Winter in the Rockies was featured. It played the catalyst to bringing Joe and Rain together.
The previous books had a lot more action. This book had a huge focus on RELATIONSHIPS. Or lack of.
The supporting characters played very minor roles. Joe.Rain. The relentless snow storm. No where to go.. Joe and Rain are forced to deal with their attraction.

Just about everyone was family. Hawke, Taylor, Chaska, Old Man (I love him! I love love his scene! I want him as my grandpa)
Rose, the elderly gossipy neighbor-she had some funny scenes.
Lark, Rain's daughter is very sweet, just like her mom.
The guys/gals on the Rescue Team had brief but helpful scenes (always prepared to save the day).

Bob and Kendra:
Chapter 9:
Bob to Kendra: "Are you going to sit around talking all night, or are you going to make dinner?" Kendra glared at him. "How about you get off your hairy butt and make dinner?" Bob chuckled. " I love you too much to force my cooking on you, darlin'." [location 1546]

See, there are some sweet and some tender moments too. Ha!
The look into the past (1800s Scarlet Springs) was upsetting. I realized that it couldn't be changed. Back then, not everyone was old fashioned and moral. It was a little haunting to me. Could those traits be passed down?
What's stronger nature or nurture? That's Joe's dilemma.
The romance kept up and up.
The Ending was fantastic. I loved the epilogue (wasn't rushed at all)- thanks for the look into the near future.
AND................ I want more! (please)
Thanks to the author and Netgalley for the ARC. (belated Bday give & early Christmas gift)
5 stars! (again)

Pamela Clare is one of my all time favourite authors out there and this book does not disappoint at all. Loved it from the very first page till the last. The intimacy and chemistry between the characters is palpable and electrifying all the way through the book. While you go on a roller coaster of emotions with them to get to there happily ever after. Another 5 star book, only wish I could give it more.

Joe and Rain have wanted each other for 20 years and never acted on their attraction because Joe has a strict rule about dating employees. One snowstorm will begin a chain of events that forces them to see that they belong together or to move on and out of Scarlet.

Joe and Rain are wonderful people as are the characters in the book. Most wealthy men in books are portrayed as arrogant jerks so this was a nice change to have a normal guy not flaunt his wealth or arrogance. Rain was a teenage mother when she came to Scarlet looking for a job. Joe gave her a job so she could support herself and her daughter. I haven't read the other stories in the series, but I didn't feel that I was missing anything vital to this story. This was a nice, quick read. I would definitely read the other stories in the series.

Close to Heaven by Pamela Clare gives Knockers Pub owner, Joe Moffat, the HEA he and Rain Minear deserve. Like the rest of the town of Scarlet, I thought it is about time, man. Along with their story, past and present of the town and the people who call it home is revealed. The Search and Rescue Team come through for the residents in a major snowstorm. The history of the mines and the town that was built comes to light; the good, the bad and the ugly.

Love, regrets, forgiveness and a sense of community drive this wonderful addition to the Colorado High Country Series. This is a lighter look the people who make up the community than it is a suspense romance. I loved it just the same. It has a danger from the weather but not the nail biting fugitive danger of some of the past stories in the series.

I have read all the series but think this could read very well as a stand-alone. I enjoyed experiencing the Christmas Season in the High Country, recommending it to romance fans everywhere.

After 20 years of friendship and flirting these two finally get together. Wow, that's a long time for them to just be friends and see each other only at work. Then once they were together the relationship moved at a rapid pace. I do wish they didn't wait so long to get together but it was still a great love story. That is one epic snow storm, roof breaks and crushes the house, I can't imagine how much snow that would take. But then to have more snow for a few days after that, that was crazy! Oh his relative Silas was a world class jerk in this book. I can see why Joe didn't want her to read the journal and wanted the street re-named. The ending was the best, at city councils meeting to get the street name changed! That was one of the best parts of the book. The community seeing the true Joe and how good of a man he really is! I loved that Rain brought her Christmas to Joe. She showed him that it was not about stuff but being together and loving each other that really mattered. Really sweet story!

