Love hurts, or so the songs say, so who wants it?
Taking on her ailing father’s gardening business on Merriweather Island, Samantha Green only wants to escape her ex and to make her father proud.
But Sam gets more than she bargained for when Greener Gardens accepts the job of restoring the gardens of a reclusive writer, Max Fairhaven, whose historical novels about romance and unrequited love litter bookstore shelves and movie marquees all over the world.
Max much prefers the fictional world to the real, and the gardening girl’s interruptions means he’s driven from his writing cave far too often for his liking.
How’s he supposed to craft stories with her distracting him all the time?
Things change when he learns something of Sam’s family challenges, and his admiration slowly kindles. With his secretary’s goading, he’s forced to confront the past, while facing the fact that he needs to change in order to avoid a lonely future.
Gentle pruning and a whole lot of banter forges a friendship between this not-so-Southern belle landscaper and the half-British author. But is their budding attraction enough to grow into a flourishing happily-ever-after?
Restoring Fairhaven is the final “Merriweather book,” but don’t forget to embark on a tour of the next island in this series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
The Independence Island Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Carolyn Miller lives in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. Together with her husband she has pastored a church for ten years, and worked as a public high school English and Learning and Support teacher.
TRIXI'S REVIEW:
This story begins when Max Fairhaven and Samantha Green meet after she takes the job of restoring the once beautiful Fairhaven Gardens. He's a reclusive author who prefers the company of his fictional characters to real life people. She's just doing her job and trying to run her father's landscaping restoration business after he lands in the hospital with a heart attack. That, my reader friends, is where the fun begins!
Be warned; there's plenty of snappy dialogue between Max and Sam. One thing I absolutely love in a story is witty banter between the hero and heroine. The sparks that fly between these two are hilarious! But then something happens, somehow Samantha begins pulling out the human heart beating beneath Max's gruff exterior. Sure there's plenty of attraction between the two, but it goes deeper as the wounds each have are revealed layer by layer. The relationship changes and grows as they start to open up to each other & they find they have more in common than they thought. I adored watching these two fall in love, it was a slow burn, but oh so full of anticipation it made me giddy.
Not only is this about restoring Max's garden, but also about restoring hearts. Both Max and Samantha have scars only God can heal. Facing those hurts and scars is painful for them, but I thought Miller did an excellent job of showing that sometimes we have to face the pain head-on for healing to take place. With faith in God, the confidence of a blossoming friendship, and opening themselves up to love, this hard-won romance was deliciously delightful!
I loved this inspirational contemporary romance penned by Miller & will happily look for more in the future!
*I was provided with a complimentary copy and was under no obligation to leave a positive review. All opinions expressed here are my own. *More from Carolyn
I’m a long time lover of gardens, plants, flowers and trees! I’m married to a horticulturalist, who once upon a time worked at Lyme Park, the site of Mr. Darcy’s magnificent Pemberley from the 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice, and who has also worked at Kew Gardens in England.
Some of my garden and plant highlights include visiting Blarney Castle’s Poison Garden in Ireland, New Zealand’s Hamilton Gardens, Dunrobin Castle in Scotland, Frederik Meijer Gardens in Michigan, the redwoods of Yosemite, California, Butchart Gardens in Victoria Island, Canada, and Jardin Botanique in Montreal, Canada.
I love to post pictures of flowers and trees on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/carolynmillerauthor/) and have included pictures of some of these places at my website (www.carolynmillerauthor.com) I have incorporated some of the gardens and plants in a number of my historical novels, including the gorgeous gardens at a castle in Scotland where I set Misleading Miss Verity.
I’m so excited to be introducing readers to my new contemporary books, where I can bring some of my love of gardens (& my hubby’s expertise!) to a new audience. Restoring Fairhaven sees readers introduced to a range of gardening experts who together will bring the gardens of the Independence Islands back to life.
If you’re someone who has enjoyed The Secret Garden, or Becky Wade’s My Stubborn Heart, you’ll be sure to enjoy this story of a reclusive writer and the gardening guru sent to restore his gardens – and his heart.
Happy reading!
Carolyn
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 16
lakesidelivingsite, January 16
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 17
April Hayman, Author, January 17
A Novel Pursuit, January 17
Texas Book-aholic, January 18
Rebekah Reads, January 18
Blogging With Carol, January 18
Inklings and notions, January 19
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 19
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 20
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 20
Mary Hake, January 20
Sara Jane Jacobs, January 21
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, January 21
CarpeDiem, January 21
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, January 22
Cultivating Us, January 22
Kathleen Neely, January 22
Livin’ Lit, January 23
Ashley’s Bookshelf, January 23
Simple Harvest Reads, January 23 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Older & Smarter?, January 24
Artistic Nobody, January 24 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
For Him and My Family, January 25
Mypreciousbitsandmusings, January 25
Inkwell Inspirations, January 25
deb’s Book Review, January 26
Blossoms and Blessings, January 26
Joanne Markey, January 26
She Lives To Read, January 27
Locks, Hooks and Books, January 27
Christian Chick’s Thoughts, January 28
Splashes of Joy, January 28
Godly Book Reviews, January 28
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 29
Daysong Reflections, January 29
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Carolyn is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon prize and a paperback copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/105a8/restoring-fairhaven-celebration-tour-giveaway
I enjoy Carolyn’s books therefore I look forward to reading this book. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Lucy! I'm confident you will love it.
DeleteRestoring Fairhaven sounds like a delightful read! I'm looking forward to exploring this title/series.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a chance to read this,I loved everything about it! I've also read a few in the Independent Island series and enjoyed them.
DeleteThis review tells me that I will definitely enjoy Restoring Fairhaven because I, too, enjoy witty banter between main characters. The theme of restoration is promising as well.
ReplyDeleteI loved it for both the engaging characters (Max & Samantha) and for the bigger theme of God's restoration in our lives!
DeleteSo glad you enjoyed reading Restoring Fairhaven! And yay for snappy banter. I like to include it in my Regencies as well, so if you enjoy that, then I hope you’ll check them out too. (Start with The Elusive Miss Ellison)
ReplyDeleteIt was a hoot! Loved everything about this book. :-)
DeleteThis book sounds like a really good read.
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful! I hope you get to read it. 😊
DeleteThis sounds good! I'd love to read the whole series.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do get to read Restoring Fairhaven and the rest of this series!
DeleteThank you for sharing your review and the book and author details, I love witty banter too so this is a must read for me
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome Bea! Witty banter is the best, isn't it?
DeleteIt’s my belief that the realism of her characters are what make Carolyn’s books must-reads. You can easily spot people, and, personality traits you know in her carefully created casts.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, this was the first book I've read by Carolyn but certainly not my last. I have her Regency period stories to look forward to! :-)
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