Although I am usually not a Romance reader, I really enjoyed this book. Fun ad likable characters , and even though you know with Romance books its always a happy ending, it was a fun read, even though its the first book I have read in this series, I didnt feel I missed anything I needed to have read before, so it could be read as a stand alone as well. I look forward to reading more about the people on Honeymoon Harbor.

This was the type of book that you could take with you to the pool or beach and read.

It was fun an engaging and I really enjoyed it

The blurb says this Honeymoon Harbor book is perfect summer reading, and I can’t disagree. If you enjoy romance, this small-town trip is worth taking in the next few months.

Gabriel Mannion lives a fast-paced, high-stress life and finds himself in need of a break. When he heads to his hometown for the summer, he begins to see the perks of a slower lifestyle—especially with librarian Chelsea Prescott and her two foster children in the picture. As the end of summer draws near, it’s a classic choice between career and romance, and for Gabe, it is most certainly not an easy one.

Summer on Mirror Lake is a fun story. At times, it feels a little long and repetitive, plus it ended rather abruptly, but I still enjoyed it overall. I’ll definitely have to check out the other books in the series soon.

Summer on Mirror Lake is the newest book in the Honeymoon Harbor series from Joann Ross. I've been a fan of Ms. Ross for years, and reading the Honeymoon Harbor series of books reminds me why I started reading her books years ago. I have to say the Mannion family might be one of my favorite group of characters ever from Ms. Ross.

I loved Gabe Mannion and was so glad he had come home for the summer to recover following an anxiety attack, after seeing his mentor die from a heart attack. Gabe had been away from home for years, and it took him a bit to get back into the feel of things is his old hometown. I love the small-town feel of Honeymoon Harbor, and have to say local librarian Chelsea Prescott was a favorite character of mine from the beginning.

Chelsea has the biggest heart. She loves taking care of all the kids that come through her library and when 2 foster children start hanging out, she immediately takes them under her wings. She recognizes herself as a big sister in Hannah and I liked the connection from the beginning.I loved the connection between Chelsea and the girls from the beginning. Hailey and Hannah added something extra to the budding romance between Gabe and Chelsea, and there were moments I was absolutely laughing out loud and they tried to figure out have alone time with 2 young children in the house.

Gabe and Chelsea worked as a couple for me, even as I wondered how two such different people, with different goals could make it work long-term. I thought they had amazing chemistry and I really felt it grew stronger the more time they spent together. My only complaint about this story was I felt like the resolution was rushed a bit. Yes, I wanted it to turn out as it did, but the pacing just seemed a bit fast for me.

Summer on Mirror Lake was another wonderful story from Joann Ross. This story can easily be read as a stand-alone story, but as I adored the other books in this series, I also suggest giving those books a read first. I'm one of those people who doesn’t like to reading books in a series out of order, but know there are many without that issue. Summer on Mirror Lake is the perfect romance for contemporary fans.


Rating: 4.5 Stars (B+)

Another great book!!! I love anything JoAnn Ross writes! She never disappoints me. Her storytelling astounds me!! Can't wait for her next book!!

Gabe and Chelsea meet in unusual circumstances. Gabe is taking a break from the fast paced stock market. He comes back home to relax and hopefully get his panic lifestyle under control. Chelsea is the town librarian. She has her own past that she is trying to cure from. When Chelsea needs Gabe’s help for a library adventurer program, they learn that they need each other like they never imagined. Throw in two fosters kids in the mix and you have a perfect family if only Gabe can see it.

Chelsea Prescott is a librarian in her hometown of Honeymoon Harbor. She loves books as much as she loves the community and tries to make the library a haven for others as it was for her when she was a "lost" child. She's managed to overcome her childhood and manages her demons well.

Gabe Mannion is a workaholic Wall Streeter who also has strong ties to Honeymoon Harbor, but left to "make something" of himself. He has an extremely hard time connecting to people around him, a necessity in his job, but one that causes him to have a panic attack at the funeral of his best friend and mentor; the ER doctor tells him if he doesn't take a break from the stress he'll end up seriously ill so he heads home for three months. However, hidden under his brusque exterior is a softy, he donates a lot to philanthropic causes as well investing in hometown businesses, all anonymously.

