I am not up to date on this series unfortunately, I wish I had time to get caught up! I love RaeAnne Thayne books and I'm sure this series is amazing.

I loved this book. I highly recommend it. This one is about Jamie Caine from the famous Caine family. Jamie needs a place to stay until his Condo is ready, He hears that Librarian Julia has an apartment he can rent. Even better it comes fully furnished. Julia has has a crush on Jamie since well forever. She is wondering is this a mistake? Then Julia ends up with temporary custody of 2 sweet little boys. What happens next.....

I highly recommend this book.

Thank you netgalley and Harlequin for allowing me to read this title for an honest review

Another great addition to a fun series. Story moved fast and well put together. Thank you, NetGalley

My review can be seen at RT Book Reviews

Another completely satisfying installment in the Haven Point series!

Take a librarian with multiple cats
Add in a sexy pilot
Then mix in a few adorable kids
Stir it all with some wonderful holiday spirit
And Sprinkle in the small town charm
Finally combine with an adorable and hilarious “Bucket List” trope

What you have is the recipe for the perfect Winter read.

I promise that you don’t want to miss out on RaeAnne Thayne’s latest in the Haven Point series!

This has fun characters and a fun romance. My rating 4.25.

Julia appears to be a quiet and seemingly unexceptional young woman (by her own assessment). She is a caring and conscientious librarian and a good friend. She has agreed to help a friend by allowing her brother, Jamie, to rent an upstairs apartment in the big family home she has inherited.

Jamie is a sexy pilot who turns the heads of most women in town. Jamie tends to foster carefree relationships. He has a past experience that caused him to believe he doesn’t deserve to have a true relationship with any ‘good’ woman. Julia tries to be immune especially since she doesn’t want to be heartbroken as his next conquest.

Julia finds two young boys in the children’s section of the library. She sees them there several days and makes friends by sharing her lunch with them. One day she insists on taking them home in the cold weather and learns that they are living alone. Julia ends up fostering the two boys and is glad when Jamie steps in to help.

The boys, Julia and Jamie become close during the Thanksgiving and days leading up to Christmas. Jamie begins to see the beauty under Julia’s quiet exterior. When he accidently finds her ‘bucket list’ he decides to help her fulfill some of those dreams. Julia sees a caring, family side of Jamie and wonders if maybe there could be ‘kisses under the mistletoe’ like she put on her list.

Ms. Thayne has the ability to create real characters and carry them through warm, and sometimes obstacle ridden, scenarios. I enjoyed the push and pull between Julia and Jamie which was set off nicely with the addition of handling two young, frightened but adventurous boys. Both characters have a certain fragility to get beyond if they want to find a happy Christmas together.

I enjoy Ms. Thayne’s writing which makes for warm and easy reading. I recommend this to readers who enjoy sweet to sensual, small town romance.

Sugar Pine Trail in the seventh book in the Haven Point series. I jumped into this series with book #5, and if there's one thing I learned about RaeAnne Thayne, it's that she can certainly tug at your heartstrings, and now, in early December, it was the perfect time to be reading this incredibly sweet, heartwarming novel. It gets 5 stars from this reader/reviewer.

Although the title didn't begin to fit the content of this story, I'm always happy to return to Haven Point, and this novel grabbed me from the first page and kept me up practically until dawn because I simply couldn't put it down until I finished it. If you're new to this series, have no fear--I works perfectly as a standalone.

Thirty-two year old Julia Winston, a straitlaced, shy, single librarian, is the first character we meet, as she stands in the front room of the huge Victorian home she inherited upon the death of her adoptive parents, looking out the window with great trepidation as a black SUV pulls into her driveway. As a favor to a friend, she's about to welcome a short-term tenant, her first, and he's the utterly gorgeous private pilot, Jamie Caine, whose new condo isn't quite finished being built yet and who needs a place to stay for the next six weeks. Half of the women in town have either dated him or want to, and Julia has crushed on him since the day she first saw him. His reputation precedes him--he's a flirt, and has dated a lot of beautiful woman, but is never with one woman for long, and to say he's commitment-phobic is putting it mildly, but he does have his reasons.

Although the shy, spinster librarian trope has been done to death, thanks to the excellent writing skills and storytelling ability of the author, in this case it works, and I was absolutely charmed by Julia's nervousness and Jamie's reaction to the small, flustered woman, and I was hooked.

