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Welcome Back To Apple Grove (2013)

by C.H. Admirand(Favorite Author)

3.73 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

1402269056 (ISBN13: 9781402269059)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Sourcebooks Casablanca

series

Small Town USA

review 1: C.H. Admirand returns her readers to the small town of Apple Grove, where nothing happens that the Mulcahy family isn't a part of. Welcome Back to Apple Grove is the story of youngest Mulcahy daughter, Grace, who flew the coop for greener pastures only to find the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Fans of the series will love Grace's happy-ever-after and new readers will find a novel filled with love and the joy of finding your place in the world. With some weighty issues like body image and PTSD mixed in, this is a feel good romance, with depth and maturity. A great addition to the series!What I liked:Oh where to start on what I liked about this book, pretty much everything! Admirand creates a lovely small town setting for Apple Grove. It's the kind of town ev... moreeryone wishes they lived in. Where the whole community it active in helping one another. You actually know your neighbors and you like them. And where there a few busy bodies to keep everyone in line. It's a great setting for a good romance and it shines in Welcome Back to Apple Grove.This is a character driven novel that readers will find a lot of enjoyment in, but also understanding and compassion as well. Grace is a young woman, who thought she knew what she wanted out of life, and Apple Grove and the family business wasn't it. But she finds herself alone and a little lost at this point in her life and going home always makes that better. She has some body image issues which I think a lot of woman relate to and I think readers will sympathize with her and want to see her overcome them. I thought Admirand excelled at developing Grace's character from start to finish. She was real joy to read about.Patrick Garahan is an Irishman and a firefighter. Now there's an intriguing combination. He is attractive, good with kids, fun to be around, but he has his own demons to slay. I liked the fact that Admirand shows PTSD from a different perspective than readers are used to seeing in this one. Soldiers deal with it on a much larger scale, but other public service workers do as well. Firefighters and police officers to name a few. I think it was dealt with in a realistic and informative manner in this book and that added an element of depth that was unmistakable.When these two get together it's more than just a spark. It's a slow burn that eventually becomes much stronger than what they both expected. Admirand treats the attraction between Grace and Pat very intelligently. She doesn't make it all roses for them and their struggles only strengthen their bond. But she adds in just the right amount of tender moments vs. hot and bothered moments. It's a good mix and this is such a great couple.What I didn't Like: Not much! There were so many things that worked really well with this novel, that it overshadowed anything that didn't. My only qualm was a that Pat was slow in sharing his story with everyone including Grace. But I think probably holds true to the real way a person with PTSD interacts with others. It's a hard thing to deal with and I thought it was respectfully addressed in this book. Nothing was strikingly out of place or seemed off. Bottom Line: I would definitely recommend this one. It can be read as a stand alone or as part of the Apple Grove series. It has a very down home setting with great secondary characters. The main couple is real and believable. Their romance is exactly what love should look like. It's not easy or without it's perils, but when it works... it really works. And this book... works!
review 2: So Grace Mulcahy has been living large in the big city of Cleveland, Ohio since she left her small town of Apple Grove about a year ago. Grace left the family fold and the small family home repair business for a company with over a hundred employees and she even got a promotion. Once she left Apple Grove, she also broke up with her cheating boyfriend. Is Grace Mulcahy happy though? Good question. Her family and friends seem to think NOT, especially after she chops off her hair while a tad tipsy. Yes, it was for an awesome charitable cause, but the underlying reasons bring Grace back to Apple Grove.Former FDNY, Patrick Garahan has been happily working in semi-small town Ohio at a local firehouse. He seems content, but there's something missing from his life and he's about to figure out what when he re-connects with Grace Mulcahy. This is not the Grace he met before, this a a sultry and curvaceous Grace that attracts Patrick in a flash.Unbeknownst to Patrick and Grace, the meddling forces that be surrounding them both are trying to do some serious matchmaking, and evidently, neither party seems to mind once they become reacquainted. Grace wasn't planning on staying in Apple Grove, it would defeat the purpose of her leaving, but Patrick is determined to make it worth her while. Patrick wants to take things to the next level, but he has a devil on his shoulder preventing him from it and Grace wants to know what it is if she's going to be involved with this man.Ok so here goes....I LOVE this book. It made me laugh and cry, all within paragraphs of each event. Those who have read the Apple Grove series by the ever-talented C.H. Admirand know Grace pretty well. We all know she is very happy that her sisters have found true love. Grace has always felt a little on the outside since she never wanted to actually work in the family business. Her forte was the office and she did it amazingly well, but there was always a little voice inside her that told her the big city was where she should be. Red-headed, Irish boy, Patrick Garahan left New York behind after a tragedy happened while he was on the job and his move to Ohio didn't completely assuage his nightmares. This handsome firefighter's demeanor gets under your skin immediately. He is so lovable! Yes, he is a ginger with freckles! A hot ginger to boot, I certainly don't have issues with it. I embrace it and and you should too.C.H Admirand tugs at your heart-strings with her emotion-filled story. We have come a long way since A Wedding In Apple Grove and I so have loved the journey. I especially love the way that C.H. has incorporated characters from The Secret Life of Cowboys series. It's like a super happy and dysfunctional family reunion. Perfection. C.H. now that all the Mulcahy girls are happy, how about taking us to Brooklyn?~ KIMBERLY~ less

Download links for: Welcome Back to Apple Grove

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