Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter is the second official novel in the series. However the Sweetbriar Cottage characters make appearances in the novel. Honeysuckle Dreams combines a ‘friends to more’ theme with a marriage of convenience theme. After Brady’s ex-wife dies, he finds out that he is not the biological father and his in-laws are going to fight for custody.
Brady and Hope have been friends for a long time. Hope’s best friend, Zoe is Brady’s sister. After much discussion, Hope agrees to be engaged and then marry Brady to help him in the custody battle. Hope loves Sam as her own son and is thrilled to get to be his mom. After a traumatic loss in high school she is not willing to love again. So she thinks a marriage of convenience to her best friend Brady is the perfect solution. She is still able to have a marriage and family without risking her heart again.
Brady is the son of a drug addict who left him to be raised by his aunt and uncle. The he finds out his ex-wife tricks him into marriage so that her child has a father and then leaves him. Your heart breaks for him as he deals with the issues of feeling that no one ‘chooses’ him. Brady was adorable as he was courting Hope. The scenes with baby Sam are adorable.
The court scenes were intense as I truly didn’t know what the author would do as we were not close to the end of the book yet. Those scenes will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Honeysuckle Dreams balances a sweet romance with deeper issues of facing your fears, second chances and the baggage we carry.

The author has given us a story of two longtime friends, broken from past relationships and yet trying to be there for one sweet baby, a catalyst to bringing them together, or not.
Can these two forge a convincing union to make a home for a precocious infant, who desperately needs them. Will they be able to let go of the past, and move on with a picture-perfect marriage, at least in the eyes of others, or will their worlds come tumbling down?
Answers are here and you will be quickly page turning as we follow the outcome of the lives of these involved, and hoping for the baby’s sake all the right decisions will be made.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.

Honeysuckle Dreams reminds me of Denise's earlier books, and that's an entirely good thing. The last couple of books didn't pull me in like they used to, but this one had me hooked right away!

Brady and Hope's modern marriage of convenience seemed realistic and not at all contrived which was very refreshing! Neither of them had the easiest childhood, and both were still working through the scars of their pasts. Because of this, both of them entered their marriage with their eyes wide open but still unsure where everything would lead. Both of them loved Brady's son Sam, and they were willing to do whatever was necessary to give him the happy childhood that he deserved. As Brady slowly romanced Hope and their relationship became all too real, he had to decide if he was willing to risk opening up to someone else after his first failed marriage.

Hope's previous relationship ended more tragically, and she dealt with a lot of anxiety from that. Her inner turmoil caused a lot of the issues in her marriage, but she was still a likable character, and she's very relatable in her inability to face her own issues. I appreciate that Denise didn't shy away from showing how anxiety and PTSD can manifest itself at the most unexpected times. It's a very real issue that many people deal with every day, and the subject is given the weight and respect that it deserved.

As is the case with a lot of romance novels, Brady's and Hope's differences could've been handled with one honest conversation, but then we wouldn't have all of the wonderful tension and drama that led up to such a sweet ending! It was definitely worth the wait, and the conclusion is very satisfying. I, for one, appreciate a good epilogue too!

I highly recommend Honeysuckle Dreams for both those that already love Denise and those who are just discovering her beautiful stories! I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Honeysuckle Dreams is an unconventional marriage of convenience romance when a friend helps out another friend in a very big way. Brady Collins is in a custody battle for his son with his ex-in-laws once it was realized that he isn’t Sam’s biological father. Hope Daniels has been helping take care of Sam while Brady works and will do anything to help out her friend. They devise a plan to marry to not only help Brady, but Hope will finally get the family she’s always wanted without love and its complications. She thought it was a perfect solution until she fell in love with her husband.

I was pleasantly surprised how easy and engaging this story was from beginning to end considering the predictability of the premise. Things aren’t that simple especially when emotions and damaged pasts play a part for the main characters. Brady first marriage to Sam’s mother ended bitterly and Brady didn’t have confidence to enter the dating realm again after the number she did on him. Hope didn’t want to face heartache again after losing her high school sweetheart tragically. She thought marrying Brady was the answer to a lifelong dream of being a wife and mother. It was good in the beginning but then things took a turn when she realized she loved Brady and didn’t want to lose him. Brady didn’t know how to deal with her issues when he had some of his own. Fortunately, both had to comes to terms with their pasts and they needed to rely on their faith to get them there.

