| Title | : | Angel's Rest (Eternity Springs, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0345518349 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780345518347 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 336 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2011 |
Gabriel Callahan has lost everything that mattered. All he wants is solitude on an isolated mountain estate. Instead, he gets a neighbor. Vibrant, no-nonsense Nic Sullivan is Eternity Springs' veterinarian, and she has an uncanny plan to lure this talented architect back to the world of the living. First with a dog, next with a renovation project, and, finally, with a night of passion that ends with a surprise.
Now a man still raw from tragedy must face the biggest struggle of his heart. Can he forgive himself and believe in the power of second chances? Dare he trust in the promise of a future and a brand-new family here in Eternity Springs?
Angel's Rest (Eternity Springs, #1) Reviews
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Snowed-in cabin in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA
★★★★✩ This is a “new-2-me” author, and I like her “voice.” I’ll definitely continue with this series set in a small town in Colorado. The hero was a bit of an asshat, so I had to put this down for a couple of days. However, I’ll forgive him this once, since he was grieving. -
4.5 Stars - Also reviewed at:
Lady Jayne's Reading Den
ANGEL’S REST WOULDN’T LET ME REST – It kept me up reading until almost 2am on a weeknight!
I found this book through Lisa Kleypas’ Facebook page where she said:“I have to tell you about a wonderful new book--a debut by Emily March called ANGEL'S REST! This new series has had a spectacular start-- Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review. I gave her a quote: "Emily March's stories are heart-wrenching and soul-satisfying. Don't miss a visit to Eternity Springs." I'm telling you, you're in for a real treat! Please get this book and check out her FB page.”
So, of course, I had to read this book! Yes, an endorsement by one of my favourite authors is why I bought the book. I’ve only ever read a few books for this reason, but hey, this was Lisa Kleypas!
It is so funny, but as I was writing this review and watching American Idol, Pia Toscano was singing Whitney Houston’s “Where Do Broken Hearts Go?”, and my reply was: Eternity Springs! ^_^
Angel’s Rest is a heart-wrenching and moving story about grief, healing, second chances, and what happens when a relationship develops all the wrong way around.
Eternity Springs, the setting of this series, is a small town in the Colorado Rockies, population 827. The town was founded by 3 miners and was called “Eternity Springs” for the hot springs where they soothed their sore muscles, and because the area was so remote that it took an eternity to get there. But Eternity Springs isn’t just a place to sooth muscles. There is a something special about the place. It is a place where broken souls find healing.
Angel’s Rest begins with John Gabriel Callahan (Gabe), a man tormented from losing all that mattered in his life, at the darkest point a person can be – contemplating “taking a hike”, in the solitude of the Rockie mountains, with a 9mm Glock. I immediately connected with Gabe in those first few pages, having been in that dark place, myself, in the past… where the pain and sadness becomes so unbearable that you just want to die.
A homeless, goofy boxer saves Gabe’s life, stopping him from pulling the trigger by face-planting him in the snow, licking his face, and causing Gabe to smile for the first time in months.
A few days later, Gabe returns the favour, saving the dog from a trap. He takes the dog to the local vet, Dr. Nicole Sullivan (Nic). The compassionate, quietly confident, no-nonsense Dr. Nic, with her wholesome girl-next-door beauty, sparks Gabe’s interest but he is determined to keep his solitude, up at his borrowed mountain retreat. He leaves the dog with Nic, to find a home for it. But the dog has other plans and sees Gabe as his. A view Gabe does not share. This was so cute. The dog, which Gabe refused to name, was such an adorable character in this story, and I loved the reluctant relationship that forms between them.
[image error] -
Meh. It was an interesting story, enough to want to finish it, but I never felt the town folks were all that interesting, and the romance between H/h wasn't all that romantic. I wasn't crazy about the ending either as it purposely doesn't wrap up a key storyline so you must read the next book to find those answers.
The hero, Gabe, I understood and felt remorse for him as he is a grieving widow, but that didn't mean I cared for him as a hero since he was such an ASS at times. I liked the heroine much better, especially her friendships with the town folks, but she was too selfless towards Gabe's machinations until the end. I was thrilled when she finally grew a stiff backbone against him and saw him for who and what he was. The steam level for the romance was mild/subtle.
