I enjoyed this book! The story was very well put together. It was written in a way that made it easy to follow along and so enjoyable! The characters were highly developed in a very realistic way. As the story progressed, I felt as if they were my friends or my neighbors. Beth has moved to Portland, Oregon where her Aunt Sunshine lives. She begins a new life here that includes a new apartment and a new job. She develops a friendship with Nichole and Rocco. Eventually, she is introduced to Rocco’s good friend, Sam. There is a lot of conflict in Beth’s family that overshadows everyone’s lives. The family tries to come to terms with this conflict and make peace. Everyone has something from their past that has left them hurt and still unresolved. This story is their journey to find happiness and let the past go. You will really enjoy this if you like books full of family dynamics, friendship, and love. This book would make a great book club selection. The characters and their relationships would be fun to examine.

While I have read many of Debbie Macomber's books, I find that these later works of hers are becoming some of my favorite. If Not for You is another of these novels that I find compelling. Her characters are very likable and realistic. Their thoughts and actions are everyday thoughts and feelings which we must face. I love how she shows that one must never judge a book by its cover.

Beth Prudhomme has been repressed all her life or at least she feels that she has. However a cross country move not only brings her closer to her beloved but spirited Aunt Sunshine, but shows her that life can be what you make it. Sam Carney is not who you think he is. His outer appearance would make some cross the road to pass him by but....there is more under the cover than those around can see. Will he be able to overcome his past and fall in love with someone completely not his style? Will Beth be able to look past the outside and see the inside? Will Beth's family learn to let go?
I received this book through Netgalley. The review is strictly my own thoughts and feelings.

How do you know when it’s time to cut the apron strings? When it comes to growing up? What’s healthy and what’s not? Well, I am sure Beth Prudhomme was asking herself the same question at twenty-five years old. “When do I wing my mother.”
You see Ellie Prudhomme thought she had every right to dictate every moment of every day of every year that was her daughter’s life. From who to date, what to wear, and where to go to school. She didn’t even have friends. The one thing she did do and she loved is playing the piano of which she had a perfect pitch.
She did, however, work out a deal with the church to play the piano for a fee during the services. So that she could hide the money away for later use. She didn’t tell her mother. When she had enough she called her mother’s sister, Sunshine, which her mother doesn’t talk to, asking if she could come life with her since she applied for a teaching job. She planned her escape for the late night. But then she thought maybe she should tell her father.
When she ends up in Portland, Oregon she finds that she has the job for sure and in two days after staying with her aunt she finds and the apartment too. One of the teacher’s, Nichol, she meets the first days on campus at the high school. They become fast friends. Nichol invites her over for a last-minute dinner. Turns out it will be a fix-up. Yes, a fix up with her husband Rocco’s friend, Sam Carney.
When she asks questions, Nichol says she likes him a lot and so do the children they call him uncle Sam. She says he’s great with children. But that he is a mechanic, that he has long hair but keeps it neat. Let’s just say both Beth and Sam were not pleased to have been fixed up. But they liked their friends so they went along with it for this one meal.
When Beth see’s Sam she doesn’t think he’s bad looking but she knows he’s not someone her mom would find acceptable. Long hair, beard, and tattoos. Not to mention that the look on his face shows that he is not even interested. After a tense dinner, both choose to not have dessert. As soon as they could they bolted, glad it was over. They both made it to the red light at the intersection at the same time.
The light turns green Sam was going straight and Beth was making a right turn as she proceeded to go not seeing that a teen was going to be running a red light until it was too late. The teen was texting. She was stuck full impact. Sam sees it all happen right before his eyes. He goes to her aide. Both of their lives are forever changed in that moment.
You won’t want to miss this story. Seeing how dysfunction in Beth’s life, near death experience, and Sam’s past secrets change these two forever. I give this: 5 stars. Provided by netgalley.com. Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com.

If Not For You


Debbie Macomber




IF NOT FOR YOU is the third book in Debbie Macomber's New Beginnings series. It is the story of Beth Prudhomme who is twenty five and has been under her mother's thumb since the day she was born. She decides to take control of her life and moves from Chicago to Portland where she will be closer to her Aunt Sunshine. Shortly after she makes the big move, her friend Nichole sets her up on a blind date with her friend, Sam. Beth comes from money and is a well educated teacher. Sam is rough around the edges, a mechanic, and has long hair and multiple tattoos. The blind date is not what either of them expected and they both bang into each other as they are trying to get out the door to escape. As they are both driving home, Sam witnesses a car t-boning Beth! Sam is horrified and jumps out of his truck to see if he can help. Does a story get any better than that all in the first chapter? Actually it wasn't even the first chapter. It was the prologue! To say I was instantly hooked, would be the understatement of the year!