Hunter has a wonderful way of writing a charming friend to lover’s story with conflict and resolution for readers to thoroughly enjoy. There is good dialogue throughout sprinkled with a bit of humor and romantic references to some wonderful old movies. The characters are relatable and you feel their struggles of self-worth and anxiety and how they cope. Even the custody battle had a few twists I didn’t see coming. This book was thoroughly satisfying. Honeysuckle Dreams is a good addition in the Blue Ridge series, and I look forward to more of Hunter’s stories.

A very heartwarming story! The characters are very relatable. The story is realistic and addresses many of today's issues. Brady and Hope both had been hurt so much in the past. This book will help those working through painful relationships. Highly recommended!

HONEYSUCKLE DREAMS by Denise Hunter. Blue Ridge 2
What are friends for, sums up Hope and Brady, that leads to a marriage of
convience, for baby Sam. Parents of his deceased ex wife, want custody of him, though they haven’t seen him much, before putting up a lawsuit for custody. Hope goals has been in broadcasting, an opportunity comes up, but not telling, that it would mean relocating. Could this every straighten out and be a family of love, and everyone wants what is best for Sam. Given ARC by Net Galley and Thomas Nelson for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

What I Enjoyed

-For most of the book I really liked both Brady and Hope. I thought they made a good team and I enjoyed their blossoming romance. I liked how they interacted with Sam and their friends.

-This is more of a Marriage-of-Convenience story than the Fake Relationship I thought it was, but I still liked that aspect of it. It’s one of my favorite tropes and I thought it was well done. I liked that they went into the marriage with the intent of having a real relationship, but that they didn’t rush it.

-I thought the storyline regarding Sam’s custody case was well done, if perhaps a little easy. I thought it had great potential for drama, but it was kept in check and I liked that.

What Didn’t Work for Me

-As I mentioned above, there wasn’t a lot of drama for most of the book, but I felt like it saved it all for the end. Once the custody case was wrapped up I felt like all of a sudden Hope went kind of crazy. While there were a few things said about Hope’s past and fears throughout the book, it felt like it escalated out of nowhere and it really brought down my enjoyment. It felt tacked on and I just didn’t think it was necessary. My biggest complaint with books by this author is that I often find the female lead unlikable and I thought that wasn’t happening in this book, but by the end Hope was really frustrating me.

Overall

Overall, I enjoyed Honeysuckle Dreams, though the added drama at the end did bring it down a bit for me. I liked the characters for the most part and the Marriage-of-Convenience theme. I look forward to continuing the series.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 3.5 Stars

OMG! This book was awesome. I was hooked from the start. It's a clean romance with some unexpected turns. A must read!

Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter is the next in the Blue Ridge Romance series. Denise Hunter is a great author and this new novel doesn't disappoint at all. in the previous novel you followed Zoe and Cruz when the grandmother of zoe passed on and left Zoe a peach orchard. In this novel they follow Brady, which is the brother of Zoe. he has some legal problems in regards to his son. and then there is Hope she is the best friend of Brady's sister Zoe and watches Bradys son. a lot goes on in this novel and some parts may be considered not clean to some people. Personally i thought it was tasteful and i had no problem with any of it. this was such a good read and a fast one at that, mostly because i couldn't put it down. another hit in my books for Denise Hunter.

Honeysuckle Dreams is a a great book, perfect for those who are hopeless romantics. Great update to the marriage of convenience plot line. The main characters have been friends for a while and have to decide if they want to take their relationship to the next level for reasons they didn't expect.

This is book 2 in the series, but I think you can read it first and have no trouble with the story line.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review of the book.

A heartwarming summer read full of promises of love and faith. The main character is rightly named Hope. It's the type of book that makes you feel good reading it. Highly recommend.

