Another great story by Debbie Macomber in her New Beginnings Series.  To get away from her strong willed mother Beth moves to Oregon where her free spirited aunt lives and takes a job as a music teacher.  Her new friend Nichole convinced her to meet their friend Sam.  Neither is what the other is expecting.  But after a car accident Sam and Beth becomes drawn to each other.  The relationship is going smoothly until Beth's controlling mother gets involved.

They soon encounter some more bumps in the road when well meaning Beth decides to surprise Sam.  They both will need to decide if they can or want to have a relationship.

Escaping a Domineering Mother to Find Love

At twenty-five, Beth is on her own. She moved from Chicago to Portland to escape the smothering presence of her mother. Finally, she’s able to make her own life, have friends of her choosing, and enjoy her job as a music teacher. 

One of Beth’s teacher friends invites her to dinner with her family and a family friend, Sam. Sam is a mechanic, a tough guy that her mother would not have approved of. Sam isn’t too excited about Beth either, a well-brought-up girl who likes classical music. A serious car accident changes everything. Sam and Beth talk while she recovers and find common ground. 

This is a warm romance. The characters are people you can empathize with. Beth and Sam don’t seem suited on the surface, but each brings something to the relationship the other needs. Beth’s other friends, and particularly Nicole’s son Owen, add a very human element to the story. They’re the kind of people you’d like to know. 

If you enjoy romance with an outcome that makes you feel good, no outrageous sex, or kinky living arrangements, this is a good book. The outcome is predictable, but the fun is in getting to know the characters and see how they arrive at a good resolution. 

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.

Blind dates seldom work. Ones created by mothers are especially disasters in the making. Some parts seemed unrealistic or too mild or too extreme, but I went with it and enjoyed shedding tears in many places. A pleasant romantic tale for several hours of light diversion. Wondering if I should have read the first two in the series, but from other reviews and from the development of the characters, it doesn't seem to be necessary. I am sure I will enjoy going back and catching up with them and any future ones.

If Not for You

Did your mother tell you not to jump to conclusions?  Well, this is the ultimate novel about why not!  Our hero and heroine are a most unlikely pairing, introduced by friends, politely demurring. However, fate intervenes in the form of a serious auto accident...    Debbie Macomber's thought-provoking novel is filled with complex family relationships and on again/off again romances.  Her characters will make you sit up and notice, cry a bit, and perhaps make you want to have a stiff talking-to!  I really appreciate the skill and sensitivity in Debbie Macomber's books, especially the more recent ones.  Not just a formula romantic potboiler, not at all!  Highly recommended!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for lending me a time-limited e-copy of this book.

NOte:  review will be put on Amazon.com soon after publication. (done March 21, 2017, thanks for email alerting me to publication)

My Review:
When I first began this book I wasn't sure I would be able to make it through it. Beth has a serious issue in that she's a complete pushover. Letting her mother control everything about her life until the age of 25...I just can't fathom that and even hearing about it after the fact drove me nuts. 

But while this book does touch on that dysfunctional relationship a lot, the focus for me was Beth and Sam. I love that they meet on a blind date and both agree at first meeting that there is no way they are a match. But when Beth is in a car wreck on the way home...that Sam witnesses...it connects them in a much different, deeper way. I loved that little twist and the fact that they aren't people who would normally connect. 

Because of the nature of how they connect, their relationship is a really slow build. I loved that especially since it meant Sam wasn't scared away...until he was already in too deep. I also really loved although their backgrounds and styles are completely different, they connect over music. I loved the visuals of their jam sessions in the rehab clinic. 

I also really loved the addition of Beth's aunt, Sunshine. She adds so much depth and dimension to the story. I also really love the side story that featured her. In fact, eventually I came to love all the story that featured Beth's family...especially at the end. 