There's a lot more to this story than the shy, straitlaced, old maid, librarian with 3 cats meets a handsome and available hunk--Julia is a gem of a character, and while at a book club meeting, discussing a self-help book, she's talked into writing a short bucket list, while drinking a bit too much sangria punch. The next time Jamie encounters her, she's tipsy, and he begins to realize there's more to Julia than he originally thought.

While at work, Julia notices two small boys wearing threadbare clothing (Clint and Davy, 8 and 6, respectively), sitting quietly in the library for a couple of days running, and as she's closing up one snowy night, she offers them a ride home, which the boys initially refuse. When she gets in her car and follows them as they leave, shivering in their inadequate clothing she insists, and discovers that their mother is nowhere in sight, their father is dead and they've been alone for days, without heat or electricity in a ramshackle house, and, after taking them to her house she calls child protective services, who, despite their protests, takes them away.

When Julia learns that the two boys will be split up and sent to different foster homes, Julia, with her soft heart and too large home, eventually winds up fostering them while attempts are being made to locate their mother. To say the boys aren't happy with her is putting it mildly, but surprisingly, Jamie Caine, who grew up in a large family with lots of siblings, steps in to help and comes to her rescue, and what follows is among the sweetest, most charming, heartwarming and emotional stories I've been privileged to read in years. The two boys, rather than being mere plot devices to bring two unattached adults together, had their own well-defined personalities and it was hard not to laugh out loud at their antics one minute, and cry over their situation the next.

In addition to the sweetness of the story and the Thanksgiving to Christmas background, Ms. Thayne also manages to subtly indict the way the foster care system separates siblings, as well as bringing up such subjects as wounded warriors, survivor guilt, PTSD, and nursing homes, yet she does so in a manner that doesn't make the reader feel as though she's overemphasizing the inadequacies of these institutions and issues.

All in all, the slowly building attraction between Julia and Jamie, the secrets in each of their pasts, their relationship with the two boys, and the absolutely wonderful cast of secondary characters, some of whom have been featured in previous novels, all combine to make this novel an addictive, emotional read and one which is utterly unforgettable. I was absolutely charmed and captivated by Sugar Pine Trail, and if you're going to read one Christmas themed novel this year, make it this one. I can guarantee you won't be disappointed.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

I was first introduced to the Haven Point Series when I read Snowfall on Haven Point. Since then I've managed to keep up with the series as it continues. Serenity Harbor solidified my love for this cozy romance series and I really didn't think the next story could top it, but Sugar Pine Trail came mighty close. It's something to do with the cute kids and pets with big personalities that keep me coming back!

Sugar Pine Trail focuses on librarian Julia Winston who spent the last 10 years caring for her ailing parents and not truly living her life. When playboy pilot Jamie Caine rents out the upstairs apartment in her home, she has to fight not to become his next conquest. Lines are blurred as Jamie, who vowed not to get close to the uptight librarian, goes out of his way to help when Julia becomes the temporary foster parent of two boys in need. Joining together over the holiday season Julia and Jamie learn that despite the long, scary road to reach it, love is possible.

Julia is a genuine, true-blue character that I can only dream of emulating. I loved this character for so many reasons but mostly because of how selfless she was when she pushed into the lives of Davy and Clint and helped them in a time of need. Her selflessness made her story that much more touching and the ending that much more bittersweet. Even Jamie's character struggled with a loss that shaped his actions and the course of their romance. I love how these stories emphasize family and kindness to strangers. Sugar Pine Trail was no exception as readers are pulled into the fold of the ever growing and loving Caine family.

Out of the three Haven Point novels I've read to date, Sugar Pine Trail has the most heart. It's the perfect novel to cuddle up with during the cold winter months.
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

Bring On the Christmas Novels and Romances!!

Oh, it’s my favorite time of year and the time I love to enjoy a light and happy read of folks finding love at Christmas. I have to be honest == I used to scoff at these type of books. True Confession! However, I told myself that I should not turn them away until I actually READ one (easy to be critical of things you don’t actually now about). I started reading them about ten years ago and I can’t tell you how happy they make me. Some times, in the stress of life, you just want to read a sweet book where you know that everything is not going to end up like the evening news. You can trust that there is going to be a happy ending. They make me smile.