Their attraction is almost immediate but the romance takes a while. Chelsea's interaction with two young library patrons is very interesting and honest; they're foster kids and she understands how they feel, due to something that happened when she was younger. Watching Gabe and Chelsea decide to just have a simple 'summer fling' was fun. Watching how Gabe changes is even more interesting!

Summer on Mirror Lake is a fun summer read.

Gabe is a workaholic who returns to his hometown for the summer after having an anxiety attack and having a doctor tell him to change his ways or he'll end up dying young. Gabe built boats in high school which he sold to help pay for college. When he returns home, he eventually (after some well meaning advice from his brother) decides to build a smaller scale Viking faering.

Chelsea is a librarian in that same town with big summer plans for her reading adventurers. While trying to fill out the schedule for her adventurers she hears about Gabe building a faering and decides that would fit in perfectly with the summer program.

Along the way, Chelsea befriends some foster children that are at the library often. When something happens with their foster mom, Chelsea steps in until a permanent solution can be found.

I enjoyed reading this book to see what summer would bring for these residents of Honeymoon Harbor.

This book is part of a series but is perfectly fine as a stand alone novel.
#SummerOnMirrorLake #NetGalley

I was really excited to read SUMMER ON MIRROR LAKE by JoAnn Ross after enjoying the previous book in this series. This book follows Gabe, a workaholic Wall Street broker who is working himself into an early grave. He comes home to the PNW where he grew up for the summer and meets the adorable and independent librarian, Chelsea.

JoAnn is a veteran author, and it shows. She has created a fun and vibrant cast of characters in this small harbor town. I want to live there and meet a hunky, yet reclusive billionaire like Chelsea does. If you’re worried this is all lighthearted, don’t worry. Ms. Ross balances the sunshine happiness with plenty of serious and compelling topics, which adds depth to the plot.

I had two significant sticking points with this story. The first was that Ms. Ross clearly did a lot of research on Viking faerings, which is terrific, but there was WAY too much information. I ended up skimming through much of it. At a certain point the “trivia fact” information, as I like to call it, just felt like filler.

I was still prepared to give this book a solid four stars until the ending. Chelsea and Gabe’s ending was so rushed; it was almost a blink-and-you-missed-it moment. Hurts were skimmed over, and future obstacles were seemingly non-existent. I’m all for a fairytale HEA, but a little bit of realism adds to a happily ever after, in my opinion.

Overall, I enjoyed SUMMER ON MIRROR LAKE. I do recommend skimming the useless Viking info so you can get to the beautiful character development.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

I picked up a JoAnn Ross book back in January for a challenge I was in and loved it. I have been watching for her books ever since. This book is a sweet story that is both entertaining and very endearing. It is a romance, but with a twist of adding some sweet foster children.

I really enjoyed the main characters of Gabe and Chelsea. Gabe is a driven man working on Wall Street, that realizes he has to slow down before he ends up like his best friend and mentor. Going home to Honeymoon Harbor for the summer to relax and rejuvenate is the plan, having a summer fling wasn't in his plans, but he is not opposed to it either. Chelsea is a local girl who used to swoon over Gabriel when she was younger. She is the local librarian who will do whatever she needs to do to get people, especially children to read. While trying to get Gabe to allow a field trip to the boathouse, they realize they are both attracted to the other. Of course, neither wants to admit to themselves, let alone to each other. Throw in a couple of adorable and precocious orphans who love the library and do we have a ready made family in the works?

This story tugged at my heartstrings. Hannah and Hailey are adorable and have been through so much in their short lives. Unfortunately, the plight of foster children, especially siblings that want to stay together, is not easy. They often get moved around and it is the lucky ones that find a home to remain in until they are adults. Libraries are also often on the chopping block when money is tight, to the fact that Chelsea and the rest of the staff need to get freebies and donations for programs is also realistic. The relationship between Gabe and Chelsea is fun, yet frustrating. I love the humor in their relationship as well as the easy banter between the two of them. I always enjoy the small town setting of romances and Honeymoon Harbor is a great town. The characters from other books in the series are also in this book, but you do not need to have read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one. The friends and family members encourage and support each other, but do not hesitate to speak their minds and let the others have it when they mess up. I liked that even though it is a small town, they are not all in each other's business. When Chelsea attends a foster parent meeting, she recognizes people from the library, but had no idea they were all foster parents. Their humor and camaraderie was great and rather fun. Overall, this was a delightful story with romance, family relationships and foster families all part of the plot. It was well-written with humor and heartbreak. I definitely recommend this summer story.