And there were these tie-in characters and comments regarding her other series (Callahan Bros) that I never read, so I didn't understand those parts. There is a part where the town folks try to solve a 100 year old murder, and I have no idea if/how that tied-in with her other series, but it sure felt as if I was missing something there. Gabe's past has a direct tie-in to the Callahan's too, and again I am not sure how. Maybe he was a character in one of those books as it felt as if there was more to his story.
The series is based around the town of Eternity Springs, Colorado. From what I can gather, it is a place for lost and damaged souls to find peace and heal from past tragedies. There is a subtle implied mystical/magic about the town, but otherwise it's just a normal place.
What I did like was the heroine and her friendships with the town ladies. I'm considering reading the next book as I already have it, and reviews say it is much better. -
Bütün seri böyle acıların çocuklarıyla mı dolu 🤔
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Have you ever been in a social gathering and overheard a gorgeous woman talking about this "totally hawt" guy she's into because he's kind and strong and she "just can't wait for you guys to meet him!"? And then in walks a weasel in skinny jeans and a soul patch who broods all night and totally ignores her despite her fawning interest? Yeah, me either. But that's totally what this book does. We're supposed to believe that Gabe is all that. An ex-soldier who faced long odds and survived but is grieving for his lost wife and child should be all kinds of engaging. Strong! Capable! Cares a whole lot! Only Gabe is a giant wuss whose go-to strategy is to run away at any hint of emotion so that he can numb his pain with darkness (and whiskey). I knew we were in trouble when the first scene with him is in a snowy clearing where he pulls out his Glock ready to end it all (with added tension when he releases the safety to do the deed—do authors do no research any more? Editors? I mean, come on!). This scene came across as trite and shallow with suicide as a shorthand for him being really, really sad.
I kept waiting for him to get any better, but he doesn't. This guy runs more than Usain Bolt. If Gabe had featured in Forrest Gump, we'd still say "Run, Forest, Run!" but we'd all mutter afterwards "better than that idiot coward does because he's an idiot. And also a coward". In a race with a cheetah . . . I'd still back the cheetah, but only because the closest whiskey is in Gabe's locker and not across the finish line. And the thing is, I knew this would lead to a stupid dark moment and that the negative motivation* would be killer and I still read on.
I mean, it isn't like Nicole (Nick) is much better. Okay, she's tons better. The only problem with Nick is that she falls for the emotional black hole that is Gabe. She's kind and willing to see the best in people, and that includes Gabe, so at least she's consistent. I liked her facing setbacks with bold courage and that she communicates honestly and is forthright in telling Gabe what she wants and where he stands with her.
And I have no idea how March pulled off making a community dedicated to the "healing powers of love" with a side-note of angel mania not sound as silly as clown shoes at a disco. Celeste Blessing (that name!) alone should have tripped my heartiest "are you kidding me" gag reflex as the wise kind-hearted meddling elderly woman whose suggestions are always perfect and whose funding a "healing center" provides the focus of saving this small town when the plan to build a prison doesn't pan out. I know, right?!? Every cynical bone in my body should have been humming with plans to mock the crap out of the setting in general and Celeste in detailed particular. But I just can't. I liked Celeste. I found her pronouncements about faith and courage endearing. I just might have an alien possessing me right this minute and I don't care!
Anyway, this is 2½ stars that I'm rounding up on the sheer cheek that has me invested in this weird community and the people there. Also, Nick was lovely, if maybe a little too perfectly so. I'll probably even move on to read the next, even though I find Sage nearly as groan-worthy as Gabe. I really hope she isn't a similar emotional coward...
A note about Audiobook: It's remotely possible that my tolerance for Celeste is her Southern gentility background and Kathe Mazur does an excellent job conveying just a hint of that gentle accent. This works very well with Celeste's grace and kindness and hearty good cheer. She's that ideal of noble good will that wouldn't even think of blessing someone's heart because she'd actually mean it as a blessing.
A note about Steamy: There are two explicit sex scenes putting this (barely) in the middle of my steam tolerance. They're very much ground zero of Gabe's yellow streak and central to my growing hate for him. So I can't say they're in any way beneficial to the story.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term.
Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work,
here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story. -
As a major fan of Geralyn Dawson's Callahan brothers series. I'd have to give this a 2 for my major disappointment. But I tried to separate the series and pretend it was a different writer altogether and that the Callahan brothers didn't exist and decided to give it a 3 star. It seemed to me the writer was trying to do a copycat Virgin River series type thingy but didn't know how to pull it off. I honestly don't know if I'll continue the series because I didn't connect with the characters enough.
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In Emily March’s first book of this series, we are introduced to the small town of Eternity Springs, Colorado, population 827. I liked this town and I liked the secondary characters. We even have a little mystery to solve. I liked the background story and how this town was formed and by whom.
This is the story of John Gabriel (Gabe) Callahan and Nicole (Nic) Sullivan. Gabe is a tortured soul who has suffered great loss in his past. Haunted from the memories and experiencing dark depression, he has sought refuge in his friend’s isolated cabin in Eternity Springs. Handsome, sexy Gabe's gut-wrenching torment is so deep that it will grab you and tear at your heart. It has been a year since tragedy struck and he is losing his will to live. He is surprised when he finds himself sexually drawn to Nicole. He fights this awakening, knowing he is only a shell of a man. He has nothing to offer in the way of a romantic relationship. He will never open himself to love again and Nicole deserves so much more.
Nic Sullivan, local vet, has returned to Eternity after the break up of her marriage. Still bitter after discovering her husband in bed with another woman, coming home to Eternity has helped in restoring her shattered self esteem and broken dreams. She likes Gabe Callahan and wonders if they could one day have the kind of relationship her heart desires.
This book is about the healing power of love and small town life. It is about family and friends. I very much enjoyed reading the events and happenings of Eternity Springs and liked the secondary characters as well. And while I did like Nic and Gabe and sympathized with the predicament they find themselves in, I do not normally enjoy reading about Gabe’s type of tragedy. It just doesn’t appeal to me. So for me, it did take away from my overall pleasure of this book. That is in no way a fault of the author. It is just my preference.
The book also introduces us to Nic’s friends who have major time in the story. Each have a hidden mystery and I look forward to reading the other books in this series to see how it all unravels. And of course, a few minor details involving Gabe & Nic are left for us to find out in the next installment.
This is my first read by this author and I liked it very much. I enjoy small town life books. I would rate this one as “mild steam”. I like the town of Eternity Springs and look forward to reading the next one.
Just a note: I did not realize until after reading this book that Gabe has a family in another series, The Callahan Brother’s, written by Ms. March under the name Geralyn Dawson. It has been ten years since he has seen his brothers and a brief mention of them are here in Angel’s Rest. -
This is my first Emily March book, and the first in the Eternity Springs series. I actually listened to this book on audio and loved it so much, I couldn't turn it off...ended up listening to the last few hours last night until midnight. I'm tired today, but it was worth it!
Gabe is a wounded soul, whose wife and son died not too long ago. He came to Eternity Springs to really retreat from life, and the book begins with him contemplating suicide. When he meets Nicole Sullivan, the town veterinarian, his world gets turned upside down. I can honestly say I wanted to hit him about 5 times during the course of this book, but when you remember that his loss is still very recent, it helps to forgive the things he does. Nicole is basically a saint, because she loves him pretty much in spite of the fact that he breaks her heart on a daily basis. When he finally goes too far and she stands up for herself, I wanted to cheer! It was what he needed to hear to break him out of his self-pity spiral. I love a good grovel, and this man certainly didn't slack off on it once he really realized how much he'd hurt her. The ending was kind of lovely, and I'm pretty happy with where it left us.
The town is a riot.....lots of colorful characters and rich town history, including a corpse they find in the basement of historic Cavanaugh House. The corpse bride plays a part here and along with the house's owner, Celeste, becomes a sort of savior for the dying town. Nic's friends are awesome, and I can't wait to read more about them and about the town I love. It reminds me a lot of the Virgin River series, as the town is a refuge of sorts for wounded souls. Unlike the VR series, here the author focuses mostly on the main couple, with small asides with the rest of the town. Can't wait for the next book! -
My first Emily March book. I really liked it. Onto the next book in the series. 😁
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This was sad, sweet and fun.