Rain has worked for Joe since she was seventeen and abandoned with a two week old baby. For the last twenty years she has helped to run his business. Actions from his ancestors’ dictates that he never let her know how he feels about her. It’s been a real struggle but nothing like the conflict he faces when she is suddenly homeless and living under his roof.

Rain has loved Joe more than half her life. During a blizzard she learns the history of their community, Scarlett, and the dreadful deeds his ancestor did that Joe now carries the guilt of. She’s never known a kinder more caring person but if he can’t recognize that he’s more than his family’s history, they may never have a chance.

I loved this story so much! I loved that the history was revealed a little at a time and that Joe just as slowly came to realize that perhaps he deserved some happiness in the arms of the woman he’s loved for so long. The twenty years for them did seem a little too much and there were times when I found myself skimming. However, when I got to the end, already in love with Joe, I fell even deeper in love with him as well as the people of Scarlett.

Definitely a worthwhile read with so many interesting characters – I love Bear! Ms. Clare does community and romance right.

This is an honest review of an advanced copy provided by NetGalley and Pamela Clare.

Dual POV
Safety – There is no mention of other men or women or any sexual relationship whatsoever.
Possible Triggers – During the history of the town there is mention of rape and abortion but it is not in detail.

Rain Minear was a new, young Mom of a little girl when she stumbled into the life of Joe Moffat in a small town of Scarlet Springs, Colorado. Joe is a billionaire, bar owner. Joe takes Rain under his wing giving her a job and helped line up a place for her to live. Over the course of 20 years that they have worked together they fell in love with one another. Great little story with some historic moments about the town included.

I have had Pamela Clare on my future reading list for years. I saw an opening in my schedule this month and after all the recommendations and stellar reviews about Close to Heaven I jumped at the chance to read this Christmas-themed contemporary romance. So happy I did.

Close to Heaven is a pretty straight-forward friends-to-lovers story with grown-up characters. And when I say grown-ups I mean characters with a no-BS attitude, people who know what they want and express it in clear, simple words.

Rain has been in love with Joe for twenty years. How she has been able to contain her feelings without going out of her mind is a miracle. Finally she and lays her cards on the table. And let me tell you, that takes some serious guts. I loved and admired Rain for it. I loved that she still could see Joe's side in this situation although she wasn't happy with it. This heroine sneaked into my heart because of her refreshing maturity, the kindness she showed people, her consideration for everyone who touched her life and also her courage to risk everything.


Joe is obstinately holding on to his honor. He thinks it's in everyone's best interest to ignore his deep feelings for Rain. But he has a plethora of friends and employees who tell him insistently how clueless he is when all of them are facing the possibility of a life without this hardworking and kind woman in their small town - that's how popular she is. Their annoyance with him was funny.

Joe knew the moment the staff got word that Rain had quit. Marcia quit speaking to him. Cheyenne openly glared at him. Libby told him she was too busy to talk when he came in to discuss art options for the labels of the new brew.

I wanted to slap Joe a little, not hard, just so to wake him up and see what was right in front of him. His honor is commendable and he is a good man through and through though so I am not complaining that it took him twenty years and half of the town for him to realize that it wasn't just attraction both of them felt. Because once he does he goes all out and shows Rain what a special woman she is and how deep his feelings run.

Joe had come from a long line of assholes, and he was trying desperately not to become one himself.


I love stories with a small-town setting. Everything feels cozy, charming and familiar. Everybody is in everybody's business and has an opinion about everything that is going on and has compunctions voicing it. It can be testing but also sweet because it's usually with the best of intentions. Add to that the holiday factor and I'm all in. I adored this story. For some readers this might be a leeeettle bit too sweet, for me it was the perfect book at the perfect time.

I saw a lot of characters I want to read about, many of their stories already released. Project Pamela Clare is a resounding success and I can't wait to read more of this series.

​​​​​Close to Heaven by new to me author Pamela Clare, is a contemporary holiday romance that takes place in the small town of Scarlet Springs Colorado. At times, the story flashes back to the mid-1800s, when Scarlet Springs was well-known for its mining, and the bordellos that serviced both the locals and passersby. Today the place to be seen is Knockers, a neighborhood pub where the owner, Joe Moffat, is a very humble and generous billionaire.

