Although it has been several years ago when I first requested this book, I do remember that I liked it very much. So much in fact that once it had been released I purchased a copy for my home library.

Mornings on Main is more than a simple romance. The town of Laurel Springs, Texas, is a charming setting for the cast of well-developed characters living relatable lives and overcoming realistic challenges. Family, romance, and small-town appeal provide all the reasons to read this lovely story.

Jillian James is a wanderer. Her father lived a nomadic, off-the-grid lifestyle and taught her to do the same. For years she’s been drifting aimlessly, never staying anywhere long or forming attachments. Recently she started following the path her father took, searching for some clue as to where he may have been in the past, and, more importantly, where he is now.

She lands in Laurel Springs, Texas, and takes a job from the mayor, Connor Larady, cataloging his Gram’s quilt collection from her quilting shop. She’s suffering from the early stages of dementia, and the historical society wants an accounting of each quilt before they’re moved to a local museum for display.

Connor and Jillian have an instant attraction, but he’s deeply rooted in his hometown..and she’s determined not to leave any roots at all.

Holly: It’s been years since I read a novel by Jodi Thomas, but I have fond memories of her older books. Sadly this one didn’t live up to my expectations. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the story, it was all very sweet and lovely. It was also very boring. I really had to push myself to finish it. The slow moving romance and the lack of true angst made for a snoozefest.

Rowena: This is the second book that I’ve read by Jodi Thomas and I couldn’t remember why I stopped reading her. Reading this story kind of reminded me. The small town, the super sweet but slow-moving romance, all of that served to remind me that these kinds of romances aren’t my jam. While reading this, I felt like I was reading a romance that was written by my Grandma. A sweet story told by an older person who wrote dialogue on how they thought young kids talked these days and not really how they actually talk. Does that make sense?

Still, it was sweet.

Holly: I don’t know that I agree about the dialogue, though I do agree about the rest. I really liked Sunnie and Reese, the teenage couple with a thread running throughout the book. I thought they were sweet and pretty cute. I loved how much Sunnie loved her Gram, and how great of a kid she was despite going through some bad teenage years. I thought Reese was cute for her, too.

I even liked Jillian and Connor. I thought they were good together and had a sweet, comfortable relationship. It just didn’t do a lot for me.

Rowena: Yes, Sunnie and Reese were probably my favorite part of the book. I loved how smart and strong Sunnie was and how quickly she ended things with Derrick when he proves to be an ass. Too often, I see teenage girls stay in a relationship with the popular boy and I’m glad that Sunnie was above that.

I enjoyed everything in this book fine but that’s really all I have to say about this one. It was good. I liked Jack, Gram, and all of Gram’s friends, I liked Connor and Jillian. I adored Sunnie and Reese and though the beginning was slow, the story does pick up and it does get interesting but after all is said and done, I liked it fine and that’s it.

Casee: Unfortunately, as sweet as this book was, I was bored from start to finish. I did enjoy Connor and Jillian getting to know each other, but it didn’t do anything for me. I didn’t understand Jillian’s absolute need to be a nomad. It just made no sense to me. I didn’t understand why she wanted to find the father that abandoned her. I liked Sunnie and Reese. They were probably my favorite part of the book. Quilting doesn’t really do it for me, no matter how interesting the stories about them might be.

Holly: I did love Joe’s Toe Tent business. I cracked up when it blew up.

Casee: Rowena is correct. This review is as boring as the book was. Lets just call it what it was. Excruciatingly slow. Connor was sweet, but boring. I did enjoy seeing him get his HEA, but I didn’t particularly care by that point. I was just glad I finished the book.

Rowena: I did like that Joe’s toe tent business took off because I liked Joe and thought he was pretty great to Gram. I thought it was cute, how excited he was about the business too.

There isn’t much else I have to say about this book so I’m going to give it a 3 out of 5. What about you guys?

Casee: I’m going to give it a 2 out of 5.

Holly: I thought it was a sweet story. I liked the town and the secondary characters, it was just slow. I’m giving it 3 out of 5.

I highly recommend this book, But don't start it if you have to put it down because you won't want to. I really hope there is another book. I want to know how Sunny and Reese make out, If Jillian finds her dad and or mother and if Conner ever gets any of his books published.

I highly recommend this book, It will make you laugh and cry.

