Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Denise Hunter: Married ‘til Monday



By Kelly Bridgewater

Back Cover Copy:

With a big anniversary party in the works for her parents, Ryan will pretend to be Abby's husband for just one last weekend.
Ryan McKinley has tried to move on from his ex-wife, Abby. He’s sulked, he’s gotten angry, and ultimately he bought her dream house. Big mistake. Living alone in the massive 2-story has only made him miss her more. When her parents call him out of the blue about their anniversary party in Summer Harbor, Maine, Ryan believes God has dropped a golden opportunity straight in his lap.
Abby McKinley never exactly told her parents about the divorce. A strained relationship with her dad has culminated in a distant relationship with her parents, but she’s finally succumbed to her mom’s pressure to make the drive for their 35th-anniversary party.
Then Ryan shows up on her doorstep, looking as devastatingly handsome as ever. When he insists he’s going to Seabrook, with or without her, Abby knows she can’t say no. Her parents still think they’re married and now Ryan knows it too. Besides, he only wants to check in with his best friend from college—her cousin Beau, who just lost his dad. It’s just a one-week road-trip with the man who broke her heart. What could possibly go wrong?
My Review:

I was first introduced to Denise Hunter when I read The Wishing Season. I thoroughly enjoyed her book, even though contemporary romance is not my first choice when it comes to a book. But something about Denise Hunter’s A Chapel Springs Romance series rings a chord in my soul.

First, the lies and the hurts that the characters in the Chapel Springs Romance series ring close to home. The lies that the heroine or heroes believe, either that they will amount to nothing or something as damaging is a lie that I personally have struggled with since I was a child. Inner struggles like this affect a lot of people. Hunter does a good job at understanding how these hurts would affect a person and even ruin their outlook on relationships. I felt a tug at my heart while I read her story.

As for the romantic tension, it was creative and original. The part where a couple has to pretend that they are married has been overdone, and honestly, I thought that this is what the story would be about. But Hunter surprised me by throwing obstacles in their way to spark that flame that Abby and Ryan allowed to weaken. The story is sweet, and Hunter drew me in on the first page and kept me glued, waiting to find out what would happen to Abby and Ryan.

The characters are important to telling the story as much as the tension threading through the story. It will be hard not to fall in love with Ryan and sigh as he shows his ongoing love for Abby. Ryan is a true hero in my book. As for Abby, she has a lot of hurt to deal with in her past, which I totally understand, but her transformation and willingness to return to God brought a smile to my face.

Overall, Denise Hunter’s Married ‘til Monday, is a gripping story dealing with the hurts and lies from a childhood that can affect someone’s outlook on life. The romance is a hard fought battle, but luckily, Ryan and Abby are adorable characters to hang out with. I truly enjoyed this book, and I am sad to see it is the last book in the series. I have to go back and read the first two books now.

I received a complimentary copy of Married ‘til Monday from Thomas Nelson through Netgalley and the opinions stated are all my own.

Denise Hunter
From Hunter's Amazon's Author Page
Denise Hunter’s Writing Bio:

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 20 books, including "Dancing with Fireflies" and "The Convenient Groom". She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader's Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories. Her readers enjoy the experience of falling in love vicariously through her characters and can expect a happily-ever-after sigh as they close the pages of her books.

In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

When Denise isn't orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are raising three boys.

Where to connect with Denise Hunter:

Where to purchase Married ‘til Monday:
Your Local Favorite Bookstore

What part of stories involving the same families members appeal to you the most?

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