Rain Minear is the manager of Knockers and she has worked for Joe for close to twenty years. Their professional relationship has always been a barrier to acting upon the intense sexual chemistry that emanates between them. Joe is ten years older than Rain, and when they first met she was a seventeen year old single mom. They are good friends, and Joe has always looked out for both Rain and her daughter. Rain becomes homeless when the roof on her home collapses during a major snowstorm. Joe offers her a place to stay for the time being, and quickly thereafter they give in to their ever present feelings.

This is a nicely written romance with an engaging plot and well-defined characters. I found Rain and Joe to be kindhearted and interesting, and I liked how the magic of the holiday season was woven within their love story. This is the fifth book from the author's Colorado High Country series and it can be read as a standalone.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. This was a great read and a love story that spanned over several years. Joe and Rain could no longer deny their feelings after 20 years. I would definitely read more by this author.

Close to Heaven, by Pamela Clare is an enjoyable contemporary holiday romance.

As the bar owner in Scarlet Springs, Colorado, Joe Moffat is determined to never date his employees, even if he's attracted to Rain Minear. Due to his family history and additional issues, Joe strives to be different than his relatives, yet he believes that he could never date Rain, since she's his employee and ten years younger. Even though she's in her 30s now, Joe still remembers the day he hired Rain, when she was a 17-year-old single mother with a newborn baby and desperate for a job.

Rain has been attracted to Joe for twenty years, yet she's focused on raising her daughter and trying to survive. Now, with daughter at university, Rain is ready to move away from Scarlet Springs and start over, especially when a snowstorm causes her roof to collapse. As the story unfolds, Joe and Rain struggle with their attempt at a closer relationship. It's an enjoyable story, yet slightly sad to think that it took twenty years for Joe and Rain to act on their attraction. However, it's an entertainingly delightful romance story.

And the town's history is slowly revealed throughout the book, when Rain borrows and reads a journal that once belonged to Joe's distant relative.
Since it's the fifth book in Colorado High County series, it's recommended to start with the first book, yet it's not necessary to read the books in order to understand and enjoy the story.

Close to Heaven is geared towards those who enjoy reading modern holiday romances.


Note: I received this book from NetGalley, which is a program designed for bloggers to write book reviews in exchange for books, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Close to Heaven is the story of Rain and Joe. Rain has been waitressing for Joe for the last twenties years. Ever since she walked through the doorstep of Joe’s at seventeen with a newborn baby of only weeks and with no money or family, begging for a chance to prove herself, Rain has respected and admired Joe. When he defended her against her selfish ex a year later, Rain fell irrevocably in love with the man.

Joe has been half way in love with Rain too but he’s used every excuse in the book to dodge his deeper feelings for her. Besides the age difference, he never wanted to seem as he was taking advantage of her since she was his employee and he was her boss. But his reasons for keeping a safe distance from his greatest temptation goes back a few generations.

But twenty years is a lot of time to deny yourself the one you love and when a caved in roof has Rain moving in with Joe, Rain throws all caution to the wind and finally confesses her own feelings to Joe. Rain and Joe’s story to their own HEA is a mesh of their present but also their long family history.

What I liked:
Rain and Joe were two very likable people. They genuinely cared for others, had strong ties to the community and to their friends. They were respected and loved and it was easy to see why. I loved them both, even if Joe was a bit stubborn and wishy washy in the beginning. When the true reason for pushing Rain away comes to light, I had to cut him some slack, his family history was so intertwined with the whole town and with Rain and so many of his other friends, I could see why the guilt over his ancestor’s actions might have burdened Joe so much.

Once the truth comes out, there isn’t any unnecessary drama or miscommunication. It’s all handled up front and with out recriminations. I loved that Rain was so understanding and helped Joe move past his misplaced guilt and see what a generous and giving person he was. She was just what needed he needed to snap him out of his self made prison and give them both a second chance to be happy.


What I didn't like:
Rain was at her own cross roads when her story starts. With an adult daughter who recently moved away and her lonely life stretched out before, Rain is desperate to find out what her next step is in life. Finally giving in to her feelings for Joe kind of catapults her onto a new path. That’s not the part I didn’t like.