This book features Brady and Hope, with a wonderful cast of others, Zoe being a prime one. Brady and Hope are good friends that find themselves in need of a marriage of convenience of sorts. Both agree to go ahead with a short engagement and then wedding. Join them on their journey as they go through some ups and downs along the way, and see how it all turns out. Great story, that follows others set in the same area featuring different main characters (I have not read the others before this and wasn’t lost at all), and wraps up nicely with no loose ends.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What can I say about Denise Hunters writing? Every book I have read of hers I have loved and I have read about 25 of them so far. She has a beautiful way of using words. An example of this, “There was warmth and affection in his gaze. A tender caring that made her want to stretch toward him like a sunflower reaching toward the sun's heat.” This story Honeysuckle Dreams is the second book in her Blue Ridge Romance series. But it is a great stand alone book. It's about Brady Collins and Hope Daniels. Hope and Brady are best friends, along with Brady's sister Zoe. They have grown up together and are all very close. Both Hope and Brady have suffered loss and heartache. Brady finds himself to be a single dad with a six month old little baby Sam. The baby was pretty much dropped off to him when he learns that his ex Audrey, Sam's mom, has died. He has a business to run and he is trying to do what's best for Sam. But he is not sure how single moms do it alone. With babysitting help from Hope and a few other ladies in their church, Brady is getting by, but just barely. Brady's ex in-laws have a lawyer and are threatening to take Sam away. Hope would be willing to do anything to help out her best friend, including a marriage of convenience. It has been said the best kind of marriage starts out with best friends. Will that be true for Brady and Hope? Can they find healing, hope, and a new beginning. God may have a different--and better--future planned for them than either could imagine.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through NetGalley, Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Denise Hunter has once again created a community you want to visit and characters you want to be friends with. In the second Blue Ridge Romance, Hunter combines a friends to more story with a marriage of convenience story and it’s one I could not put down.
Brady and Hope respect each other, help each other out, and share their joys and struggles with each other. So, when an assumption is made that could help Brady keep his son, Hope willingly agrees to marrying Brady. After all, he was a good-looking, stable guy. She couldn’t do much better without giving away her heart.
As the two learn to live with each other and spend time in each other’s space, they find a rhythm to married life despite several outside forces intent on pulling them apart.
Just when it looks like the marriage is going to become more than a mutual commitment, the past sneaks its tendrils in and challenges both Hope and Brady more than they expect.
With the adorable addition of baby Sam and some swoony kisses, Hunter explores the role of friendship in marriage. How mutual respect and communication (or lack thereof) is a solid and firm foundation for more. And how facing the past, no matter how difficult it is, can create a better future.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

A good narrative that was interesting to read. My only critique would be that for a lot of the novel the characters are a bit too perfect and things work just a little too easily.
I also think it would be advantageous to better highlight that this is a Christian novel.
All in all it's a nice story that is well written with appealing characters.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley for my unbiased opinion of the book. This book where the first one left off. After Brady's ex-wife dies, he gets into a custody battle with the child’s maternal grandparents and questions the baby paternity. His lawyer sees an engagement ring that was stuck on his babysitter and friend Hope Daniels and thinks they are engaged. Brady tries to tell his lawyer the truth and is told he has a better chance to keep his son if the wedding is before the final hearing for the baby’s custody. Hope jumps at the chance to help Brady out and helps feed her fantasy of being with him in more way than just a friend. I loved this book and raced through it! I can’t wait for the next book!

Honeysuckle Dreams, book 2 in Denise Hunter’s Blue Ridge Romance series, takes readers into a marriage of convenience that puts the well-being of a baby first.
Single dad, Brady Collins, has been raising his 9-month-old son by himself ever since his ex-wife died in a car accident. Sammy is his life and he would do anything for him. When his sister-in-law brings Sammy home from visitation with his grandparents, she informs him that her parents are planning to sue for custody of the boy, claiming that, biologically, Brady isn’t really Sammy’s father. Blindsided, Brady checks with his lawyer to see what his options are. He doesn’t care what a DNA test says, Sammy is his son.
Popular local DJ Hope Daniels solves problems on the air on her show, “Living with Hope”. She also babysits for Brady several days a week, and has fallen in love with little Sam. When a fluke encounter with Brady’s lawyer makes him believe that she and Brady are engaged, she’s willing to go along with the charade if it means Brady keeps Sam. How far will she take it, though, when the lawyer says marriage would be even better?
Brady and Hope have known each other forever. Hope’s best friend is Brady’s sister, Zoe. They both believe that marriage is sacred. Can these friends keep their hearts intact, if their focus is on what’s best for Sam? Both have been shattered by love before. Will they step out in faith, or barricade themselves away so they can’t be hurt again?
This is the kind of story that has made Denise Hunter one of my favorite authors. It plucks every emotional heartstring to play a melody that is both gentle, and resounding. I snickered. I cried. I ached. I felt triumph. It was a joy to read Brady and Hope’s story. I love how Ms. Hunter brings the past into the story to show why the characters are reacting in the present the way they are. It brings richness to the story that isn’t always present without it. I also loved that she brought back characters from both Sweetbriar Cottage and Blue Ridge Sunrise.
Romance readers will love this one! I highly recommend Honeysuckle Dreams.