The story started out really strong...with the car accident. But it lost a bit of momentum in the middle that it gained again toward the end. Overall, though, it was a good story. I enjoyed reading it.  
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I  have been reading Debbie Macomber for many years and have always enjoyed her books.  She has written many series books, but I believe this is a standalone.  It is a heartwarming, character driven contemporary romance.  Beth is a young woman who has been ruled by her mother and finally breaks free to move away from her home and work as a music teacher.  Sam is a mechanic and they are forced together on a blind date by their well meaning friends.  It is dislike at first site as they believe they have nothing in common.  An interesting event happens and they end up getting to know each other.  But this story has many levels.  Beth always wants to see the best in others and tries to fix other people's issues.  Sam willingly goes,along with her schemes as long as it doesn't involve him.  When it does, there is trouble in the relationship.  That is the basic relationship in this story, but there are so many levels.  One of the things Debbie Macomber does so well in her books is give us multiple characters and multiple relationships, that while each is entwined, are all layers for the book.  An enjoyable journey for these characters.  This is a sweet and yet at times melancholy book.  For fans of Debbie Macomber's books, this is a winner.  If you have never read her before, this is a good standalone to see how she structures her stories.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Thanks as always to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.

Another book by Debbie Macomber and another quickly devoured story, which will linger with you. This is a stand-alone book but there are characters in here that we have met before, and quickly I was remembering another story and happy to get caught up with them.
Our girl Beth is trying to move on, she had taken a large step and moved miles from her over bearing mother, can you imagine a girl of twenty-five and her mother telling her how to dress? I sure cannot even phantom being that much under my parents control at that age. Then the man she is fixed up with is nothing that her mother would approve of, but fate does intercede and with a horrible mishap these two may find each other.
Through the book I began to wonder if Beth’s good deeds were reminiscent of her mother, I sure hoped not but they sure seem to backfire on her, and I wondered if she was about to ruin her chances with Sam. A tale that is about to keep you page turning to the end, and it does take to the end to get all of the answers.

I received this book through Net Galley and Ballantine Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

I just loved this book! I loved Beth and Sam and  the feelings they envoked for me as a reader. Neither of them has had an easy life, not had they planned on each other. Set up on a blind date by mutual friends, they couldn't be more opposite. But when he witnesses her being involved in a car accident on their  way home from their friends' house, Sam knows he can't leave her. For some reason he can't fathom, he visits almost every day and starts to realize he really does like her and it could be much more. Beth looks forward to his visits and she too realizes it is so much more. But when pasts rear their ugly heads can these two figure out they are stronger together?
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

My first from this author after seeing a slew of her hits as movies on Lifetime. I love the way Debbie Macomber writes. Her words flow so effortlessly and she writes characters that I could totally relate to. Her brand of love story is very unique in comparison to the usual I've been reading of late. I liken it to a good old-fashioned kind of romance, where the couple truly gets to know one another without the need to hop into bed right off the bat. In fact, there is zero sex and I didn't miss it one bit!

This is truly Beth's story. Her struggle to find herself at 25, moving to Portland to get away from her overbearing mother and falling into a groove she never quite expected. Her literal run-in with Sam after a disastrous blind date sets the ball in motion for a new adventure for Beth, one in which she finally takes hold of her life and lives it her way.

I truly enjoyed the slow burn between Beth and Sam. His hesitations in getting involved with a woman so different from him. Yet. their time together was always easy and watching as they fall in love ever so slowly was pure joy.  The additions of good friends and family, particularly Sunshine, added the right component and gave Beth and Sam the encouragement they needed when they'd hit a bump in the road.  There is so much in terms of additional story matter wrt Sunshine and Sam's secret. Beth as someone who tries to help when she can, could be accused of caring too much and twice her actions threaten her happiness.

It's a great romantic tale that consumed me from the start and it felt like a breath of fresh air. I would love more from all the characters to see how they are faring now. For those needing sexy times, this is not the book for you. There is zero physical activity yet the author manages to write about a pure kind of passion seen in both Beth and Sam's eyes. And for me, that was more than enough.