It was actually her daughter that through a wrench in an otherwise sweet romance. Her character was too … exuberant isn’t the right word. I want to say brash but that sounds so old school. What rubbed me the wrong way was that she was so epically different than her mother. Rain was all things sweet and selfless and hard working and kind hearted and then we get to see the child she sacrificed and worked so hard for and she was almost bratty and spoiled than I would have expected. I wanted her to be more like Rain. The way she so easily accepted Joe and his (back then) undisclosed amount of money seemed too superficial and materialistic to endear me to her. Granted it all works out in the end and I get that she wanted to pamper her mom but still, am I the only one that would skirmish to take someones money and spend it like its my right? Maybe I have money hangups but the dress shopping scene really left me with a tarnished impression of Lark and it wasn’t really redeemed towards the end.

Besides that small hiccup Closer to Heaven has two awesome MCs and a real love story that definitely carried the holiday spirit. I would recommend if you like mature MCs and slow burn second chance romances.

Favorite Line:
She was as close to heaven as he’d ever get, the source of his salvation, his beginning and end.


Memorable Moments:
The wedding scene was something that was sweet and unconventional but 100% Rain and Joe. It was all about family, friends and a genuine feeling of community. It was a down to earth fairy tale wedding that left me with all the feels.

Pamela Clare has done it again! While this is the fifth book in the Colorado High Country series it can be read as a stand alone novel. However, if you've read any books in the series, then you most definitely have been waiting to get Rain and Joe's story! Rain and Joe have loved each other for 20 years but have never done anything about it. Joe refuses to date an employee and Rain has always waited for Joe to make a move. All the townspeople can see the sparks but yet Joe has never seen that Rain has feelings for him just the same has he does. Twenty years tends to make people desperate and Rain is tired of waiting!

Aside from getting me into the holiday spirit (the story is set in the weeks leading up to Christmas), I really enjoyed the historical elements of the story. Rain spends time reading a journal written by Joe's great grandfather that tells not only the story of Scarlett Springs but also explains some of Joe's behaviors. It was great to see how the town's ancestors were reflected in the characters that have been such a part of this series. Looking forward to what might come next in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.

As always, Pamela Clare did not disappoint. I absolutely loved the story of Rain and Joe. They are wonderful together. Great, quick read.

I really enjoyed this holiday romance of two people who have known each other for a long time and finally get together. Great holiday romance!

Rian minear has been working at Joe’s Moffat place since she was seventeen. She has also has had a crush on him for years. Now at 37 and alone with her daughter gone to college she is wondering why she is staying in town. Joe feels he must give back to the town of Scarlet Springs for the past deeds of great, great, grandfather. He works and then keeps himself holed up in his house. Now Rain is pinned under her roof when it collapses during a snow storm. She stays with him for a few days and makes her feelings for him known but he does not act upon them. She moves out to a place in town and then begins to talk about moving to Californian. Well now the fire is lit under ole Joe’s ass and he realizes that he will lose her all together if he does not act on his feelings for her. The story takes off from there and you find out so much about Joe and the history of the town. This turns into a very good story and Joe surprises me in many ways. A very good story.

What a perfect story for the holiday season! This book takes a bit of a turn away from the search and rescue team that we have met in the previous books. This one focuses on Rain and Joe--both very active secondary characters in the previous books.

Great friends to lovers and more story! What happens when you get snowed in with the only man you could ever see yourself with? You try to fight that attraction as long as you can--right?? We all know that doesn't work in the best of worlds.

Perfect love story. Magical setting and holiday vibes. Loved it!

Once again I'm kicking myself. I've had this entire series on my kindle's gigantic TBR pile, and somehow, somehow, I'd forgotten about it until this gem (and that cover) popped up on Netgalley. So my dilemma...do I start with this book and read them all out of order, or do the responsible thing--go back and start with book #1: Barely Breathing?

I must confess--last year(?) I started to read Barely Breathing, and I just wasn't feeling it, for whatever reason. I think maybe it was just too much of an info dump for me to handle at the time (names, places, series set-up, etc.) so I put it on the back-burner (and then forgot about it:(

Now before I started Close To Heaven, I realized that I had read a book in this series--Falling Hard--and according to my notes--I loved it (even though I couldn't remember all the deets now)!

