Oh to be back between the covers with Denise Hunter in this wonderful series is a treat! From page 1, I was hooked and I read flat out to the last! The characters are so well-written, easy to relate to and even the idea of marrying a friend to gain the guardianship of not-his-baby seems believable, and well, quite reasonable! I was definitely rooting for this couple! The romance is lovely, the humour throughout enjoyable and the court case is edge-of-your-seat action! This book has it all! You don't have to have read the other books in the series but, if you haven't, indulge in these too as characters reoccur and it's wonderful to see them grow! It's a five out of five and can't wait for more for me - highly recommended!

I always enjoy Denise Hunter’s writing and storyline. After reading the first in the series I was looking forward to Brady and Hope’s story. If you’re looking for a comfortable and uplifting read, you can’t go wrong.

Every book I read by Denise Hunter is amazing and this book was no exception! It was such a fun book to read and the story was beautifully written. I loved the characters and just adored Hope and her history and how much she valued Brady's friendship and was willing to step up and go beyond to help him. Brady was someone who owned up to mistakes and wasn't prepared to step down when the going got tough. These two really complimented each other despite their differences and challenging histories. The story was really enjoyable and just when I thought I knew it where it was going it took another turn. I also loved how Denise was able to incorporate characters from the other books in The Blue Ridge Romance series and make them a part of the story but without taking away anything from the main story As with all of Denise's books it's not a requirement to read the first 2 books in the series before this one, as all the books can be enjoyed as standalone stories and each focuses on a different pair of characters. This book is a great read and once you start reading it you won't be able to stop.

Denise Hunter always serves up a good read and Honeysuckle Dreams is no exception. Well written, good plot and believable characters all the ingredients of a good novel. I highly recommend this book.

Hunter writes the most romantic stories ever! I love the way that she creates characters for whom you're cheering from the very first page. She balances the obstacles and the sexy, keeping you on firmly on their side, even when crazy circumstances get in their way.
That must have been really hard with this book, because the story starts off with an impossible situation - and one that's about as unromantic as you can get. Despite that, I enjoyed the intentionality that she imbues Hope and Brady with. The story only gets better the further in you go, and even though you can see some of the problems coming, that doesn't make the plot any less dramatic.
I love babies, and throwing a baby into a romance story always ups the fun factor for me. It's not just about the feelings between two adults, but there are bigger and deeper issues at stake, and in this story, there are spiritual lessons, too.
If you like sweet stories of romance and love with a deeper flair, give Honeysuckle Dreams a read. You won't be sorry.

Honeysuckle Dreams is the second novel in the Blue Ridge Romance series (third if you consider the loosely related companion novel, Sweetbriar Cottage). Honeysuckle Dreams shares with these sister books a sweetly romantic story of second chances, facing fears and finding happily ever after.

Hope Daniels would do just about anything for her friend Brady Collins. So when Brady’s life is turned upside down and he faces losing the custody rights of his young son, Hope shocks herself by agreeing to a marriage of convenience. What starts as a way to hopefully secure Brady and Sam’s future, slowly begins to morph into something more as Hope and Brady spend more time together and begin to integrate their lives.

There’s just something about a marriage of convenience romance. Perhaps because it reminds me of mail order marriages from the western frontier (I rather like a good historical romance). Or maybe because this is a romance novel after all, and I know there is going to be a happy ending. In any case, the marriage of convenience in Honeysuckle Dreams was both romantic and fun.

Hope and Brady have been friends for years and it shows in their lively banter, gentle teasing and genuine enjoyment of each other’s company. It’s not a bad place from which to start a marriage. However, both Brady and Hope have suffered many hurts over the years, and, as they overcome some of the challenges that they face and start to fall into the routine of married life, those fears from the past start to rise to the surface.

Honeysuckle Dreams was such fun. It was all too easy to suspend any doubts I might have had about the likelihood that the events of the novel would play out in such a way in ‘real life’. But this is a work of fiction, so who cares about likely or real life. I truly enjoyed Hope and Brady’s relationship. Their friendship was solid and one of good humour, so it was fun to hang with them, especially as they tested the waters of their growing feelings for each other. Baby Sam also added another layer to the story, as did the depth of fear and hurt with which Brady and Hope both struggled.

Honeysuckle Dreams can be read as a stand-alone novel, though readers of the first book and the companion novel, Sweetbriar Cottage, will enjoy the character crossover. The characters from the third book, Jack and Daisy, also make an appearance in Honeysuckle Dreams, and I can’t wait to read their story.

