Saddler Cove Series

Well, it happened again! I found another new to me author to stalk! 

Handle with Care is the first book in a hopefully new series.  This book is a fantastic introduction to the people of Saddler Cove. Small town drama and small town living.

This story is more than just the love story of Tanner and Emily.  It's so much more! I loved the multiple POV's and the secondary romance that was going on!

Emily is a fantastic character! I loved her honesty.  I enjoyed the fact that she was forthright about her feelings and she didn't stew long about issues that were plaguing her!

Tanner is the ultimate alpha.  He has dealt with bad luck and judgemental people in his past.  It explains why he is the way his is today. 

The chemistry between Tanner and Emily was amazing! I loved the whole dichotomy between the characters! It was a great telling of the "good girl" "bad boy" scenario.

The secondary characters were fantastic and I am so hoping to read more about them in the future!  This is a definite must read!

I am so glad to have had the opportunity to read this! Thank you for your words Ms. Croft! I cannot wait to see what you come out with next!

I couldn't resist this book after reading the premise, the supposedly good girl in town hooking up with the bad boy? I just had to read, and it didn't disappoint.
Both Emily and Tanner see themselves in certain way and try to project that to everyone else but they have so much they're keeping inside, their past experiences have left a deep impact in both of them and they carry all that weight but while being together, they start to discover new things. Neither of them think they're good for the other, they should be complete opposites but what's between them goes much depper than just chemistry and attraction. I admit there were times I wanted to shake some sense into them but it's all part of the story, they have to deal with their own issues to figure out what they really want.

There's also kind of a side story focusing on Emily's grandmother which was nice, I liked her character and it's a nice representation of older romance but you start to read this thinking the story is about Emily and Tanner and while it's a nice addition I don't think it really adds to their particular story, it would have still worked witout it.

Overall it was a very enjoyable read and I do look forward to more stories from this series.

I loved this book! Tanner and Emily both think they don't deserve each other. It is mentioned throughout the book but not in an annoying way. Tanner is the bad boy of their small city and Emily is the sweet, beautiful, innocent first grade teacher. When they unexpectedly end up together, no one can believe it. The best character in this book is really Emily's grandmother. She speaks her mind and isn't afraid to tell anyone how it is! There were a few laugh out loud moments. This was a wonderful read by Ms. Croft. I can't wait for the next Saddler's Cove book!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

I liked Handle With Care, but it wasn't my favorite book I've read this year. I felt that the point of view of Mimi and Josh wasn't needed and that was part of the reason I couldn't fully connect to the story the way I wanted to while reading it. I was a little annoyed on neither of the main characters ever really talking to the other about how they were feeling despite the oversharing about their fantasies in the beginning.

A beautiful story about taking chances and finding your rainbow on the other side. Two of the most unlikeliest people to fall in love do so. In a small town it becomes a spectacle. Throw in a feisty 70 year old grandmother and the fireworks explode. The emotions run riot throughout the book and the author does a great job of keeping the reader invested. I am hoping that this is the start of a great new series as there is a lot of characters that can be made into scintillating stories.

2 stars
This one is a hard review for me. I wanted to love this story, but the writing was a little off for me. The main thing was, I knew the author had to be British writing about Americans. There was too many English things thrown into this story. And it made it not work. The couple lives in the east coast of America, but they don't sound it.

Then there was the POV of the grandmother and the ex con. I am all for older romance, but do we need their POV???

Lastly, I thought maybe this story took place in the 1050's because of the way the town was. It reminded me of a combination of Footloose and Grease with the town folk and their one sided minds.

The first in the Saddler Cove series by Nina Croft.

The plot and characters sounded interesting - a grandma going in to buy a Harley! - but I found it difficult to connect with both the characters and writing style. While I appreciated the themes of acceptance and forgiveness, there were some points that were repeated multiple times throughout the book.

I did enjoy the final 25% of the book the best, and it was interesting to have both Mimi and Josh's perspectives from time to time.

"Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review."

Loved this book very much. It had just enough sweet romance and the storyline was great! I highly recommend!

Emily Towson is the epitome of a good girl. First grade teacher, conservative dress, polite, well-mannered, thoughtful. But when her boyfriend Ryan proposes she recoils in horror, particularly when he compliments her on being so sensible. Emily grandmother Mimi might be close to 70 years old but she's young at heart and she sees the way that her buttoned up grand-daughter looks at Tanner O'Connor, the town's bad boy, and decides to engineer a fling. But when a school teacher and the bad boy have a one-night stand things don't go according to plan.

