The second in the Summer Island series, it’s close to Christmas and it’s snowing, the idyllic setting for this lovely feel-good romance. Lila is on Summer Island to help her older sister Meg, who is taking time out with her new boyfriend. Lila is hurting, after a bad experience at work, which forces her to rethink her career. Helping her sister gives her the solitude she needs until someone disturbs it. Forcing Lila into a confrontation she neither needs or feels capable of, but she has to protect her sister’s business and their childhood memories.

Lila and Beck feel the heat, despite the snow and their difference of opinion. Their relationship is full of conflict, as they battle over the wood, their unwanted feelings, emotional angst and the other person in their relationship. It is through compromise, friendship and understanding of each other’s emotional damage, that finally makes them see that they may have a future.

This reads well as a standalone story, but the cast of characters are lovely, and I would like to read the first one and those that follow.

Emotional romance, compassionate friendships and a lovely snowy setting make this a perfect holiday romantic read.

I received a copy of this book from Harlequin Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Lila and Beck were not what I was expecting from either the blurb or the cover of this book. Lila is very immature and kind of scattered. I didn’t feel as much chemistry as I would have liked or expected. Beck seems like a decent guy, but I didn’t really warm to him, either. And don’t get me started on Suzanne.
I’ll try another Toni Blake book in the future, but Summer Island doesn’t feel like the series for me.

Will post soon at Romance Reviews Today: http://romrevtoday.com/

THE GIVING HEART – Toni Blake
Summer Island, Book 2
HQN Books
ISBN: 978-1-335-50505-7
October 29, 2019
Contemporary Romance

Summer Island, Michigan – Present Day

Lila Sloan is housesitting at her sister’s inn on Summer Island in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas while her sister is away. Lila is mired in pain after being fired, accused of making sexual advances towards her boss—when it was the other way around! Summer Island is quiet and isolated in the winter, which is fine with Lila. She has befriended her sister’s friends and others. But one day her peace is shattered when a bulldozer starts taking out the trees behind the inn, which would destroy the view. During her confrontation with the bulldozer driver, the man behind the real estate development, local resident Beck Grainger, arrives. They argue, but he ends up giving her the keys to the bulldozer, effectively shutting down the operation. Beck tells her when she’s ready, she can return the key to him. Lila has no plans to give it back to him, at least until her sister returns.

Beck is intrigued by Lila, and he must be crazy to temporarily give in to her. But with snow now falling, the development is temporarily on hold. Can Beck convince Lila that the development he plans to build will be good for the island? More importantly, can he get to know her better? Beck could have any other woman on the island, but now it’s Lila he’s interested in.

THE GIVING HEART is the latest heartwarming tale from Toni Blake that returns readers to Summer Island. Lila’s angst is caused by the fact that she is being accused of something she didn’t do, and she feels like no one would believe her. She hasn’t even come clean to her family as to why she lost her job. Lila jumped at the opportunity to housesit for her sister and figured she’d spend it mostly alone. But the small-town feel of Summer Island draws her out at times. She even begins to take up loom knitting at a weekly knitting club. Lila’s anger at Beck soon turns into an attraction—which leads to them having sex. She is shocked at what happened, but can’t regret it. Beck wants more, but Lila pushes him away. Is she making a mistake?

Beck has asked Suzanne, another Summer Island resident, out, but she has repeatedly turned him down. Once he meets Lila, it is her that he’s soon pursuing. Then, in THE GIVING HEART, Suzanne realizes her mistake in not accepting Beck’s invitations to go out, and she gives him signals that she’s interested in him. How will this play out, even as Lila continues to spurn him? Even if Lila and Beck can’t stay away from each other, what happens when Christmas arrives and both go their separate ways?

THE GIVING HEART will win you over as an emotional tale that will tug at your heart even as it grapples with the current #MeToo movement about reporting sexual assaults. While there are many moments of simmering heat between Lila and Beck, the love scenes are few and far between in this tale. It is the emotion that builds the sexual chemistry between them. If you’re looking for that feel good Christmas read to leave you satisfied, then look no further than THE GIVING HEART.

Patti Fischer

I've been craving holiday romances and I've enjoyed the ones I've read, but The Giving Heart just consumed me. So much so that I've reread it several times over the past week.

There's just something about this book that pulled me in. Consumed my thoughts and feelings. Maybe it's the small town feel - that sense of community that is unique to the residents. I've always wondered what it's like to live on a small island and reading books like this make me crave to experience that. Or it could have been that the book wasn't just about Beck and Lila, but included other residents of Summer Island, and I am anxious to learn more about these other characters. (I see who the next book in the series is about and I AM DYING to read it.) Perhaps it was the sentimentality of the season. The underlying principle to be a little more caring, patient, understanding, forgiving. That hope that blooms in our hearts for Christmas miracles. You want to see them happen. Believe that good things happen to good people.