Debbie Macomber writes a story that gets you hooked right from the start and never lets you go. IF NOT FOR YOU is filled with unsuspecting love, new beginnings, second chances, forgiveness, and lots of healing. The secondary characters have just as much of a story line as Sam and Beth and I love that. Beth has a huge heart and truly cares about others but she tends to stick her nose in others people's business and sometimes the results are heart breaking. Keep the tissues handy for this delightful romantic tale.



Debbie Macomber always writes such wonderful and well developed characters that you cant help but care about. You will find yourself cheering for Sam and Beth to overcome their pasts and to share their secrets with each other. Debbie Macomber always makes my heart feel like doing a happy dance when I'm reading her heart warming stories. I know exactly what I'm getting when I reach for one of her books and she never lets me down. When I need a pick me up after reading a disturbing story, I always go right to Debbie Macomber. She knows exactly how to make her readers feel fuzzy and warm and keeps us smiling over and over again. If you are having troubles in your life, grab IF NOT FOR YOU and you will be amazed by how it will take your mind off of everything else.

I really enjoyed this book! What drew me to it was the cover (of course) and the fact that Beth moved to Oregon. I really enjoyed both Beth and Sam as characters, and found the story quite charming. Thanks to the prologue, I was sucked in right away and couldn't stop reading. Though this book is part of Macomber's New Beginnings series (this is book #3) you don't need to have read the first two in order for this one to make sense.

The story is predictable yet delightful,and if you're a fan of Macomber or this genre it is definitely worth the read. My only criticism: Beth moves to Oregon and gets a full time music job THAT easily?! I have friends that are music teachers and full time music teahing jobs are NOT that easy to come by! Haha. Other than that I loved the story. Though I loved Beth and Sam, I think Beth's aunt Sunshine was my favorite character. Her story was my favorite and I rooted for her happiness throughout the book. A great relaxing weekend read!

Romance is not my preferred reading, however, Debbie Macomber books are usually good. I found this one predictable and at times uninteresting. Like all her books the characters are important. Beth Prudhomme and Sam Carney met on a blind date. Leaving the date Beth is severely injured in automobile accident. Sam stays with her until the first responders arrive. This is the start of their love affair. Beth is seeking independence from her parents and moved to Portland, Oregon where her Aunt Sunshine is living. Beth and Sam are both musically and create pleasing music together.
Beth's Mother does not like Sam and attempts to interfere. There are subplots concerning other characters that woven skillfully together to move the story. I this recommend this book.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Random House Publishing - Ballantine through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.

The story begins with Beth, who has moved to be near her Aunt to get away from her mother, and Sam being set up on a blind date but disliking each other. When Beth has a car accident on the way home, Sam comes to her rescue and visits her daily in hospital and their friendship develops as her recovery continues. They are both musicians and find a connection in their love of music and gradually fall in love. Beth is escaping her dragon of a mother, who continually makes an appearance and is harbouring a secret. True love doesn't run smooth and there are arguments and break ups along the way, with Beth hating her mother for interfering in her life, but finds herself unable to resist interfering in Sam's and her Aunt's lives, to her detriment. Very engaging writing and an enjoyable read. Will definitely look out for more by the same Author.

Debbie has such a way with weaving a story and making you feel a part of the story. If it had been any other writer I may have rolled my eyes at the polar opposite leads clearly not suited for each other, just to hours later clinging to each other, but you feel the connection in a time of need.

They both need each other and that need, gives them the chance to understand each other. Beth is a fixer, and wants everyone around her to be happy which gets her in more than one predicament that hurts people close to her. Beth also comes into her own standing up to her over protective mother, and standing by the man she has fallen in love with, even when he tries to deny their connection. Beautifully written, kept me wanting to curl up and read all day.

Everyone would like to believe they are in control of their destiny. Not day by day but in the grand scheme of things. Life just has a way of getting in the way of plans and that’s not necessarily always with a bad outcome. Some might call these just hiccups in life but for others their path is forever altered. IF NOT FOR YOU is part of Debbie Macomber’s New Beginnings series. This is actually book number three.

IF NOT FOR YOU is about people having a wakeup call of sorts. Life has been predictable, unexciting, and candidly disappointing. Debbie Macomber pairs the most unlikely people in order to clearly illustrate her point of view on love. And in IF NOT FOR YOU she lovingly does that more than once. Kind of to prove her point I guess. Or to drive home her firm beliefs about the nature of love, healing, kindness and candor.

Beth is the epitome of that belief. There are times you would like to shake Beth to get her to face reality but then you quickly realize that then she wouldn’t be Beth. Sam is what he is at least to those superfluous in his life. Only the important people know Sam and he is okay with that. At least until he meets Beth. Debbie Macomber doesn’t want you to believe in love at first sight at least not for Beth and Sam. In fact the only thing they have in common is their mutual desire to end this blind date disaster.

