I loved taking another trip back to Sweetwater Springs in Snowfall on Cedar Trail! Annie Rains has created a sweet small town with shops I would love to visit and lots of romance.

Halona and Alex have always had crushes on each other but never acted on them. I loved the bond Halona shared with her son. Alex fit so well into their lives and their relationship seemed to be a natural progression.

The story is emotional as both Halona and Alex work to find closure with difficult experiences in their pasts. The Christmas season is the perfect time for them to both do some healing and move forward together.

A number of characters from previous books make appearances and some new ones were mentioned that I hope get future books!

This third book in the series, is truly a stand alone. I did not read the previous books and had no problems following the plot.
The story of Halona and Alex is complex and very realistic.
Halona, a widow with a young boy, Theo, whose father’s death has caused mutism, owns the town’s flower shop.
Alex, the town’s police chief, is attracted to her, but he is also the man who arrested her husband prior to his death. A fact that Halona resents since the actions of her ex were not what they really seemed.
A mentoring program brings Halona, Theo, and Alex together. Will the past be forgiven, and create a new unit, or will it keep them apart?
Add to that the mystery of who killed Alex’s father, the previous police chief, and you have a story filled with mystery, forgiveness, hope, realizing that life is not black and white , but rather shades of gray, and the possibility of new beginnings.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and the publisher. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Last year I was introduced to the world of Sweetwater Springs and it's inhabitants when I read Christmas on Mistletoe Lane and I have been loving them ever since. In the spring I devoured Springtime at Hope Cottage and soon as it was available and I couldn't wait to read Snowfall on Cedar Trail the second I was able to. I have been waiting on Alex and Halona's story since the first book I read last Christmas! There is just something that pulls on my heartstrings with romantic stories set during the holiday season, especially with familiar characters in a small town setting. It feels like you are there with them. I love the feeling that I could be friends with the charactrs. There was an added special touch with the addition of the storyline of Halona's son Theo and a cute little puppy. This is the perfect story to get you in the holiday spirit. It can stand alone but I highly recommend reading the others in the series and get to know all of the people in Sweetwater Springs!

This is the first book I’ve read by Annie Rains, but I’m definitely going back for more! This is a heartwarming story of overcoming loss, second chances, family, and friends. There are secrets, longing, struggles, attempts to move forward, a bit of mystery, and trying to do what is right. Captivating and impassioned, I found Halona, Alex, and Halona’s son, Theo, to be delightful characters in a town filled with enchanting residents. I look forward to returning to Sweetwater Springs!

What a lovely, feel-good, contemporary romance to kick off my 2019 holiday reading. This was my first novel by Annie Rains but it won't be the last. I enjoyed getting to know the members of the Sweetwater Springs community, especially police chief Alex, flower shop owner Halona, and her sweet, emotionally troubled young son, Theo. Best friend's younger sister/older brother is one of my favorite tropes and Rains gave me one that captured my heart. All three of these main characters are dealing with emotional issues that inhibit them in some way. I love the way Rains moves them forward throughout the book, letting their relationships evolve slowly and organically. The mystery behind the death of Alex's father, the former police chief, eleven years earlier adds an additional depth of emotion to the story. While this book stands well on its own and I never felt confused or lost while reading it, I do wish I had read the series in order. I have a feeling that doing so would have allowed me to know and understand these characters, and their motivations, even more deeply. I've downloaded both Christmas on Mistletoe Lane and Springtime at Hope Cottage and plan to immerse myself in those stories soon.

This was a great continuation of the series. Since it had been a while since I had read the last book I was able to pick the story up right away. I enjoyed this story as much as the others.

The relationship that we FINALLY get in this novel has been brewing since the first book in the series.
I can definitely say that it didn't disappoint.

"Friends don't want to kiss the living daylights out of one another." ~ Alex Baker~

Chief of Police Alex Baker, lovingly nicknamed "Chief Frisky" by an elderly woman in the community has had eyes for only one woman for a long time. He may be best friends with her brother, but he can't keep hiding his feelings for the beautiful single mother.

Halona Locklear is a woman who shows everyone her strength. She's a single mom to a young boy who is having trouble speaking since his father's death. She runs a successful floral shop in Sweetwater Springs, and juggles being a business owner and a mom beautifully. But she has a wall around her heart, and doesn't trust her instincts when her feelings for her brother's best friend come back to the surface.

This novel does a wonderful job of weaving tragedy, healing, and love into a perfect Christmas story. The setting of Sweetwater Springs works beautifully for that. Small town romances are my thing, as well as romances that have a child in the middle to help with the trust between the couple. I will never get enough of those.

The layers throughout this story were such a delight. There is a mystery thrown in with it. I know it sounds like a lot, but I promise it all works together. Annie Rains and her Sweetwater Springs series are must owns for me. Not overly smutty, but beautiful and fun.

It's the most magical time of the year... when the Christmas books start hitting my Kindle!

I have fallen in love with the residents of Sweetwater Springs over the previous books, and it was wonderful to return.

This installment is a wonderful single-mum-and-brother's-best-friend tale, yet it is so much more.