A great respite from the same old thing, If Not For You warmed my heart and is just delightful.

A solid 5 stars!

I love Debbie Macomber. I make it a point to keep abreast of release dates and read all of her new books as soon as I can get my hands on them. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to be given the opportunity to have a sneak peek at one of her novels. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of this book. While reading Debbie's books, one is frequently required to suspend disbelief. I get that, and I'm usually fine with it. However, this one, to me, was simply unbelievable. I also found it to be absolutely ridiculous that the male love interest (Sam) is looked down upon because...gasp!...he's a mechanic! He also has long hair, a beard, tattoos, and swears. Oh no! I did not find him likeable at all, and it had nothing to do with any of those things. He's condescending, controlling, and incredibly immature for a man of 36 years (I would give examples but do not want to include spoilers at this time). The female love interest (Beth), is also immature, though I found this to be more forgivable for a 25-year-old only child who has been sheltered her whole life up until this point. I liked that she had the courage to move from Chicago to Portland on her own, but she definitely needed to do more to cut the cord. She supposedly had an agreement with her mother that they wouldn't have any contact for six months. Come to find out they talk every day on the phone! In my opinion, you don't have much right to complain about your mother butting into your life too much when you continue to communicate with her daily. I enjoyed the character of Sunshine, and actually thought her story would have made a better book. The Sam/Beth story line seemed to drag on; there didn't seem to be enough substance to warrant an entire book. Unfortunately, I have to say this is my least favorite Debbie Mac book to date and would not recommend this particular story to someone new to the author. I would point those new to Debbie Macomber to her Inn at Rose Harbor series and any of her Christmas books, which are all great However, I think diehard fans will enjoy this.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

This is the third book in the New Beginnings Series.  If you are a fan of Nichole and Rocco, you will be happy to know they make an appearance in this book.  This story doesn't need to be read as part of that series, it could also stand alone, as most of the story is about Sam and Beth.  Sam is a friend of Rocco's, and Beth is a friend of Nichole's.  Nichole decides to play matchmaker and set them up, only for the meeting to go awkwardly.  Beth gets in a car accident on the way home from the dinner, Sam sees it happen, and suddenly has a change of heart, as he ends up falling for Beth and vice versa.

This book was killing me until halfway through.  The relationship between the main characters was so forced even Sam knew it.  When the main characters started to realized it became a bit better.  What really brought it around for me was the secondary story.  Beth moved away from her controlling mother and closer to her free spirited aunt.  We got to learn all about their histories and why they were the way they were, and how Beth got involved in trying to fix their relationship.  I don't want to spoil anything because this was my favorite part of the book. Once that unraveled, the rest of the book just flowed!

Such a delightful story that takes you on a roller coaster of emotions! The story line has ups and downs from the start as Beth and Sam try to figure out what they want from life. The characters are remarkably well written and have amazing chemistry. Loved this book and look forward to more!

The book did start off kind of slow.  It is kind of hard to figure out how a book is going to continue when both partieis do not enjoy a blind date.  And then, literally, BOOM the whole thing changes.  I have to admit that this book had plenty of twists and turns that I did not see coming.  Whenever I had to take a break to work or to go to school, my mind kept going back to this book and wondering what would happen next.  The book has a great tone and doesn't drag although there was at least one instance where what happened made me stop and think, "I'm not sure that would ever really happen, but...' and that always takes a little bit away for me.  Overall it was a very entertaining book that kept me interested at every turn.

Beth has moved to Portland, Oregon, to be near her Aunt Sunshine. She had to get away from her over-protective mother. She gets a job as a high school music teacher, which she loves.

She is introduced to Sam by a well-meaning friend, but their meeting is awkward, and neither one is comfortable. They both leave early, and Beth is involved in a serious car accident, which Sam witnesses. Sam stays with her while waiting on help to arrive, and makes a point to visit her in the hospital as much as possible. Sam is not her usual type of boyfriend, he has long hair and tattoos. And Beth knows that her mother will come unglued if she begins a relationship with him.