Life is going to have other plans for these two folk. Lovely young people whose paths were very different. And yet somehow there is much that they share. In IF NOT FOR YOU Debbie Macomber is insightful in peeling away the layers of their pasts and revealing much about their hopes and dreams. Sam isn’t even aware that he has any hopes or dreams. His life at this juncture is about today. Beth on the other hand is seeking out her future, away from controlling parents looking to protect their daughter from life’s rough spots.

But we quickly realize that for Sam and Beth it is those rough spots that has shaped them into the two people they are. In IF NOT FOR YOU Debbie Macomber tells us a lot about each character in their own tongue so to speak. And there is a wonderful supporting cast.

Beth has an unfortunate habit of getting involved with other people’s lives. It’s as if this sweet rather unassuming woman thinks the world should be filled with love. And somehow this is her mission. Sticking your nose into other people’s business is a risky proposition. You’d think after a few bungles Beth would learn her lesson but romantics can’t seem to turn a blind eye. This is what could ultimately be the greatest challenge Beth and Sam face.
Debbie Macomber likes to work with characters that have flaws so don’t expect to agree with everything the folks in IF NOT FOR YOU do or say. Macomber makes her characters practically jump off the page and there are times you are genuinely annoyed by something they do or say. But that’s exactly the point. The folk in IF NOT FOR YOU fall into the way Debbie Macomber fashions characters. Fans of this engaging author know that ultimately her characters will grab at your heart and conscience. You just might find some of their antics counterproductive but that’s okay. In life you don’t always have to like what someone does – but compromise is imperative.

Debbie Macomber weaves a story of love, second chances, betrayal, and forgiveness together.to form this stirring novel. Beth has been under her mother's tight control all her life until she decides to move to where her Aunt Sunshine lives. A series of events occur that bring Beth and Sam together and things get complicated after that. Sam is someone who her mother wouldn't approve of but Beth is determined to live her life her way. Great characters, dialog, and feeling make this a story that I had a hard time putting down. Beautiful

If Not for You

by Debbie Macomber

If Not for You is part of the New Beginnings series by Debbie Macomber. These are books related more by theme than by characters, although there is some overlap of characters. Each could definitely be read as a standalone. I am not a fan of the romance genre, but I do enjoy reading one occasionally. I like Macomber’s romances because she manages to talk about relationships without taking the reader into the bedroom with detailed descriptions. If Not for You begins with a blind date between Beth, a young socialite struggling to escape a controlling mother, and Sam, a bearded, long-haired, tattooed mechanic. The date doesn’t go well, the evening ends in physical disaster, and a romance begins.

If Not for You details the ups and downs of Sam and Beth’s relationship as well as their respective backgrounds which brought them to this point. Other characters in the story have romantic issues as well. Beth has a tendency to want to “fix” other peoples’ affairs. Her efforts sometimes backfire despite her good intentions.

This romance is set in Portland and in Chicago. The characters are interesting and likable. Most of the story is predictable, but there are surprises along the way and I think fans of the gentle romance genre will enjoy it.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Random House (Ballantine) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Romance

Publication: March 21, 2017--Random House (Ballantine)

Memorable Lines:

...the look in his eyes that said more than an entire library of books.

My mother will find a way of making sure the entire facility knows she’s arrived. She’ll make more of a production than Hannibal crossing the Alps.

My husband would have disapproved, but he’s been gone three years so I do what I want these days. That’s one of the compensations of being a widow.

...when we fail to be kind and loving, then we fail to be wise.

Debbie Macomber pulls at our heartstrings with this latest book in her New Beginning series! If you read either of the previous books in the series, you'll be sure to recognize Nichole who is the BFF of the heroine of this one. It was fun to catch up on how she and Rocco are doing and hearing a little about Owen, Leanne & Nicolai! :) I enjoyed the characters and the plot for the most part, but found it a little difficult to connect with them as a whole. There were however several sub-plots that added a lot to the overall book.

Beth Prudhomme was at her wits end with her overbearing mother, so she up and moved from her home in Chicago to Portland, Oregon where her beloved Aunt Sunshine lived. It was exhilarating for her to finally be on her own to find the job of her dreams teaching music to high schoolers, and enjoying living however she wanted to. When her fellow teacher and friend Nichole wants to set her up with a friend of her husband's, she's leary, but she agrees to go.

Mechanic Sam Carney isn't the type of guy she'd ever take home to her mother. He's long haired and tattooed and cusses like a sailor. They are both quick to realize they aren't interested in each other and beat a hasty retreat as soon as dinner is over, but a chance accident at the corner changes their lives in ways they never could have imagined! Sam is the first on the scene after she's hit by a car that ran the red light, and he keeps her calm and stays by her side until help arrives. He goes to the hospital with her and finds himself returning every day while she recovers. The connection they felt at the accident scene and the hours they spend visiting draws them closer and eventually into a relationship. Will they each be able to overcome their own issues and pasts in order to make a future together?