Anyhow, I took a chance on this one, figuring PC would get me up to speed on all that I missed (and she did, without any confusion). Were there spoilers I encountered while reading this way? Of course there were a few, but it didn't bother me at all. This was Rain and Joe's story, and it was steamy, eye opening, and very, very lovely.

Rain is a 37 year old single mother of a college age daughter and general manager of Knockers, a popular brew pub in Scarlet Springs, Colorado. She's worked there for 20 years, ever since the owner, 10-years-older than her Joe Moffat, took her under his wing and gave her a job when her family and baby-daddy turned their backs on her. For 20 long years Joe and Rain have carried a torch for each other, but Joe wouldn't act upon his growing feelings, because of his family history. This family history is a key part of this book. There are many passages where PC takes us back in time to the history of Scarlet Springs, and to the ancestors of this series' current characters. I found this history very enjoyable reading, even though one current character's relative's fate just about broke my heart. Anyway, the reader finds out why Joe acts the way he does, and why he feels an incredible amount of guilt/shame/responsibility that has nothing to do with the kind of person he truly is, although it certainly has an influence on the man that he has vowed to become.

So it's been 20 years for Joe and Rain, with a deep friendship-only relationship, until a blizzard hits Scarlet Springs, and fate puts Joe and Rain together, and they're forced to confront their feelings. And all I wanted to say was "let it snow"!

So, no more details. This book was an awesome read, in every respect (plot, characters, steam factor) and as soon as I finished it I went on a Colorado High Country binge, reading every last one of them--including Barely Breathing--which I ended up loving! Would I recommend reading this way--of course not. But some times it works out best this way.

As always, Pamela Clare not only gives you scorching hot, emotional romance, but she always, always teaches you something too. The lady obviously does her research, and each book in this series manages to give you either a little history lesson or teaches you something about a different culture. To me, I think that is why I enjoy her books so much.

Every book in this series is a winner (my favorite couple being Hawke and Victoria from Slow Burn) so you can't go wrong with any of them. Try to read in order if you can--but it's ok to do what I did--just read them and enjoy!

Not only is Close to Heaven the first novel in the Colorado High Country series I've read, as well as the first novel I've read by this author, and I'm now wondering how I managed not to have read any Ms. Clare's novels before now. This novel gets 4 stars from me.

What does 27-year-old brewpub owner Joe Moffat do when 17-year-old Rain Minear shows up at his pub with her 2-week-old baby (Lark) in her arms and desperation in her eyes? When he learns that Lark's father abandoned Rain when she turned up pregnant, he didn't want his child and Rain had to give birth alone and unaided in the back of a van. She's underage and looking for a job and what does handsome and big hearted Joe do--he hires her of course, and starts falling for her almost immediately, but will he do anything about it, considering the age difference, his desire never to never marry and never to be a father--no.

It's now 20 years later, Rain is his most trusted employee, she's been in love with the gorgeous Joe almost from the moment she met him, he's in love with her, and although it's obvious to all of his staff and nearly everyone else in town, Joe's hard and fast policy of never dating an employee has been standing in their way. There's another issue too, which I'll get to shortly.

After a monstrous snowstorm hits town dumping almost 8 feet of snow over the town, the roof over Rain's house collapses and she barely escapes being crushed by diving under her iron bedstead. When all the rescuers finally reach her she's hypothermic and Joe races her to the ER. Since her home is utterly destroyed, Joe brings her home with him, and until the storm passes and until Rain can find another place to live, the attraction between the two really ratchets up, but as he's done for the past 20 years, he won't break his own rules.

Rain stays at Joe's house while Joe is out helping to prevent another roof collapse to any of the older homes in town, and using his snowplow to help clear the roads, Rain gets bored and heads for the bookcase where she discovers and begins reading a journal written by one of Joe's ancestors and we get to learn about his nefarious great, great, great grandfather at the same time Rain does, and we begin to understand why Joe has never wanted a family or children.

