Denise Hunter: Honeysuckle Dreams

By Kelly Bridgewater

After Brady Collins’ ex-wife dies, he receives devastating news—his nine-month-old son Sam isn’t his son at all. And Sam’s wealthy maternal grandparents want custody of the child. Brady knows he’s in for the fight of his life. But regardless of what any blood test says, Sam is his son, and Brady will go to any lengths to keep him.

Brady’s attorney tips him off that one major life change would virtually assure him of winning guardianship of baby Sam at the final hearing: an impending marriage. And his friend Hope is willing to step in as the loving and devoted fiance.

Local radio celebrity Hope Daniels has been driven by a solitary goal her entire life, and after a happy accident she’s finally offered her dream job. But if the truth comes out about her arrangement with Brady, she may miss the chance of a lifetime and stand in the way of a dear friend’s dreams.

As Brady and Hope make sacrifices to help each other in their times of need, they risk uncovering a truth neither of them expects to find.

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My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed Denise Hunter's Chapel Hill series and the Summer Harbor Series. They weren't like the majority of contemporary romance published. She digs deep into her characters and really hunts for the deep flaw in their lives and tosses it to the wind while creating a masterful climax with the a member of the opposite sex. But with her new series, A Blue Ridge Romance, I don't feel the same way.

The writing is still top notch. Hunter really dives into her character's emotions. I understand Brady and Hope's feelings for each other and empathize with them as they move around the story. I can see the setting and understand where I am without any real difficulty.

The plot seemed really rushed to me. For the first forty-two percent of the book, Hunter rushes through two months of time and rushes to a court hearing. Then the next two months fly by for the rest of the book to show the downfall of the characters. I really didn't understand why the sudden emotional change in Hope either. One day she shuts Brady out, and the item that triggers it seemed out of place. Hope becomes dis-attached and depressed, which I didn't see coming and is completely out of character for the build-up of the character for the first half of the book.

I liked Hope and Brady at the beginning of the novel, and they have a nice communication together. But then the story seems forced on the characters. Hope doesn't think twice about what Brady is asking her to do. I think any normal person would have needed to think it over. There is so much she and he doesn't take into consideration.

Overall, Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter didn't appear realistic and too rushed to meet a deadline. I don't think characters did things that would have fit their personalities. The plot moved too rapidly leaving me confused and wondering why I'm still reading the book. I recommend skipping this book and picking up her previous writings. However, fans of Hunter's other stories and contemporary romance might enjoy this novel. This is my humble opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars