This is the 3rd book in this series of standalones, but I would suggest reading them all in order to get the full effect of the Dalton family. And once you've read them, you'll want to become a part of that family too! Wow, this was quite the intense read for me--a little heartbreaking, but also quite heartwarming as well. I loved Derek's character so much and how he dealt with his father's Alzheimers and I adored Talia, the "careful girl," because I can relate to her in so many ways! These characters are not one-dimensional -- so interesting and so well developed from the moment you're introduced to them. I loved that Derek wore his mother's ring and his father's bracelets; I loved that he drew pictures that I could see from the excellent and thorough descriptions (I'd love to see them!) and I absolutely loved how the author handled Jonah's illness so beautifully. And how can little Louie get any cuter/sweeter?! As you can tell, I love this series, but this one in particular really touched my heart. Can't wait to see what the next one will bring! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

Copy received for an honest review

It was great to dive back into the Sugar Lake series. This series has been sweet and fun, and Love Like Ours is no different.

Talia and Derek could not be more different, however their differences just make them all the more perfect for each other.

Derek is the chaos to Talia's control. Whilst she is quieter and reserved, he is a dancer, a bartender and puts himself out there.

I love the spark between them. No matter their differences, their attraction to each other cannot be denied.

I adore the banter between Talia and her family -even if at times I wanted to slap them on Talia's behalf. You can't help but love all of them, even when they annoy you. However it is Derek and his father that stole the show for me. I don't want to give anything away about them, but ... swoon!

And oh so emotional. I have never dealt with what Derek is coping with every day - thank goodness - however it gave a pretty good insight as to how it affects carers and family.

It was lovely watching our lovelies fall in love, when it is the last thing either of them was looking for. I also really liked that there is no OTT drama for drama's sake. Talia and Derek have their issues, but the deal with them like adults (which is refreshing in my stories!)

I loved that we got more from our lovelies in the previous two books, with some snippets of where their relationships are now.

I can't wait to see what Ms Foster brings us next.

Love Like Ours (Sugar Lake #3) by Melissa Foster.....Please tell me I can give this book more than 5 stars....Thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for letting me preview this book. Talia and Derek's story hit so close to home for me... My husband and I were caretakers for my Aunt Thelma who had Alzheimer's. This book brought back so many memories...happy and sad and heartwarming. This book has all the feels the happy, funny, sad, heartfelt, with some steamy sex and a HEA. I can't wait for the next Sugar Lake book.

4.5 - "Team Grant all the way!" Stars!

Another absolutely outstanding read from Melissa Foster. Love Like Ours is book three in the Sugar Lake series, and can absolutely be read as a standalone.

"You’re hard to forget."

The buttoned up professor, letting life pass her by, and the male dancer with the weight of the world on his shoulders certainly produced a ‘read-it in one sitting’ story.

"The best thing that’s ever happened to me was nearly getting run over…"

I absolutely loved Derek and Talia together. Both of them have depths that you gradually see more of as they get to know each other. Derek encourages Tallie to step out of her comfort zone, and to try new things, while his attraction to Tallie encourages Derek to make more of an effort at having his own life and relationships alongside caring for his father rather, than putting everything on hold, something he has done albeit understandably without complaint for too long already.

He’d been living on deep breaths for the past few years… and he wondered if he’d ever get used to it…

Once again Melissa has written a couple and given them a story that was just such a joy to read, and I loved the Dalton family in general, and getting to know them more, while the relationship between Derek and Tallie blossomed, so much so I bought the first two books as soon as I had finished reading.

This was so right… she belonged in his arms…

As you would expect the weight of Derek’s responsibility in the care of his father has an impact in the way he can conduct his relationship with Tallie, and there is also the initial teacher/student situation which luckily doesn’t take up much of the story in relation to its resolution, but Tallie is a smitten-kitten once she has gotten over the mortification of nearly running him over, and everything from there on out moves at an organic and steady pace, Derek doesn’t want Tallie to have any regrets, as he is in it with her for the long haul.

"You are everything… Everything good, everything sweet, everything I want."

