Category Archives: C.H. Admirand

December 2, 2013 · 11:57 pm

Review: Welcome Back to Apple Grove by C.H. Admirand

Title: Welcome Back to Apple Grove by C.H. Admirand
Small Town U.S.A. Trilogy Book Three
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

There’s No Place Like Home…

Grace Mulcahy thought she’d finally gotten Apple Grove, Ohio, out of her system. Then she’s lured back for a family barbecue and spies a broad-shouldered hottie hanging out at the grill. He somehow seems utterly at east, whether flipping burgers or horsing around with her hellion nephews. Why didn’t her brother-in-law tell her he had such gorgeous friends? Suddenly her mouth is watering for more than her best friend’s famous pie.

Some fires aren’t meant to be fought

When firefighter Pat Garahan sees Grace, it’s like a five-alarm bell goes off and he’s the one ablaze. She says she wants to leave Apple Grove, but he will do whatever it takes to keep her around. The life of a firefighter isn’t an easy one though, and he’ll have to prove their immediate spark can have a lasting chance at love.

The Review:

Welcome Back to Apple Grove is another delightfully heartwarming addition to C.H. Admirand’s charming Small Town U.S.A. series. In this outing, youngest sister Grace Mulcahy finds love with fireman Pat Garahan.

Grace left the family handyman business and moved from Apple Grove to pursue her dream of living in a big city. While she is satisfied with her career, her love life is another story. So her best friend Kate and sister Meg play matchmaker for Grace and Pat. She and Pat hit it off, but is there a future for their long distance romance?

The sparks are soon flying between Grace and Pat and their romance quickly heats up. Neither of them are quite sure how their relationship is going to work, but they are both committed to exploring the possibilities. Grace takes a couple of weeks off from work and in order to stay close to Pat, she returns to Apple Grove. Once there, she learns that the family handyman business is in desperate need of her organizational skills so she agrees to help out temporarily while she is in town.

Grace and Pat are a good match and for the most part, their relationship is fairly easygoing. Like the other books in the series, theirs is basically lust at first sight that soon deepens into love. Grace and Pat have an easy rapport and their conversations reflect their comfort with one another. They also have an instantaneous attraction that simmers in the background and the sexual tension between them positively sizzles.

Grace is very surprised to discover how much she has missed Apple Grove and the family business. In true “grass is greener on the other side” fashion, what once irritated her is now a source of comfort. Grace also discovers how very much she misses her family and friends and that big city anonymity is no match for the care and concern she finds in her small home town.

The conflict between Grace and Pat builds for much of the novel. Pat is unwilling to discuss the traumatic event that drove him to relocate from NY years earlier. He has never really dealt with the emotional issues stemming from the incident and his lack of communication eventually comes between them. Fortunately for Grace and Pat, family and friends are quick to aid the couple and their problems are easily resolved.

Welcome Back to Apple Grove is another deeply moving and entertaining installment in C.H. Admirand’s Small Town U.S.A. series. The love and support of family and friends has made this series an absolute joy to read and I am really going to miss visiting Apple Grove.

Read my reviews of the other books in the series HERE.

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Filed under C.H. Admirand, Contemporary, Rated B, Review, Romance, Small Town USA Trilogy, Sourcebooks, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Welcome Back to Apple Grove

June 3, 2013 · 3:56 am

Review: One Day in Apple Grove by C.H. Admirand

Title: One Day in Apple Grove by C.H. Admirand
Small Town U.S.A. Series Book Two
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Welcome to Apple Grove, Ohio (pop. 597), a small town with a big heart.

Caitlin Mulcahy loves her family. She really does. But sometimes they can drive her to her last shred of sanity—from her dad (“I’m not meddling, I just want what’s best for you”) to her eight-months-pregnant older sister to her younger sister, who will do just about anything to avoid real work. Cait just needs to get away, even if for only an hour.

When she sees someone in need of help on the side of the road, of course she’s going to pull over. She might even be able to fix his engine—after all, the Mulcahy family is a handy bunch. She’s not expecting that former Navy medic Jack Gannon and a little black puppy named Jameson will be the ones who end up rescuing in her.

The Review:

One Day in Apple Grove is another charming installment in C.H. Admirand’s Small Town U.S.A. series. With the long hours Caitlyn Mulcahy is working in the family handyman business, she has little time for a personal life. But when she helps Jack Gannon rescue a stray puppy, she agrees to help him take care of the adorable canine. When they act on their mutual attraction, their close friendship quickly turns to love.

Jack and Cait both love living in Apple Grove. Jack’s service in the military satisfied his wanderlust while Cait has never had any desire to leave town. With his time in the service over, Jack returns to take over his retiring father’s medical practice. Jack is trying to adjust to the physical and emotional wounds from war while Cait is trying to juggle the demands of the family business with her personal dreams.

The relationship between Jack and Cait is relaxed and easygoing. Their transformation from friends to lovers occurs quickly but their emotions for one another ring true. Their conflicts are resolved relatively quickly with minimal angst in a realistic manner.

