Hidden Gems - February 2020

Welcome to Hidden Gems hosted by KJ's Book Nook! Once a month I'll feature a new to me author that I've discovered and fell in love with their books. I'll share the author's bio, one of my favorite books of theirs and a review.

For this month's Hidden Gems I am going to choose...

Kacey Linden

Kacey Linden is a coffee-fueled romance author from Oklahoma. She grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and still misses the trees, the mountains, and yes, even the rain. She believes in the power of a good story, and loves the holidays almost as much as she loves horses, kind-hearted heroes and happily-ever-afters.

When she's not dreaming up her next romance, you'll probably find Kacey reading, baking, or enjoying the outdoors with her family.

Kacey also writes fantasy and science fiction under the name Kenley Davidson.

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I discovered Kacey Linden when I was searching for clean Christmas romance books. I had been on a small town kick and thought Echo Creek sounded like the perfect place to spend some time. I was pleasantly surprised when I was hooked from the first page. I absolutely adored Echo Creek! 😊

I decided Christmas in Echo Creek would be the perfect book for me to feature since it's the one that hooked me on her books. 

Can the magic of a small town Christmas convince her that love is worth the risk?

When Willow Renner ends up stranded in the quaint little town of Echo Creek, she intends to lay low until she can pay for car repairs and get back on the road. But the locals can’t seem to stop trying to help her, and their obsession with Christmas cheer makes her want things she never thought she’d have. Home. A family. Maybe even a chance at love with a certain handsome sheriff’s deputy…

Deputy Cale Matthews was planning to skip Christmas, until a quiet newcomer makes him rethink everything. Willow is clearly hiding something, but she’s also beautiful, courageous, and in desperate need of hope. It doesn’t take long for Cale to decide he wants more than just friendship, but Willow’s been hurt too often to trust easily.

With the help of a meddling matchmaker and a little mistletoe, will Cale be able to convince Willow to take a chance on love, or will the shadows of her past tear them apart forever?

You can check out my review here.

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Chasing Home by Kacey Linden

Synopsis:

Two wounded hearts haunted by the same tragedy… Will they get a second chance at love?

For Rory Ellis, life is pretty much perfect. She’s a confident, successful business owner with a career she loves, two adorable little boys, and a family home filled with happy memories.

At least, that’s what she wants everyone in her hometown of Echo Creek to believe.

But Rory’s past has been anything but perfect. When her house burns down—nearly taking the life of a teenage girl—the aftermath threatens to expose secrets she thought were buried forever. Haunted by guilt, Rory can’t seem to move on, let alone rebuild her life and provide a new home for her two young sons. Not when she’s surrounded by reminders of everything she’s lost and everything she’ll never have—like gorgeous rancher Jake Cunningham.

Jake knows what it’s like to live with guilt over circumstances he can’t change. He also knows he should stay away from the beautiful owner of Echo Creek’s coffee shop, but he can’t seem to help himself. Especially not when Rory is homeless, hurting, and in need of help she isn’t willing to ask for.

Both Jake and Rory are searching for redemption, but they have a history too complicated to ignore. Can these two broken hearts find refuge in each others arms? Or will the past they’ve tried so hard to forget conspire to keep them apart forever?

My Review: 5 Stars

Growing up in the foster care system, Rory never felt love, never learned how to trust, never knew what it meant to belong. But all that changed when Victoria Ellis entered into her life. She took in the troubled girl and gave her everything she could ever want, including her last name. For the first time in her life, Rory was happy.   

Life only got better when she met her best friend, Drew Cunningham. They were inseparable and Rory spent countless hours out at his family's ranch. But from the moment she met Jake, she knew that there was something special about Drew's quiet older brother. She was drawn to him from the beginning but kept her love for him to herself. Little did she know that Jake felt the exact same way about her. 

Nothing could have prepared them for the night they lost Drew or for the feelings of guilt they each would have from events that lead up to the tragedy. Neither Rory or Jake could face what happened. Running away and bottling those secrets up seemed to be the only way they could deal with everything. 

