Tracy Ewens

I just love Tracy Ewens' writing style. It flows and reads so easily. I was into the story from the first page. Stay is one in a series of love stories. This book was a stand-alone with characters appearing from previous books, but you absolutely do not have to read any of the other books to enjoy Stay. As stated, Stay is a Love Story and a true romance. While the main characters Clara and Dylan have some things to work through, they do have a bona fide HEA. Both were strong characters in their own rights. Clara is a cellist who has been groomed to perform, which she loves, but her parents are only supportive of her when she is doing what they want. One would think she would be more of a meek character, but she is not, and I loved her. Dylan had a tough time growing up with alcoholic father. He doesn't know what to do with the feelings he is having for Clara and in my opinion is written very realistically even though we always want the characters to do what we want them to do right away. Clara and Dylan are brought together when they each inherit half of and inn. They are to live together at the inn and complete a list of improvements in order for the inn to re-open in 6 months. Forced proximity at its finest! I have been wanting to read more from this author since I read her previous book when it came out. I am more encouraged than ever to do so after reading Stay.

My sincere thanks to the author and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my unbiased opinion of it.… (mer)

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I really, really liked this book. It was everything you would expect from a romantic novel: sweet and funny, but also heartbreaking in all the right moments. While there wasn't a lot of depth to the story, I was looking for a feel-good novel, and this delivered fully. There was just the right amount of drama and comedy (although I didn't really have that many "laughing-out-loud-by-myself" moments, I did smile through most of it), and the story was believable enough, with a very good ending. I was left feeling warm and fuzzy (and yes, some tears were involved), which is exactly what I look for in a romantic novel. I also liked the fact that Sam and Peter's back story is mostly told through the character's personal memories, when these are triggered by scenes in the play which they are trying to set up. I found this a good twist on the classic use of flashbacks, and I liked discovering how the character's personal perspective changed their view of the same event.

Oh, and I just LOVED the main characters! Sam and Peter are so obviously madly in love with each other, but they simply can't seem to be able to leave their past behind. I really liked the fact that I could witness the fears, hopes and inner conflict of both, as they struggle to reconcile their history with their feelings for each other. I really felt like I could engage with them: I was constantly cheering them on, rejoicing in their joy, and suffering in their pain. I'm just sorry I can't say the same about the secondary characters. While a lot of time was devoted to developing the two protagonists, secondary characters just felt a little bit flat and one-dimensional to me, which was a shame because they really had a lot of potential. This isn't a major flaw, though, and they're still pretty good characters, so this might actually not bother others as it did me.

Overall, this was a really pleasant read. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a light read, a great romance and fairly memorable characters.… (mer)

Catch: A Love Story by Tracy Ewens is a friend's to lovers contemporary romance. Jules is the captain of Branch Fishing boats and Tyler grew up with Jules and her bother. Jules and her young daughter came home following a divorce. Tyler has loved her for a while, but can Jules find her way to admitting what she feels for Tyler is also love?

I really loved this book. I thought the way that Tracy Ewens wrote these characters was fresh and authentic. I loved Jules and Tyler's banter as well as their interaction with the other characters in the story. Both learn some truths about themselves, and I gave one of those satisfied sighs as I finished reading that meant all was well in my reading world.

My sincere thanks to the author and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my unbiased opinion of it. This book was released June 8th. Consider giving it a read. I was glad I did.… (mer)

Find this review and others at Carlene Inspired.

The A Love Story standalone series continues with Tap, giving readers the story of Cade and Sistine. Cade’s never had that desire to settle down, no woman has made him want to buy a house and raise babies, he’s happy with tending bar and running Foghorn Brewery with his brothers. That is, until some unexpected feelings for Sistine are stirred up. Sistine has a secret and she knows she’ll be judged for it, so she hides it away even from the man who makes her heart sing. They both recognize the feelings, but Sistine pushes for a friendship that Cade knows is meant for something more. Not used to the chase, Cade stumbles his way through wooing and trying to win the girl.

"It was kind of like when they were kids, but deeper in his chest. Cade wanted a life, a love, like his brothers."

I've held a personal flame for Cade since we first met him, he's the brother that seems so happy go lucky, easy to be around, and not necessarily serious about the future. Sure, the brewery and the bar are his brain child and are very important to him, but he’s definitely the ultimate bachelor of the brothers. There’s no better way to describe him, especially with how Tap starts out. Sistine is the quiet friend, she owns a knitting shop, is a member of the book club with all of Cade’s family and other friends, and has an interest in learning backgammon. She’s colorful and unexpected, the emotions she makes Cade feel even more so. I really liked Sistine, I liked that she was so much her own self, even if the secrets she kept hidden were not what I would’ve pictured her having. Their connection is obvious even if not to them; Tracy Ewens knows how to write chemistry that’s for sure.

"Who the heck was Sistine Branch? And why did the entire world suddenly seem so much more interesting?"

Though the brewery does play a large part in the story, in my opinion it took a backseat to the romance more so than the previous novels. Cade is so serious about the brewery, even if he’s often the one joking around, so seeing him put himself out there and do new things was fun. I laughed so hard when the chickens became more than just chickens, but this sign to Cade that maybe he was ready to settle. We see Cade be more than the bartender and Sistine is far more than the quiet knitter. We see these two in their element, both together and separate, but the moments they are together are my favorite. Each share so much of themselves, though it is apparent they both hold emotion back even if in different ways. I enjoyed them learning how to care for another, to accept being cared for, and figuring out that they can do so much more than is expected of them. The twist, though unexpected, didn’t surprise me once I made the connection. It was clever and made things interesting, especially towards the end.

"She knew there were still a few people scattered throughout the darkness, but the only things clear were his mouth and the weight in his voice she recognized as need. How had he come to need her?"

I breezed through Tap! I was so excited for Cade’s story and finding it a unique story that really stood out from the other sibling’s story was a nice surprise. Tap is the perfect casual romance read, taking place in a small California town with the bustling Foghorn Brewery as its centerpiece. It’s light without being fluffy, the romance realistic, the friendships meaningful, and the characters easy to connect with. I always recommend Tracy Ewens’ novels, but this one might be my personal favorite. All the novels can be read as standalones, though I recommend reading them in order just so you can meet all the fantastic characters Tracy Ewens has created. I can’t wait for the next, 2019 is full of promise already!

ARC provided.… (mer)