March 20, 2017 – Started Reading
Review Here I go again to read a book from a series of which I have not read the previous books. Still, reading Ms Macomber's book is refreshing.
Her novels always with dilemmas, surprises, discoveries and reconciliations make us think better of our own lives.

Here we find a couple, Beth and Sam, who met each other in a Blind Date. And even though Beth found Sam interesting, somehow she knew they would not end together because Sam did not have the appearance that would be accepted by Beth's mother.

An event in common between the couple: car accident.

Between comings and goings, meetings and disagreements, ends up happening when one is in love, the other retreats.
Beth and Sam seemed destined to be together, but for that they would have to overcome the many barriers raised to disrupt this love.

A mature romance that would have to overcome fear, rejection and pride.
4 stars

I loved this book. It was nice to see that Debbie showed that even though people make mistakes that things can work out and that the road to a lasting love takes a lot of hard work and forgiveness. Beth and Sam were amazing characters and I felt like I was there with them.

One thing I always know when I pick up a Debbie Macomber book is that I'm in for a fantastic read and this book was no different. This was a gorgeous romance that pulls at your heart strings. This author does an incredible job of bringing her characters to life and pulling emotions out of her readers. This is a book you don't want to pass up.

If Not For You
Debbie Macomber

This was a very heart warming double romance. Beth and Sam are from two completely different backgrounds. Beth comes from a wealthy family and Sam is a mechanic. They meet on a blind date and they both can't get away from the other quick enough.
But after Sam witnesses Beth get in an accident and he spends time with her while she recovers, he falls for her.
Meanwhile Beth's aunt Sunshine has loved and lost. She was never able to move on from her first love. And with Beth always trying to be the fixer she tries to make things right for her aunt.
Sam and Beth go through lots of ups and downs. They have family issues to work through and secrets from the past that try to ruin their love.
Great story of true love.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Earlier this week, Debbie Macomber released her newest novel, If Not For You. I've enjoyed the lightness of some of her books before and in the middle of trying to read heavier literature and An Army at Dawn (a Pulitzer non-fiction winner about World War II), I thought this would be the perfect time to read a lighter romance.

I was a little disappointed that this wasn't exactly light, though. It wasn't a steamy romance, of course, but because of a car accident, most of the book takes place in a hospital or rehab center. This isn't exactly an exciting setting or a great location for a romance, and it wasn't my favorite aspect of the book.

I did like the characters to a point, though I thought they were both a little too extreme. Beth, the Bible-reading good girl who just has to defy her parents (because for some reason, at age 25, she still needs their permission to live her life?), is too unrealistic to me. Sam, the rough-around-the-edges mechanic who (of course) sweeps her off her feet, despite (or perhaps because of) his unsuitability in Beth's mother's plans, has too many issues that pop up that just aren't necessary. Between the two of them, I thought they created problems where there weren't any.

Besides this, I didn't really get the sense that they belonged together. I liked that Sam was attentive and kind, but I didn't see why they were so hooked on each other. The romance element was lacking for me, or at least, the escapist romance was. I could see how these two might have fallen in love in real life based on their situation, but for a book, it was a little lackluster.

I didn't not like it, though. It was a quick read and I liked seeing Beth's growth over time, though she did make a lot of dumb repeat mistakes. I ended up giving this three stars because I didn't love it, but I didn't dislike it, either. It didn't work as much for what I was looking for, but it might be someone else's cup of tea.

*ARC from Ballantine Books via NetGalley

Beth Prudhomme moved to Portland, Oregon to escape her overbearing mother in Chicago. For the first time in her twenty-five year old life, she is independent and free. She is a music teacher and loves her new job. She is living on her own and loving life. Her new friend, Nichole, asks if she will come to dinner to meet a friend of her husband. Beth reluctantly agrees to to blind dinner date with Sam. Sam Carney is has long hair, a beard and tattoos. He is nothing like Beth's mother would ever approve of. It ends up being so awkward for both Beth and Sam and they can't escape fast enough.

Beth is too perfect for Sam's taste. She would never be interested in someone so below her social circle and the blind dinner date he goes on with Beth is beyond uncomfortable. He can't get out of their fast enough. As soon as dinner is over, he and Beth leave Nichole and Rocco's home and while stopped at a traffic light their vehicles are right next to each other. As soon as the turning lane signal turns green, Beth begins to turn and is hit by a speeding car running the light. She is seriously injured and Sam comes to her rescue and stays with her until emergency personnel arrive. This accident changes the rest of their lives.

This was a sweet story that is clean and with a HEA ending. It is proof that opposites attract and can be wonderful together. I have read other books by this author and like her others, this one did not disappoint.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another hit from Debbie Macomber. I loved seeing more from the characters that were in the background of previous books. Beautiful story.