So – this was the first one I read this year. I read it way back at the end of summer and read it in a day. It’s a true feel good story and I completely related to the main character as she was like me when I was single. I even had a list like she did. And yes, I met my husband right before Christmas time — and we’ve been married 15 years — my own happy ending! 🙂

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for my e-copy!

Sugar Pine Trail is the 7th book in RaeAnne Thayne's Haven Point series and I'm pretty sure it's my new favorite. I absolutely loved Jamie Caine! I loved watching the relationship between him and Julia grow and his relationship with the two boys was adorable. It also had just the right amount of holiday cheer. RaeAnne Thayne really knows how to create lovable characters and she outdid herself with this book. I have enjoyed this series so much and I can't wait to see where she takes us next. 4 stars.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’ve mentioned in previous reviews of RaeAnne’s other books that I was having a hard time connecting with the characters, but I did enjoy this book.

First, THE COVER. Hello gorgeous. I live in the South so we don’t get snow like this- but whenever I conjure up my most perfect holiday plans- the scenery always looks a bit like this.

Julia. I liked Julia. I think she needed to lighten up a bit at times and be a little more open to things, but I like how she made her bucket list and I LOVED how she helped those boys.

Jamie. My, my…. a bit cocky (I’m thinking a Maverick from Top Gun level of cocky) with a heart of maybe not pure gold- but a heart big enough to do kind and sweet things and yet small enough to need to be reminded that he is loveable.

It’s a HEA book- so you know how it ends- just sit back, soak up the holiday cheer and enjoy with an eggnog or 2 🙂



Bottom line: Recommended Reading!



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

It may seem like late September is a bit early to be reading books set during the winter holidays, but trust me, when it’s 90 degrees outside at ten in the morning, and you live in a place where snow is infrequent, at best, reading holiday fiction is a way to keep cool.

Keeping cool was a bit difficult while reading RaeAnne Thayne’s newest Haven Point novel, Sugar Pine Trail, because the story of 32-year-old librarian Julia Winston and military pilot Jamie Caine, who is renting the flat she’s carved out of her family manse, is warm and cozy, and everything that’s perfect for a holiday read.

What I loved was the way author Thayne has created an entire world in Haven Point. I haven’t read the other novels in the series, but I still felt as though I was coming home to a familiar place in this snowy mountain town. In fact, many of the scenes reminded me of my own childhood sojourn in Georgetown, CO.

Julia and Jamie’s story is a classic tale of “opposites attract” – she’s a bit scattered, he’s incredibly precise. The family cats don’t like her, but love him. (She’s clearly a dog person, like me.). As their relationship evolves, so, too, do their responsibilities, eventually leading to becoming caretakers to two young boys who desperately need some holiday cheer.

It sounds as sweet as a Hallmark movie, I know (and that’s not a bad thing; I happen to indulge in Hallmark Movie weekends from time to time), but Thayne keeps her story grounded in common sense and humor, which keeps it only sweet, and never saccharine.

Goes well with hot chocolate, stirred with a peppermint stick, and Milano cookies.