Although it seemed highly unlikely to this reader that two people in love would wait 20 years to do something about it (ten years would have been long enough), I did love the fact that in this novel we're dealing with actual adults--Rain is 37 and Joe is 47, and since I'm older than both of them, it was refreshing to read a romance novel where the hero and heroine are mature adults. Lark is now an adult living elsewhere and Rain is an empty-nester and she's tired of waiting for Joe to notice her, so she begins to consider moving on in hopes of finding someone else to spend her life with. Although the mutual attraction between Rain and Joe heats up while she's living under his roof, Joe always pulls back because of his employee dating prohibition, and finally Rain has heard it enough, and she quits her job. What will Joe do now? You'll have to read this sweet and sexy novel to find out.

Things all seem to come to a head as Christmas approaches, and the holiday background and small town sense of community all add additional warmth to this story, and quite frankly, I found it hard to put down--Ms. Clare did something I find irresistible, she made me cry, and you can be assured that I plan on backtracking to read the earlier novels in this charming series.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Joe and Rain's story was amazing. While I Ioved them in the other books in this series learning Joe and Rain's histories, hurts and loves was intriguing and heartbreaking. Rain came home after being abandoned by her baby daddy and Joe was the main person to give Rain a job and mainly a chance to raise her daughter. Rain has harbored a secret love for Joe for so many years and Pamela Clare's writing makes you crave for these two to get together. Rain is an empty nester and out of sorts with her new life alone. Thinking maybe it's time to let Joe know her feelings Rain let's Joe know how she feels. WAIT- Joe has strict hands off policy with his employees and tells Rain no can do. Has she really wasted so many years for nothing?
Contemplating a change in her life outside of Scarlett, Rain heads home for the evening and ponders her options. Feeling such hurt, loneliness, Rain feels like her world is caving in on her. WAIT- it did! Her roof has collapsed and she is pinned under her bed waiting to be rescued.
Joe is frantic. Here he only hours ago told Rain he couldn't have any type of relationship with her as she was his employee and now he stands helpless waiting for her to be rescued. Knowing that he has strong feelings for Rain he knows he has to be there for her for no other reason than to ensure she is okay for his own peace of mind. After a trip to the ER, Joe moves Rain in to his home temporarily while she is homeless. He tries so hard to be honorable when deep down he craves Rain and always has. Once you get a birds-eye view into Joe's ancestors and their shenanigans you see where he is coming from but then again he is a little extreme in trying to right a wrong that is not his.
Joe and Rain are perfect for one another. They have a strong friendship, affection and love for one another and amazing chemistry. Joe soon realizes that once he takes care of what is right in front of him and quits looking at the past things are just about close to heaven when it comes to making a life and family with Rain.

I am a huge Pamela Clare fan. I love this series and was really looking forward to Joe and Rain's story. It was so much more than I thought, expected and hoped. The story starts off strong, there are so many twists, turns, magic, love, chemistry, funny LOL situations ( the whole in the spotlight story was a hoot) I so enjoyed the conversations Joe was having with himself, I thought they were really insightful and the entire history of the town described in the journals was so captivating. Rain, was such a strong woman, raising an equally strong daughter and I hope one day we read Lark's journey. The chemistry between Rain and Joe is amazing, their story so heartwarming and gut-wrenching at the same time (to read about loving someone for so long) . Always love it when the author incorporates characters from previous books and when Bear did what he did at the ceremony, I was crying. One of the best in the series.

I absolutely loved this novel. It had a little of everything, town and family history, microbrewing, romance, snow- it's the perfect read for this time of year. I haven't read the other novels in this series, so I can't comment on this novel in relation to those, but on it's own this is a great novel. The history sections were really interesting and the story of Rain and Joe kept me smiling (and frowning) along with Rain. And though the ending is really cheesy, by that point it was exactly what I wanted. So all round a fantastic read!

20 years is a long time to love someone from arms length. I admit, it bothered me at first that it took Rain and Joe 20 years before something finally shook these two enough to take a chance. However, once things started to change for them, it really was a beautiful story.

Rain came into Joe's life when she was just 17 and with a two week old baby. She was desperate for a job and Joe couldn't refuse her. We learn that he was drawn to hear from the start but he's 10 years older than her and he didn't want to take advantage of her situation. As the story moves along, we learn why he never made a move.