And I think all of those things made me fall helplessly in love with The Giving Heart. In addition to those reasons, I loved Beck and Lila's story. Both have so much emotional baggage from their childhood that has shaped the way they perceive current relationships and life in general. Both are trying to move past those issues and leave them firmly in the past, but that is easier said than done. And when something happens to Lila that sends her running to Summer Island to hide away while she comes to terms with it, she winds up doing a whole lot of soul searching and resolving issues that are weighing heavily on her heart and mind.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Giving Heart and it reminded me of why I love holiday books, movies, and music so much. Thank you, Ms. Blake, for this beautiful book that touched my heart and soul, and is one I know I'll reread many times in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I like this series, I love the setting of Summer Island. I will say I was much more invested in the first book, with Meg and Seth. However I enjoyed this one all the same.

Toni Blake brings us a wonderfully cozy romance in The Giving Heart, just in time for the Christmas season. I don’t know what is more idyllic than a secluded island with tons of snow and thousands of twinkling lights.

I will admit that I love romance novels. I also fully admit that I gave them up some time ago because, without fail, they make me cry. The Giving Heart is no different. I cried happy tears and sad tears, but this book is worth your time.

The backdrop for this romance is a winter wonderland full of snow and forests, and most of all, love. Some love is unrequited, but the love in this book makes my heart happy to be involved with this tour.

Lila breaks through her walls and finds the happiness she never thought she could find. Beck finds forgiving his father for past mistakes is the best way to finding a way to his true love. Dahlia finds love and lets it go because she is afraid. Suzanne opens her heart only to find it broken, but through her rejection, she finds that she is ready to love and move on with her life.

I didn’t realize that this novel was part of a series, so I haven’t read the first one yet, but honestly, it makes no difference. I was able to enjoy this as a standalone novel. Though, I am excited to go back and read the first novel of the series. I also look forward to reading the upcoming stories. Toni Blake is a fantastic author, and I loved being a part of the Summer Island gang.

With that, I am thrilled to award this book a full 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a cozy romance novel with just the right amount of physical activity. I must head off to dreamland to find the perfect kisses that Beck and Lila share.

This is the story of Lila and Beck Granger. Lila is recovering  from a mess that happened at her previous job.Lila was house-sitting for her sister Meg on a remote Summer Island. Local real estate developer Beck Grainger wants to cut down the beautiful trees on the property line but Lila can't let this happen. Her sister Meg would never forgive her. 

Beck understands why Lila is upset. He doesn't like being at odds with his friend's sister. Especially since he is attracted to her. Lila does not like being attracted to Beck even though he seems like a good guy despite wanting to cut down beautiful trees. 

She wishes he would just forget about the development. As they count down to Christmas they will have to come to an agreement they both can live with or risk loosing each other. 

Can they work through there differences and end up together? I really enjoyed this book and was glad for the chance to read it. I liked the sparks between the heroine and hero and it was a good quick read. If your looking for a new author or series or just a new book to read definetly check this book out.

I read an ARC of this book from Netgalley but this are my honest thoughts and opinions given voluntarily.

This book was ok. It seemed a little juvenile to me. I liked the hero but the heroine was a bit annoying. Even he gave up on her after a while. It felt a little odd to just shoehorn the #metoo stuff. I felt more time could have been spent on that stuff than on Suzanne. She just seems sad at this point. I enjoyed the authors previous series, but this one not so much.

I am really enjoying the Summer Island series. Toni Blake has a way of bringing a story full circle and this one was no different but it also came with a beautiful message. Giving.
Lila was running away, again. She knows she has done this her whole life and knows that it has to stop. It's time she becomes the responsible person everyone could rely on. Step One … help out the sister she wasn't there for when she needed her the most. Step Two … well, she'll get to that when she figures it out. But, step one is really getting the best of her. She can't let Meg down and somehow, without even trying, she is. And, at the same time, she's falling in love with Summer Island enemy Number One.
Beck is the newcomer to Summer Island. His agenda hasn't been hidden yet everyone seems surprised when he starts bulldozing the trees. Especially that little spitfire that is called Meg. How does he say no to her? He has no choice but will try to make peace with her. He values his friendship with Meg too much to not try to smooth things over with Lila. Now, his next problem. How does he keep his hands off of the beautiful Lila? And, how does he let Suzanne know that he's no longer interested?
I was intrigued with the little twists in this story. I found both Beck and Lila's back-stories very interesting and really made the story make sense. You understood the “giving” in The Giving Heart. Lila was an enigma in the beginning. Then, when her story came out, you understood. She was a little hard on herself and honestly felt that she didn't deserve to be happy. Her guilt was what kept her fighting. That and a knitting loom. Beck was just trying to live his life to the best of his ability. But, in the end, found that he was doing so much more than living … he found the true meaning of giving and love.
Toni Blake wrote a heart-warming and loving Christmas story. I am looking forward to where she is going to bring Suzanne and Dahlia. And, I look forward to more from Meg and Seth and now Lila and Beck.

