Falling Leaves: Review & Excerpt: Summer Kisses by Melinda Curtis

Welcome, or welcome back to Harmony Valley!

This small town at the northernmost edge of Sonoma County wine country is in trouble. It's so remote the sagging California economy of the past few years has driven businesses out, and without jobs, everyone under the age of 65 has left town. The 70 or so residents remaining are set in their ways.

Join Harmony Valley residents as youth returns to help save their town.

Summer Kisses

by Melinda Curtis

Adult Contemporary Romance

ebook & print, 384 pages

February 1, 2014 by Harlequin Heartwarming

A Harmony Valley Novel #2

Her carefully crafted facade is unraveling…fast

Rebecca MacKenzie's career as a caregiver for the elderly suited her perfectly. Ease their suffering, hop back in the motor home and move on. Caring without commitment. It was ideal for someone trying to outrun her memories…and mistakes. Someone determined to stay detached.

Flynn Harris, her new patient's grandson, is weakening her resolve in every way. His scrutiny, his suspicion—and worst of all, his kisses—are more than distracting. They're dangerous. Because she's teetering on the edge of caring. And revealing her secrets. And…staying.

Amazon│B&N│Kobo│iBooks│Harlequin│Google Play

My Thoughts

Coming back to Harmony Valley had been an incredible journey. In this second book, I grew to love more this beautiful town and its resident. In the process of rebuilding the town, Flynn found his match.

Flynn Harris was worried about his grandfather who just came back from the hospital. He needed a caregiver fast, so he can build the winery properly. But he never expected the beautiful Becca to come right in front of his house offering the perfect solution. He didn't trust her though. There's something about her that made him hesitant to offer her the job, but Grandpa Edwin wanted no one but her. So he asked her about her past that she desperately tried to hide from others.

Rebecca MacKenzie was a young widow with a caring and compassionate heart. She endured lost in such a young age that she vowed to help the elders with their dying wish, but it got her into many difficult predicament. She tried not to get close to her client that much to save herself some pain and grief when they passed away. She didn't like it and it broke her heart over again every single time. So when fate gave her this job, it was perfect since the client wasn't dying, where she got a great character reference and she won't say goodbye in the grave.

When Flynn's sister brought her son to stay with them, Flynn was terrified that something had happened, but he tried to trust his sister. Truman, his nephew, stayed with him and he got close with Becca's dog, Abby. Abby was a precious dog. I've loved him from the very first time. Becca continued to shower him with love that Truman felt more at home in Harmony Valley than anywhere else.

Flynn and Becca's chemistry was sweet and I love each one of their encounter. Flynn was sneaking kisses here and there and it was very adorable. But unfortunately, Flynn had a difficult time to trust her and she tried to convince him. They don't have an easy relationship because they were both stubborn and hurt.

Summer Kisses is a very complex read discussing many issue so close to our heart. I've experienced loss too, so what Becca felt was dear to me. I admired her so much from her true character. It's difficult to find someone so young to feel so strongly to elderly.

Again, Melinda had done a great job with the characters. This small town is somewhere I want to live now. There are some twists in the story and an unexpected ending. Bring your tissue close by too.

An unforgettable and compelling story about trust, hope and forgiveness ...

Highly recommended

Excerpt

Becca saw the little hurt boy behind his eyes and a part of her she needed solid and strong softened. Her hand twitched with the urge to reach out and comfort him. A light touch to the arm, the shoulder, his cheek.

Not helpful. So not helpful. She shoved her hands into her hoodie pockets and started walking.

He matched her pace, until they nearly bumped hips on the narrow trail, until she had to stop before they toppled on each other.

Becca drew a breath. “Really, I’m grateful—”

“I need help, Becca. You’ll make my grandfather happy.” The sincerity in his tone made hope, that treacherous thing, whisper in Becca’s ear. Becca’s gaze rested on the ground, where, presumably, she’d find her lost common sense. Instead she saw a glint of copper, barely visible in the dirt beneath the toe of Flynn’s sneakers.

It couldn’t be a penny. It had to be a leaf or a rock or something.

She could feel Flynn’s gaze upon her, gauging her character. “Old Virginia didn’t write a will or anything?”

“I have no proof. Only my word.” She tried not to sound bitter, but she was afraid she failed. “It doesn’t seem like you have much faith in people.” And yet, there was the penny, clearly visible when Flynn shifted his feet, an indication that she should accept.

“Since I became wealthy, my faith in my fellow man has been put to the test.” Flynn tipped up the brim of his baseball cap. “However, I am good at offering second chances. Are you good at accepting them?”

Becca searched his face to see if this was some kind of cruel joke.

He wasn’t joking. His blue eyes reflected a combination of sorrow and regret. He wanted to believe the best in her. Wanted, but couldn’t quite. “For my grandfather, if not for me.”

Her determination to refuse him wavered. If she took this job, she’d see Flynn every day. A daily opportunity for attraction to bloom and cause complications. Complications to the lawsuit, to her equilibrium, to her heart.

Copyright 2014© Melinda Curtis

Other Books in the Series

Dandelion Wishes

by Melinda Curtis

Adult Contemporary Romance

ebook & print, 379 pages

October 1, 2013 by Harlequin Heartwarming

A Harmony Valley Novel #1

Sometimes wishes do come true, she'd heard it said...

Will Jackson was a control freak and a killjoy. He had been since they were kids. He'd made it his mission to come between Emma Willoughby and her best friend--his little sister--all their lives. But why? Until the day of the accident, Emma had always thought of herself as adventurous, not dangerous.... And then her friend had almost died.

She desperately needed to apologize, to try to explain, if she could. Will had managed to keep the two apart while Tracy was in the hospital, but now that she was home in Harmony Valley, the winemaker wannabe had to understand that getting past this was the only way they could heal. And yet even if Tracy was able to, Emma wasn't sure she could forgive herself. And Will had made it abundantly clear: he wouldn't sleep until he'd found retribution.

Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│Kobo│iBooks│Harlequin│Google Play

Season of Change

by Melinda Curtis

Adult Contemporary Romance

ebook & print, 384 pages

May 1, 2014 by Harlequin Heartwarming

A Harmony Valley Novel #3

Harmony Valley... not so harmonious after all!

Christine Alexander needs to prove herself as a top-notch winemaker, and in Harmony Valley she's got a chance to build something legitimate, quality and lasting. What she doesn't need is part-owner Slade Jennings poking his nose in her cabernet.

Brooding, buttoned-up Slade Jennings won't be making things easy for his new hire.Someone has to worry about the bottom line. Forced into an uneasy partnership, the pair faces two challenges: create a spectacular award-winning vintage within months...and figure out if their tenuous friendship can grow into something deeper and lasting.