I'm not usually one who likes this scenario. I like for the Hero to see what he wants and go after it and yet, I can concede that in a case like this, the author did the right thing with Joe. The journey of learning what shaped him and his discovery that he wasn't what he feared through the love of Rain, his employees and the town folk makes for a very heartwarming tale.

I'm looking forward to what the author will bring us next in the series. Arc provided by NetGalley.

4.5 stars

Joe is a sweet, kind, generous, down to earth man who loves his community and the residents. His great-great-grandfathers past is haunting him everyday, driving Joes’ plans to stay single. For years he has avoided his feelings for Rain and now mother nature is forcing their hand.

Rain is a hard working, levelheaded, business manager and mother. Pushing her wants and needs aside to raise her daughter, Lark. Now Lark is grown and off to college, Rain is deciding to risk it all. She’s going to prove they’re better together.

Joe and Rain are so perfectly designed and crafted for one another; the reader cannot help but fall in love with them both. Ms. Clare has pulls the reader through an immense amount of emotions: anger, sadness, hope, love, happiness and joy. Every time the love outshines the anger. The secondary characters were superb, full of great advice and laughter. The plot was smooth, easy to follow along with, and full of details. I could easily recommend this Close to Heaven to any romance reader. Close to Heaven sucks the reader in within sentences and keeps them reading until the final page, wishing for more.

Rain Minear was left at 17 by a man that was 27 with a newborn daughter, jobless, homeless, and unsure what to do. Rain is helped by Joe Moffatt who gave her a job and helped her raise her daughter Lark. Rain and Joe have had feelings for each other for years but didn't do anything about it.

Everything changes the night when Rain's roof collapses during the snowstorm and rushes to her aid when Hawke tells him what happened. Rain is devastated by the loss of her home. Joe lets her stay with him, even though they are both attracted to one another but he is too ethical to sleep with her since she is his employee at Knockers.

Joe Moffatt moved to Scarlet Springs to repay the a debt, a debt created by his great-great-great-grandfather. Rain is someone that you meet once in a lifetime, she has a big heart and is willing to do whatever is necessary for the citizens of Scarlet Springs. When the blizzard leaves the snowbound, the two can no longer deny their feelings and it becomes the most important Christmas of their lives with a surprise that makes it all the more special.

Close to Heaven is another book of the Colorado High Country series, it was nice to see one of the main characters of Scarlet Springs fall in love. The only thing I missed in this book was seeing the teams go out and do rescues. The story of Joe's family's past was sad, especially since he feels obligated to make it up to the decedents of those that Silas wronged. I really loved the wedding scene at the end of the book, it was something memorable, unconventional, and sweet. I could not believe she spend THAT much on a dress, I'm not going to spoil the price. I was happy with the ending, the progression of the story, and watching these two finally find their happy ending.

Received ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest voluntary review

I don't typically seek out holiday stories, but I really enjoyed this one. I'm used to Clare's romantic suspense, so I was pleasantly charmed by how fun this book was. Rain and Joe are wonderfully developed characters, with equitable strengths and weaknesses -- a fact I find compelling in the real world, and like to see mirrored in fiction. The pace was great, character development spot on ... just a great story all around.

It’s about stinking time Joe Moffat gets his story! I have been looking forward to the owner of “Knockers” to getting his story. He’s a really great guy and an even better catch. Rain has worked for Joe for 20 years as his general manager and hostess. Joe has been in love with her for just as long but because of the age difference and for the simple fact that she works for him he has not acted on his feelings for her. But how does Rain feel about him? As with all Pamela Clare books she gives you an exciting adventure right along with some sexy love scenes. You’ll have to read this for yourself if you want to know Joe and Rain’s story.

***I voluntarily reviewed this ARC for an honest review via NetGalley, this is my honest opinion and has not been influenced by the author, Publishers or NetGalley in anyway.*** Thank you!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing in.

I fell in love with the characters. This is the first book from this author that I have read. I really enjoyed the characters and the plot flowed smoothly for me. I laughed out loud in several spots and cried in others. Having journals from Joe's 4x Great Grandfather depicting the history of the city was wonderful. I need to go back and read the other books as a lot of characters were wonderful so I can only imagine their stories.