Many of the characters from A Wedding in Apple Grove makes guest appearances in One Day in Apple Grove. There is not as much interaction between Cait, Meg and Grace in this installment but Cait spends quite a bit of time with her dad, Joe. He provides Cait and Jack with some very insightful advice on one of the issues they are dealing with. Joe’s romance with Mary Murphy is still simmering on the back burner, but things seem to be heating up by the novel’s end.

A sweet but spicy addition to a heartwarming series that fans of homespun novels are sure to enjoy.

Read my reviews of the other books in the series HERE.

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Filed under C.H. Admirand, Contemporary, One Day in Apple Grove, Rated B, Review, Romance, Small Town USA Trilogy, Sourcebook Casablanca, Sourcebooks

November 2, 2012 · 3:57 am

Review: A Wedding in Apple Grove by C.H. Admirand

Title: A Wedding in Apple Grove by C.H. Admirand
Small Town U.S.A. Trilogy Book One
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

He’s not so sure about small town life.
She can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Welcome to Apple Grove, Ohio (population 597), where everyone has your best interests at heart, even if they can’t agree on the best way to meddle. When the townsfolk of Apple Grove need handiwork done, there’s no job too small for the Mulcahy sisters: Megan, Caitlin, and Grace.

Specializing in hard work and family loyalty, tomboy Meg Mulcahy has left behind any girlhood dreams of romance. Enter newcomer Daniel Eagan, looking to bury his own broken heart and make a new start. He’s surprised-and delighted-by the winsome girl with the mighty tool belt who shows up to fix his wiring.

But Dan’s got a lot to learn about life in a small town, and when Meg’s past collides with her future, it may take all 595 other residents of Apple Grove to keep this romance from short-circuiting.

The Review:

A Wedding in Apple Grove, C.H. Admirand’s first installment in her Small Town U.S.A. trilogy is a delightfully charming romance. The sparks fly between Meg Mulcahy and newcomer Dan Eagan and they are quick to act on their mutual desire. But when Dan is not ready to move forward with their relationship, Meg must decide if the sexy high school soccer coach is worth waiting for.

Meg and Dan are magnificently developed, three dimensional characters who have both been hurt in previous relationships. Meg is devoted to her family and she shares a close bond with her father, Joe and her sisters, Cait and Grace. She works long hours in the family business and I love that her character has a non-traditional career as a handywoman who can repair just about anything. Putting her life on hold following her mother’s death years earlier, Meg still lives at home as she waits for her on again/off again boyfriend to fully commit to their relationship. But her instant attraction to Dan becomes a catalyst for Meg to make some much needed changes in her life.

Handsome, sexy, a little bit wounded by his ex and a true gentleman, Dan is definitely a sigh worthy hero. He is kind, caring and considerate to everyone but it is his relationship with his Great Aunt Trudi that reveals his loving nature. Having been betrayed in past relationships, Dan is not ready to rush his relationship with Meg, much to her dismay. Afraid of losing Meg, Dan turns to Aunt Trudi who provides some much needed advice and a gentle push in the right direction.

The relationship between Meg and Dan moves fairly quickly from lust to love. Their sex scenes are sensual and understated. They truly compliment one another’s strengths and weaknesses and I enjoyed watching them figure out how to make their relationship work for them.

The secondary cast of characters is also well-developed and equally likable. Meg is very close to her Dad, and their scenes together are quite touching. The relationship between Meg and her sisters is a typical sibling relationship and I got a laugh out of some of their antics. But it is the friendship between Meg and longtime friend Honey B. that I enjoyed the most. The bond between them is strong and their honesty with one another is quite refreshing.

While A Wedding in Apple Grove is well-written, some of the timeline was difficult to keep up with. I was confused on a couple of occasions when I could not tell if the scene was taking place on the same day or a different one. A small issue that did not lessen my enjoyment of the story, but it did cause me to flip back to see if I had missed a transition from one scene or day to another.

C.H. Admirand’s A Wedding in Apple Grove is a heartwarming romance that is fast-paced and engrossing. The small town setting adds warmth and appeal to the story. If you enjoy novels with terrific character development, witty, intelligent dialogue and a homey atmosphere, then you are going to love A Wedding in Apple Grove.

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Filed under A Wedding in Apple Grove, C.H. Admirand, Contemporary, Rated B, Review, Romance, Small Town USA Trilogy, Sourcebooks Casablanca

July 2, 2012 · 3:58 am

Jesse by C.H. Admirand

Title: Jesse by C.H. Admirand
Secret Life of Cowboys Book Three
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Soucebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Get swept away with C.H. Admirand
a storyteller with “amazing flair…Readers will be left panting.”—RT Book Reviews 4 ½ Stars

Loneliness Will Take a Man Places…

Jesse Garahan has plenty of Irish charm, but having had his heart demolished twice, he’s sworn off women forever. Until the fateful day he meets Danielle Brockway and her tiny daughter on their way to their new home in Pleasure, Texas.