I have to say that I don't normally read books like this one, at least not recently. It reminded me of books written by Nora Roberts, and Debbie Macomber. I think that over all it was written well, though it did take me a little while to get into the book, probably about 35%. Over all though it came together nicely. The main character Jillian James made me really uncomfortable for some reason, and i am pretty sure that she was supposed to. She was super awkward and like she had stuff to hide. Then you have Connor who is just kind of a super laid back country boy. Who has far too much on his plate. I really enjoyed all the ancillary characters like Gram, and Sunnie, especially Joe, he was so sweet and attentive to gram. Even the Quilt shop was a character all in itself. I think that I need to go read more of Jodi Thomas' books after this one.

I really enjoyed this tale set in small-town Texas that centers around family and regaining your faith. I loved the characters and while it was a bit sad I really loved how it has that cozy small town feel. I love when I can read anything that features Texas and this one didn't disappoint. I loved the love story and this one is definitely I winner.

Mornings On Main was a wonderful, yet fulfilling read. I felt myself transported to the little town of Laurel Springs being among the town people who truly took care of their own and strangers that come to mean something to the town and its people.

Connor Lardy and the Lardy clan are like Royalty in Laurel Springs. With Connor the Mayor the town looked to him as their leader. Connor is a widower with a teenage daughter named Sunnie that tested her dad at every turn. With so many balls in the air Connor was short on writing time, which is a shame because I would have liked to here more about his writings.

Jillian James loves her life on the road, never once settled off to see the world. That was until she came upon the little town called Laurel Springs, this little town held a secret of her past and her connection to her father. Will Jillian find the answers she is seeking? Is it possible she will find that and so much more?

Connor and Jillian have something sweet brewing between them, a sweet romance. I adored these two together, nothing rushed. They both stumbled a bit, but after awhile they got the hang of it. Connor hired Jillian to help out his Gram at “A Stitch in Time” her quilting store, while he worked across the street.

The plot and characters were just brilliantly done, from Gram and her battle with Alzheimer’s to her quilting gals and everyone in between. Jodi Thomas is a new writer to me, that I plan on fixing my next time book shopping. I hope there is more books from Laurel Springs, because I would like to see these characters again. There is a mystery for me though about Jillian’s dad and her school picture. I will have to wait to find out if the questions in my head get answered.

Rated 5 Stilettos and a Recommended Read by Deb !

Mornings on Main by Jodi Thomas
Subgenre: contemporary romance
Release date: 23 Apr 2018
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA

Laurel Springs is not on the map for more than just driving through. Although there is history and secrets to be discovered.
Jillian James is a drifter. She has come to town to find her father, Jefferson James, or more specifically her origins. She has always travelled, and her father made sure he left very little evidence or things to find about himself. Jillian travels by her father’s rules including such ideas as never stay in a cheap motel, and never give too much information.
She arrives in town, always suspicious of people’s motives but she is friendly to those she meets. She needs a job and finds luck is with her, and she finds she is photographing and recording the history of quilts that have been kept by Gram (Eugenia), Connor’s grandmother, in her shop, A Stitch in Time. Gram has started her journey into dementia and her family and the town are also looking out for her. The story of the quilts need to be told so their history is not forgotten.
Connor Larady is the town mayor. He is the newspaper man. He is the heart of the town. The people defer to him and ask his opinions. Connor has had a lot of tragedy in his life but being in the town, with familiar things, keeps him grounded. Connor has a teenage daughter, Sunnie, who is growing up and he is often distracted by his daughter’s actions and behaviour. Sunnie pushes her dad’s buttons as she wants his attention. Her first boyfriend is not what Connor wants for his daughter, the second one less so but he is prepared to live with Reese as he has potential, more than the jock who thinks he owns Sunnie.
Connor is immediately attracted to Jillian, but he does find her a bit evasive and he is not sure if the relationship can be for the long term. Connor is prepared to try with Jillian and he slowly breaks down Jillian’s barriers and discovers her truth. Jillian, in one of Gram’s lucid moments, discovers her beginnings. It is this information that allows her to finally be free of her journey.
I always love Ms Thomas’s stories. I know I’m getting a story about a small country town. One that may have fallen on hard times, but the residents always remain optimistic. The townspeople always overcome adversity when things are low but there is always a positive improvement.
The stories also usually contain a story of new love, blossoming love and mature love. We are able to see how the characters start their relationships, and in some cases, there is a thread through several stories. Then we have the story of mature love. It may be an older couple finding love finally or one who has loved the other for a lifetime and finally gets to be with their soulmate.
I am really looking forward to seeing more stories set in Laurel Springs, Texas.
Reviewed by Heather

Confession time: I LOVE Hallmark movies. I mean, I reaaaaally love them. I grew up watching them with my mom and sister. One of the reasons why I love Valentines, and Christmas is because of the movie marathons on Hallmark. My husband on the other hand, hates the movies. He says they are all the same, but I don’t care. They will always have a space in my heart and DVR. Well, if you also love Hallmark movies then you will love Mornings on Main by Jodi Thomas.