This story was a lot more emotional to me than the previous installments. We were introduced to our lovelies Alex and Halona in book 2, and it was great to see their story expanded. I was heartbroken, I was happy, I was frustrated and I was over the moon at times with this story.

And it has that wonderful, Christmas miracley kind of thing happening too which added to the tension of the story.

I loved getting back to this town and the core residents that I have come to adore, and I am looking forward to more where this came from.

This book is so good! It is well written and holds you attention. You will fall in love with Theo. This book is full of emotions and it comes to life with the authors words. If you like small town romance with heart, you will love this book. Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Snowfall on Cedar Trail takes readers back to the wonderful small town of Sweetwater Springs at Christmastime.
Florist Halona and Police Chief Alex have always had a bit of a crush on each other. Alex never made a move on his crush because she also happens to be his best friends little sister. Halona, a widow is now a single mother to her son, Theo who hasn't spoke since his father's death. However things start to lookup for Christmas once Alex is partnered to be Theo's mentor. But Christmastime only reminds Alex of his own father's unsolved murder. Which seems to be putting those close to him in danger this year as he investigates.

This book gave me all the warm, cozy, hopeful, giving, holiday feels. Add in the mystery of who's out to harm Alex and you're in for a sweet yet intriguing story.

This was a great book to get into the spirit of the season. Halona is a single mother of a boy who is selectively mute. He hasn't talked since just after his Dad passed away. The story of how his father passed and leading up to it, are not as they appear. Alex, the chief of police is a very by the book kind of guy. In the search for justice of his own father's death, he has become a little jaded.

When he ends up volunteering in the mentor match program he gets picked to mentor Theo, Halona's son. It brings Alex and Halona much closer, even when they both secretly had feelings for each other.

It is not without it's troubles, and a lot of hometown spirit thrown in. I love the way this town is depicted and the feel of the town.

Halona has lived in Sweetwater Springs for years – and now with her young son reeling (and not talking) after the death of his father, she feels more protective than ever of him. Vowing to swear off men, dating and above all the attraction that she’s had for years to the town’s police chief and older brother’s best friend Alex, she’s not too happy that he and Theo get on so well. And perhaps she’s still angry with Alex for arresting her then ex-husband for abuse, when she’s never told anyone the whole story of their relationship. But Theo lights up every time Alex appears, and has even uttered his first word in a couple of years. Yes, it was just one word, but Halona is hoping that whatever Theo is hiding behind with not speaking will come to light.

Alex has known about Halona forever, as the little sister of his best friend, he’s always been protective. Like he is with most of the town, to some’s dismay as he’s taking formerly accepted acts (the spiking of the punch at town events) into a more serious light, and everyone is thinking that he’s lost the ‘touch’ of his humanity. To be honest, this is a small town who cares for it’s residents and people in trouble, and most of the ‘bad acts’ with a few learned of in earlier books, are harmless, or the perpetrators are being rehabilitated. Adding to the stress of the upcoming holidays is Alex’s single long cold case – the hit and run driver who killed his father when he was young. He’s got suspects, no evidence, and a worry that one of the women in the community is too afraid to speak up about her home situation.

So we have a woman full of love and heart and a man too worried for everyone else to let small things slide. Halona and Alex are perfect for one another, and Theo adores him: as does most of Haona’s family. But they know not to push, and no one fully understands Halona’s anger with Alex over the arrest of Theo’s father. It will take a secret shared with Alex by Theo to open the doors and quickly slam them shut, an abused community member finally recognizing the help being offered, and her own courage to allow Alex to solve the cold case of his father’s murder and allow Halona and Alex the closure on old issues they needed to have the conversation that will spark their relationship from “what might have been” to full -on commitment and happily ever after. This series is lovely, with Rains taking solemn and serious issues and presenting them with a new twist, to show that hope, sharing and very often, time, will allow people to move forward to a new and happier life. Inclusion of town residents, recipes and events show the little town as one full of second chances and caring, and a wonderful place to spend time in as you read.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

I thoroughly enjoyed 'Snowfall on Cedar Trail' by Annie Rains. This is the first thing I have ever read by her and I found it heartwarming and thoughtful. I was interested in the subject of selective mutism because I was just recently introduced to it and I appreciated seeing the inner workings of how lives are impacted in treating this mental health issue. This book had it all - lovely characters, an interesting mystery and a delightful romance.
The second book was 'then There Was You' which also treated a tender subject of Alzheimer's disease with respect. This book was too graphic for me to thoroughly enjoy but I appreciated the storyline that devotion and kindness win in the end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions express in this review are entirely my own.

I usually do not enjoy entering the Christmas season before Thanksgiving, but in this case I did. I'm happy I did because this book was a fun, light, sweet read. I really loved all the characters, which is usually a hard sell for me. I might even be willing to reread this one over Christmas.

What a great book! I knew I was in for a treat when I started this one. Annie Rains and her Sweetwater Springs series is one that will grip you from beginning to end and make you feel a special part of everything going on. I could just imagine these scenes when Annie Rains would describe them in this one. Made me long for the winter months for sure and especially the magic of the holiday season!

