Mary Sullivan (1)

Safe in Noah's Arms by Mary Sullivan is a delightful enemies to lovers romance. This charming story has a unique storyline, a fantastic cast of characters and scrumptiously sensual love scenes. It is a well written and fast paced novel with plenty of depth and substance that I highly recommend to readers of contemporary romances.

Monica Accord is a good girl who does everything "right" until a fateful and ill-thought out decision on her part lands her a community service sentence on Noah Cameron's farm. Although she is way out of her element, she tries her best to be helpful, but Noah views her as nothing but a nuisance. However, he needs her help so he tries (and mostly fails) to put aside his animosity while they are working together. As the days pass and they begin to get to know one another, Monica and Noah finally begin to find common ground and they form an unexpected friendship. Equally surprising is their unanticipated attraction for one another, but will Monica's newly discovered family secret and Noah's unresolved baggage destroy their chance at happiness?

Monica is a caring and compassionate woman whose shyness often leads people to believe she is cold and standoffish. She does not have many friends and she is often quite lonely. Monica does what is expected of her and she is extremely loyal to her family and friends. All during school, she admired Noah but she felt intimidated by his intelligence and his passion for his social causes. Not much has changed in the intervening years, and she is taken completely off guard by her unexpected attraction to him.

Noah is a genuinely kind-hearted man whose dedication to helping people is admirable. He puts others' needs above his own and he is passionate about environmental issues. Despite his willingness to give everyone else the benefit of the doubt, he refuses to extend the same courtesy to Monica. He is dismissive of her efforts to help him and he continually thinks the worst of her. Although he eventually realizes he has seriously misjudged her, Noah is quick to jump to the wrong conclusions about Monica even after their relationship turns romantic.

The relationship between Noah and Monica is an absolute delight to watch unfold. Monica's admiration for Noah's philanthropy continues to deepen as she learns more about him. Noah is shocked to learn that Monica is nowhere near as superficial as he thought and he is stunned by her insightful observations and her willingness to help with some much needed fundraising. Their transition from friends to lovers is gradual and it is so much fun watching Monica playfully seduce Noah. They are a wonderful couple but after Noah puts his trust in the wrong person, their romance is threatened when he is manipulated into believing Monica has betrayed him.

Safe in Noah's Arms by Mary Sullivan is a very sweet and heartwarming romance. Noah and Monica are marvelous characters who are likable and sympathetic in spite of their flaws and imperfections. Despite the incredible amount of sexual tension between them, their romance progresses at an unhurried and realistic pace. A shocking family secret turns Monica's world upside down and it is incredibly satisfying watching her stand up for herself in the aftermath of the revelations. An absolutely heartfelt and engaging novel that fans of contemporary romances are sure to love.… (mer)

No Ordinary Home is a sweet contemporary romance by Mary Sullivan. Although it is an angst-free read, that is not to say the characters do not have problems to overcome. These issues are handled quickly which adds to the story's overall enjoyment.

No Ordinary Home opens with Deputy Sheriff Austin Trumball crossing paths with Gracie Travers as he and his friend Finn begin their much anticipated vacation. Against Finn's strenuous objections, Austin takes Gracie under his wing and she hitches a ride with them to their next destination. There, they meet up with Finn's childhood friend, Melody Chase, and everything is quickly complicated when she recognizes Gracie and threatens to write an exposé that will thrust Gracie back in the media spotlight she has spent the past six years avoiding.

The characters are well-developed and they all have their share of emotional baggage. Gracie is hardened by her years spent on the road but her edges begin to soften as she finally finds the courage to face the past she has been running from. Melody is trying to come to terms with new information about the reasons why she and her mother spent so many years evading the father she never knew. Finn is mostly well-adjusted but he has a few hang-ups that threaten to destroy his burgeoning romance with Melody. On the surface, Austin seems to have escaped his dysfunctional childhood, but as he and Melody try to plan for their future, his issues become apparent.

The main storyline focuses on Austin and Gracie while the secondary story arc features Finn and Melody. Finn and Melody's portion of the story is resolved fairly quickly but Austin and Grace's issues are a little more serious so it takes longer for them to work through their individual problems. There are a few tense moments between Melody and Gracie, but they take the time to work through their differences as well.

No Ordinary Home by Mary Sullivan is a heartwarming novel of love and friendship. The characters are facing real life problems that readers can relate to ans the characters are well-developed. While they might not be as easy to like in the beginning of the story, their personal growth helps turn them into well-rounded, likable individuals by the novel's conclusion. All in all, No Ordinary Home is lovely, easy to read story that fans of contemporary romances are sure to enjoy.… (mer)