But There May Be Places He Doesn’t Want To Go…
Fiercely protective of her little girl, Danielle isn’t about to let Jesse get anywhere close enough to hurt either of them, no matter how much longing she sees in his eyes…

The Review:

This beautiful love story will steal your heart as C.H. Admirand brings The Secret Life of Cowboys trilogy to a close. My favorite of the three Garahan novels, Jesse is an engaging romance with charming protagonists and an irresistible little cowgirl.

The youngest of the Garahan brothers, Jesse is recovering from a recent heartbreak. He is not looking for love, but Jesse falls hard for Danielle Brockway and her adorable daughter Lacy. Danielle is leery of getting involved with another cowboy but Jesse slowly works past her defenses and into her heart.

Jesse Garahan is a hardworking cowboy who has deep ties to the family ranch he works with his brothers. The three brothers love, work and play hard and do not hesitate to work out their differences with their fists. They are fiercely loyal to one another and they love pushing one another’s buttons. Jesse lives by a strict code of cowboy conduct and old fashioned values instilled in him by his grandfather. Like his brothers, Jesse is possessive of the woman he loves.

Danielle Brockway is a single mom starting her life over following her divorce. She settles easily into her new life with her uncle Jimmy while trying to plan where her life is going next. She is a dedicated mom who is very protective of her four year old daughter Lacy. Danielle is easily accepted by the Garahan clan and she forms quick friendships with Ronnie and Emily.

Lacy is a precocious little girl who loves all things cowboy and she is smitten with Jesse from their first meeting. Jesse is a natural with children and their scenes together are incredibly sweet.

With a little bit of matchmaking by Emily and Ronnie, Jesse and Danielle’s relationship easily transitions from friends to lovers. While Danielle is wary of getting involved with another cowboy, she does not let her concerns interfere with their romance. The chemistry between them is sizzling and their lovemaking is quite sensual.

Jesse is a fast-paced novel with true to life characters and a believable storyline. Close family ties and friendships add to the novel’s appeal. C.H. Admirand saved the best story for last and Jesse is a wonderful end to a touching series. Fans of contemporary westerns won’t want to miss this fabulous romance.

Read my review of Dylan HERE

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Filed under C.H. Admirand, Contemporary, Jesse, Rated B, Romance, Secret Life of Cowboys, Sourcebook Casablanca, Sourcebooks

December 28, 2011 · 3:56 am

Dylan by C.H. Admirand

Title: Dylan by C.H. Admirand
The Secret Life of Cowboys Book 2
Publisher: Sourcebook Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: C+

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Second in a hot contemporary cowboy romance trilogy featuring three brothers desperately trying to save their ranch, and their pride.

Sexy rancher Dylan is temporarily covering his brother’s shift at the Lucky Star ladies club when he meets Ronnie DelVecchio, a darkhaired beauty with snapping green eyes. Sparks and tempers fly and Dylan can’t resist the urge to see what it would be like to kiss her senseless.

The Review:

C.H. Admirand’s Dylan is the second installment in The Secret Life of Cowboys series featuring the Garahan brothers. It is a sweet and sexy romance set in the charming small Texas town of Pleasure. From the moment he lassoes her at the Lucky Star, Dylan Garahan is captivated by Ronnie DelVecchio.

The sparks fly between Ronnie and Dylan from their first meeting, and Ms. Admirand keeps the sexual tension high as this couple works through their emotional baggage. Ronnie is recently divorced and reluctant to enter into a new relationship. She is strong, independent and shares a close bond with her grandmother. Dylan has not been in a serious relationship since his heart was broken by his childhood sweetheart. An alpha male, he strongly pursues Ronnie until he is able to slip past her defenses.

Dylan is a well-written but slow paced novel. The build-up of Ronnie and Dylan’s relationship moves at snail’s pace as they work through their respective issues. Their romance has an “insta-love” feel to it as they seem to fall in love fairly quickly without dating or really getting to know one another. The sexual attraction between them burns hot and their resulting lovemaking is explosive and quite steamy.

One of the most appealing aspects of Dylan is the close-knit relationship shared by Dylan and his brothers Tyler and Jesse. Having lost their parents at an early age, the three brothers were raised by their grandfather on the ranch that has been in their family for generations. Although he is now deceased, their grandfather’s presence is strongly felt throughout the novel.

Equally enjoyable are the friendships shared by Ronnie and the other women who own businesses in Pleasure. They are quick to lend aid when necessary and their scenes together truly shine. Mavis Beeton is sure to be everyone’s favorite character in The Secret Life of Cowboys series.

Overall, C.H. Admirand’s Dylan is an enjoyable read with some very charming and likeable characters. Although there are a few missteps and misunderstandings along the way, Ronnie and Dylan find their happily ever after with a little help from their friends and families.

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Filed under C.H. Admirand, Contemporary, Dylan, Rated C+, Romance, Secret Life of Cowboys, Sourcebook Casablanca