New Release Review and Giveaway! THE ONE THAT I WANT by Marilyn Brant

Book one is on sale too! Keep reading for sale links…

The One That I Want
by Marilyn Brant
(Mirabelle Harbor, #2)
Publication date: July 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

The summer after her beloved husband died in a car accident, Julia Meriwether Crane is still picking up the pieces of her life in Mirabelle Harbor and trying to help her ten-year-old daughter adjust to this difficult new reality.

After her best friend Sharlene—one of the well-known Michaelsen siblings—talks her into finally going out on the town again, Julia finds herself stunned to be the object of interest of several different men: The boy who’d broken her heart back in high school. The college ex she’d left behind. And most surprising of all, the movie actor she’d always fantasized about but had never met in person until now. Can one woman have more than one “great love” in the same lifetime? And, if so, how can she be sure which man that’ll be?

Sometimes the person you think will be best for you…isn’t the one you really want. THE ONE THAT I WANT, a Mirabelle Harbor story.

Review:

A sweet romance with a great message about having the courage to move on with your life without forgetting the past…

I really liked both Julia and Dane–they are a fantastic couple, and I was rooting for them even when they had the rockiest of rocky starts. It was so easy to identify with Julia here–who hasn’t had a teenage celebrity crush (or two, or three) and dreamed what it would be like “if only…”

So…a totally realistic story? Maybe not. A feel-good read? Absolutely.

Honestly, though, the part that stretched credibility for me here wasn’t so much the Julia dating a celebrity part as the fact that just over six months after the death of her husband Julia suddenly has 1) her high school boyfriend back in town and interested, 2) her college boyfriend emailing and texting her, AND 3) her teenage celebrity crush showing an interest as well. The other two guys, especially given the way they’ll be vilified later on, just didn’t feel necessary to the story, though. There’s definitely enough tension, drama, and conflict just with Dane and Julia alone–her recent widowhood and need to protect her daughter and help her heal, his celebrity status and inherent distrust of people alone give them plenty to deal with. It felt like the other two guys could have been dropped from the cast of characters, and we still would have had a compelling story here.

Still, it was an enjoyable read with a warm and fuzzy HEA. Just what I needed after a long work week.

The One That I Want is the second book in the series, but worked just fine as a standalone. What we see of the Michealsen family here (Sharlene Michealsen is Julia’s best friend) will definitely have me coming back for more of this series. I may have already one-clicked the beginning novella, Take a Chance on Me … 😉

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads

Purchase:

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TAKE A CHANCE ON ME (Book 1)

Book 1 in the Mirabelle Harbor series, a standalone romantic novella called TAKE A CHANCE ON ME, is also out now and it’s on sale *everywhere* for just 99-cents in celebration of the release of THE ONE THAT I WANT. 

Dedicated personal trainer Chance Michaelsen falls hard for Nia Pappayiannis—his complete opposite and a member of the family that owns the Greek bakery just down the street from his gym. He considers their pastries to be the enemy of good health, but his attraction to Nia can’t be denied. In matters of the heart, would you risk it all? TAKE A CHANCE ON ME, a Mirabelle Harbor story.

Amazon
B&N
Kobo
Smashwords
Apple
Paperback

 

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Marilyn Brant is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of contemporary women’s fiction, romantic comedy & mystery. She was named the Author of the Year (2013) by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English. She loves all things Jane Austen, has a passion for Sherlock Holmes, is a travel addict and a music junkie, and lives on chocolate and gelato. Look for all of the contemporary romances in her new Mirabelle Harbor series, beginning July 2015! Visit her website: www.marilynbrant.com

Author links:

http://www.marilynbrant.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2978367.Marilyn_Brant

https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.brant

https://twitter.com/marilynbrant

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