Another delightful novel in the Honeymoon Harbor series! I love the PNW setting, and I just LOVE the characters! I especially loved Chelsea--the town librarian. What's not to love if the main character is a librarian? While the story was predictable, it was still a great read--perfect for a weekend or beach read.

I've read the first two books in this series and I'm always willing to read about one of the Mannions finding their HEA whether they want to or not.

My Impression: I do love a small town romance and this one set in the cutesy named (but there's a reason for it!) Honeymoon Harbor is becoming one of my favorites. It's not all unicorns and rainbows. People have their struggles, down times, and relatable worries but it never gets over-angsty or overly dark.

Chelsea is a great character. She's a librarian not only because she loves books but also because she loves the community of the library itself and wants it to as much of a haven for those around her as it was to her during her turbulent childhood. She's optimistic and upbeat and tries to see the best in situations. She has her demons and sorrows but she doesn't let those define her.

Gabe was a little harder to like. He's spent most of his adult life not connecting to the people around him. He's a workaholic and even a pretty big wake up call doesn't really wake him up. He sees no real issue with the way he's living even though he's taking a doctor ordered break. He's so focused on work and succeeding that his personality gets a bit lost and replaced with sheer intensity. Right from the start we know he has a softer side (he's invested in several businesses around town mostly for altruistic purposes) but not only does he not want to talk about it, he really doesn't seem to want to admit to himself that it exists.

The romance is a bit of a slow burn as at the beginning of the book the Chelsea and Gabe don't know each other at all and really only have one conversation. But that doesn't mean it was a slow read. I loved seeing Chelsea in the library and developing her relationship with library patrons (2 in particular) as well as seeing Gabe and Chelsea get to know each other. I think this is my favorite kind of romance as these two have very different personalities and it was so fun watching a bond develop.

While this book is a romance there is a lot of other things going on. It's more of a segment of time in Honeymoon Harbor that just happens to focus on Chelsea and Gabe for a bit. I really love visiting Honeymoon Harbor again but don't feel like this is a series that has to be read in order. I think you could jump in here with no issue though I bet you'll be wanting to go dive into the previous two books as soon as you finish this one!

If you’re looking for a book to read on the beach or by the pool then this is the book for you. It’s a sweet romance with just enough of a story to keep it interesting without being too overly involved.

I loved Chelsea as a character, especially because she’s a librarian and I always thought that would be such a great job. She really cares about what she does, which leads to into some pretty important areas of the books.

Gabe is also a great character, smart and sexy and good with kids. He’s really hard not to like and it’s easy to see why Chelsea so easily falls for him.

Although this book is a little sappy/sweet in places, it definitely hits your heart in the right spot. As always I enjoyed Ms. Ross’s novel and would recommend it for your next vacation read!

I want to start of by saying that I did not read books 1&2 of this series; however, I now wish I had and plan to add these to my voluminous TBR shortly. In saying this, I want everyone to know that though this is the 3rd in a series of books, it can completely be read as a standalone. Every once in a while, another character will be featured, and I found myself asking, what’s their story? But, this information isn’t necessary for this story. Especially when other couples were mentioned, I could hear echoes of previous installments, just faintly. Enough to entice but not required. Smart, Ms. Ross, very smart.

This is a fun summertime romance. The plot, characters and story weren’t groundbreaking, but were a real joy to read. I felt good while reading this book and actually learned a great deal of ancillary information, especially about boats and bowerbirds.

The lead character, Chelsea, is almost annoyingly perfect – cute smart, witty, energy for days, and selfless. I loved her and hated her a little because I really want to be her. I think maybe she could have had one or two more flaws, but that part seemed saved for Gabriel, the other main character.

