Sunday, June 4, 2017

Sweetbriar Cottage Review


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 About the Book

When Noah and Josephine Mitchell discover their divorce was never actually finalized, their lives are turned upside down.

Following his divorce, Noah gave up his dream job, settling at a remote horse ranch in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia, putting much-needed distance between himself and the former love of his life. But then Noah gets a letter from the IRS claiming he and Josephine are still married. When he confronts Josephine for the first time in months, they discover that she missed the final step in filing the paperwork and they are, in fact, still married.

Josephine is no happier about the news than Noah. Maybe the failed marriage—and okay, the botched divorce—was her fault, but her heart was shattered right alongside his, more than he would ever believe. The sooner they put this marriage behind them, the better for both of their sakes.

But when Josephine delivers the final paperwork to his ranch, the two become stranded in his cottage during the worst spring snowstorm in a decade. Being trapped with Josephine is a test of Noah’s endurance. He wrestles with resentment and an unmistakable pull to his wife—still beautiful, still brave, and still more intriguing than any woman he’s ever known.

As they find themselves confronted with each other and their shared past, old wounds surface and tempers flare. But when they are forced out into the storm, they must rely on each other in a way they never have before. Josephine finally opens up about her tragic past, and Noah realizes she’s never been loved unconditionally by anyone—including him. Will Noah accept the challenge to pursue Josephine’s heart? And can she finally find the courage to trust Noah? (Goodreads)



My Thoughts

Isn't the cover lovely?! I think this is one of the prettiest covers I have seen this year. 
I have so many mixed feelings about this book. Finishing the last chapter left me unsettled and slightly depressed. This book has a lot packed into a short time.I felt like this story could have been better explained with a few more chapters. It felt rushed, even with the different story lines. As a reader I felt like I didn't get to know the characters as much as I would have liked to, especially Noah. Honestly, I would have loved to read more about the characters themselves instead of long kissing scenes and how great their chemistry was. I also was bummed by how much focus was on the appearance of Josephine and her figure. Granted some of it was necessary for the story line but it was repetitive. I want to know her heart not how her shirt stretches across her chest. Don't get me wrong I like romance, and I understand the difference seeing as these two were married but at times I just wanted more depth. I love the back story and I love that Denise wrote a book full of so many issues that are relevant to many people. I love that she took a "divorced" couple from despair to somewhat less broken. So all of that being said I still have mixed feelings.
I will say that for a Christian book, there were a few edgy scenes throughout the book that took me by surprise. Nothing completely graphic but the imagination goes a long ways.


I give it four stars.


"I received this book from BookLook for free. All opinions are my own."









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