My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages: 394
Series: Christiansen Family #1
Genre: Romance, Christian Fiction
Published: Jan. 1, 2013
Rating: 4 stars
Synopsis:
Darek Christiansen is almost a dream bachelor—oldest son in the large Christiansen clan, heir to their historic Evergreen Lake Resort, and doting father. But he’s also wounded and angry since the tragic death of his wife, Felicity. No woman in Deep Haven dares come near.
New assistant county attorney Ivy Madison simply doesn’t know any better when she bids on Darek at the charity auction. Nor does she know that when she crafted a plea bargain three years ago to keep Jensen Atwood out of jail and in Deep Haven fulfilling community service, she was releasing the man responsible for Felicity’s death. All Ivy knows is that the Christiansens feel like the family she’s always longed for. And once she gets past Darek’s tough exterior, she finds a man she could spend the rest of her life with. Which scares her almost as much as Darek’s learning of her involvement in his wife’s case.
Caught between new love and old grudges, Darek must decide if he can set aside the past for a future with Ivy—a future more and more at risk as an approaching wildfire threatens to wipe out the Christiansen resort and Deep Haven itself.
Review:
Darek Christiansen, single father, ex hotshot, is now in Deep Haven helping his parents run Evergreen Resort. When his youngest brother, hockey star Owen, calls saying he can’t make it home to be auctioned off, Dare has to step in. Ivy is new to Deep Haven. She just wants to start over in a small town. A place where she feels like she can belong for the first time. On the first night she is in town she is invited to the VFW for a fundraiser for local first responders. When no one is bidding on Darek, she decides she will only to find out she bought the pariah of the town. Ever since Darek’s wife passed away his been angry. So their first interaction is not the best. But Darek redeems himself and takes her on a tour of the town. But it is interrupted when Darek gets a call from his mom. Later Dare runs into Ivy and invites her to his family get-together for the Fourth of July to redeem himself again.
Jensen is hated by most of the town after what happened between him and Felicity (Darek’s wife). Jensen had something to do with her death and he has to do three years of community service. If he doesn’t get his hours in, he will have to do the mandatory four-year prison time. Claire used to be friends with Jensen, Darek, and Felicity. But after Felicity’s death, she hasn’t really talked to either of the guys she spent so much time with in high school. Claire’s parents want more for her. Claire just wants to stay in Deep Haven. Jensen wants to complete his hours so he can leave the town and his mistakes behind.
Darek is another male MC from Warren that I love. Jensen was a good MC but I really like Darek more. I liked Ivy as well and I loved Claire. I do have the rest of the series and hope that these characters will make cameos in the upcoming books. I am so happy for the outcome for both Jensen and Darek.
The Kansan Reader 