I'm always drawn to this type of story and I really loved Brady and Hope. I especially loved the timeline of the book and how deep inside both their relationship and also their own personal lives we got to see. Hunter is a master of backstory for her characters. The more you learn about their individual pasts the more you realize why they are the way they are and it is very enlightening. I love seeing their personalities develop through their experiences past and present. I also really enjoy seeing their growth.

I really related to Hope in this book. First of all, she is an obvious baby lover devoting all of her free time to caring for Sam. I wanted to crawl into the pages of the book to hold him! But I also tend toward some of her same personality traits especially some of her flaws. It was actually a perfect read for me right now as I've been dealing with some fear - just like Hope. I love when a fiction book can point me back to God and give me hope.

It wasn't hard for me to fall for Brady as he is a mechanic and so is my husband. They work on different types of things but so many parts of the story reminded me of my husband! But truly I love what a devoted father he is and how unexpectedly romantic he turned out to be.

It was nice to find just a little bit of suspense in this book to add to its romantic storyline. I enjoyed the twist toward the end as it was completely unexpected. I also enjoyed that it branched out just a little bit into the legal side of custody agreements.

This book really has it all. I found myself with so many emotions throughout. But I especially loved the romance. I'm a sucker for the marriage of convenience trope. I love watching friends become lovers and found Brady and Hope's love story was super special. I loved how deeply they cared for each other as friends and how committed Brady was to making their unconventional marriage work no matter what. I have to admit I loved reading a book that was more about marriage and less about the leading up to marriage and I loved that it wasn't perfect, but that it was truly realistic with problems that couples face. I appreciate relationships that show the work behind a happily ever after.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest review.

This is my second book by Denise Hunter and I do enjoy her writing style and her characters. She's a talented and strong writer and created a sweet relationship between Brady and Hope. Very enjoyable read.

"He was so tired of trying to convince other people he was worthy of their love. Tired of being forced on people who didn't even want him."

I have been a fan of Denise Hunter's a very long time and I've read all her books. She never disappoints. This second in her Blue Ridge Romance series is sure to please all her loyal readers and earn her new ones.

Brady Collins is a full time dad to his baby son Sam since his ex wife died suddenly. He is also running a full time booming specialty car auto repair business. Then he gets news that sends him into a tailspin. Sam is not his biological son. Then he learns that Sam's maternal grandparents want custody of the baby. Brady's lawyer tells him that things will definitely look better for him if he had a wife to help him raise the baby.

Enter local radio talk show celebrity Hope Daniels. She and Brady have known each other forever and like one another, so they make a deal. Marriage to help Brady get custody of Sam. After all, she loves Sam, too, and she and Brady have always gotten along. What could go wrong?

Then Hope gets offered her dream job.....a radio talk show position in Atlanta. But she can commute. It will be just fine. Or will it? They marry and things seem to be working out great until some old fears Hope had seemingly buried rear their ugly head. The job in Atlanta now seems to be an escape route for her. She and Brady have now both realized the love each other, but do they really trust? This one is complicated, but with God's help, will they work it out and allow peace and happiness to rule?

Denise Hunter always has a knack for creating characters that just get down in your heart, staying long after the last page is turned in the book. The reader feels their heartbreak and their happiness, going along with them as they journey through the difficulties of life, because sometimes love is complicated and sometimes it hurts.

Loved this one and now ready for book #3. Keeper shelf is where it will now reside. Highly recommended.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.