Mornings on Main was beautifully written and it drew me in from the very start of the story. Mornings on Main is a powerful story about love, family, friends, and how the strongest ties are the ones we forge over time. The story revolves around three different couples in three different stages of life all dealing with different problems living in a small town in Texas.

The first and main couple are Jillian and Connor. Connor is a single father dealing with too many responsibilities. He needs to care for his daughter and grandmother, the family business, rental properties. Connor is also the mayor and an aspiring writer. He is bogged down by responsibilities, the opposite from Jillian. Jillian was abandoned by her mother at birth, taken care of by her drifter of a father and then abandoned by him at 18. She has drifted ever since and is looking for a connection to her family. Little does she know that connections and families come in all forms. He cannot leave his town, but she never stays anywhere.

The second couple is between Sunnie, Connor’s teenage daughter, and her boyfriend Reese. Sunnie is a rebellious teen with a great heart. She puts up a front trying to protect her fragile and lonely heart which Reese was able to break through. The last couple is between Eugenia, Connor’s grandmother, and her friend Joe. They have known each other for most of their 80+ years because she was married to his best friend which has since passed away. Their relationship is not romantic, but is just as beautiful of the rest.

Each couple gives something different to the story that together form an amazing book. There are moments that will bring tears to your eyes and times that will make you laugh out loud. You are able to see all the characters grow together to really find the true meaning in their lives: love and family.

Mornings on Main is a powerful, heartwarming story about generations of family and the ironclad bonds they forge. I definitely recommend this book.

Jodi Thomas gives us another memorable Western Romance. Her small-town Texas setting provides just the right atmosphere. I love the characters that she creates, and the way that she illustrates them. I tire of reading descriptions where every man being described as a handsome hunk. A definite Must Read for Romance fans everywhere.

Jodi Thomas is one of my favorite authors and I enjoyed Mornings on Main, her latest book which is also a stand alone. I love how she weaves her stories with multiple generations and that they always care for each other and listen to the wisdom of their elders. They learn from each other but you can also feel how much they care. This is Connor and Jillian’s story but it is also the story of Eugenia, also known as Gram, his daughter Sunnie and Gram’s friend, Joe among others.

Jillian is a wanderer and a loner. She never knew her mom and her father deserted her years ago. She’s trying to locate him by tracing his travels that he kept track of in notebooks by listing zip codes. When she ends up in small town, Laurel Springs, Texas she doesn’t expect to stay awhile but that’s what she does when she meets Connor and he needs someone to catalog the quilts and tell the history of each one that’s in his grandmother’s shop so they can be displayed in the county museum. She takes the job and becomes part of the community during her supposed short stay. She gets along with everyone and takes to Gram. She also likes being with Connor and others are trying to figure out their relationship. She’s told him and everyone else that she plans to leave once the quilts are cataloged and set up for display but that doesn’t stop the speculation or their chemistry. Neither has ever been in a real relationship even though Connor was married to Sunnie’s mother who has since died. We also see Sunnie’s relationship with her dad, her great-grandmother and her maybe boyfriends.

There are lots of twists and turns to the story along with family and town history. There are family and friends, small town dynamics, established businesses along with unexpected new ones, injuries, illness, love interests, support, sarcasm, feelings of closeness, safety, romance, loving and love. There is love on different levels between many of the characters. There is a nice flow to the story and a depth to the characters from the oldest down to the youngest. There is some closure and an ending that took me by surprise and had me in tears. It was better than I imagined but an epilogue sometime in the future would have been the icing on the cake.

I enjoyed the Reader’s Guide at the end of the book that was insightful and made me think about what I read. The questions asked of the author that Thomas answered was a nice touch and unexpected. I look forward to reading more of Thomas’ books – those that are part of a series as well as those that stand alone!

Mornings on Main by Jodi Thomas
Source: Netgalley
My Rating: 5/5 stars

Jillian James has always lived by her father’s rules: don’t stay too long in one place, don’t get involved, never draw attention to yourself, and pack only the essentials when you leave. Jillian has never known another type of life, never wanted another type of life, until recently.

For the last ten years, since her father abandoned her, Jillian has been completely alone. In the first few years, Jillian relished the freedom, the ability to pack up and move on a whim, to go where the winds would take her, to enjoy her brief stay in each new location. In recent years, however, Jillian has felt more alone than ever before and has begun to retrace her father’s steps in an effort to learn more about the man who raised her only to callously abandon her.

