September 2021 Book of the Month Giveaway

October 17, 2021 12:24 PM Posted by juliannadouglas

I completed four novels and two short stories in September, but once again, only one received the necessary five stars from me to feature here. It’s the third in a favorite series by a favorite author who I featured once before. Luke and Sydney were teenage sweethearts who were madly in love, but at nineteen, Sydney left their Gansett Island summer paradise for college without ever saying goodbye to Luke. She completely moved on with her life, marrying another man and having two great kids, but an unthinkable tragedy brings her back to the island to heal both her body and mind. About a year later, Sydney and Luke finally reconnect and quickly discover that the old spark is still there. Luke has never stopped loving Sydney, so he’s all in pretty much from the start. However, Sydney is a little more gun-shy, loving their time together, but wanting to take things slow when it comes to making major decisions about their future. She also feels some guilt about having such strong feelings for Luke with her husband only gone a year.  Then there’s the possibility of her parents, who’ve always disapproved of Luke, getting in the way of their budding reunion romance, while Luke is playing a few things close to the vest for fear of getting hurt again, which stirs up a little trouble in paradise, too.

Sydney is a wonderful heroine and although she did Luke wrong all those years ago, she’s extremely apologetic about how much she hurt him. She has some regrets, but at the same time, she knows that she’d have never had her kids without making this big mistake. I admired her for being a stronger person now, willing to stand up to her parents’ snobbishness for another shot at happiness. I absolutely loved quiet, unassuming Luke. He’s a simple guy, living a simple life, who knows he has one soul mate, and he pours all his effort into reminding Syd of everything she’s been missing. I adore how sweet and supportive he is toward her, encouraging her to talk about the husband and family she lost, knowing exactly how much they meant to her. Although a part of him is afraid of getting hurt again when the summer comes to an end, he still doesn’t hesitate to wear his heart on his sleeve and let Syd know that she’s the only one for him. Theirs is a heartwarming, emotional, second-chance romance that really tugged on my heartstrings. Sydney has been through an unimaginable tragedy, but she’s managed to pick up the pieces and move on with her life admirably, but in a realistic way that doesn’t minimize what she’s been through or how much it’s affected her. Luke is kind and patient, willing to risk his heart for another chance at love with her and allows her to go at her own pace. It’s obvious that these two belonged together and if not for Syd’s meddling parents, they might have been with each other always, yet neither Luke nor Syd dwell too much on the what-ifs, instead simply moving forward from the present fully invested in one another. The other Gansett residents add lots of flavor to the story, too. Overall, it was an absolute pleasure to read. That’s why I’m naming Marie Force’s Ready for Love as my September Book of the Month. If you enjoy a sweet beta hero who knows what he wants paired with a tortured heroine in an emotional, dramatic and steamy story, then you should definitely give this book a try. Keep reading to learn how you can win a copy for your own library.

Cover Blurb- Some places are made for starting over . . . For four of the best summers of his life, Luke Harris was in love with Sydney Donovan, a wealthy seasonal visitor to Gansett Island. Then Sydney went off to college and never came back. She married another man and had two children while Luke remained on the island, working at McCarthy's Gansett Island Marina and wondering what had gone wrong between him and the only woman he ever loved... Fifteen months after Sydney suffers the tragic loss of her family, she needs to figure out what's next. Searching her heart, she's drawn back to Gansett Island, a place of happy memories. But will she also be drawn again to the man from her past who she's never forgotten? And is she ready for a second chance at love?

Read my complete review of Ready for Love.

Giveaway
If you would like to win a copy of Ready for Love to see how wonderful it is for yourself, just enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below. One lucky winner will receive their choice of an eBook or print copy of the book. If the winner chooses an eBook, I will gift it to them via the eBook retailer of their choice (Amazon or B & N). If the winner chooses a print copy, I will have it mailed directly to them via Amazon. Good luck!

International Entrants: You are welcome to enter my contest, but please note that not all eBooks are available in all countries due to copyright restrictions. If this is the case, Amazon offers an option to trade for a gift card (I'm not sure about B & N). If you choose print, I can mail it to you via the Amazon website that services your country, pending availability and cost. Otherwise I will mail it to you via U. S. Amazon's standard international shipping, but it may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive, and I may not have the capability of tracking the package.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Categories: Book of the Month, Giveaways

Tags: Marie Force