Originally reviewed for www.buriedunderromance.com

SUGAR PINE TRAIL, the seventh novel in the Haven Point series by RaeAnne Thayne, is a delightful story that will have you believing in the magic of Christmas. The characters are engaging, the plot is compelling and the conclusion is more than satisfying.
Handsome cooperate pilot Jaime Caine needs a place to stay while his condominium is being finished so his sister-in-law asks her friend, quiet librarian Julia Winston, if Jaime could stay in the upstairs apartment in the huge house that Julia owns. Julia is not sure that it would be a good idea since she has always had a secret crush on Jaime, but she agrees to the temporary situation. She knows that she will never be Jaime’s type since he is very much a ladies’ man. In fact, he barely remembers her even though they have met several times in the past.
Through a twist of fate, Julia becomes a foster parent to two young brothers, Clint and Davy, whose mother has apparently abandoned them and disappeared. Jaime is fascinated by this kind young woman that would take on such a responsibility, and he begins to see Julia in a new light as he starts spending time with her and the boys. While alone in her living room, Jaime accidentally finds a bucket list of things, such as flying in an airplane, that she wrote down during a book club meeting. He decided that he would do his best to secretly help her fulfill some of the items on her list while he was staying in her home. Little did he know how attached he would become to Julia and boys.
Julia and Caine are both wonderfully complex characters. Julia has spent most of her adult life taking care of her elderly parents, and now that they have passed away, she finds herself without much in her life except her job at the library and her three cats that don’t seem to particularly like her. She dwells on the one serious relationship she had years ago that ended under strange circumstances, and she lacks the self-confidence to go looking for another.
Jaime also had a disastrous relationship in the past, but it had just the opposite effect on him. While he constantly dates the most desirable women by society’s standards, he rarely sees them more than once or twice. He has no desire for a serious relationship and is only looking for a good time. Watching both characters go through the process of self-discovery as they get to know each other and, and therefore themselves better, is not only interesting but also sometimes painful.
The secondary characters are also very special. There are the brothers who, at six and eight years old, present quite a challenge to only child Julia who does not have a lot of experience with children but does not hesitate to take them in when they need help. Jamie, on the other hand, comes from a huge family and he’s happy to help Julia with the boys. Jamie’s big family, many of whom were the subjects of an earlier series, Hope’s Crossing, by the author, is a welcomed addition to the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish even though, when I look back, I probably shouldn’t have. The characters are very cliché: a mousy, introverted librarian who lives alone with cats, an incredibly handsome playboy that normally wouldn’t give her a second look, the overly perfect children. And then there’s the idyllic small town getting ready for Christmas, the beautiful Victorian house, etc. etc. etc. It is a credit to the writing of the author that she was able to pull it all together and make it feel fresh and exciting. I read it almost in one sitting, and it had me emotionally involved, even bringing me to tears at times, throughout.
I’m becoming a big fan of RaeAnne Thayne, and I can’t wait till my next visit to the Haven Point series!
I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

A wonderfully sweet, heartwarming holiday romance that'll leave you with the belief in finding love when you're least likely to and with the one you'd never thought possible.

For Julia, Jamie was her secret crush, a known charmer who she believes, that as a plain small town librarian, she only came into his orbit because he's renting an apartment from her. For Jamie, he never saw his growing love for Julia coming, blindsiding him through her gentleness and caring nature. Her taking in two lost and lonely brothers touches him in a way no one else has ever done. Their coming closer and closer together is absolutely sigh worthy.

This has been a series I've truly enjoyed and hope it continues for a long time to come.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

This was another great installment of the goings on in Haven Point. Librarian Julia has been stuck in a rut, and two little boys and a military veteran are about to shake up her world. On the surface, there doesn't seem to be much in common with a quiet Librarian and a play boy pilot, but there is more beneath the surface. The action moved pretty quickly and there was plenty of humor. Checking in with other residents of Haven Point is always a benefit. My only issue is that sadly there were a lot librarian stereotypes used.

Jamie Caine makes a wonderful hero in this Christmas themed story by Thayne. He rents a room in librarian Julia Winston's home. Sparks seem evident almost immediately, but then Julia discovers two young boys, left behind by their ailing mother and takes them in as a temporary foster situation. Those boys become a wonderful conduit between Jamie and Julia. The story really shines with the spirit of the holiday and love.

Fans of the genre will likely eat this up. It was a quick, sentimental holiday read.

Yes I know it’s a little early to be thinking about holiday reading. Every year, I swear that I will hold all holiday related reviews until at least November so I can reserve October exclusively for crime fiction, thrillers, and mystery reads.

However, some how a book always manages to grab my eye and I end up sneaking at least one holiday book in well before my November holiday kick off.

This book sounded like a charming holiday romance and sometimes you just need a little holiday cheer and romance.

Librarian Julia Winston is ready to ditch the quiet existence she’s been living. She’s made a list of new things to experience, but falling for Jamie Caine, her sexy military pilot neighbor, isn’t one of them. Julia’s looking to conquer life, not become the heartbreaker’s latest conquest. But when two young brothers wind up in Julia’s care for the holidays, she’ll take any help she can get—even Jamie’s.


Happy to step in, Jamie reveals a side of himself that’s much harder to resist. Not only is he fantastic with kids, he provides the strength Julia needs to tackle her list. She knows their temporary family can’t last beyond the holidays, but the closer she gets to Jamie, the more she wonders if things could be this merry and bright forever (summary from Goodreads).

This is a completely new author to me. I haven’t read any of her books, nor am I familiar with any of them–let alone this series. As you can see, this book is number seven in this series. Personally, I didn’t have any issues with picking this book up without having read the others. It read fine as a stand alone, though there are hints of past books sprinkled throughout, but I don’t think you are missing a lot if you just pick this one up and start.

