"i hope you dance" by robin lee hatcher

Author Robin Lee Hatcher takes readers back to the beloved setting of Kings Meadow for this novella in Zondervan's second Year of Weddings series.

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Can two left feet lead to one perfect romance?

Grant Nichols is a genius in the kitchen and a klutz on the dance floor. But his friend’s wedding is shaping up to be a shindig the likes of which Kings Meadow has never seen—including dancing. Lots of dancing. Then he learns that a local dance teacher, Skye Foster, is offering dance lessons for the wedding party. The lessons are free, so what does he have to lose?

A former rodeo queen, Skye Foster teaches children ballet and tap during the day, but with the popularity of ballroom dancing and her own love of Country Swing, she’s been teaching adults in the evenings.

Grant comes from a family of ten siblings. He was the second oldest and believes he's had his fill of little rug rats. He’s happy with his bachelor state, despite the fact that he’s given up his ladies’ man lifestyle. Even he admits to his wilder nature and has been trying to clean up his act, with God's help.

Skye, on the other hand, loves being around kids. She would love to find the right guy and settle down to have half a dozen children of her own.

Grant and Skye are no match on paper. But when they step onto the dance floor, they move to a love song all their own.

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Novellas can be difficult. Because they're short, sometimes the author has to leave things out or rush things in order to tell a complete story. Unfortunately, that's what's happened with I Hope You Dance. I loved the set up of Grant and Skye meeting and falling in love, and I could even buy a quick proposal—after all, that does happen in real life. But the big hindrance to their happily ever after—Skye's desire for a big family contrasted with Grant's determination to not have children—is resolved so quickly and rather improbably, and it just didn't ring true.

I have loved Robin Lee Hatcher's Kings Meadow series, and I Hope You Dance is a charming return to that world. I just wish that it could have been slightly longer to allow for a touch more believability. 3-1/2 stars.

Buy the novella.
Buy Kiss the Bride, which contains the novellas I Hope You Dance, Picture Perfect Love, and Love on a Deadline.
Read my reviews of Hatcher's other Kings Meadow stories: A Promise Kept (5 stars--not "officially" a Kings Meadow novel, but set there), Love Without End (4-1/2 stars), Whenever You Come Around (4-1/2 stars), and Keeper of the Stars (4 stars).
Read my reviews of the other Year of Weddings and Year of Weddings 2 novellas.

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Best-selling novelist Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heart-warming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, two RT Career Achievement Awards, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over sixty novels.

Connect with Robin: website, Twitter, Facebook

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"keeper of the stars" by robin lee hatcher

Robin Lee Hatcher takes readers on a return trip to Kings Meadow, Idaho, in Keeper of the Stars.

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Because it's not always love at first sight!

When her mother died from pneumonia, Penny Cartwright was heartbroken. But now, after burying her younger brother just 12 years later, she is devastated. Anger, guilt, and sorrow cloud Penny's mind, and the last thing she wants is to be reminded of her pain---but that's exactly what happens when a stranger comes to town.

Trevor Reynolds has been chasing fame for more than a dozen years, but his musical career can't get off the ground. While on the road, an accident kills his young drummer, Brad Cartwright. Trevor wasn't behind the wheel, but he still blames himself . . . and so does Brad's sister, Penny. Now Trevor finds himself in Kings Meadow, determined to follow through on his final promise to his friend.

Still feeling the pain of Brad's death, Penny and Trevor must learn that forgiveness is the only thing that can heal their hearts. And if they do forgive, something beautiful may rise from the ashes of heartbreak.

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In Keeper of the Stars, the last thing Penny wants is to be constantly reminded of her brother Brad's death and the huge fight they had beforehand. But when Trevor, lead singer of the band Brad played with, moves to Kings Meadow, Penny has no choice but to face her pain.