Halona is a young mom that is raising her sweet son, Theo, on her own since his father's passing. Halona owns a flower shop in town that keeps her busy as well as being a mom to Theo and running to the school as she is needed. Theo has some problems of his own that Halona has been dealing with since his father passed away. I loved how Halona was such a great mom to Theo and took his feelings into consideration in everything.

Alex, the police chief, is always making sure that everything is going well is his town. Alex's father, the former police chief, was murdered one night when he was struck by a vehicle and left for dead in the snow. Alex is determined to solve his father's case and revisits it each year on the Anniversary of his father's death. Will this be the year that Alex solves it or will it go as a cold case for another year?

Alex seems to take a special interest into scumbags that hit on women. Alex is determined to help these women get out of abusive situations and help them to be independent. Sometimes though, things are not all what they seem and Alex seems to jump to conclusions.

Alex and Theo get matched in the Mentor program and Halona thinks that it is going to be so good for Theo to have someone in the male role that he can look up to . Alex is good with Theo too. When trust is formed and then broken, will Alex and Theo be able to make amends? You will have to read this one and see how everything ends up for Halona, Alex and Theo. This was such a heart warming story that it left you longing for more of these characters. All of the characters in this story are very well developed. I enjoyed this one so much!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

I really enjoy Annie Rains’s stories, they are so full of drama, love & fun. The history between Halona & Alex is a great backdrop to this story. Teenage crushes, sadness of loss & a secret that could clear up a misconception. I loved how Alex chief of police is like a dog with a bone trying to solve his father’s murder & trying to save a battered woman & dog, as well as take care special care of Halona & Theo. Halona is battling the repercussions of her late ex-husbands death, in the selective mutism of her young son & running her flower shop. The connection between Alex & Theo is beautiful & the connection between Alex & Halona is clear as day & very heated. I also loved how the gossip train moved so fast in the town of Sweetwater Springs, whether it was truth or not. This was a great addition to a wonderful series & I can’t wait to read more in this series. Definitely recommend.

Once again, Annie Rains has written a book with everything I love.. romance, family drama, suspense...all set in a small town, Sweetwater Springs.

Halona Locklear owns a florist shop in Sweetwater Springs. She is a widow raising her small son alone. Theo no longer speaks and Halona and his doctor are working to find out what caused his sudden silence.

Alex Baker, police chief of Sweetwater Springs has been fighting his attraction for Halona since they were teenagers. He subscribes to the “You don’t date your best friend’s sister.” code. He doesn’t know that the feeling of attraction is mutual.

I loved revisiting Sweetwater Springs. Ms. Rains’ characters find their way into your heart and become your friends. I recommend Snowfall on Cedar Trail and this entire series to anyone who loves sweet, clean romance.

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

Story 1:
The town comes together to help one person in need every year no matter what the person faces they will help. We need more of this in our world. I loved the community as a whole in this book. Alex was on this journey to solve a cold case so it add a mystery to the story which was fun. However I did find the story quite predictable, I wish there would have been a little more keeps you guessing going on in the story. The story over all was a good clean read and was a quick read for sure. I loved Grandma Baker hands down one of my favorite characters she has a way of speaking her mind in the most loving way and still getting her point access. I would say over all this book was worth the read and puts you in the Christmas spirit.

Story 2:
I loved this book, I loved how nothing was held back. This is such a sweet love story. I can relate to Sara as having a family member who has dementia, that being said even if that's not the case the characters were so down to earth and I really felt like I could relate with any of them. I loved how the author had a way of getting to the heart and also had fun moments throughout. I loved Carmen she was just the constant icebreaker throughout and you truly never knew what was coming out of her mouth. This book does have some adult language/scenes but was a super fun read. I truly loved this book and I am not sure if this will become part of a series but if it does I can't wait for more. You really can't go wrong with this amazing love story.

Good-looking police chief and cute florist in small-town America.Halone was busy running her flower shop and taking care of her son. Alex, the chief of police was biding his time to let Halone know he wanted to be more than her friend.
The interaction between Alex and Halones son.. Cute, fun small town romance

Slow Burning Romance
I loved police chief Alex! Always trying to do what's right, finally, finally, coming to the conclusion there are a lot of gray areas, lol. He really was my hero when he started mentoring Theo, and honestly I think that is when Theo started improving. Not being coddled by Halona, but she's Mom, so of course she's going to want to keep him safe.
Back to the clean romance, because, ya know, there's Theo here. I did enjoy their outings in lovely small town Sweetwater Springs! Their stolen few moments, the townspeoples' reactions. Mostly a feel good, lighter romance at Christmas time. Halona's positive to Alex's negative really had me thinking realities, yes, even thru fiction.
There was some drama which made me hold my breath a bit, and gave the journey a bit of an edge to it. And of course there was officer Chewy, who brought in goodness and laughs, after starting out in a bad situation.
I enjoyed going on this trip, a few parts got a bit slow for me also, but all said, it put me in a good mood. I really missed not getting Alex's reaction to Theo's advancement, I was so excited and I wanted to see his reaction. The HEA was sweet, but too short for me, I wanted more of the happily family after!
I received an advanced reader copy thru Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my own thoughts and opinions