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It took awhile to get through this one, mostly because of the overwhelming sentimentality. "Sweet-small-town" is not something I look for in a book, but I generally don't mind it either. This one though, however, had the "sweet" laid on with a trowel, overlaid with a heavy coating of angel feathers. A mysterious newcomer named Celeste Blessing - she rides a Honda Gold Wing because she likes to fly, and has sky blue eyes. She suggests the "Angel plan" to save the dying town. There's a 100-year-old skeleton discovered in her house, wearing a pendant of angel wings. A conveniently discovered letter written by the corpse's widower refers to her as his angel. The healing center is to be named Angel's Rest. The quilting bee is going to be named Patchwork Angels. The dog Tiger is renamed Clarence after the angel in It's a Wonderful Life. And on and on.
However, some people really go for that kind of sugar, I guess.
It wasn't the most unreadable book I've ever read. Some of the characters occasionally rang true. Usually everything seemed idealized, though. Even when they fight, the characters always seemed shaped so as to appear sympathetic. The heroine is strong, and stands up for herself, while being forgiving. Hero's a jerk, but it's because he's in pain, see? Well, that's how it seemed I was expected to feel about him. As it happens, the hero is really tiresome. I've never seen a hero who was so self-pitying, so self-indulgent in his grief. Guilt, guilt, guilt. In the immortal words of Blackadder's Mrs. Miggins: Oh Mr. [Callahan], don't be such a big girl's blouse! Well, he doesn't stop being a baby till right at the end, and even then, he's still sappy. Not my cup of tea, at all.
Another thing that reduced my enjoyment of this book were a few times when it felt like the author took short cuts. There were a few places when there would be a jump ahead in time. Three months later, six weeks later, and so on. And a few minor characters, instead of being described properly, were just compared to celebrities - Sean Connery, Sophie Loren (2 actually are compared to her), and Joe Jonas. This pulled me right out of the story, as I immediately pictured these people, sticking out like sore thumbs, in some tiny little town.
Ultimately, with the pervasive fromage, despite blatant sequel-baiting, I don't think I'd read another by this author. I don't think I'm in the intended readership, anyway. I can take a quilting bee, but the heavy-handed angel stuff, alongside occasional terrorist-dirtbag-fighting patriots, and emphatically abstinence ring-wearing teenagers, - I get the feeling that this book is really for people further right on the political spectrum than me. -
First book in the series and I loved it; I couldn't put it down. It was similar in style to the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr, but instead of it being centered around a group of men it is about a group of women. So many characters were introduced and many potential marvelous books for the series. Lots of secrets to be uncovered that were just grazed over, but I am sure will be answered in the future books.
The first book was Gabriel and Nicole's story and I expect like Virgin River their stories will continue in the rest of the series since they have some big events that weren't finished at the end of book 1. Nic is the local vet and has returned to Eternity Springs after she divorced her cheating husband. Gabriel is a lost soul and has come to Eternity Springs to retreat from life, possibly kill himself, after his wife and young son were killed in car crash in which he was driving over a year ago. As he starts to meet some of the citizens of E.S., quite a eclectic group of characters, he realizes he can live, but can't forgive himself or move on from his wife and young son. Until an event happens where he is forced to move on, but a lot of heartbreak moments come along with it.
I was so drawn into this whole story, there are mainly four friends introduced in the first book; Nicole, the main character and vet- loved her; Sarah, Nic's BFF from childhood, who has a 16 year old and no husband, but hints are given; Sage, a beautiful redhead with a hidden past and a gifted artist; and Celeste and older woman who is inspiring, has some type of foresight, angel connections and saves the town by building a healing center and resort- calling it Angel's Rest. Also there was a loyal and life saving dog "Tiger".
I am starting book 2 right away- to get some answers to Nic and Gabe's story, as well as, a few other mysteries that went unsolved. I highly recommend this series if you like Virgin River and the whole small town concept (this one is in Colorado). The sex was minimal (2 scenes that were sensual, short and not graphic), but some great chemistry.