As this is a romance novel, I had no doubt that Penny and Trevor would find their way to one another, and I loved the scenes where the two were getting to know one another (albeit reluctantly on Penny's part). I did think that the shift from dislike to love came a bit quickly (not timewise, but in how the characters were portrayed on the page), and the romance was not my favorite aspect of the novel. The characters are very strong, though, and they carried the novel when the romance wasn't as toe curling as I'd hoped. I absolutely loved Penny's dad and his relationships with both Penny and Trevor, and Trevor's transition to small town life was enjoyable, too.

While Keeper of the Stars is part of Hatcher's Kings Meadow series, you do not need to have read any of the other books to enjoy this one. A few characters from the other novels pop up, but they are minor characters in Keeper of the Stars. Those who have read the other Kings Meadow books will surely want to read Keeper of the Stars, and those who haven't will find it a great introduction to a wonderful series. 4 stars.

See what others are saying.
Read an excerpt.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Hatcher's Kings Meadow books A Promise Kept (5 stars--not "officially" a Kings Meadow novel, but set there), Love Without End (4-1/2 stars) and Whenever You Come Around (4-1/2 stars); Beloved (4-1/2 stars); and The Heart's Pursuit (4 stars).

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Best-selling novelist Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heart-warming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, two RT Career Achievement Awards, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over sixty novels.

Connect with Robin: website, Twitter, Facebook

http://www.robinleehatcher.com/celebrating-my-76th-release-keeper-of-the-stars/

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"whenever you come around" by robin lee hatcher

Robin Lee Hatcher takes readers back to beloved Kings Meadow in Whenever You Come Around.

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Just when Charity's wild imagination failed her, a flesh-and-blood hero walked into her life.

Best-selling author Charity Anderson returns to her hometown of Kings Meadow to defeat a bad case of writer's block. She imagines she'll spend a lonely summer writing and then return to her home in Boise. She soon finds herself caring for Buck Malone, a wilderness guide-and the object of her unrequited teenage crush. But what else can she do? Her dog Cocoa caused the accident that left Buck with a broken ankle and wrist, taking him off the trail for weeks of prime tourist-season work.

Buck and Charity have gone different ways since high school, and at first it seems they have little in common. Buck loves the simple, low-key life he's made for himself in the mountains of Idaho, and she's a woman accustomed to the faster, bustling pace of the city. But spending so much time together has Buck hoping to change her mind about staying in the small town she thought she'd left behind for good.

It's a summer for discovering that young love is a spark not soon extinguished.

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Kings Meadow is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to visit in fiction. The three novels so far—A Promise Kept, Love Without End, and Whenever You Come Around—feature wonderful romances and can be read separately or as part of the series.

Whenever You Come Around focuses on Charity Anderson, a woman whose past has kept her from spending much time in her hometown and has held her back from finding love. When she reconnects with Buck, her high school crush, the walls she has erected around her heart begin to crumble.

I absolutely loved Charity's back story—the circumstances that turned her into the woman she is in the novel. It's revealed in bits and pieces, and it's both infuriating and heartbreaking. I hated how she felt the need to keep her story a secret, though I understood why she did.

The romance in Whenever You Come Around is very sweet, especially from Buck's perspective. Watching him fall in love with Charity was one of my favorite aspects of this novel. I also enjoyed another relationship in the novel: Charity's relationship with her sister Terri. Terri plays a major role in Charity's healing, which I think is more realistic than having Buck be the one to "save" Charity.

I did think that the ending came rather quickly and wrapped up a bit too neatly, but that's a minor complaint when compared with my regard for the rest of the novel. Whenever You Come Around is wonderful romance with depth, and I highly recommend it. 4-1/2 stars.

Buy the book.
See my reviews of the Kings Meadow books A Promise Kept (5 stars) and Love Without End (4-1/2 stars); Beloved (4-1/2 stars); and The Heart's Pursuit (4 stars).

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Robin Lee Hatcher is the bestselling author of 70 books. Her numerous awards include the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. Robin and her husband currently reside in Idaho. For more information, visit www.robinleehatcher.com.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."