Complementary book given for honest review.

Lila and Beck have a fun chemistry that begins as Lila is Inn-sitting for her sister. This book is a lovely read for someone that loves to watch a community unfold.

A lovely bed & breakfast named after the trees surrounding it & giving it privacy & a beautiful scene. A temporary house sitter that has always felt she didn’t support her sister during her medical scare. A local real estate developer trying to make his mark & bring progress to the small town. This story is heading for a head on collision & only one can possibly win. Lila & Beck are at opposite ends of the battle but their chemistry keeps interfering in their battle. This was an entertaining story set in the holiday season to show how money & progress are not always the answer & compromise is always possible.

**Review will posted on my blog http://pastmidnight.home.blog during my blog tour spot on October 30, 2019**

3.5 Stars
Thank you to HGN Books and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

I didn’t read the first book in this Summer Island series but I think The Giving Heart can stand pretty good on it’s own.

Lila is inn-setting for her sister Meg on Summer Island, a place in Northern Michigan where not even vehicles are allowed there. But Lila has an ulterior motive for being there also, to escape something that happened to her in Chicago. Beck Grainger is an estate developer who is about to raze down trees on Meg’s property and Lila is not having it. What starts off as an escape for Lila has turned into a mission to protect Meg’s estate…and then some. 😉

I was all for this romance between Lila and Beck but what I didn’t anticipate is the storyline of Beck’s past interest in another Summer Island resident, Suzanne. Like I said, I didn’t read book one so if that’s where he flirted with Suzanne then I can understand it. But coming in fresh into this book, I really didn’t like Beck’s feelings for two women.

Outside of that though, Lila and Beck’s story is a fun and spicy Christmas romance with a lot of angst too, mostly because Lila is not a resident of Summer Island, so there is that to figure out between them. I love their interactions, bickering and banter. But the story isn’t only about them falling for each other. Lila is going through some tough times with what happened in Chicago and Beck has issues to deal with his past estranged relationship with his dad.

It’s one of those books that would make a great Hallmark Channel Christmas movie! It’s sweet, heartfelt, it has its hot moments and the characters have personal issues to work through as well. The setting of Summer Island sounds like a wintry, wonderland dream! Not that I would want to be stuck on an island with bad winter conditions but it makes for a great romantic setting. And the cast of characters adds to the setting as well, the people are nice and friendly, especially to nonresidents like Lila.

Like any Christmas romance novel it ends with a very happily ever after. And will Suzanne get her HEA in the next book? I hope so, because I felt awful for her!

This is definitely the kind of novel to enjoy right after spooky season is done or if you like to read holiday romance novels year round as well, more power to you! The Giving Heart will definitely give you the holiday feels. 🎄

This is a return to the remote Summer Island at the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Lila has gone there to recover from a disaster on her previous job. She’s house-sitting for Meg, the heroine of the first book in the Summer Island series. There in the winter and this island that resembles Mackinac Island, the permanent residents band together in the cold. Lila is shocked to find out that a wealthy, real estate developer, Beck, is planning to cut down the trees right behind Lila and Meg’s grandmother’s house which is now an inn. She vows to stop Beck and, of course, he’s attracted to this crazy woman trying to stop a bulldozer while wearing PJs and slippers in the snow.

Beck turns out to be a lovely guy who now must choose between the two women he’s attracted to: Lila or the plant store owner who has been resisting Beck’s overtures for months. I didn’t like the plotline of having the hero divided between two appealing women, but I’m hopeful that a third book will introduce a HEA for the unlucky woman who doesn’t win Beck.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Welcome back to Summer Island in “The Giving Heart” by Toni Blake.
It’s winter on the island and Lila Sloan is staying at Summerbrook Inn while her sister Meg (“The One Who Stays”) takes a trip to the mainland.

Lila believes she hasn’t been the best sister to Meg and when Beck Grainger’s land development threatens the Inn, Lila will do what needs to be done to protect the family legacy. She doesn’t count on an attraction to this handsome man with kind eyes.
Beck moved to the island needing peace and solitude. Facing regrets over his relationship with his father, Beck also has to deal with an angry Lila. But Lila awakens something deep within him that no one else has.

In “The Giving Heart” we learn the importance of self-care and to not be too hard on ourselves for things we’ve done—or haven’t done—in the past.

Ms. Blake creates a sense of community with the residents of Summer Island and makes this reader wish a place like this existed.
I’ll admit I didn’t want this book to end, even when I needed to know what was going to happen with Beck, Lila, and the rest of the islanders.