I'm reviewing the newest in the Deep Haven Collection today. You can read that
below and check out the tour currently running with JustRead Publicity Tours...
Crazy for You
(Deep Haven Collection #3)
By Michelle Sass Aleckson
Presented by Susan May Warren
Christian Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 304 Pages
May 25, 2121 by Sunrise Publishing
Summary
The problem with being related to everyone in town is that there is no one left to date…until now…but will this outsider survive his family?
Former soldier Veronica “Ronnie” Morales isn’t going to let her kid brother, Tiago, get pulled into the gangs of Minneapolis, so, seeking safety and a fresh start, she heads to sleepy Deep Haven on the north shore of Minnesota. She’s hoping to put down roots as the paramedic for the new Crisis Response Team, but it’s not easy to be the town outsider.
Fire Chief Peter Dahlquist is a peacemaker—he has to be. After he’s related to both of the Deep Haven dynasties – the Zimmermans and the Dahlquists, Deep Haven’s version of the Hatfields and the McCoys. Worse, Peter is the holdout vote for a landmark project, which also makes him the loneliest guy in town when both sides demand that he pick sides. The only one who seems to understand his plight is the newcomer in town…his pretty, street-tough paramedic.
When Tiago finds himself caught up in small town shenanigans and the town blames Ronnie for tragedy, Peter is forced to pick sides. But will his choice cost him the home—and the woman—he loves?
My Review
CRAZY FOR YOU is a story about a gal who formerly worked as a medic in the military who is now the guardian for her brother and moves to a small town to fill a medic position there. It's a story of forgiveness, trust, faith, family and romance. Fans of the genre, clean romance and the series may enjoy this one.
I really liked these characters. Ronnie is a tough shell with some rough edges, but who is very protective. She tries to not open her heart after growing up as she did. She finds that Peter seems to get past her barriers no matter what she tries to do. She is also a bit at loose ends with her brother and hopes that the small town will be a good place for him to grow up. However, she feels like an outsider and has a lot going against her, particularly some of the townspeople's opinions and prejudices. Peter is just an all around good guy. He does have some issues with making decisions, stating what he thinks and wants, and standing up to his family. He really wants everyone to be happy and feels bad when they don't. He's a gentleman, a great fireman, and ends up being a soft place for Ronnie to land. Tiago is a bit of a loose canon, but I expected as much with where he's coming from. I liked the parts where Peter and Tiago spend time together and would have loved more of that in this story. I loved all the cameos from characters in prior stories. I wanted a bit more of a small-town feel, but it is still present, especially when the town comes together.
The romance takes center stage in this story. It's sweet, fun and light, but with some great chemistry. There is also a faith element, which is weaved through the second half of the story. Parts of it didn't feel genuine, but other parts did. I also liked the overall message of God loving unconditionally and wanting His children to come to Him regardless of how their earthly family has treated them. There is additionally messages of fighting for what is right when it is is right and found family.
There were some things that unfortunately rubbed me wrong or didn't work for me in this story. One was the theme of Ronnie needing to "fit in" and even Seb who I knew from a prior book being a strong force for that in this story. Seb also came across as a bit of a pushover, which felt off from what I knew of him. I also didn't like that not only was that theme of Ronnie fitting in coming from these characters who were also Christian, but it also was a requirement for a job instead of her keeping it based on her skills or how she did. It felt like for her to keep her job, they were also assessing her personal life in how she acclimated to the small town over a 90-day period. It just was a huge red flag for me professionally and for Christian fiction. I also had an issue with how abrupt Ronnie was and how rude she was. To me, I felt she knew she was being rude but didn't care, but then later she acts totally clueless. I felt like from her history she would have a better handle on dealing with people or at least be more aware of how her actions or behavior could be portrayed, and regardless didn't feel consistent with her character. I then had an issue with Megan and her outright stating twice that Ronni's brother was a bad influence. It was never really addressed or worked through in the story and I felt it should have been. Ronnie's brother seemed more like a 12-year-old than a 10-year-old, especially with how he freely roamed (I currently have a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old so a lot of the situations felt a bit off). The drama was a bit much and felt a it blanketed instead of more developed/complex. Finally, I felt like this story read like a light, generic romance. Not that those types of stories are bad, but I just expect more depth, character development and not so much instant attraction and constant romance from this series.
In the end, was it what I wished for? Overall, this is a fun read. I felt it needed more development, more consistency in some areas and deeper writing, but still enjoyed reading it. I'm looking forward to the next three installments in this collection.
Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy through JustRead Tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Other Books in the Series
(Linked to my reviews or Amazon affiliate links.)
About the Authors
After growing upon both the east and west coasts, Michelle Sass Aleckson now lives the country life in central Minnesota with her own hero and their four kids. She loves rocking out to 80’s music on a Saturday night, playing Balderdash with the fam, and getting lost in good stories. Especially stories that shine grace. And if you’re wondering, yes, Sass is her maiden name. Visit her at www.michellealeckson.com.
Merging the creative energies of best-selling authors Susan May Warren and Lindsay Harrel, Sunrise Publishing is the matchmaker for established authors who want to build on their current success for future growth and aspiring authors looking to break out, build an audience, and hone their writing skills.
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