Gabriel is a man who has been told his life is wrong. High stress job that has provided lots of money but not much else. After a health crisis, he is taking a summer vacation at home. Gabriel’s flaws aren’t as apparent until the end, because, he seems to act like the perfect boyfriend. But once he must decide his priorities, his values come into question. Gabriel is a character I could sink my teeth into, and based on the description, I mean that both literally and figuratively.

I loved reading this, especially since it’s summer. I felt the story, and connected with it. I truly wished I was at their lake house. If you enjoy romantic reads, this will not disappoint.

I have only just discovered JoAnn Ross recently when I read her Christmas romance, Snowfall on Lighthouse Lane, which is also part of the Honeymoon Harbor series.

I found her writing well practiced and the story entertaining and I was open to reading more of her books.

As winter gave way to spring, another Honeymoon Harbor popped up as a review request and since I love summer romances, I figured this was a great time to say yes to another one of JoAnn Ross’s books!

This cover was especially eye catching and since the story is set in the Pacific Northwest, I couldn’t help but be excited by both the description and cover!

Summary

When he lands in the emergency room after collapsing at the funeral of a colleague and friend, Wall Street hotshot Gabriel Mannion initially rejects the diagnosis of an anxiety attack. But when warned that if he doesn’t change his adrenaline-fueled, workaholic lifestyle he could end up like his friend, Gabe reluctantly returns to his hometown of Honeymoon Harbor to regroup.

As he adjusts to the sight of mountains instead of skyscrapers, Gabe discovers advantages to this small Pacific Northwest town he once couldn’t wait to escape. But it’s irresistible librarian Chelsea Prescott who, along with the two foster children she’s taken under her wing, makes slowing down seem like the best prescription ever.

Over the course of their summer romance, Gabe gets a taste of the life he might have had if he’d taken a different path. But with his return to New York City looming on the horizon, he’ll have to choose between the success he’s worked tirelessly for and a ready-made family who offers a very different, richly rewarding future…if he’ll only take the risk (summary from Goodreads).

Review

I actually think I liked this one better than the holiday one that I read earlier this year. I think this story was much more developed and thought out…..or perhaps I was just geared up for a romance novel this time around. Either way, I liked this one better and found myself quickly turning page after page, immersed in Gabe and Chelsea’s story. For me personally, I really liked Gabe. I (like so many other women) have such a soft spot for ‘bad boys’ and I really enjoyed watching Gabe grow in this story.

The idea of just a summer fling turning into more really appealed to me. Clearly they felt attracted to one another, but neither of them really wanted anything more permanent than a ‘spring fling’, but before they knew it, they were on the fast road to love. This book did have some sexy steaminess included with the romance and I thought it was tasteful and well done.

As with the first book I read in this series, I believe each of the novels can be read as standalone books without feeling like you are lost. I loved the small town feel and I felt that the two foster children storyline added some interest and broke up the romance and give it a deeper purpose, but at times I felt like there was a little too much dialogue and that the book ran slightly on the long side. Surprisingly, given the length of this book, the ending came up rather abruptly and I felt somewhat let down. It wasn’t horrible, but I did finish the book thinking I wanted a little more.

In the end, this book had a lot of heart and many things to love even if the ending was abrupt or a little overly long. I simply can’t get enough of summer time romances, so I ended up rating this one as a 4 star book.

Book Info and Rating

Kindle Edition, 384 pages
Published June 11th 2019 by HQN Books (first published May 21st 2019)
ASIN B07GLWXWFD
Free review copy provided by publisher, Harlequin Books in partnership with TLC Book Tours, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Romance

Honeymoon Harbor returns as the setting of a new romance when Gabe Manning returns home after a long absence to recuperate and reevaluate his life. Chelsea hasn't left, but suddenly finds her life taking a different path when two young people find themselves in need. Can Gabe and Chelsea set aside their own ideas of what life is supposed to be to see what life could be? A lovely read and addition to the series.

It's been a while since I read a JoAnn Ross book, and this one reminded me why I like them so much. This one takes two people who are very different and shows how right for each other they are. The story opens with the youngest Mannion brother, Gabe. He couldn't wait to get out of his small town and test himself in the city. He has become so immersed in his Wall Street life that he doesn't even go home for family events. But when he collapses at a friend's funeral, the doctor makes it clear that if Gabe doesn't change his workaholic ways, he's likely to follow in his friend's footsteps. Reluctantly, Gabe heads back to Honeymoon Harbor for the summer. After three weeks, he's slowly going nuts with boredom when his brother suggests he dust off his high school boatmaking skills. So Gabe immerses himself in building a Viking faering and ignoring any and all interruptions. Until Chelsea shows up, looking for his help with her library's summer kids' program. He's quite rude to her, a reflex to push her away because he feels an immediate attraction to her.

Chelsea has lived her whole life in Honeymoon Harbor. Her childhood was difficult when her little sister got sick and died, with the stress and grief tearing her parents apart. Chelsea coped by spending as much time as possible at the library. The librarian became a friend and mentor, and now Chelsea is the head librarian. She loves encouraging people, especially children, to read, and is full of ideas for her summer programs. When she hears about Gabe and his boat, she's determined to get him on board. She doesn't expect a Mannion to be so cold and rude, and leaves the workshop furious with him - and unexpectedly attracted. But she's not about to give up on getting him involved.

I loved the development of Gabe and Chelsea's relationship. The sparks flew between them from the beginning. Gabe is reluctant at first to pursue anything because he sees her as the forever type and he plans to be gone again after Labor Day. Chelsea is attracted, but not interested in a relationship. She keeps herself closed off, determined to guard her heart against pain and loss. I loved the scene where Chelsea rowed across the lake to beard the dragon in his den and found a meeting of the minds (and bodies) instead. I had to laugh at Gabe's description of her as a velvet bulldozer, able to roll right over any of his objections to her program. They then moved on to a frank discussion of their attraction and, realizing that neither wants anything permanent, decide to go for a summer fling. I loved watching them start the getting to know each other process while at the same time respecting each other's boundaries. Those boundaries get blurry very fast when two young girls come into Chelsea's life.

Chelsea befriended two young foster girls who hung out in the library every day after school. She saw a lot of herself in the older girl, Hannah, and found herself getting more and more involved in their lives. When circumstances led to the loss of their current foster home, Chelsea stepped in to become a foster parent herself. Gabe is stunned to find himself just as involved, in spite of frequent self-doubts about what he is doing. I loved seeing how deeply Hannah and Hailey touched both their hearts. There were fantastic scenes of the four of them together, of Chelsea doing "girl things" with them, and them slowly becoming a family. I loved Gabe and Chelsea's attempts to find time for themselves and laughed out loud at "The List." Gabe totally melted my heart when he got Hannah involved in helping with his boatbuilding. I ached for Hannah, who found it very hard to trust the adults in her life, as she slowly opened herself up to Gabe and Chelsea.

Though Chelsea embraces her new reality and looks to making the girls a permanent part of her life, Gabe still has his eyes set on his return to New York. There were the occasional moments when I had high hopes that he would see how much happier he was now, but he would always fight them off. Then he goes and pulls a genuinely boneheaded move, at his sister's wedding of all places. I cried for Chelsea's heartbreak and cheered when she blasted him for it. Even Hannah got into the act, capped off by his own brother. I liked Gabe's big moment at the end, though I'm not sure that Chelsea made him work hard enough to dig himself out of trouble.

I loved the small town vibe and the way that everyone looks out for each other. It was great to see how many people got involved in Chelsea's library program. I also loved the scene at the fire when so many people stepped up to make sure that Chelsea could take care of Hannah and Hailey. The foster moms' support group was another example of people helping each other, with a great mix of serious and fun advice.

Once again a librarian comes to the rescue, not only of two abandoned children, but also a handsome visitor to town. If only life were this wonderful. Gabe is told to slow down - he collapsed at his mentor's funeral. Thank goodness it was only a panic attack, but it was enough to land him in the hospital. He is attracted to Chelsea, said librarian, but he doesn't want to give up his high-powered money making way of life to live in a small town with her and the girls. and she doesn't want to move to the city. But there is a sweet ending for all.

I love reading small town romance stories and with this being the first in a new series - already looking forward to the 2nd story. You felt as if you were on location of the story - the Olympic coast.

JoAnn Ross is one of my favorite authors. This is a wonderful series. This book held my interest from the first page to the last. A great storyline and engaging characters.