But years later, when tragedy strikes again, they both realize that enough is enough. If they are ever going to heal and move on, they will need to face the truth of the past and come to terms with what really happened. Will their love for each other and the hope for a future together give Rory and Jake the courage they need to overcome the past and finally get the HEA they all deserve?

I absolutely adored this book! I fell in love with Rory and Jake from the moment I met them in Christmas in Echo Creek. You knew they shared a past, you knew they shared love, but nothing in that book could ever prepare you for the demons that they both had been fighting all these years. The feels are most definitely real in this book and I loved every minute of it! 

Chasing Home is a heart-wrenchingly beautiful love story about two people who have been affected by the same tragedy and their struggle to not only come to terms with it, but to move forward and face the future together.

This series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine! Ms. Linden has captured my attention for sure. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next! 

And of course I can't forget my casting. I absolutely LOVE these two! What do you think?!

Swoon Worthy Spotlights!

Welcome to Swoon Worthy Spotlights hosted by KJ's Book Nook, Katie's Clean Book Collection and Bookworm Nation! Once a month we will feature 1-3 of our favorite books that we have read during the month. We will share the cover(s), our review(s) and a link to each other's post so you can check out which books we have all chosen!

For this month's Swoon Worthy Spotlights I am going to choose...

Christmas in Echo Creek by Kacey Linden

Catch a Falling Star by Cindy Roland Anderson

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And don't for get to check Katie's post here and Kathy's post here!

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Do you have a blog and want to join us for Swoon Worthy Spotlights? Then grab the picture and post with us! We will be posting on the last day of each month. Make sure you share your link with us so we can check out your favorite authors as well!

Happy reading my fellow bookworms!

Christmas in Echo Creek by Kacey Linden

Synopsis:

Can the magic of a small town Christmas convince her that love is worth the risk?

When Willow Renner ends up stranded in the quaint little town of Echo Creek, she intends to lay low until she can pay for car repairs and get back on the road. But the locals can’t seem to stop trying to help her, and their obsession with Christmas cheer makes her want things she never thought she’d have. Home. A family. Maybe even a chance at love with a certain handsome sheriff’s deputy…

Deputy Cale Matthews was planning to skip Christmas, until a quiet newcomer makes him rethink everything. Willow is clearly hiding something, but she’s also beautiful, courageous, and in desperate need of hope. It doesn’t take long for Cale to decide he wants more than just friendship, but Willow’s been hurt too often to trust easily.

With the help of a meddling matchmaker and a little mistletoe, will Cale be able to convince Willow to take a chance on love, or will the shadows of her past tear them apart forever?

My Review: 5 Stars!

The moment I started reading Christmas in Echo Creek, I knew I was going to have a hard time putting it down. Ms. Linden captured me from the very first chapter and I quickly fell in love with Willow and Cale.

Life for Willow has been anything but easy. She has lived in constant fear and uncertainty. She learned the hard way that she can’t trust anyone, and no one will save her but herself. My heart broke for her when I learned of her circumstances. She had been through some horrible things but she was a fighter and did whatever it took to take care of herself.

When Cale first laid eyes on Willow, his protective instincts kicked in. He didn't know who or what she was running from, he just knew that he had to help her. He knew that getting to know Willow and getting her to trust him was going to take a lot of time and patience. But there was something about her that called to him. He was going to do everything in his power to keep her safe.

Watching Willow and Cale go from acquaintances to friends to something more made my heart smile. Their journey was not easy. There was a lot that Willow had never experienced and didn't know how to deal with. But all the bumps along the road only made them stronger.

I absolutely loved the small town setting. I found myself not only falling in love with Willow and Cale, but with the town and the people in it as well. It was endearing to see everyone come together whenever someone was in need. Sprinkle on a little Christmas magic and you have the perfect afternoon read!

This is my first book by Ms. Linden and I can already tell you that it won't be my last. The feels were definitely real in this book and I loved every minute of it! I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. I have already one-clicked that baby! ;)

And of course I can't forget my casting. I am seriously in love with these two! What do you think?!