This story grabbed my attention right from the beginning. I highly recommend this book to anyone. It was such a joy to read.

Okay wow, this series just gets better and better. I was just the tiniest bit skeptical at the onset that Pamela would be able to pull off her usual greatness without all the added drama and danger of her I-Team series and still be able to keep her readers engrossed and craving more, but I know now I should never have doubted her mad skills. Once again Pamela proves that the skill of the author is the most important part of any story’s greatness. This story has been a LONG time coming and I speak for all her fans when I say it’s about time. Rain and Joe have become some of our favorite people in Scarlet Springs, truly being the glue that keeps the town together and makes everyone feel like a community. Rain with her innate sweetness and bubbly personality has made it her life’s work to always do whatever is needed to make her and her daughter’s life easier, giving up her dreams and returning home with an infant after the baby’s father turned out to be a bastard. Joe was the only person willing to give her a leg up and she never forgot that, but over the years those feelings have morphed into something deeper and undeniable, so when she is forced to take advantage of his hospitality she thinks it might finally be time to lay all her cards on the table. But Joe is a stubborn man. Joe would give anything to feel like he deserves a chance at happiness with Rain, but he has too much to atone for and the sins of his ancestors run long and deep, even if most of the current residents of Scarlet Springs don’t know it. Joe has wanted Rain for many years, but he won’t cross the line by sleeping with one of his employees so he has worked very hard to hide his desires and need from her, but when her world crumbles around her there is no way he won’t step in and offer her a safe haven. Thrown together in the close quarters of Joe’s home and forced to come to terms with one another’s true feelings Joe and Rain must decide if they are willing to risk everything for a chance at the true happiness they both have searched for their entire lives. I LOVED every second of this story and was thrilled I got the chance to read it (even mother nature helped ensure it got my full attention when snow swept into Florida closing the state down to give me the full day to read:) ). Rain was the type of woman that I always wished I had the energy to be, sweet, fiery, giving and loving, despite circumstances that have made many a woman lose all confidence in themselves and certainly hardened their hearts. She is not only the center of Joe’s world but the heart of the small town of Scarlet Springs whether she realizes it or not, making her thoughts of possibly leaving town all that more terrifying. Joe is a big sexy bear of a man, and to be honest in the previous stories I guess I missed the fact that he was so damn sexy… must not have been paying enough attention! But getting to see him through Rain’s eyes, especially as she falls even deeper in love with him showed me just how wonderful he truly was. The heat between Rain and Joe has certainly been building for twenty years so when they finally give into their passions and give themselves permission to fully embrace one another there is no way anyone in town can miss the sparks flying and melting the snow of the blizzard that put Rain in this predicament to begin with. I am so glad that Pamela took a chance with this series and I cannot wait for whatever comes next because the characters in this town are so unique, interesting and full of life, I feel like I could drive into a small town in Colorado, walk into a local bar and find myself meeting each of these people as if they stepped right off the pages. If you are looking for a wonderful read for a long snowy day or a few nights by the fire cuddled with your honey, this is the perfect read, but bring the tissues and the wine, trust me you will need them. Another stroke of genius, Pamela!

Well written and an enjoyable story. I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more by this author.

First book by this author in this series but no problem. Easy and cute read, heartwarming but also having serious topics. It had the holiday feel mixed in with thoughtful real life emotions. Awesome read well rounded and the character more mature.

Great quick Christmas read from Ms.Clare. I really like this series and this was a great addition. Joe and Rain had such fantastic chemistry and I couldn't get enough of them.

Close to Heaven is the fifth romance in the Colorado High Country series written by author Pamela Clare. Thanks to NetGalley and the author and her publisher for the advance copy.

ARC received for review

Old man and a younger woman. They've been in love with each other for years but Joe is won't date someone who works for him. She quits, and game on. Loved her daughter and of course, all the peeps from previous books.

This one was fun, though Joe and Rain aren't my favorite Clare couple. But Rain's brokenness is compelling, and Joe's tragic story is interesting. The heat between them is incendiary, and the slow build is fun.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*