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Seriously...that was the ending? We didn't get to find out some information and are now forced to read book 2 in order to find out, which btw, I wasn't going to read but now might have to. Or I will find someone who has read it and ask them.
This book was way too sappy sweet everywhere you turned except for the hero, Gabe. Gabe did 3 really assholey things through out this book. They made me so mad I felt Nic's (heroine) hurt and anger, which on the one hand is great that the author was able to make me feel those things, but dang if it had been real life it would have taken a lot to trust that he wasn't going to break your heart a 4th time.
If you like Robyn Carr's Virgin River series you will like this one. Small, mountain town, great towns-people...as long as you can get past the let's all join hands and sing aspect of it, lol -
Eternity Springs is a town that’s easy to fall in love with. March invites readers into the town and develops it in such a manner that it’s easy to picture. The plot of the story was captivating, heartbreaking, & romantic. The many little detours along the way made it all the more captivating and wildly realistic.
March has created characters who instantly draw you in. Gabe’s tragic past broke my heart. At the same time his winning and giving personality made him someone that I genuinely wanted to see overcome it. Gabe made a miraculous recovery, but I guess that's the point. It's a miracle from an Angel. It also wasn’t all at once. His gradual healing was, and still is, an ongoing process. Nic was an intriguing heroine for this tale. The clashing of her beliefs and desires create situations that there’s no easy way out of. At the same time, her genuine goodness shines through. I also appreciated how well developed the supporting characters were. Their lives wind their way throughout the tale, introducing readers to the entire town, rather than simply the main characters.
This is a small town romance that’s worth its weight in gold, or silver, as the case may be. -
From the beginning, this story touches your heart strings. This is the first book in the Eternity Springs series and introduces us to a small town where people face life changing events and miracles are waiting around every corner. In the first few pages we get to witness a stray dog saving the life of a man that is in anguish from the death of his wife and child . While trying to do right, he meets the vet whose past gives her ample reasons for mistrusting men and an older woman rumored to have angelic connections. The author has a talent for making each introduced character jump off the page, as hints of their own ghost from the past come to light, their lives are weaved together into a community where friends have your back and healing becomes a real possibility. This book made me laugh and sometimes cry as I watched the struggle of finding real love. I didn't want the book to end. I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
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Sarmadı beni..
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3 Stars
THEMES / TROPES:
Unplanned Pregnancy
Love After Loss
Marriage of Convenience
Small Town Romance
Colorado Mountains Setting
My Thoughts:
Nic is the kind of heroine that makes me want to throw my Kindle out the window. So overly forgiving and understanding she became the perfect doormat for the hero. Gabe was a total jerk for almost the entire book, and Nic tolerated his crappy behavior. She deserved it for allowing it because he was always honest with her about his non-feelings for her and his heavy emotional baggage.
The thing that didn't make sense to me was Gabe's reasoning for wanting to marry her. It was ONLY out of obligation because she was pregnant. I honestly thought I was reading a book set in the 1950's. It wasn't until after the 85% mark that Nic finally tells him to go to hell. Gabe finally snaps out of his grief and pity parties and realizes he loves Nic. He grovels at the end and convinces Nic to take him back. It was a good HEA, with some very sweet scenes. But it wasn't enough to fully convince me. It's one of those romances where it feels like the heroine is second best, because the hero will always love the dead wife; like he loved her more.
This one also had a few secondary characters that gave really bad advice. It was frustrating when they'd convince Nic to be patient with Gabe while I wanted to sucker punch him. Nic's best friend, Sarah, was the only one that knew that Nic deserved better and warned her away from Gabe.
One last thing: This book came off like a Christian romance. I'm not sure if it actually is but it gave me the impression it might be.
**Library Freebie** -
Ok, So I love romantic fiction....I can't help it, I love happy endings and sweet stories. I love to read a book that I don't have to pay close attention to, that I can pick up and immediately get back into the story, and that helps me escape life for a few hours of enjoyment. I read to be entertained, to relax, and to laugh. That's why I love reading a romance (go ahead- judge me. I love happy stories.)
