 Author: Lynn H. Blackburn Genre: Romantic Suspense Series: Gossamer Falls #1 Pages: 352 Release Date: March 12, 2024 Publisher: Revell Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. After serving as the artist-in-residence, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home in which to grow up. Former Marine Callum Shaw always knew he would someday join his family's construction business in Gossamer Falls. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. The beautiful artist who has hired him to build her new house is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. He's loved--and lost--someone like her before. When Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire, it becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger--but from whom? Cal will have to risk his heart again if he has any hope of protecting them.
 Reviewer: Laura Thomas The first book in the “Gossamer Falls” series is an absolute treat—I already feel invested and intrigued by the characters of this small town in North Carolina! Landry Hutton is a professional potter with a tragic past. She’s worked hard to start fresh in Gossamer Falls along with her sweet five-year-old daughter, Eliza...until some disturbing “accidents” are cause for alarm. Cal Shaw is an ex-marine now working in his family’s construction company and meets Landry as a client when she decides it’s finally time to put down roots and build a home. Although neither feels ready for anything more than a platonic relationship, sometimes the sparks of chemistry just can’t be ignored. This story may be a slow burn on suspense, but it is undeniably rapid in the romance between this adorable couple! A high-end resort for the elite, family feuds, ex-marine brothers, multi-generational complications, secrets, romance, and danger--Never Fall Again has set the stage for more compelling reading for lovers of Christian romantic suspense. I received a complimentary copy from Revell Publishers through Interviews & Reviews. All opinions expressed are my own.  Reviewer: Marie Edwards I am a staunch fan of the romantic suspense genre. It’s one I’ve steadily had as a favorite for well over 20 years. However, my reading of the Christian version of it has only been within the past five years. As a result, I’ve curated quite a few “must-read” authors. Among my many favorite authors is Lynn H. Blackburn. I was lucky enough to be on a few launch teams for her books. One of them, Under Fire, is where this book “sort of” begins. The Haven is introduced in that book. This is the first book in the Gossamer Falls series, and I was shocked that neither one of the two leads was in law enforcement. That’s one thing I enjoy in my romantic suspense books—the FBI, U.S. Marshals, or local law enforcement. But what drew me right in was one of the main characters being a single mom, the other a Marine. Blackburn does an excellent job of establishing the characters who’ll likely be featured in future books, as well as setting the plot right off. Landry only wants to make a home for her daughter and keep her safe. That is, until her pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It is definitely no secret someone is targeting her—but who and why? Of course, that means Cal is going to have to risk his heart to keep her and her daughter safe. Blackburn takes the romantic suspense genre to a different level here. Obsession, riveting suspense, family drama, as well as the small-town dynamics. There is some humor and a family atmosphere in this book. The characters are people I want to know and wanted to revisit as soon as I closed the book. I absolutely adored Eliza. In one part, Blackburn wrote about the harvest festival, and I got so hungry. I actually started craving some of the food mentioned. Blackburn’s writing is that impactful. I definitely didn’t want to put this down for any length of time. It was fast-paced without rushing, and the short chapters kept me reading page after page. Never Fall Again is a slow-build romance between the two leads. There is a slight Christian element in it, but it doesn’t feel like the author is proselyting. I loved one take: “Her faith in God wasn’t an issue. Her faith in people who claimed to know God? That was an issue." I have never related to something so closely in my entire life. From the excerpt in the back, I’m definitely going to want to read the next book in the series. I received a copy of this book courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion. Reviewer: Monica Huyser Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn is the first book in her new Gossamer Falls series. Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life with her young daughter in Gossamer Falls after her abusive husband passed away. She is known for her beautiful pottery and has made a good life for herself and her daughter, Eliza. Landry's good friend Bronwyn gave her a job and helped her move to the area to start over. Callum Shaw is a former marine who moved back home to Gossamer Falls and is a respected home builder in the area. Landry hires Callum to build a home for her and Eliza on some land that Bronwyn sold Landry. Not long afterward, Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. A handwritten note indicates that Landry and Eliza seem to be in danger, but from whom? And why? I enjoyed Never Fall Again. However, at first, I did have a little trouble keeping all of the characters straight. This book features a lot of family members from two different families that were feuding at one time in the Gossamer Falls area. At the same time, I can see how this will make for an interesting series with all of these wonderful characters. It does help that there is a family tree for the Quinn family, which is Callum's family, in the front of the book. I enjoyed watching Callum and Landry's relationship unfold. I liked how they communicated, even though they had some struggles. They also didn't shy away from sharing past hurts, so both people knew each other's backgrounds. I also liked some of the other family relationships in the book. It is neat to me that there is a special-needs adult in the family and that there are wonderful characters of all ages. It will be interesting to see the next book in the series and who Blackburn features in that one. The suspense was there, along with the relationship issues, and I had my suspicions about who the bad guy was, but the reader doesn't really know what is going on until the end. Throughout most of Never Fall Again, I was left guessing at what was going on, and it did keep me turning pages. I liked the relationships the main characters had with God and