What do Sam and Beth do? Will a relationship work between them? Will Beth's mother interfere? And what happened 30 years ago to cause a break in her mother and Aunt Sunshine's family?

I've always enjoyed Debbie Macomber's books, some more than others. This is one of the more enjoyable ones.

I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank them for their generosity. In exchange, I was simply asked to write an honest review, and post it.
Having previously read and disliked A Girl’s Guide to Moving On, I wasn’t so sure about starting this book despite having been a long-time fan of the author.   It had several carry over characters from the previous book in the series and I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this one as much as I did.  Granted it had a lot of the silly drama that is so prevalent in all of Macomber’s books (honestly, her adult characters blow things out of proportion and break faster than high schoolers after prom) but at least the characters are fairly likeable. 
The premise is simple; two characters that are completely opposite are brought together through a blind date gone wrong and a car accident.  Main female character Beth is a prim, uptight and parentally challenged young woman while Sam is a grouchy, rough around the edges mechanic who has sworn off serious dating due to a bad breakup when he was much younger.  The usual ups and downs and complications ensue plus some back stories about family dynamics and loveable hippy aunts.  Simply put, it’s the usual Macomber novel.  If you are looking for a quick read that will leave you in good spirits and that is not filled with violence, gratuitous sex and cursing then this is the book/series to read.  I appreciate the author’s values and that she does not have to assault readers with tabloid-type hype in order to satisfy and be on the best-seller list.  

Author:  Debbie Macomber
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Date: March 21st,  2017
Rating: 4 Stars
Genre: romance

Very enjoyable book, a sequel to   "A girls guide to moving on."  It is fun to go back and see what the characters from the first book have been up to..  The story of Sam and Beth is a sweet story.  At first they were anything but a match, but circumstances change and they each bring out in the other what they each need.

If Not For You by Debbie Macomber is a uplifting read, reminding us that love comes in all shapes and sizes.  This book is listed as third in a series called New Beginnings, although I did not in any way find any difficulty starting in the midst.  The characters are interesting and the situations help make the book interesting.

Beth Prudhomme leaves home and her overprotective and assertive mother, to start again in Portland Oregon.  She moves with the idea that she is going to run her own life.  However, not everything happens smoothly as she is quickly hit in an accident.  Beth has a long way to go in order to gain her independence again.  Sam is a constant visitor and both of them begin to bond.  Sam does not fit her idea of a boyfriend, but with so much time together slowly she begins to see herself with Sam.  Then more happens, giving Beth and Sam more doubts and fears.  

I liked the book.  I mostly liked the characters, except for Beth’s mom, who was overbearing and clueless.  Beth does have a busy body gene within her that almost bites her (and probably should).  Debbie Macomber’s newest book If Not For You is a good read.

The start of the book was very interesting.  A blind date between Beth and Sam was, “eh you seem like a fine person, but I’m not interested.”  But while driving away separately, Sam watches in horror as Beth’s car is t-boned.  The two share a bond after that as Sam is first on the scene and brings a calm to badly-injured Beth.

The two are an unlikely couple.  There is an 11-year age gap as well as Beth is a music teacher that comes from an upper middle-class family and Sam is a hard-working mechanic who has promised himself he would never love again (a secret that comes out later reveals his heartache).  

Woven into their story are a few other ones.  There is a rift between Beth’s mother and her aunt that has been a mystery since Beth can remember.  Her Aunt Sunshine has never married and inadvertently refers to a lost love.  You also get a glimpse into Beth and Sam’s friends Rocco and Nichole who were from A Girl’s Guide to Moving On.

The stories take time to develop.  The romance is old-fashioned.  If you’re looking for steamy, this is not the book for you.  But if you don’t mind slow romance with real-life dramas, this is will do the trick.  Sometimes in our chaotic lives, we all need to slow down a bit and this offers a gentle piece of mind.

*I receive an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*