Getting Your Read On: For Sale by Owner by Marlene Bateman + $25 and Book Giveaway!

McKenzie Forsberg is headed home. She's quit her big-city job to return to her roots in the small town of Lake Forest. Kenzi hopes to buy her childhood home from her brother, Tom, as a way of revisiting the peace and security she's been missing in her life. But soon she is shocked to discover that the house has a pending sale, and Tom won't budge from the sale—not even for his sister.

Handsome widower Jared Rawlins catches Kenzie's eye until she realizes that he's the one who is buying her house—but he can only close the deal if he sells his own house by Christmas Eve. Jared is more than a little interested in Kenzie but has second thoughts when it seems that she may be sabotaging the sale of his home.

Slippery feelings of animosity and distrust ensue, with both Jared and Kenzie denying the chemistry between them. But then an unexpected discovery about their connected past puts a new twist in the dynamic. Now, can they put their differences aside and come to terms on a relationship that could last forever?

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First off, I have to say that I love this cover. It's so cute and connects well with the characters and story in this book. Yay for fun covers!

The story itself left me wanting a bit. I just didn't find myself connecting with or loving the characters in this book. Kenzie is just off putting. I really didn't like her much at all. And Jared just felt flat. The connection between them didn't work for me.

In theory, this book has all the elements I look for- conflict, family issues, a past that connects with the future- lots of great ideas. It just didn't come together for me.

I did love all the cookie recipes. It fit in well with the story and the Christmas season theme of the book. And again, the cover. So perfect!

Content: LDS fiction although nothing overly preachy, references to past marital affairs, clean

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.