Honeysuckle Dreams is a sweet, fun and romantic novel, and it touches on timeless themes of second chances, facing one’s fears of the past, and taking a risk on love.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

This was much better than the first of the series although you can read them as a stand alone. This is of Brady and Hope and their journey. Brady is in a child custody battle with the grandparents of his deceased ex wife. Hope who has been friends with him since forever has been helping with childcare. Through a number of circumstances, they get married to help keep custody of Brady's son. Thus begins their lives and the ups and downs they face. I love how each was so supportive through their own personal trials. This novel explores the ups and downs that we sometimes face whether it is through family, friends , and ourselves. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance reading copy of Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter. This is the story of Brady, Hope and Sam. After Brady Collins’ ex-wife passes away, Hope, his best friend, steps in to help take care of nine-month old Sam while Brady is at work. All is well until Brady discovers that Sam is not his biological child, that he was tricked into marriage, and that his ex-in-laws want full custody of his son.
Hope and Brady marry at the urging of Brady’s attorney. They begin to fall in love as they work together to take care of Sam. But love does not come easy for them. Each has lost faith in lasting love, either by the loss of a love or the deceit of a past love. Soon, old fears and new insecurities create obstacles to a happy ending for the couple.
I found this to be a very believable and well-written story. Hope’s fears and Brady’s insecurities are real obstacles that must be faced. Why would Brady want to parent a boy who is not his own flesh and blood? Why is Hope so afraid to love? What will happen if Hope takes a job in another city? Will they overcome the losses of their past and allow themselves to find real, enduring love?
Readers of Ms. Hunter’s previous novels will enjoy this one. I highly recommend this title to fans of Christian fiction and romance.

I will post a review of this title on Amazon and Goodreads closer to the release date.

I loved this book! I found the characters of Hope and Brady to be endearing and realistic. There was a twist in the story that was not what I was expecting. The whole first half of the book I was wondering how the author would continue to create conflict and then boom-it hit. I enjoyed this book better than I enjoyed the first book in this series, Blue Ridge Sunrise, although I did enjoy that book as well.

Brady is a single dad who suddenly has to fight custody for his little boy. His lawyer misunderstands a conversation and assumes Brady is engaged to Hope, his sister's best friend. After considering the implications, Brady and Hope agree to marry. The story follows them as they try to decide what type of relationship they'll have and as they fight to keep their little family together.

This story pulled out all the feels. I highly recommend it, especially if you've enjoyed Denise Hunter's books in the past. You won't be disappointed.

HONEYSUCKLE DREAMS by DENISE HUNTER is an emotionally packed romance novel in which we really feel what Hope Daniels and Brady Collins are going through.
Both of them are dealing with issues from the past whilst embarking on a marriage which they hope will make Brady's bid for custody of his little son stronger. They have been friends for years and both love Sam very much.
Rejected by his own mother and by Sam's mother, it is not surprising that Brady has a problem with self-esteem. He feels there must be something wrong with him.
Hope, on the other hand, is afraid of loving anyone too much due to losing the love of her life, and does not want to go through that kind of loss again. In spite of the fact that she helps others with psychological problems, she withdraws rather than taking action. She is not only afraid of losing her loved ones, she is afraid of harming them. She also seems to have lost her faith in God.
It is an enjoyable read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really wanted to love this one, but things just weren’t clicking for me. I never felt engaged or connected with the characters. I found it a somewhat frustrating read that was unfortunately easy to put down.

I like the forced marriage/marriage of convenience trope generally. And Denise Hunter has done it well in the past. But there was no spark or chemistry between these two. They didn’t even really seem believable as good friends. There was no believable flirty banter, no familiarity. They came off very formal and forced. It made the whole thing seem incredibly contrived and ridiculous.

I was not a fan of the reasons for the marriage of convenience at all, and Hope initially sacrificing absolutely everything about her own life just to help this dude. She was literally getting no benefit from this deal. The stakes didn’t seem high enough to make forced marriage seem plausible even in fiction.
Getting married on the CHANCE it MIGHT help a custody case, but agreeing to stay married even if it doesn’t get awarded, is insane especially for two people who seem to barely know each other. Engaged or married for a period of time, maybe, married forever?? Crazy.

I also felt like stereotypical, traditional gender roles were very exaggerated in this book and it irritated me.

This isn’t a terrible book. Things did come back around at the last minute, especially for Hope. Denise Hunter is a good author with a lot of experience. I think if you click with the characters this would be a light, fun, sweet read. I just couldn’t get there this time.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Hope Daniels and Brady Collins have known each other forever—and they’ve shared an easy friendship for forever, too. Denise Hunter takes us back to Copper Creek in Honeysuckle Dreams, the setting of two previous books (Sweetbriar Cottage and Blue Ridge Sunrise). This story features Brady, newly wed, newly divorced, and now the sole caretaker for his infant son, Sammy. The community helps him out with childcare so he can keep his supercar repair business running.

Faith, a radio DJ between gigs, discovers she loves everything about taking care of Sammy. After tragically losing her high school sweetheart, Faith doesn’t think she’ll ever have a shot at true love again.