But, although for admirable reasons, it’s the Magic Mike part of Derek’s work that Tallie struggles with and eventually causes the confrontation between them, and not in a judgemental way per se, more in the fact of dealing with other women looking at her man, and how her family will react to it when she finally tells them…

If you have read this author before, you know that you are in for a really enjoyable reading experience, if you haven’t this (or to be honest from my experience, any other of her books) would be a great place to start your Melissa Foster reading marathon.

An amazing love story about sacrifice, friendship, and hope in the face of life's challenges. Complete with an amazingly caring and hot guy. The intensity between the two love interests is beautifully written and the handling of a sensitive subject affecting many families was great.

I loved this book written by Melissa Foster. A story that hits home is sometimes hard to read, as you can picture this happening to you and your loved ones. Derek is a strong and confident young man that has put his life on hold to care for his sick father. Enter Talia who, literally, almost runs over Derek while on her work one frustrating morning. Derek is taken by Talia and Talia can't stop thinking about this mysterious man with the magnificent blue eyes. Another chance encounter has Talia agreeing to meet Derek for the beginning of what is truly a love that was meant to be.

This book wrecked me. Completely, totally, utterly wrecked. And it wasn’t only the love story, which was phenomenally beautiful and sure to inspire romance in any heart. It was the gentle, careful handling of Derek's father, Jonah, with early-onset Alzheimer’s, and the way Talia and every member of her family opened their arms and hearts and made Derek and Jonah a treasured part of their family. This book is everything home and family and hope should be.

Talia is a college professor and she’s admittedly distracted by her family's group phone call while driving. Distracted enough that she nearly plows into the most gorgeous guy she’s ever seen. It’s one thing when he shows up in her class, but when he asks her out, she’s conflicted. Derek is undeniably hot, and the first guy who has stirred anything in her in years, but there are a few problems. He’s off limits as a student, his work as a dancer is troubling, and he's way out of her careful, controlled comfort zone.

Foster definitely pulls out the stops and pours on the feels in the early copy I read of this book! We have a heroine who got hurt badly and doesn’t trust men, choosing to focus on her family and responsibilities as a college professor. Then there’s Derek, an admirable guy with a really great heart who will do anything short of illegal, unethical or immoral to take care of his ailing father, including bartending and dancing, while trying to finish his master’s degree. Then the boisterous and meddling but loving Dalton family and Derek's father, Jonah, add an entirely different layer of emotion.

The way the Daltons care for each other and unconditionally welcome Derek and Jonah into their lives is nothing short of amazing. One beautifully tender moment occurs when five-year-old Louie is talking with Jonah, who thinks Louie is a young Derek. Without missing a beat, Louie speaks to Jonah as if he’s Derek, then whispers to Derek, “He’s confused, so I’m pretending.” I swear, I thought my heart would burst free from my chest! Another thing that takes this story over the top and sets it apart is the unique and unexpected use of the drawing journals of Jonah and Derek, with important family memories memorialized in their cartoon drawings, rather than photographs. They provided for some tender, poignant, and truly special threads that knit the story together in a fresh, significant way.

I loved everything about this book. Foster created my favorite kind of characters who are mature, strong, intelligent and determined and don’t wallow in self-doubt or create juvenile angst as the source of conflict. Instead, Talia and Derek are secure in their relationship and band together to support each other through every challenge. This book sucked me in and captivated my heart, and I wasn’t anywhere near ready to let go of these characters, so this is one I'll return to again. If you’re looking for something that warms your heart, stirs your soul, prompts a tear or two and still brings the heat then leaves you with a happy sigh, you'll adore Talia and Derek. You definitely won’t regret 1-clicking this one!

*I reviewed this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.

"Just knowing I can turn you on with words turns me on."

Confession, it was the cover that got my attention. And once I read the synopsis I couldn't resist finally reading my first Melissa Foster book. Of course, now that I have, I'm asking myself what took me so long? I loved Love Like Ours.

As mentioned above, since this is my first title by this author, in spite of it being book three in the Sugar Lake series, I read it as a standalone. And let me tell you, I've been missing out. I especially love Talia's family and need to go back and read the first two books about her sisters. I'm guessing there will be more focused on her remaining siblings and those will be awesome as well.

While I really enjoyed the sibling squabbles and found their witty banter highly entertaining, it was Derek that stole the show for me. Not only is he gorgeous and talented, making the most out of "—six inches of strategically placed material," he's got a huge heart.