I gather that this author specialized in Christmas romances after looking up a few of the other books in the series on Goodreads. So if you are a sucker for Christmas romances, I would look into the other books in this series. They read quick and have the predictable HEA and Christmas joy that one would expect from such a novel—and I love it.

This book was a little predictable and formulaic in it’s approach, but honestly, I didn’t care. I liked this one a lot more than I anticipated. I loved Julia–who was the stereotypical librarian–and even though she was predictable, I liked her all the same. Sometimes there is comfort in familiarity. And Jamie–sexy. I liked him in spite of his flaws and I could see why Julia was harboring a lengthy crush on him. What did it for me was his ability to step up and help Julia when things got a little challenging in her world….I will leave it at that so I can avoid spoilers.

The story was fast paced and full of romance and Christmas cheer which was exactly what I was looking for. Predictable and a HEA in spades but I loved it all the same, as I said there is comfort in the familiar which allowed me to escape in just the way that I needed to.

I did want to take a minute and talk about the cover. The cover leaves something to be desired. I realize all of her books in this series have very similar art work for their covers. I found it boring and ‘dated’ if you will. I think the series itself needs a cover overhaul. Something fresh to appeal to a wider audience. For me this says ‘old lady romance’ and this book is NOT that. It’s not erotic literature but it’s more than my grandma’s romance novels.

Book: Sugar Pine Trail (Haven Point #7) by RaeAnne Thayne

ebook, 384 pages
Published September 26th 2017 by Harlequin Books
ISBN 0373803680 (ISBN13: 9780373803682)
Review copy provided by: Publisher/Author in exchange for an honest review
This book counts toward: NA

Hosted by: NA
Books for Challenge Completed: NA
Recommendation: 3.5 out of 5

Genre: Romance, holiday romance, contemporary lit, contemporary romance

Memorable lines/quotes:

Julia world seem to be flipped upside down when her new tenant moves in and takes on the challenge to taking care of two boys until their parents can be found. After having them in her life things will never be the same.

This was such a sweet little contemporary book. I enjoyed seeing things change for Julia it was obvious she wasn't satisfied with the way that things were going to her. After seeing that list she made during a book club meeting she didn't think much when that list was made and if shed be able to accomplish the things that she wanted. I loved that she was a caring women enough to take in the boys after finding out about their parents and being there for them when they had no one else. I also loved seeing that romance bloom between Julia and Jamie they were such a cute pairing and seeing how they worked together then things got a bit tough and where Julia was being challenged Jamie was there by her side even if they weren't together at the time and it was just sweet to read. Overall I loved seeing how everything played out and this has all the holiday feels and will get you in the spirit this coming holidays.

Julia Winston is the town librarian with a secret long-time crush on sexy pilot Jamie Caine. She never imagines that he’d look at her twice, but when a friend suggests he rents the upstairs level in her large, historic home, and they can’t help but bump into each other. When two kids, eight and six-year-old Clint and Davy, need her to take them in, Jaimie steps up to help wrangle the boys, melting Julia’s heart in the process.

Jamie is surprised by the attraction he feels for the demure, uptight librarian, but he can’t let his attraction go anywhere. Julia’s a forever-type of girl, and he hardly ever goes on a second date. This might make you think Jamie is the usual player-type jerk, but he’s a sweetheart, plagued by guilt over the past. Soon spending time with Julia and the boys feels vital and he can’t hardly stay away.

Both Julia and Jamie were lonely in their own way, but you know there’s an end in sight when they lay eyes on each other. Clint and Davy, the two boys who need a home when their mom disappears melds them together into a makeshift family, one that completely tugged at my heart strings! Julia has such a big heart full of love, she helps both the kids and Jamie without an ounce of judgment or expectation.

Jamie stumbles on a sort of bucket-list of Julia’s, who’s lived the last few years helping ailing parents, and he can’t help but make it his mission to secretly help her check everything off.

I previously read Serenity Harbor by RaeAnne Thayne and it wasn’t my cup of tea, but that was more because of the circumstances of the book than because of the writing, so I was determined to give her another shot, and I’m glad I did. Sugar Pine Trail was a sweet, heartwarming story of love and finding the “one” when you least expect it. A perfect holiday kind of read!