Series: Orchard Valley #3-4
Norah Bloomfield is feeling a bit unneeded these days. Her father is recovering from his heart attack, and her sisters, Valerie and Stephanie, are busy planning their weddings. But then a cantankerous Texan named Rowdy Cassidy crashes his small plane in Orchard Valley. The same Rowdy Cassidy who’d been Valerie’s boss; and who’d demanded she marry him. Now he’s Norah’s patient, and in all her nursing experience she’s never encountered a more difficult man. Or a more irresistible one! Except; is he still in love with her sister?
When Norah’s friend Sherry Waterman leaves Orchard Valley, Oregon, for Pepper, Texas, she’s definitely not in the mood for Lone Star Lovin’. But if anyone can change her mind, it’s Cody Bailman – a hardworking, good-looking rancher. Not only that, Cody has a twelve-year-old daughter who thinks Sherry’s just perfect for Dad!
3 Drink Me Potions
I don’t know why I thought it would get any better with the ridiculous antics that sometimes get between two people who are clearly crazy about each other. This novel did not really do any better, in my opinion, although I’m (oddly enough) considered a fan of Debbie Macomber (I know – don’t say it – what generation am I in?)
In Norah, I was very excited to see how the last and youngest Bloomfield sister would do as all the eligible bachelors in town seemed to have been scooped up by her older sisters in the previous books. This book both infuriated me and mildly satisfied. Rowdy Cassidy was one hard man to read. I couldn’t tell half the time if Norah should be insulted or not by his clear agitation at his feelings for her and whether or not he could truly love her.
Norah, on the other hand, was a lovely woman. She didn’t take his awful behaviour and clearly told him so. If he was in the wrong, she let him know. But she was also able to see her own mistakes and not let her pride deter her from making the compromises that were required for the sake of both their happiness.
Altogether, Norah was a quick read, but I wished the ending wasn’t so abrupt. The little epilogue helped in a sense to tie in all the plotlines from the Orchard Valley series, but even so, the 180 that Rowdy went through didn’t satisfy me.
As for Long Star Lovin’, it was interesting seeing a new destination located in Texas state. The small-knit community and very unique (or maybe I should say “odd”?) people were amusing aspects.
As for the romance, oh my goodness. I’m DEFINITELY infuriated. That man. Cody Bailman! He really has no romantic bone in his body. I would’ve been pissed if I were Sherry, who thankfully was also a very sweet and strong woman. She just wanted someone to love her, not really the romantic actions itself. Those may come when there are true feelings from the heart.
Without the comic relief that presented itself in the form of Heather, Cody’s daughter, I dunno what I would’ve done. Heather was a very interesting 12-year-old. I’m not sure even I would’ve been so bold at her age. Fearless, I’ll say. But her daring and opposite-of-shy kinda personality made her endearing and helped me control my absolute disappointment in Cody’s behaviour.
Altogether, Sherry’s story was interesting but the awful ups and downs of her relationship was just too much. It too also ended abruptly, with Cody’s 180 change even more crazy. Macomber didn’t go into depth of how this new change of heart would affect them all, or to really settle the problems that were always present. It was like BAM! everything’s good. Yay! Wedding! Kids!
What. The. Heck?
Plus, it ended with the EXACT same line as another of Macomber’s story that I’ve read last year. Running out of ideas? I’m not sure.
Overall Recommendation:
These two stories were remarkably similar and different at the same time. Norah’s story was a decent conclusion to the Orchard Valley series, with an epilogue that helped tie in everyone’s plotlines. However, her love interest was truly infuriating at times and his professed love hard to believe. Likewise, Sherry’s story also had its problem with the male interest who just COULDN’T understand romance for the life of him. It shouldn’t be that hard to do something nice if it just came from the heart. The big up-side to this was due to the eclectic and tight community in this small Texan town. Overall, I’m left half infuriated and not completely sure I’m satisfied with the abrupt endings.
Addie Emerson doesn’t believe in love, at least for herself. A straightlaced, brilliant girl, she’s more interested in getting an A than falling in love. But Addie is determined to prove the science of love—because Addie Emerson does believe in science.
Down the Rabbit Hole 