When Sammy’s grandparents sue for sole custody, Brady vows to do whatever it takes to keep his son with him. Including marriage to Hope.

When two hurting people make a commitment to to each other, unexpected things happen.

If you like contemporary inspirational romance, you’ll like this book. Hunter creates relatable characters full of flaws and foibles that make their actions authentic.

I really enjoyed Denise Hunter's Chapel Springs series and the Summer Harbor Series. They weren't like the majority of contemporary romance published. She digs deep into her characters and really hunts for the deep flaw in their lives and tosses it to the wind while creating a masterful climax with the a member of the opposite sex. But with her new series, A Blue Ridge Romance, I don't feel the same way.

The writing is still top notch. Hunter really dives into her character's emotions. I understand Brady and Hope's feelings for each other and empathize with them as they move around the story. I can see the setting and understand where I am without any real difficulty.

The plot seemed really rushed to me. For the first forty-two percent of the book, Hunter rushes through two months of time and rushes to a court hearing. Then the next two months fly by for the rest of the book to show the downfall of the characters. I really didn't understand why the sudden emotional change in Hope either. One day she shuts Brady out, and the item that triggers it seemed out of place. Hope becomes disattached and depressed, which I didn't see coming and is completely out of character for the build-up of the character for the first half of the book.

I liked Hope and Brady at the beginning of the novel, and they have a nice communication together. But then the story seems forced on the characters. Hope doesn't think twice about what Brady is asking her to do. I think any normal person would have needed to think it over. There is so much she and he doesn't take into consideration.

Overall, Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter didn't appear realistic and too rushed to meet a deadline. I don't think characters did things that would have fit their personalities. The plot moved too rapidly leaving me confused and wondering why I'm still reading the book. However, fans of Hunter's other stories and contemporary romance might enjoy this novel.

I received a complimentary copy of Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

I enjoyed Denise Hunter's novel, Honeysuckle Dreams and would recommend it to anyone who looking for a good love story. I related to the theme of overcoming fears from past relationships that can hurt current relationships. Sometimes learning to trust and give our fears to the Lord is hard to do, but this novel is able to show healing without being preachy. I look forward to reading future books by in this series.

publisher synopsis: After Brady Collins’ ex-wife dies, he receives devastating news—his nine-month-old son Sam isn’t his son at all. And Sam’s wealthy maternal grandparents want custody of the child. Brady knows he’s in for the fight of his life. But regardless of what any blood test says, Sam is his son, and Brady will go to any lengths to keep him.
Brady’s attorney tips him off that one major life change would virtually assure him of winning guardianship of baby Sam at the final hearing: an impending marriage. And his friend Hope is willing to step in as the loving and devoted fiance.
Local radio celebrity Hope Daniels has been driven by a solitary goal her entire life, and after a happy accident she’s finally offered her dream job. But if the truth comes out about her arrangement with Brady, she may miss the chance of a lifetime and stand in the way of a dear friend’s dreams.
As Brady and Hope make sacrifices to help each other in their times of need, they risk uncovering a truth neither of them expects to find.

This book was an okay read, but I didn't fall in love with the characters. I felt that things were there for convenience, but not love. Even as the novel progressed, it felt more like lust than love. After the court hearing, things seemed stagnent and almost as if the book should have ended there. I realize there were some untied plot lines, but the build up to the court date, and climax of the plot at that point was almost a solid ending, everything else felt drawn out.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love when a book engages me and I can't put the book down. This book just didn't do that for me. I didn't feel connected to the characters and the idea seemed a little far fetched for me. I felt like Hope became an entirely different person near the end of the book. I wanted to see how it would end up and I finished it, but it was not my favorite Denise Hunter book.
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced copy.

I feel...maybe dispassionate is the word. Not a bad story, definitely better than the first couple books in this series, but I wasn't anxious to turn every page and see what happened next. Hope and Brady are a sweet couple, but I confess I was hoping for more than a custody battle and a little romance. Aside from Hope's emotional struggles, I saw the plot coming a mile away in the last installment of this series. If you're a Denise Hunter junkie, though, you'll enjoy this one.

4 1/2 stars.

After Blue Ridge Sunrise, I was really looking forward to reading Brady's story. It did not disappoint.

This is a sweet story of friends to more. Hope is a really good friend to Brady. She's already watching Brady's baby son (the baby's mom. and Brady's ex-wife, died recently), and she loves doing it. Due to some other circumstances, Brady and Hope get engaged and later married.

I loved seeing how their relationship developed, even with everything against them. Highly recommend!

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

Another winner from Ms. Hunter. Excellent character development and descriptive narrative.

A book that is heartwarming. A love of a close knit family as well as an estranged family member carried Brady throughout his life. A fight for what is just and right for the family.