I really liked the start of this book: the ex-con, bad boy, tattooed, hog-riding Tanner and the tiny good girl teacher Emily have both admired from afar but each felt themselves unworthy of the other, until a temper tantrum and a bad attitude combust spectacularly. However, about a third of the way through I felt the plot ran out of steam and it became a bit 'rinse-and-repeat', Tanner gets angry because the town treats him like a pariah, Emily worries that Tanner is slumming with her, Tanner worries that Emily wants him to change, blah, blah, blah. The plot hinged on neither Tanner nor Emily ever telling the other how they felt, despite the initial over-sharing about they had each been fantasising about each other. Overall, I thought the book was overlong for the plot.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book didn't work out for me and was a DNF @35%. Tanner and Emily were difficult to warm to, what I did read was pretty cliched in terms of the bad boy/good girl aspect, and the third person POV switching between four characters—two of whom are in their late sixties—didn’t particular help matters. Simply a case of this one not being for me and on this occasion I won't be posting a review publicly.

In Handle With Care, Emily is a small-town, respectable school teacher who yearns for something more out of life. Tanner is the bad boy ex-con (innocent, of couse) who owns a motorcycle shop. He's had a thing for Emily since he stumbled cross her swimming in her skivvies when she was 16.

The story begins when the eccentric grandmother buys a bike from Tanner. Emily, fresh from saying no to a proposal offered because she is sensible, confronts Tanner in a heated, overly emotional manner. Ms. Sensible enjoys an unexpected hook-up with Tanner, but it leaves Emily subject to the 'morality clause' of her teaching contract (I'm pretty sure those clauses are illegal now) when she gets pregnant.

The rumor-mill goes wild. Gossip in a small-town is crazy, as only someone who has lived in a small town can relate, and the gossip exacerbates the insecurities felt by the two. That insecurity felt like a big part of the book. The two characters who frankly discuss their fantasies about each other at the beginning of the book aren't the characters that we see as the book continues. I'm all for a character being vulnerable, but stark neediness is different. This led to the lack of trust and poor communication that seems to be the main conflict with the story. Part of me says they weren't really suited for each other if they couldn't trust any better than that, but the other part of me realizes that this is a real problem for some people, in which case, Croft did an excellent job in conveying that to readers.

The story is a quick read that is improved with the characters of Mimi and Josh, the eccentric grandmother and the man that she meets. Their romance was something I didn't anticipate; it was sweet and added a lot to the book.

This is the first book that I have read by Nina Croft and I absolutely loved it. Having multiply POV's was genius. Being able to know what others were thinking made the book so much better. It gave you a whole new perspective then you would normally get. I loved the chemistry between Tanner and Emily. I honestly felt like they were half way in love with the first chapter with them together. Tanner was so sweet but bad boy at the same time. Emily was sweet and Tanner knew how to bring out her bad girl. You add in Tanner's brothers, Tanner's niece, Mimi and Josh and all the towns people and you get yourself one really great book with lots of drama. I could not put it down and I cannot wait until the next book in the series. I want to find out what happen's next in this small town. I am for sure now going to go read other titles by this author. She has me hooked now. Thanks NetGalley for the chance. I voluntarily reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful heartbreaking story. A couple from opposite sides of the track find themselves in each other's arms. She had dreamed of him for years believing he'd only ever be a fantasy. After all the horrible circumstances in his life, he never thought he deserved any type of happiness or that he was good enough for anyone let alone the Apple of the town's eye. With heartbreaking and traumatic pasts on both sides they have to find away to over come it and every one who's against them. This story will pull you in with chaos and split second decisions then spit you out emotionally satisfied. It's well written and keeps you on your toes. With twists and secrets that you won't see coming that will have you wanting more. I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Ok cards on the table and I admit I only picked this as I’ve previously enjoyed the authors paranormal offerings. In fact I’m not really a contemporary romance fan but my curiosity got the better of me so these are my thoughts.
Goody two shoes heroine Emily who has always had a thing for bad boy Tanner finally gets a chance to get her hands on him and goes for it. Yes the apparently sensible teacher has a wee wild side of her own and frankly why not ? Oh well that will possibly be down to the fact that she’s the kind , sweet , dependable sort oh and did I mention there’s a morality clause in her contract ?
Tanner has a huge chip on his shoulder being the son of the town drunk and has been to prison but having served his time is back home building a business with his brothers. See this bad boy isn’t exactly as black as he’s painted but one night with Emily and a less than reliable condom starts a chain of events that means he steps up, faces reality and actually gets what to him was always a fantasy !
I think perhaps the central couple might be a little too predictable for some initially but the surrounding characters added so much to this story. Meddling grandmothers, secrets from the past , ex cons and even adorable kids all feature here. Yet the romance trundled along with warmth and the couple getting to know what made them tick. If honest I think it was mainly Tanner who had to grow but somehow even with a basic lack of communication at times this couple did pull through to give readers a heartwarming romance. I wasn’t sure at first if I’m brutal because it seemed a little far fetched but I’m so glad I stuck with it and as there’s two more brothers not to mention an intriguing character appearing at the end I really hope the author revisits these characters.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

The synopsis on this one looked SO good. So good, in fact, that it compelled me to request a book from an author I'd never read before. There is, after all, nothing sweeter to me than discovering a new author. Unfortunately, this connection was a miss. The writing style here didn't work for me. I didn't connect with the characters and felt like there was far too much "telling" and not enough "showing". Things moved quickly, and it seemed forced to me. So, in the end, a DNF for me.

