Cheyenne (The Women of Merryton, #4) by Jennifer Peel

What happens when your motto in life has been to always love yourself more than anyone else could, but then you find someone who does it better? If you’re Cheyenne Fairchild, you do your best to push him away.

Cheyenne’s life has taught her to never depend on anyone, especially men. She’s done her best to keep every relationship short and every man at arm’s length. That is, until the mysterious Aidan Bates moves to town. Not only does he give earth-shattering kisses, but he has the audacity to save her life after a tragic accident. Now Cheyenne can’t stop thinking about him, and it’s driving her crazy. Worse, he won’t stop trying to help her.

While Cheyenne is doing her best to keep Aidan from working his way into her no vacancy heart, she finds herself embroiled in more than one Merryton scandal. One that rocks her best friend’s world and shows what Cheyenne is really made of. And one that she’s created in hopes of deterring Aidan. Unfortunately for her, she finds that it only brings them closer together.

Can Cheyenne let her defenses down long enough to see that Aidan is unlike any other man she has ever known? Or will she cling to the past and the walls she’s carefully constructed around her heart?

 * Goodreads * Amazon *

Oh, Jennifer Peel.  You are amazing.  How do you take a character that by all outward appearances is selfish, vain, antagonistic, aggressive and a tad mean and make me love her?  How do you do that?!

We get a glimpse of Cheyenne in the previous books in this series and honestly, the view we see isn't always very flattering.  It's obvious from those books that there is more to Cheyenne that meets the eye because after all, she IS friends with those awesome women of Merryton but she is just so intimidating!  

Cheyenne isn't for the faint of heart.  I wondered about Aidan in the beginning and if he really would be able to break through the mass of difficulty and complexity that is Cheyenne.  But that Aidan.  He really surprised me.  He grew a spine of steel and man, when he made up his mind?  All in.  Relentless.  Positively sexy.  And Cheyenne thought so too. Ha.  Aidan is incredible.  In the book, Aidan always asks, "Do you like me?"  I told him yes every time.  Cheyenne?  No.  She didn't.  But I did.  Every.  Single.  Time.  

I ran through a whole myriad of emotions in this book.  At times I was embarrassed for Cheyenne and her behavior, at times I was frustrated and I just wanted to thump her.  But then there were moments where I wanted to pick up those broken pieces and help her put them back together.  I wanted to be her friend.  You could do worse than having someone like Cheyenne in your corner.  Especially if you take the time to really know her.  I loved the internal battle that raged within Cheyenne and the journey to trusting and loving.  It was very satisfying.

This book was a good reminder to me to not judge people but give them the benefit of the doubt and take the time and put in the effort to look beneath the surface to see the real person underneath because some people are really good at hiding beneath those facades.  

I loved this addition to the Women of Merryton series.  Cheyenne is a complex and difficult character and I am constantly amazed at how Jennifer Peel can create such a variety of characters and make me love them all.  She is fantastically gifted at writing and I love her for writing books for me.  :)

Content:  mild swearing, references to past sexual relations with no details, innuendo, kissing

Happy Release Day to Rachel Laine: Women of Merryton #3 by Jennifer Peel

Rachel Whitney’s life changed forever when Drew, the son of her twin sister, Sydney, was placed in her arms—and there he stayed. At twenty-two, she had no idea what she was doing, but in that moment, she knew that raising Drew was what she was meant to do with her life.
​
Fiercely independent, Rachel makes her own way managing her family's insurance agency. Decidedly against introducing any men into her life, or Drew’s, she protects her heart against all romantic entanglements. But what she didn’t count on was a letter from her sister that leads a famous secret to her door eight years after her sister’s death. A secret with the same eyes as her son’s.
​
Desperate not to get the courts involved, Rachel allows Drew’s previously unknown father, Andrew Turner, into their lives, and to her surprise, little by little into her heart. But for Rachel, taking that step could open her family to a firestorm of media attention that not even Merryton can protect them from. Is love worth the risk? Or will Andrew's fame and ambition ruin their chances?

 * Amazon * Goodreads *

I'm pretty sure that the word love is going to be severely overused in this review.  I sincerely apologize ahead of time.

Happy Release Day to Rachel Laine!!!

LOVE!  :)  

Here's my LOVE list.

1.  Jennifer Peel- seriously one of my favorite authors.  I met Jennifer a couple months ago where I scored a stack of her books, all autographed because she is generously awesome that way.  I haven't met a Jennifer Peel book I haven't loved.  Now they are gracing my bookshelf in full glory.  I LOVE that.  If you haven't read any books by Jennifer Peel, well, what are you waiting for?!  It's time!

2.  This Series- one of my favorites.  You don't have to read these book in any order, but it will just give you more perspective into the secondary characters if you do.  You can easily start with this book and be perfectly happy.

3.  This Book- LOVE!  The thing about Jennifer Peel is that she knows how to write characters that you feel like you know.  By the end of the book I feel like those characters are mine.  I know them, I love them.  I have been there every step of their journey and it feels like it's been my journey too.  