As with every other town, the moment Jillian arrives in Laurel Springs, Texas, she checks into inexpensive accommodations and begins her search for temporary employment. Wandering along Main street seems to be her best bet for employment and isn’t long before Jillian finds what she’s been looking for, a help wanted sign. Within minutes, Jillian has negotiated a solid salary for the completion of a project in the local quilting shop. During her tenure, Jillian is to help Eugenia Larady, proprietress of the local quilt shop, catalogue and photograph all her quilts so they may be transferred to the county museum as a part of a permanent installation.

Little does Jillian know, her time with Eugenia will change her life in the most profound ways . . . .

Connor Larady has spent his life in the service of others. As a member of one of Laurel Springs’ oldest families, Connor’s roots run deep. He and his family own most of the land in the area, they own several businesses, and Connor serves as mayor. When he isn’t working, Connor cares for his teenage daughter, Sunnie, and his beloved grandmother, Eugenia. Of late, Eugenia has needed more looking after than in previous years as her memory isn’t what it used to be. It is for precisely this reason Connor intends to see the cataloging of the quilts completed. With Jillian on board, he’s confident the completion of the project will happen in short order.

Little does Connor know, his time with Jillian will change his life in the most profound ways . . . .

Though neither can explain the attraction, Jillian and Connor are drawn to one another. Though their time together each day is brief, that time is the most cherished of each’s respective day. Through Eugenia and Connor, Jillian learns about the history of Laurel Springs, her people, their lives, and the stories the small town has been built upon. For the first time in her life, Jillian begins to understand what it is to belong somewhere, to be important to the people around her, and to want to stay put, establish roots. Unfortunately, the idea of staying is completely foreign to Jillian and she insists, from the very beginning she will be leaving town.

The Bottom Line: Mornings on Main quite took me surprise and once I got involved, I simply couldn’t put this book down. This isn’t just a book about a small town, a community of friends and family, but a narrative about love, friendship, the spirit of community, of history. Jillian is such a lost soul and though she doesn’t immediately recognize it, Laurel Springs is exactly what she’s been missing for the entirety of her life. In Laurel Springs, Jillian finds answers about her past, a family who willingly and lovingly welcomes her into their fold, and a place where she can finally settle, stop wandering. Though Connor plays a huge part in Jillian’s life, Eugenia is really the focal point of the story. It is through Eugenia that several characters, including Jillian and Connor find closure, recall some of their most important life moments, both happy and sad, and understand the importance of their role in both the history and future of Laurel Springs. There isn’t any great threat or big bad in this read, no hugely climactic moment. What Mornings on Main is, is a wonderfully written tale of a family, a small town, and the past crashing into the present in the most wonderful of ways.

This book has many things to love about it: A charming small town; quirky-but-endearing characters; romance; and just a touch of intrigue throughout the story. Jillian comes into town having neither family or close friends. The tension builds in the storyline as she decides whether or not she can risk her heart by staying. Does she dare give up her complete independence for all that love, friendship, and Conner, can offer?
All of this combines to make an entertaining book by Jodi Thomas.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

4 star

I was pulled right into this story. The story has secrets, sweet love, and heartbreak.

This is Jillian and Connor’s story. Jillian is in town to find clues about her father who destroyed her when he abandoned her. Jillian is completely done with relationships it seems everyone let you down. So when he meets Connor she is surprised that he cares deeply for his family. He is trying to help his grandmother while also being a single father. He is loving and caring to his family. He goes out of his way to make them happy. Jillian is just not used to this. When they need her help will she stay or leave them before they leave her?

I loved these characters and the side characters. I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.

I recommend this book.

Jillian is a traveler, never spending more than a few months in one place. She arrives in Laurel Springs, Texas looking for a job. She is hired to help Connor's grandmother, Eugene who is declining into Alzheimer. Eugene has stitched the towns history into beautiful quilts that are to be donated to the local museum and Jillian is to write the story of each and help Eugene keep remembering. This is small town romance at it's best. The story is touching and sensitive on a very depressing subject. Jillian learns about her past and decides what she wants for her future. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Mornings on Main was a heartwarming story showing the strong bonds of family and friendship.

Jillian was always on the move, looking for answers that might never found, a family that left her. Ever since, she didn’t want to settle down or to open her heart. Just so easier that way. Until that day she came into this town, where everything felt like home, like she belonged in here, and started to work in this quilt shop, telling people’s stories.

In this small town, Connor was the mayor, single dad of a teen, taking care of his grandmother who everyday was slipping away, someone who took care of him and show him what’s family. He always put people’s need before his own, a bit overwhelmed when it comes to raise his daughter.

