Elusive Echoes by Kay Springsteen

My Rating: 5 Stars

Title: Elusive Echoes ( Book 2 of the Orson's Folly Series)

Author: Kay Springsteen

Publisher: Astraea Press

      Cover Art: Elaina Lee

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 238 Pages with a sneak peak at the end of the first in the 'Echoes' series Lifeline Echoes.

Summary:

They’re two people caught between friendship and something more; they can’t move forward, and they can’t let go.

Drawn together from early childhood, Sean McGee and Melanie Mitchell seemed destined for each other. But at age thirteen, Melanie was wrenched from the people she loved and forced onto a path she loathed. Sean was no stranger to people leaving, but losing Melanie devastated him. When she suddenly reappeared in Orson’s Folly, Sean was overjoyed. The Melanie who came home, though, wasn’t the same girl. She’s got a harder edge and she’s obviously hiding something, but Sean no longer knows how to reach her.

Returning to Orson's Folly as an adult, all Melanie wanted to do was forget the years she spent away. But she soon learned that going home didn’t mean she could return to her old life—or her childhood sweetheart, Sean. Even their mutual attraction to one another hasn’t rebuilt the bond of trust and closeness they once shared. It’s been seven years since she returned and now everything Melanie wants to forget has broadsided her. She must confront her demons and relive her past in an unexpected way or risk losing the only man she’s ever loved. But even if she succeeds, Sean might be lost to her anyway. 

Review:

Okay, first: have you read Lifeline Echoes? Because if you haven't, go read it. I'll wait.

Are you back? Alrighty, we'll move on with this one then!

Yes, this is another series I fell in love with this summer. I know, I seem to like everything I read, right? But this one is worth its rating, I promise. This is the second book in the series and with it we get to revisit Sandy and Ryan as well as dive headlong into Melanie and Sean's romance.

Sean and Melanie have known each other since they were little kids. Sean called her the "girl with the sunshiny hair" and knew, as he got older, that Melanie was the girl for him. They had a connection that not many people ever get. But then, due to tragic family circumstances, Melanie has to go away and leave Orson's Folly. When she comes back years later as an adult, they still have a connection but Melanie is holding back. On the surface everything seems good but they are having a hard time recovering that connection the deeper level that they used to have it.

The beginning revealed some history that we learned a little about in the first book, giving us a heartbreaking  glimpse into the past. Sean and Melanie are both dynamic characters with a lot of depth to them. Melanie is hiding from a past that she is ashamed of and doesn't want Sean to know about. Because of this she is leery of committing to a permanent relationship. But a permanent relationship is what Sean wants. He's not interested in the idea of anything else with Melanie.

I love what Sean does in this story for his "job". He rehabs horses that have either been physically or emotionally scarred in some way. In other words - horses that nobody else wants, for the most part. Sean works with them and heals them. This reveals a lot about Sean's personality and shows in the way he deals with Melanie. A cowboy with a heart - gotta love him.

I love the character of Melanie. Like Sandy from the first book, she is spunky and sexy yet vulnerable. Don't back her into a corner because she'll give as good as she gets but she also has a soft heart. Ms. Springsteen tends to write strong female characters that can be a partner to the strong male characters she writes rather than submissive to the strong male and I love that. Melanie fits the bill well. 

The is one of those stories that pulls you in and keeps a firm hold until you've finished the book. And if that means staying up until 3am? Well, too bad. (Thanks for that, Kay! LOL) But bags under your eyes the next day will be worth it to find out what happens with these two. Can't wait until the next book!

















If you're looking for the first book...find it here:

Matrimonial Mayhem by various authors

My Rating: 5 Stars

Title: Matrimonial Mayhem

Author(s): Elaine Cantrell; Kim Bowman; J.F. Jenkins; Kay Springsteen; Therese Gilardi; J. Gunnar Grey

Publisher: Astraea Press

Cover Art: Elaina Lee

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 198 Pages

Summary: 

Revisit some of your favorite characters and meet some new ones along the way!

Matrimonial Mayhem is an anthology of wedding stories, to benefit the Governor of Alabama's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, for the hardest hit areas of the state. There are six stories:

• Elaine Cantrell, "It All Started with Cinders Malone's Dress," based upon A New Dream. From the wrong dress to a canine disaster with the wedding cake, can anything go right for Matt and Violet on their wedding day?

• Therese Gilardi, "Marriage on Sunset," based upon Matching Wits with Venus. Before Colin and Amelia, came Amelia's parents Stella Sweetwater and Gerard Coillard. Maybe not a match made in Heaven, but certainly one arranged by Venus...on Sunset Boulevard.

• J.F. Jenkins, "Legend of the Aero Dragon," based upon The Legend of the Oceina Dragon. When a young dragon falls in love, best not to be standing between him and his chosen mate...especially if his choice doesn't exactly match the choice of his father.

• Kim Bowman, "The Ballad of Brenda and Willard," based on a true urban legend Third time was the charm in the wedding tale of this author's parents, but exactly what date their anniversary should be celebrated on is anybody's guess.

• J. Gunnar Grey, "The Lilies at Laura's Wedding," based upon Deal with the Devil. No happy hitching to be found here, but sometimes the better course to take is to say "I don't."

• Kay Springsteen, "Camp Wedding," based upon Heartsight. A blind Marine, a nervous bride, and an adorable child who loves them both is an equation for another tug on the heartstrings in the story behind Dan and Trish's wedding. 

Review: 

Oh, where to start? As a whole, I loved this book. I got to revisit some of my favorite characters from some recently favorite authors and basically see part of the “happily ever after” played out. Annnnd, proceeds from this book is being used to help contribute to the victims and survivors of the tornadoes that devastated the south not long ago. You can't beat that! You get a great read and you get to donate to a good cause. You can't go wrong.