Talia's been burned by love and has closed off her heart. She has no interest in a relationship. She didn't go looking for him, but she did almost run over him. And once she got a glimpse of his piercing blue eyes she couldn't unsee him, even in her fantasies. Seeing him in her classroom was almost as surprising and unwelcome. That made him off-limits.

Derek woke up something that had been dormant in her life for a long time and he brought a lot of baggage with him. She knows it's not a good idea, but tell that to her body that's been awakened. He's so far outside of her comfort zone but he makes her want to stretch it. Her sister accused her, "That's not living, Tal. That's hiding." Is she ready to shake off her fears and take a chance on #TeamGrant?

This story touched my emotions in a big way, touching on a subject that I'd not been exposed to before. It was handled beautifully and made me feel more than I was prepared for. I'm looking forward to spending more time with this family in future installments. The line forms here...

Talia Dalton lives a pretty by the numbers life, college professor, no real social life,doesn't date, looks after her best friends dog, picks up his class while recuperates from surgery, and breaks the mold when it comes to her three sisters and her brother. They persistently bust her chops about how tightly wound she is and man is she ever. While driving to school, running late, on a three way convo with her sisters, she almost hits a man in the school parking lot. He slams his hands on the hood of her car and glares at her and all she can see is his striking blue eyes. A little yelling ensues and still late to class, coffee spilled on her blouse she carries on, as usual. The stranger she almost hit is walking by her classroom and hearing her, sneaks in to listen. She sees him, gives him a glare for being late and he approaches her after class. Seeing her once again when she's walking Molly her friends dog, these two keep crossing paths and finally gets to talk with her. Then he invites her to come by where he bartends in the evenings. That night happens to be a night when the male dancer for the evening calls in and Derek fills in. He does it because the money is good. He needs that money. He's a full time caretaker of his amazing father Jonah who has Alzheimers, with the help of their neighbor Maria who has been there for them since his mother died years earlier. Derek has a plan, to turn their large family home into a day care for Alzheimers patients. For people like him who are full time care givers and not ready to place them in a facility. I loved Derek and his father. Their talents were amazing and watching those and Jonah's lucid moments were stunning. I applaud Melissa for tackling this topic with the grace and dignity it deserves while giving those caring for loved ones who are often in the shadows a voice. That voice was Derek. Talia was the perfect match for Derek, he pulled her out of her comfort zone, I'd call it a fear zone. To be locked that tight for 10 years? Good grief. Talia came out of her literal bubble, thanks to Derek. She meshed seamlessly with his friends and Jonah.
Where Talia failed was telling her family that Derek was a dancer and while they met and loved him, they found out by accident, which I was surprised didn't happen earlier in the book, however she had a lot of explaining to do, but I had to hand it to her. She told them she didn't need their approval.
Her sister Piper was obnoxious as ferk and I really liked it when Piper got a frigging clue how freaking inappropriate she was when it came to some things, especially with Talia. Talia didn't tell her for a good reason and when the light comes on for Piper, it was a great moment. All that said, this wasn't my favorite book by Melissa. The dialogue while at times was much needed, the rest was lagniappe.
Derek and Tallie certainly had the chemistry which keeps this story flowing. Still not my favorite from Melissa. The Daltons are one heck of a family.

arc from NetGalley and publisher for an honest review

I really enjoyed reading this book. So much, that I want to go back and read the other books in this series. Well written with great characters and a wonderful story line.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an independent review.
Another wonderful book by Melissa Foster in this series but an individual story.
Written so well with very likeable characters. Derek is the perfect hero - handsome, sexy, intelligent and caring for his father who has Alzheimer’s.
A sweet but sexy story which was hard to put down!
Already cannot wait for the next book from one of my favourite writers of this genre!

Wow. This book is steamy. I was excited to read Talia’s book because she is the most “buttoned up” sister in the Dalton family and I couldn’t wait to see what guy she fell for. Derek’s description isn’t usually my type but like Talia his mind and heart made my lady parts tingle. This book also has some heavy parts with Derek’s dad and his dancing. Totally worth the read. Can’t wait to see if Ben or Piper is next.