I enjoyed reading this contemporary romance, filled with love, beautiful memories, charged with so much history, and values to share for the legacy to come. To remember things when some couldn’t, to treasure every moment and living without acting.

Jillian’s arrival in this town added some more excitement, and maybe bringing more « life » to this town. The woman who wouldn’t settle and running away might have found some roots in here, but still fighting against it. Connor and Jillian’s relationship was strictly professional firsthand and slowing turning into friendship, developing as the story unfold into something more, when they both found love in the way.

What I adored as well was to see the other characters evolving, especially Connor’s daughter. I adored how this family and friends were together, sharing their memories, from the happiest to the saddest ones. And for once, Jillian felt like she just belonged that some of the answers she was looking for lead her to something she never get to experience. Having a family.

I enjoyed the slow pace, when the author took time to settle the mood, to give the characters time to explore their feelings. There was a quiet mood, very soothing and I liked it.

“ I am the lucky one here. I get to help her through this. I get to know, when she’s gone, that I did all I could..” This is the first book I have read by this beautiful author and, oh how it hit home for me. It not only felt as if I was walking through Connor’s and Jillian’s story with them it resonated a special time that I have just recently gone through. Hopefully there will be a sequel to this book. I was fortunate enough to meet Miss Thomas a few months ago and I cannot wait to read her other books

Mornings on Main is a stand-alone novel by Jodi Thomas. It was a good book and I enjoyed reading it even though I wasn't able to connect with the story. For me, the main characters were lacking something and they didn't help my interest. Jillian is living a nomadic lifestyle and she is not willing to grow roots anywhere. Her backstory is explained and I could see why she was living like that. Connor could have been a great hero, but he was lacking interested. I felt like he didn't have a single bond with the people around him. He wasn't even paying a lot of attention to his daughter. I wanted to see a more loving father. A warmer man. A lover. He and Jillian didn't have any chemistry and I think that's the reason I wouldn't love the book. Still, even with everything I said, I cannot bring myself to say that Mornings on main was a bad novel. I was still able to enjoy it to some degree. Connor's daughter is also telling a part of the story and I was invested in her story. She grew up a lot as a character and I would like to see a novella revolving around her life a few years later after the events of this book.

Sweet, comforting, and small-town charming!

Mornings on Main is a heartwarming novel that immerses you in a story about love, old love, new love, and young love and highlights the importance of having a place to call home.

The prose is fluid and warm. The characters are affable, genuine, supportive, and lovable. And the plot is an absorbing tale about life, love, family, friendship, community, coming-of-age, single parenthood, romance, the difficulties and struggles of Alzheimer's, and the beautiful art of quilting.

Overall, Mornings on Main is a tender, lovely, compelling mix of heart, hope, and humour that ultimately reminds us that capturing, remembering, and sharing those special moments in life is truly what it's all about.

There’s just something about small-town romances I can’t resist. Having grown up in a tiny town with dreams of someday living in a big city, I think I have finally realized that my dream isn’t as appealing to me as I once thought. Maybe that’s the appeal of these kinds of stories?

Mornings on Main is more than just a small-town romance, though. There are so many elements packed into this book, like exploring familial bonds and obligations, a lifelong mystery being investigated, and other funny happenings that can only take place in a smaller location.

Jillian drifts into town, intent on finding out why her father wrote down the zip code in his log book before she was born. A drifter at heart, just like her father, she only plans to be in town for a short time. She doesn’t want entanglements and Jillian certainly doesn’t want possessions or even memories weighing her down.

Conner wears many hats: father, grandson, mayor, newspaper owner, landowner, and more. He’s weighed down by all of the responsibilities he carries on his shoulders, from raising a daughter to watching over his forgetful grandmother. He’s initially intrigued by the stranger who blows into town, but as time passes, Jillian becomes both integral to his happiness and also lightens his burden. The only problem is, he knows there’s an expiration date to the happiness with the ever-wandering Jillian.

I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the story, from the secrets of the town that are revealed through the quilt stories to the family ties that root the characters in their identity. Everything seems to grow and come alive once Jillian arrives in town–like the old buildings that were sleeping until someone saw a vision for them, Conner’s daughter, Sunnie, becomes a little wiser and mature, Jillian realizes that she never felt loved her entire life, and Conner realizes how important his responsibilities are to everyone in the town.

Mornings on Main was a wholesome and refreshing take on a small-town romance and it came along at a time when I needed something light and simple to read. While it isn’t as racy as some of the romance I typically read, it was a great way to spend a cozy afternoon with a sweet read.