how they grew in their faith. There is some talk of abuse, specifically Christian abuse that one character experienced in the past, in this book, so that may be a trigger for some people. As someone who has been in an abusive relationship, I thought she handled that all quite well. I also thought it was good that it was included since there are real people experiencing those challenges. I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Interviews and Reviews. All opinions are my own. Reviewer: Amy Smelser In Never Fall Again, we are introduced to a set of families that have lived in Gossamer Falls for some time. They have grown up together and do business with one another, however, there was a falling out between them. As we get to know the first couple, Landry and Cal, through Cal’s family, cousins, and friends, we get a good solid picture of the town and possible other relationships that will play out later in the series. Landry Hutton is a potter, widow, and single mom to her daughter. She did not have a good first marriage nor any lasting relationships with her late husband’s family. She does struggle with some PTSD from what happened to her previously, she only wants to keep her daughter safe. Living in a safe town and having her own home she can retreat to and her own business to support them means not relying too much on others. Callum (Cal) Shaw are from one of the premier families, the Quinn family. He is a former Marine and has come back home to start his own business. But when he finds out that some of the rival Pierce land was sold to Landry and he is being asked to build her home, life gets interesting. Things begin to happen rather quickly in this town, and Landry’s business and her art go up in flames. Her ticket towards independence for her daughter and herself is farther out of reach. And the fire wasn’t an accident. Who is trying to sabotage Landry, and is she the main target, or does this involve the Pierce and Quinn disagreement? And what about falling in love? Since Landry and Cal have vowed to stay out of relationships, they both seem rather drawn together. Will they be able to let go of their lurking pasts that still haunt them? This was a great beginning to what promises to be a rewarding series of complicated families and relationships in a close-knit town. I was provided a copy of this novel by Revell Publishers through Interviews and Reviews. I was not required to post a positive review, and all views and opinions are my own. Reviewer: Anna Bottoms Lynn is one of my favorite authors and this book is a testimony to her ability to bring readers back again and again. I absolutely loved it and wasn’t t sure of the culprit until the end. The best kind of thriller. I loved Cal’s character, a regular guy—yes, former military—running his business with his brothers, loving his family, and living a good life. Everything he thinks he needs he has. He’s not likely to marry after a traumatic break up, so he’s content being the favorite uncle to his nieces and nephews. Until he meets Landry and her daughter, Eliza. He’s determined not to cross the friendship line but when their lives could be in danger those lines begin to fade. Landry started over with her daughter in a new place. Now that she’s made connections she’s not anxious to leave. She’s ready to put down permanent roots and build a new home. When she contracts Cal to be her builder she likes him more than she should. She’s determined to remain single and avoid the pain of a relationship, but perhaps they could be friends. That doesn’t seem like too much to handle. This book along with being a great thriller also wraps you in the warm blanket of the Quinn and Shaw families. I love big families that are there for each other, don’t judge, love the Lord even when life is messy, and open their arms to others. The relationships entwined through the story are very realistic and made me want to be a part of their lives. This is a book I’ll read again and recommend. I was given a copy courtesy of Revell. This is my honest opinion of the book. Reviewer: Paula Shreckhise What a wonderful setting in Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. It is a small town with interwoven families, beautiful scenery, and an exclusive resort. I loved the Quinn family and the dynamics of brothers Cal, Conner, and Chad Shaw. They are owners of a construction company, and the interactions with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents, where everyone in the small town is so connected, could be confusing, but it was so much fun! Landry Hutton is a potter and art teacher at The Haven resort and is hiding from her past with her 5-year-old daughter, Eliza. When a fire and vandalism disrupt her life, ex-Marine Cal Shaw steps in, and his whole family, including his dog, Maisey, are there to comfort Landry. I like the way Cal is drawn to Landry and wants to protect her. His interaction with Eliza shows he is good dad material. This story was very suspenseful and also very romantic. I did not want to put the book down! I look forward to the next book in the series because there are hints at several matchups in the making. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell through Interviews and Reviews and Netgalley. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions are mine alone. Reviewer: Mindy Houng
"Secrets bring despair. Surprises bring delight." I love Lynn H. Blackburn's writing and have been waiting anxiously for this new series to begin. Gossamer Falls is my kind of town—small, tightly knit, and absolutely gorgeous. Cal's family is my kind of family, too—large but tightly knit, a little crazy but fiercely loyal and loving. This first book of the series introduces many characters and lays the groundwork for the series. Though there are a lot of Quinn family members, it's not difficult at all to keep them straight because they're all so unique. I loved Cal, his steadfast protectiveness, and his soft, tender heart. His interactions with little Eliza totally stole the show. Landry was easy to love and understand, especially her mama's heart. There was less suspense and action in the book than I expected, but I really enjoyed the character-building and world-building in the book. I can envision myself in one of the tiny houses on the river, hanging out with Cal and his cousins. Gossamer Falls and its people have completely captivated me, and I can't wait to go back. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Revell and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own. Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
Archives
September 2024
|
RSS Feed
3/18/2024
0 Comments