This one goes in the "solid read, but nothing outstanding" pile. I have to wrestle with the inclination to describe it all as nice - nice characters, nice writing, nice plot. It isn't horrible, but I doubt I'll re-read it and the details are unlikely to stick with me. ( )

Luke is a story of missed opportunities, wounded relationships and prideful behavior. All of these actions have played a part in the rift that exists between the powerful yet dysfunctional Brannigan family. Barbara Freethy begins this series with a story that is as therapeutic as it is heartbreaking. Colin Brannigan was not perfect and his actions had a profound impact on his Heirs. Facing his own mortality seemed to get him to look at the damage and in death create the legacy he was unable to rectify in life. The chance for his family to find happiness and absolution from the pain that he wrought upon them. Barbara Freethy was the ideal lead in for this spellbinding series. She knows how to appeal to emotions and get a reaction. ( )

Good first book in the series. The beginning sets up the backstory of the seven brothers, where the death of their mother fractured the family, especially when it came to their relationships with their father. The brothers are all shocked by the unexpected death of their father, and more so by their inheritances. This book is about Luke.

Luke is big into extreme sports, both doing them and making films about them. For the past ten years, he has been all over the world and done just about everything. He is stunned when he receives a mountain resort as an inheritance. He's the last person who would want a piece of property tying him down. He has no idea why his father left him this property - until he arrives to check it out before deciding whether or not to sell it. There he discovers that the resort manager is his former college sweetheart, Lizzie.

That first meeting was quite a shock to both Luke and Lizzie. They had been deeply in love while they were in college until Luke's restlessness caused him to quit school to pursue his dreams. He wanted Lizzie to come with him for the summer, joining in his adventure. Hurt and angry when she didn't show up, Luke forged ahead and never looked back. Lizzie had been on track for a career as a concert pianist. She was just as in love with Luke but chickened out of going with him, afraid that if she did she would end up giving up her own dreams to follow his. Though she later tried to contact him to explain, he refused to listen. Though Luke's career is going strong, Lizzie's came to a dramatic end when her sister died, leaving Lizzie as guardian of her thirteen-year-old niece, Kaitlyn. Luke's dad gave Lizzie the job at the resort so she could better care for Kaitlyn.

I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of the relationship between Luke and Lizzie. Luke has kept his emotions bottled up for a long time. The attraction that still burns between the two of them starts to break down the walls around Luke's heart. Likewise, Lizzie had thought she was long over Luke and is dismayed to discover otherwise. It isn't easy for them to spend time together at first, but Lizzie is determined to show Luke the benefits of keeping the resort. I enjoyed the scenes of Lizzie showing him around. The descriptions were vivid enough for me to be able to picture them. As the chemistry between them continued to grow, they needed to come to terms with their past before they could move on with their lives. Though each tended to bring up the same points multiple times, they were able to discuss them in a relatively adult manner. But it was a crisis involving Kaitlyn that opened their eyes to the other's point of view and served to finally bring them together. I liked the solution they came up with, and look forward to seeing more of them in future books.

I liked both Luke and Lizzie. Luke is a good guy, whose success has not gone to his head. I enjoyed the scenes with him interacting with various people at the resort. I also liked the way that he connected with Kaitlyn and understood her grief over the deaths of her parents. I loved the way that Lizzie willingly gave up her career for Kaitlyn. Her patience with Kaitlyn and her attitude was fantastic, especially with some of the horrible things Kaitlyn said. Though there were times I wanted to shake Kaitlyn until her teeth rattled, I also ached for her, especially as more of her story came out. The scenes with her on the trail had me on the edge of my seat until it was all over. ( )

Luke & Lizzie's story. Luke is a extreme athlete that thrives on adventures all over the world. His father dies and he leaves each one of his seven sons a legacy designed just for them. While none of them are particularly thrilled with their legacy or understand why their father choose to leave them what he did, Luke decides to go to the lodge where his parents met just to put it up for sale. He hasn't seen Lizzie in a lot of years but suddenly she is part of his treasure hunt.

I was invested in this story right away and enjoyed how it played it out. I have never read Barbara Freethy before but will be looking at some of her other books. ( )

What a fantastic start!! The 7 brides for 7 brothers series is the story of a group of brothers that are shocked to hear their father, Colin died of cancer without telling them he was even sick. Their mother had died years earlier & their father threw himself into work to manage his grief amassing a tremendous fortune along the way.

Luke is an extreme adventurer that creates films of his adventures & those of others like him. He had one true love of his life in high school but she abandoned him at the last minute before they were to fly out for his first adventure. He's finishing up his latest jump & filming when he received the call from his aunt telling him to come home as soon as possible & that his father had died. He's never owned anything outright & even rents his apartment & equipment. Imagine his surprise when he hears that his father left him the resort where his parent first met.

Lizzie Parker is grateful that Colin gave her a job when she didn't have any experience running a resort. She just needed someplace to land while she tried to help her niece deal with the loss of her parents (Liz's sister & brother in law) & open up to her. She's totally shocked when Luke shows up saying that his father died & he's the new owner. Liz is the girl that left Luke at the airport. Can they make piece with their past? Will Luke sell the resort?

From the moment of Colin's death, Ms. Freethy captures your heart & emotions & keeps them involved in the story. Luke & Liz not only have their past history drawing them together but they begin to bond again over the tragedies in their lives. I love that the supporting characters have bonded & formed a family brought together by love, not just blood. The plot has some twists & revelations that aren't expected & keep you reading on. I totally loved this book & the fact that these authors didn't do the expected & start with either the oldest or youngest brother. I can't wait to see how the rest of the authors tackle their brothers. ( )