55774

Borrowed ( )

This was what I guess you would call a Christian-themed romance, which I didn't realize when I started it. For some reason, the main character thought that the Lord wanted her to turn an old ramshackle Victorian house, located on the shores of a beautiful lake, into a book store/tea room. (Sounds like a place I would love.) A drifter guy turns up who happens to be an excellent handyman in need of temporary employment. Conveniently, he is also handsome and deeply Christian, and he has a big secret. To the surprise of no one, true love ensues. The themes of forgiveness and redemption hover heavily, almost annoyingly, over the proceedings. The whole thing was really silly and forgettable, but not a terrible read. I wouldn't seek out any further novels in the series. ( )

This was a nice story. I would call it a Christian romance, with a touch of mystery in it. I loved the fact that Mona was opening up a bookstore, I like stories set in bookstores, where the characters have a love of reading. It was a little annoying that both Joe and Mona had a past that they were trying to keep hidden. They felt that they had secrets that couldn't come out, but when they finally did, it was no big deal. So there was frustration on my part with the main characters that they just couldn't open up to each other. But just like any other romance, they finally came together. You knew they would, it just took to long. ( )

Left off in chapter 6. Happily Ever After is well-written, with likable characters and good world-building. I'd like to visit Deep Haven again...but I just couldn't get into this book. I figured out the "surprise" in chapter one, and I didn't find the main characters compelling enough to keep reading. Might try it again another time, or maybe skip to one of the other books in the series.