Love Like Ours is the third book of the Sugar Lake series, which follows the Dalton siblings as they find romance.

Love Like Ours brings us Talia's story, and even though this was the first I've read in this series, I was not lost at all. In fact, it just made me want to go back and read the other two books as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed Talia and Derek. You've got the serious, studious professor who is reluctant to leave her comfort zones. Then you've got the student/bartender/entrepreneur determined to help Talia embrace life. Derek and Talia are such multi-faceted characters, and the dialogue and repartee between them is both entertaining and heart-warming.

Also, I LOVED the way Derek's drawings depicted their journey. Absolutely beautiful.

I look forward to returning to Sugar Lake for the other siblings' stories.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy provided by the author via NetGalley.***

The stage was set. The clues obvious. So why are these two fighting it tooth and nail? Foster shakes up the heart with sunshine, rain and the whole shebang. Love Like Ours is meant to be funny. The professor and the male dancer learn to look beyond the stereotype and follow their hearts. Each has more to offer than they present to the world. They just need a little help finding the courage to be vulnerable. Derek is a dreamer working his way through his reality. Talia is a realist, too afraid to dream. When sweet and naughty collide it's sin city. Derek and Talia leave hearts with a warm, crazy feeling that looks alot like love.

Another amazing book from Melissa and the hero id definitely one of my favourite book boyfriend's. Derek is perfect especially for Talia and its great for her to get her HEA. Would recommend to all romance readers.

Another amazing book by a fantastic author. Every time I read one of her stories I’m continually impressed by her. Would highly recommend this and any other of her novels.

Another great book by Melissa Foster. Talia is helping out a sick friend by teaching one of his college classes. She's talking to her nosy sister when she almost hits a guy with her car. Guess who is in her class that day? There is a definite attraction between Derek and Talia. After leaving class, he sees her and asks her to meet him at a club for a drink. When she gets there, she sees that Derek is the bartender. Before she leaves, she sees a lot more of him than she wants to as he is also an exotic dancer. She tries not to judge but It's hard. After he explains that he is working and going to school so he can take care of his father who has Alzheimer's disease. He wants to open an adult day-care center for families who need help. Fortunately Talia's family is close knit and they want to help in every way. This is more than a love story. It has heart and soul. Having a family member who has a serious illness is hard and it takes love to keep from being overwhelmed. Loved this book. I received this book from Net Galley and Montlake Publishing for a honest review and no compensation otherwise.





It's hard

Love Like Ours is the third book in the Sugar Lake Series. It can be read as a standalone.

I felt a lot for Derek. He's a student, on top of juggling two jobs and being a caretaker of a father with early onset Alzheimer's. Having watched my own grandmother suffer from the disease for well over ten years before she succumbed to it, I understand how hard it is to watch a loved one deal with it. I admired his determination and desire to keep his father at home for as long as he can. I also liked his plan to open a facility for people suffering from the disease.

While I liked Derek and Talia together, Talia frustrated me at times over her inability to see past one of Derek's jobs. I get she was worried about how her family would view it, but she should have trusted them. Speaking of Talia's family, it was nice to see all her siblings and catch up with them again. While Talia feels like she's an outsider to her siblings, it's clear they don't view her that way. I loved how easily they welcomed Derek and his father into their fold and provided him support as well.

While this wasn't my favorite book in the series, I enjoyed it. I thought Melissa Foster did a wonderful job covering Alzheimer's and how difficult is for the caregivers of people living with it and the sacrifices they have to make. I'm looking forward to reading more about the Dalton family.

Well done Melissa! This was one of the better books I have read this year. Like all of her books this one was beautifully written, rich with love, chemistry and lovely family. I loved both MCs and their connection and love story was just what i needed at the time after reading a bit of a more darker books before.

I don't think Melissa Foster ever writes a story that isn't great. I love the characters in all of her books and in this one they are just as special. I like the values that the author brings into the story of family coming first and that she isn't afraid to tackle having a character with dementia and the challenges that are faced in dealing with it. Talia and Derek are very real with human emotions and their story is romantic, sexy,heartwarming, funny, and touching. I do not re-tell the story in my reviews as it is irritates me that so many reviewers do that and spoil the story for others. Another wonderful hit by Melissa Foster so don't miss this one!