What I don't like is having to constantly skip pages to avoid the naughty scenes. Yes I'm aware that many, many people read FOR those parts- I personally avoid them. So I ran across a few different recommendations for this author on goodreads that mentioned she was a pretty clean writer, as far as the "steamy factor" goes. So I decided to check her out. I'm so glad I tried her! I appreciate an author that can get readers to believe a love story without having to throw in all the naughty stuff. the story was engaging and sweet, and I'll definitely be reading more of her books. Thank you Ms. March! Please keep it up! -
I began this series from its 3rd book and now I'm reading book 1 and I have to say I totally love this series. It's veryyyy romantic, no hard sex, shackles or whips but a lots of feelings, girlfriends and a little town.
In this first book our heroine is a vet who takes care of human people, too and our hero brings her a dog who stopped him from suicide.
He's a wounded man both physically and spiritually and sometimes it's a bit of a@@hole. She's wonderful and when he leaves her once more, she takes care of herself with her friends. I cannot say I liked him all the time, even if wounded there are things no man should do.
I liked her very much and as I said the story is sweet and very readable. For an afternoon of sweet feelings. -
I would not really classify this as a romance at all, but two people forced together. Good thing I had the audio version or I never would have finished this. It stared out good with the dog and Gabe finding him and bringing him to Nichole to get checked out. This feels like a poor attempt at a Virgin River remake with very conservative and religious vibes in your face. If you want a story where both MCs force themselves to get married, just to avoid having an illegitimate kid while torturing themselves the whole time this is the story for you. I had read one other story by this author before and it was pretty good, but this just did not work for me at all,.
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Will read at a later time
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Gabe her ne kadar sinirimi bozmuş olsa da Nic yüzünden veriyorum bu + yıldızı😒 Kız için söyledikleri böğrümü deldi yani.
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Our hero, Gabe hasn't had it easy. He was captured while he was working or CIA(?), then he had to change his identity so he lost his brothers, and later one lost his wife and son. He came to Eternity Springs to heal. In the begining of the book he is really depressed , but then he meets a dog, and a woman, and he is slowly drawn into the world of living. He tries to resist Nic, but after a surprise development he is forced into proximity with her. He also has to face his demons. He is still mourning his wife Jenn, and feels guilty when he is attracted to Nic. Gabe was an OK hero up to a point, but when he walked out on her, and left her alone to deal with possible loss I wanted to kill him (I know that the memories were riding him hard, but it still doesn't justify his actions) .
Nic, a small town vet, is immensely attracted to Gabe, and is slowly falling in love with him. She is aware that it won't be easy and that his baggage is overwhelming, but is willing to try to deal with. She put up with him for quite some time before he left her. Now at that point I'm really glad she kicked him out. He so deserved it. But he kind of managed to make up for it .
I like the town of Eternity Springs, and the supporting characters. Sarah, Sage, Celeste. It would be fun if we could get a story about Bear, the mountain man, & the rocket scientist that worked for NASA, that would be a fascinating read. :)
It nice that the story is stretched over a couple of months, and not crammed in a couple of days.
The only reason the book didn't get 5 stars is Gabe, I didn't particularly like him. And it would've been nice to see the Callahan family reunion (I did read
A Callahan Carol but it still didn't satisfy me, it was weird).
Rating:
3.5 stars. -
9/19/12 to 9/23/12 - I liked this much more than I expected. I haven't heard of this author before, but the jacket said that this book would "appeal to fans of Debbie Macomber." Very true--the style of writing and format is very similar. Nic is a smart and pretty small-town vet, while Gabe is a successful landscape designer but with lots of grief issues. They both become involved in a local woman's angel project and hope for/search for healing. Set in a remote section of Colorado called Eternity Springs.