I really liked some aspects of this book but really did not like others. Tanner and Emily are both caught up in their small town reputations. He is the dangerous bad boy ex-con and she is the sweet sensible elementary school teacher. When a heated exchange results in an unplanned pregnancy they will have to face not only the town's opinions but their own deep-seeded insecurities if they want to give being a family a change. I liked Tanner and Emily and think Croft did a great job of showcasing their frustrations with the roles thrust on them my small minded townspeople. It got a little tiring hearing them whine about it at times but still this part of the book was well developed. I wish more time had been spent on making their feelings for each other more tangible. They go on several dates but I never really felt as if they truly got to know each other beyond their initial attraction. Of course that wish is a double edged sword but so much of the dialogue is terrible. It often felt to me that especially Tanner's words were written by someone who has never met anyone even remotely like him. I loved their family relationships but Croft tries to do a little too much by writing a side story about Emily's grandmother and her new romance and even writes sections from their perspectives which were really unnecessary. This book was a nice distraction but honestly not really one I would recommend to others.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This my first time reading this author and I really enjoyed it. It stars Emma and Tanner, the good girl and the very bad boy. At times I was frustrated with those titles. Both characters were good people and I felt they were stuck in those roles. Aside from that I loved the story.

Tanner has lusted after good girl Emily for years. She has lusted after him for years. Her grandmother plays matchmaker in an unusual way which caused them to have a one night stand. Then Emily ends up pregnant and from there the two get to know the other.

I loved seeing them together and falling in love and deciding what to do about the future. Really a wonderful story and great job with the writing.

Omg I wish I could give this book more stars!!! Wow what an awesome read!! I read like 60 books a month, yes I've counted lol but this is the best book I've read this year!!! By far!! I'm really hoping and praying that the brothers get books!! This is Tanner and Emily book Tanner is an excon and owns a motorcycle shop, Emily is a teacher, these two have known each other most of their lives but just kinda had the hots for each other from afar! Tanner is just getting out of jail after two years for a crime he didn't commit! They end up together sort of lol and I'm not gonna say any more you'll have to read! Lol but I loved all the characters!! I really loved Mimi and josh!!! Omg I really just can't say enough about this book! Oh and the pony swim?! Omg I wanna do that!!! Thank you NetGalley and entangled publishers for sharing this book with me! I just loved it!!! And thank you Nina Croft for your wonderful words!!

I had so many feelings regarding Handle with Care by Nina Croft. I had just finished reading The Bad Girl and the Baby by Croft and felt encouraged by her writing to pick up this book, however I felt completely underwhelmed and annoyed by this story.
The accidental baby storyline would have been fine if the characters weren’t severely insecure. Neither Emily nor Tanner feels good enough for the other person the entire novel, and it got so bad, that as the reader, I felt neither person should be in a relationship with anyone other than a professional therapist. It was a continual loop of these thoughts of insecurity the whole novel, from beginning to finish.
Also, for a book to be set in Virginia, United States, the language needed to have fit the characters placement. While I’m into international slang (I love me some BBC) the jargon was decidedly British. No person born and raised in the US would have used the term “smart” or “smartly” in regards to a stylish outfit. In fact, I am surprised an editor didn’t catch these errors.
The book started out energetic, with quick dialogue and physical heat, and then fizzled with the sour attitudes of it’s main characters, Emily and Tanner shortly thereafter.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I received an arc copy of this book for my honest review. This was my first book by this author and it was a great start to a new series. Tanner has had in rough growing up: no mom, town drunk for a dad and then a tragic accident and jail time. Luckily Tanner met a new good friend in Josh while he was in jail who helped “heal” him but by no means was he not jaded upon release. Never did he think good girl Emily would fall for him but after a night together they find out that their fling had some long lasting effects. While the beginning was quick I really liked how they let their relationship grow, slowly but not without some underlying heat. Both have scars from their early years but luckily they heal and grow together. My only complaint was that Emily tried too hard to be perfect but I guess that’s due to her tough past too. Anyway I really recommend this book which balances heat and a real relationship. I can’t wait for more from this series. Definitely a must buy.