4.  These Characters!- Rachel is so fierce when it comes to loving and protecting Drew but she is also generous and kind.  She wants what is best for her son and she puts aside her feelings to give him that.  Rachel gives more to Andrew than I probably would have.  Drew is energetic and cute.  He is a great addition to this book and really makes the scenes come alive.  I didn't love Andrew right away but he grew on me right along with Rachel and Drew.

5.  The Ending- I love when I come to the end of a great, romantic book and my heart gives a contented sigh.  It just feels good.

Taylor Lynne (The Women of Merryton #2) by Jennifer Peel

Determined not to repeat the same mistakes as her mother, Taylor Cole left her husband with their toddler in tow fourteen years ago and vowed never to return to Merryton. Now she is finally ready to face her demons and put the past and her ex-husband behind her, but to do that she and her daughter must return to the place that haunts her memories. A place where she lost not only the love of her life, but her childhood hopes and dreams.

When they move back, Taylor can’t seem to remain apathetic toward her ex-husband or his nine-year-old daughter. She discovers that maybe all wasn’t as it seemed so many years ago. And maybe—just maybe—she and her ex-husband need each other more now than they ever have before. But can the exes put the past behind them and find a way to forgive each other? Or will they let past mistakes and misunderstandings keep them from future happiness?

Return to Merryton and join Taylor and Easton on their journey, and catch up with old friends you grew to love in Jessie Belle.

 * Amazon * Goodreads *

If you have never read a book by Jennifer Peel, you are missing out on something fantastic.  I'm serious.  Jennifer has a way of writing that just pulls you right in as a reader.  Every single book.  How does she do that?  What a gift.  Seriously.

This book brought me right into the lives of Taylor and Easton.  We first see Easton in the first book in this series.  He is a broken and unhappy man.  Knowing of him indirectly in the other book (Jessie Belle) really helped me feel for Easton in this book- especially since the whole book is told from Taylor's point of view.

I felt like I was living right in this story with the characters.  The emotions were real and tangible.  I understood them and I was just bursting for wanting things to work out.  My tummy had butterflies and my heart pounded.  I felt sad and I felt happy but no matter which emotion I was feeling, I love how the underlying emotion was always hope.

I really can't say enough good about the way Jennifer Peel writes.  It resonates with me as a reader and I am always over the moon excited when I get to read a book that she has written.  I cannot wait for the next book in this series!!  It's going to be good!

Content:  Clean

My biggest, loudest, most heartfelt thanks to the author for providing me a copy of this book for review.  :)

Jessie Belle (The Women of Merryton #1) by Jennifer Peel

Nestled in the picturesque Rocky Mountains, lies the quaint town of Merryton, Colorado. You will never find finer people or better friends. But try keeping a secret in Merryton and you will soon find that the good townspeople are better than any private investigator or undercover journalist. The men and women of Merryton are like living barometers, and when a storm is brewing in the life of one of their own, they are sure to get to the bottom of it--and forecast it on the Merryton grapevine.

Jessica and Blake Summers know a thing or two about what it’s like to be the latest and greatest news on the vine. Their thirteen year marriage has had more than its fair share of heartache and loss. Then the past comes knocking, in the form of a teenage girl, a daughter Blake never knew existed. The news sets the Merryton grapevine on fire.

In the wake of this revelation and firestorm, Blake and Jessica are forced to reevaluate their own relationship and priorities, all while learning that raising a teenage girl is not for the faint of heart. But in the midst of the chaos and uncertainty, they discover that Madeline may just be what the doctor ordered to heal their broken hearts and mend their own tattered relationship.

Will they have the courage to look forward and find a greater love than they could ever imagine? Or will past hurts and the town grapevine tear them apart?

* Goodreads * Amazon *

It's always a happy day when I get a book from Jennifer Peel.  I've been looking forward to this book and this series and I'm glad I finally got to read it.  Jennifer Peel has a gift for writing characters that feel real and bring out real emotions in me.

This book is honestly like a real life drama playing out before your eyes.  Told in first person from Jessica's point of view, you really get an up close and personal look at her life and her heartache.  You also get to know all the people Jessie loves.  Her parents, her best friends, and Blake.  All these characters had definition and by the end of the book I felt like I knew them well.

Blake and Jessie have their struggles.  Blake may have made some mistakes, but honestly, his desire to keep trying and work on things makes him a hero in my eyes.  He has patience and knows how to work hard.

I could related to Jessie and all her emotions.  It was almost scary sometimes!  There is so much emotion in this book.  It is a love story but more like a rediscovering love story.  Maybe more along the lines of women's fiction.  All I know is when I finished the story I felt satisfied and hours later, I missed these characters.  

This book has some Christian elements to it but I wouldn't necessarily classify it as Christian fiction.  It is a clean romance- so swearing or described sexual situations although the couple in this book is married and their sexual relationship is mentioned.

I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series!  I got a little preview of what's to come and I'm excited!