10/11/17 to 10/13/17 - This time I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it just as much a second time as I did 5 years ago, still rating it a 4-star read. There is a wonderful small-town vibe, and we meet several members of Eternity Springs just when the town is having problems staying afloat. Tourist dollars have fallen, and most businesses are having trouble. When an elderly woman--Celeste--comes to town and buys a large estate, she decides to open a healing center around the local hot springs. The town starts to work together, growing and rebuilding and finding its way again because of it. Gabe has suffered the tragic loss of his young family and is floundering. Nic is still coping with her father's abandonment when she was a child and trying to start fresh in her home town. These two unhappy people find each other and find love. What I especially like about this book is its hopefulness. There's a sense of healing and of working to overcome problems that is inspiring. Kathe Mazur did a fine job of narration, reading well. Her Gabe voice is not particularly attractive, but it works. I look forward to continuing with this series in the audio version. -
I started following this author on Facebook because a "Like" was needed in order to enter a contest. So I thought I'd give her Eternity Springs books a try with this, the first of the series. Eternity Springs is a little town in Colorado, way off the beaten path & fighting for its existence. Our heroine is the local vet. Our hero is a Grieving Widower (caps intended) who almost offs himself at the start of the story before a gangly boxer dog pops up on the mountaintop to save him. The dog is the connection that leads to the 2 main characters meeting.
What I liked about the book: I liked the town & the various townspeople esp. the heroine's group of friends. I wanted to see how the H & H resolved their issues. It was a quick, engaging read.
What made me go "meh": The sugary sweetness & the "healing vibes" of Eternity Springs and angels everywhere, the guilt-guilt-guilt of the hero (find him a counselor, for pete's sake!), the "one night of passion leads to the heroine being pregnant" trope, the over the top details of some of the characters such as the hero - a landscape architect who, by the way, was also a captured secret agent of the government who has been officially 'dead' to his family for ten years.
The section above was from the first time I read this book and, while I still stand by what I wrote, three years later on re-reading it, I've mellowed somewhat and added a third star to my rating. (First read 2012, re-read in 2015) -
Angel's Rest
Emily March
☆★☆
Gabe Callahan came to Eternity Springs after losing Everything that mattered. All he wants is to be left alone with no connections to the world.
Nic Sullivan is the town Vet in Eternity Springs and seems to be Gabes only weakness.
I liked this book I did. I can't put my finger on what I disliked about it. It was hard for me to ipen up form the beginning. I love the town and the people! Celeste is a doll and just so warming! I love the friendships and bonds.
I think there were a lot of things repeated. And some things drug out!
The thing That I LOVE about this novel is Nic didnt just let a guy walk all over her like a normal romance novel. she kept her pride and didnt let him use her like a doormat! so when you read this lookforward to meeting STRONG women! I also enjoyed the belief aspect in this book. I dont know how to explain. There was a lot of keeping faith, praying, blessings, and love. There was the right amount without making the book seem preachy I enjoyed it.
I have to admit near the end I felt a little unsatisfied though. I still cant put my finger on it.
I do recommend this book and will be continuing the series :) -
This is not my usual type of book but Emily March came to speak at my local RWA chapter and signed copies of Angel's Rest so how could I resist? I admit I enjoyed the town, the concept and the characters. Eternity Springs is where you can go to heal. Vet Nic Sullivan is healing from a cheating husband. She's not looking for another man, not yet anyway. Certainly she doesn't need one so broken by the deaths of his wife and child as Gabriel Callihan. Okay, so this book is very emotional, especially for Gabe. But he's still alpha enough for me so I dealt with it. If you like books with depth, warmth and a beautiful setting, journey to Eternity Springs. it's a long running series and this was just book one.
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This book was well written "brain candy." You don't have to think much about the story, you can just relax and enjoy the journey the story takes you on. The characters seemed to be real people. The author does do some story jumps from one situation to another; but they are jumps that the reader can follow. Since the Library owes the complete "Eternity Springs" series; I do plan to read this author again in the near future.
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This story is set in small town in the Coloado Rocky Mountains.
It is a story about family, friends, a town full of healing and a
woman who changes the outlook and prosperity of the town.
The book covered loss and grieving from death and loss of trust
from divorce in the main characters. The supporting characters
each added their own flavor and the dog was great.
Enjoyable read. -
Solita piccola cittadina che mi ricorda Virgin River, solamente che qui non c'è una folla di veterani, ma diversi personaggi hanno un passato doloroso (e spesso segreto). La storia si dipana in più mesi ed è, come dire, dolce con alcuni punti di amaro.