To review individually:

Elaine Cantrell, "It All Started with Cinders Malone's Dress,"

Poor Violet. Seriously. Anything that possibly go wrong for this poor couple on, and leading up to, their wedding does. It's not as though they haven't been through enough (Seriously Ms. Cantrell, they've been through enough!) to get to this point finally.

Therese Gilardi, "Marriage on Sunset,"

This was fun to read. While not the main characters from the original book, we did get to revisit a couple of the secondary characters (the parents) and see how their marriage began. This one held so true to the personality of the characters, I was laughing.

J.F. Jenkins, "Legend of the Aero Dragon,"

Now this one was a lot of fun for me. When I originally read The Legend of the Oceina Dragon I was intrigued by the idea of the other elemental dragons. We got a little glimpse of them in the first book, but just enough to tease. This little short takes us back to the same world, but instead of revisiting known characters we get to meet some new ones within the air dragon family rather than the water dragons. Another tease for future installments. Makes me look forward to it all the more.

Kim Bowman, "The Ballad of Brenda and Willard,"

What can I say? I loved this one. It's not based on any of Kim Bowman's original characters – it's the story of her mom and dad. This one is so much fun and so amusing. I can very easily imagine this being the story in the family for generations. I did find it a little sad because of a certain situation, but with that said, her parents are such characters that they truly deserve their own story someday.

J. Gunnar Grey, "The Lilies at Laura's Wedding,"

This one was interesting because I haven't yet read Deal With The Devil so I wasn't familiar with the characters at all. The author managed to convey the personalities of the characters very well in such a short length story. It intrigued me and made me want to learn more about Harris while simultaneously making me loathe the character of Laura. I will definitely have to check into this book.

Kay Springsteen, "Camp Wedding,"

Ahh, love. I loved this story originally, and I still do. Getting to re-visit Dan, Trish and Bella was like reconnecting with old friends. They all stayed true to form and, of course, Bella stole the show. We got to meet Dan's family, which I loved! 

Again, as mentioned above - proceeds from this story are being donated to "the Governor of Alabama's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives" to help the devastated victims of the tornadoes that swept through the south a few months ago. The book is definitely worth the price.

 

Lifeline Echoes by Kay Springsteen

My Rating: 5 Stars 

Title: Lifeline Echoes

Author: Kay Springsteen

Publisher: Astraea Press

      Cover Art: Elaina Lee

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 287 Pages

Summary: 

Voices form a powerful connection. The day the earth rocked LA, Sandy Wheaton became a voice lifeline over the radio for trapped firefighter, "Mick." Less than twenty four hours later, she had fallen in love with him. Shattered when she learned that rescue came too late, she sought solace Wyoming, the home state he had loved. Now, seven years later, she's made a life there as the owner of a popular local bar. But her wounds are still fresh, and she longs to let go of the past and her lost love so she can begin living again. That opportunity presents itself when the local prodigal son returns home. The attraction between them is instant. It feels like she's known him far longer than just a few days.

Sixteen years ago, Ryan McGee left home in the midst of controversy. After living through a harrowing trauma, he finally returns home when his family needs his help through some troubling times. All he wants to do is make amends with those he hurt most and to get back to the life he'd never wanted to leave in the first place. When he meets the sexy bartender, he starts thinking in terms of forever. But there's still someone out there he wants to find, someone who once believed in him and gave him hope. 

  

Review: 

I'm usually a sucker for a book about the prodigal son/daughter returning home after years of being away and making good on things that went wrong years before. Or at least had been perceived to be wrong. This book is no exception. The author manages to draw you in immediately with the tragic situation that Sandy finds herself in. With little snippets throughout the book of that day that changed Sandy's life forever, you stay invested in the story both past and present.

Ms. Springsteen seems to love writing about strong, dynamic woman and Sandy Wheaton fits the mold perfectly. Recovering from a tragedy that changes her life in ways big and small, she leaves her job and her old life behind, seeking peace in the beautiful state of Wyoming. Even though she is grieving, Sandy doesn't let life get the best of her. She starts over, creating a new life for herself in a new town and state, making new friends and with a new job. There are times she still thinks about the past and though she doesn't seem quite ready to move forward in certain ways, she has certainly overcome a lot of obstacles. Sandy is someone I would want to be friends with.

And let's not forget about Ryan. Ryan is the sexy cowboy that every girl dreamed about when they were younger. (At least most of the girls that grew up in the country!) He is mysterious, protective and he is definitely manly. He stands up for what he believes in and what he knows is right, despite what anybody else thinks or says about it.

One thing that was never really explained that I would have liked to see resolved, more for the sake of curiosity than anything else, was the name confusion. I won't say more than that so I don't give anything away but I would have liked to have seen it addressed at the end. And that, folks, is about the only thing I could possibly find to criticize about this book. I know that some people will think that falling in love with someone in twenty four hours isn't realistic but I knew from the first day that I saw my husband that I would someday marry him – so it is not impossible.

This book draws you in right from the first paragraph and keeps you turning the pages all the way through. With lots of action, suspense, romance and sexual tension going on along the way, I loved these characters from the beginning and wanted to know what happened to them. The author does an excellent job in keeping you guessing on who the bad guy is until the very end and the story is wrapped up very nicely. The secondary characters are also very entertaining and there are a couple that I absolutely adored, including Ryan's dad.

Ms. Springsteen has a new fan. I can't even say enough good things about this author or her books. I hope you take the time to check her out. This is another book that is available in both e-book format as well as paperback.