Thank you NetGalley, Forever Grand Central Publishing and Annie Rains for gifting me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
This is book number 5 in Annie Rains Sweetwater Springs series, but my first book of hers. I didn’t need to read the other books first to enjoy this one, but I think I would’ve liked it even more!
I am such a sucker for a good second chance romance and I’m a huge nature fan so add in the park ranger male lead and I was hooked! I expected this one to be more light and fluffy but I was pleasantly surprised by the depth within the pages. Readers join Emma on her journey through her grief as she reaches a tough milestone connected to her late mother.
There were no games or pettiness between Emma and Jack. They were both adults and handled situations independently and together that made their love story feel much more relatable and realistic!
Of course the HEA wraps up in typical romance novel fashion and leaves you feeling good. A little cheesy, but is it really a romance if it doesn’t give you that cheeky smile?

Annie Rains has done it again! I have been enjoying her Sweetwater Springs books. This storyline did double duty as its not just a friends to lovers story, but also a fake relationship story. I loved how Sam and Jack's sister were woven in. My favorite romance books are books that aren't just romance, and Annie Rains nails this every time!!

Emma St. James turns 30, the same age her mother was when she was diagnosed with cancer. At the same time, she inherits a bucket list that her mother made when she was going through cancer. There are a few things on her bucket list that she was not able to complete, and Emma wants to complete the list for her.

Jack Hershey temporarily inherits his nephew Sam as his sister goes through rehab. Sam is told that his mother is on a vacation with her boyfriend. A cover-up so Sam does not know the truth.

As both Jack and Emma struggle and enjoy these new things in their life, they end up working together and becoming closer. Honesty is something that they both believe in, but they are lying to each other, and everyone else with their fake relationship. So many issues tumble out of this story, but not in a heavy way. They are both very good people just living life like we all do, living and learning as they go.

I can't wait for the next installment of Sweetwater Springs Books!!

Thank you to Forever Publishing and Netgalley for the Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review. #SunshineonSilverLake #NetGalley

Sweet book with a story that incorporates family, addictions, holding grudges,passing judgement,womens health issues, breast cancer awareness and more with a little romance leading the way. Jacket cover gives adequate description so I'm not the one to read for a book report. You might recognize a few characters from her other Silverlake book but only in a minor role. It is not necessary to read them as a series. Characters are young adults and quite likeable even if you want to shake them and say tell the truth! Lol! Great feel good book! Read and enjoy!
I was invited to read this book and was under no obligation to provide a review of the book. The opinions expressed are my own.
Many thanks to the author,publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed it.

When I picked up this book, I was excited to return to Sweetwater Springs and learn about a new couple in the town. Annie Rains never fails to delight, and I knew from the summary that this book would capture my heart immediately. The two characters, moving from friends to lovers, with a fake relationship thrown in the mix - it never fails to make me laugh and keep me engaged from start to finish. Although the cover lends itself towards the bright and cheerful, there was definitely a good deal of sadness in this book as well. We have topics like cancer and drug addiction that are quire prevalent, with alcoholism being a big focus given that our hero is a recovering alcoholic. I was drawn to the realism of it all, how people move through life battling their personal demons, and each person must find their own path towards survival and healing.

Jack Hershey has loved Emma St. James since they were teenagers, until he ruined it all on the night of her senior prom. Despite that dark spot in their history, they have remained friends, and he frequently reminds her of his affection through visits to her cafe and little gifts of Hershey's kisses to cheer her up. Emma's heart always skips a beat when Jack is near, but she can't trust him enough to give him her heart again. Besides, she has more things to worry about, like the fact that she is now 30, the same age her mother was when she passed away from breast cancer. Feeling like the end is near, Emma is avoiding her wellness checkup, terrified that she will find out she is going to die soon too. After discovering her mother's unfinished Life List, a bucket list of sorts, Emma decides she's going to finish it for her mother. First step - organize a 5k. And with Jack needing Emma to play fake girlfriend for the summer, to make his sister believe he's happy and settled, she makes a deal with him. She'll be his fake girlfriend if he'll help her with her 5k. Soon they're thrown together, and undeniable sparks begin to fly.

I felt deeply for Emma, especially as breast cancer has come up in my family, and I can only imagine how devastating it would be to lose a parent to the disease. She has so many unresolved issues that this book was really a huge journey for her, and while Jack was on it with her, he was mostly there for emotional support. He had largely overcome his own demons, being sober for over a decade, and his only unfinished business was finding his way back into Emma's good graces. Even though her mother died many years ago, she had never forgiven her father for marrying her mother's hospice nurse just two years after her death (and really, I can completely understand her feelings). Her inner childhood trauma came out several times in the story, but that allowed for so much character growth as she realized she needed to forgive her father and stepmother. She also needed to recognize the good she could do in her mother's honor, through not only completing the Life List but recognizing her own health is all part of it. She and Jack fell back in love completely unexpectedly, but it felt natural. She needed him, and he had needed her for a very long time.

The next couple awaits, and I can't wait to dive in! I always leave Annie Rains' books with a smile on my face.

Sunshine on Silver Lake is a great summer time read. The characters are engaging and the story moves along at a good pace. I really liked both Emma and Jack as individuals and a couple. I would have preferred Jack telling Emma what happened on the night of her prom earlier in the book because she keeps bringing it up when she's upset with him and it seemed like something he would have told her earlier if she was still holding it over him like that. Same with Angel and Emma - Emma has apparently been awful to Angel for a decade, so it seems like Angel would have talked to her years ago rather than taking Emma's snide comments for so long. The part where Emma's father tried to get him to drink was a real jerk move and it would have been nice for either Emma or Jack (or both) to really let him have it. I liked the subplot with Jack's sister and nephew. Sam was a typical teen, but not the stereotypical "troubled" teen he could have been turned into. Emma's struggles with going in for medical testing is something so many women can relate to and an important story to tell. Her breaking up with Jack when she gets the results back was realistic and you could understand her reasoning behind her decision. I was okay with the "break-up-to-make-up" part of the story because it lasted all of 5 pages before Emma came to her senses.

3.75 stars-SUNSHINE ON SILVER LAKE is the fifth instalment in Annie Rains’ contemporary, adult SWEETWATER SPRINGS romance series focusing on the people of Sweetwater Springs, North Caroline. This is café owner Emma St. James, and park ranger Jack Hershey’s story line. SUNSHINE ON SILVER LAKE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Emma and Jack) SUNSHINE ON SILVER LAKE follows the friends to lovers, second chance relationship between café owner Emma St. James, and park ranger Jack Hershey. Emma St James has struggled with her friendship and relationship with Jack Hershey since the night Jack ‘forgot’ to pick up Emma for their senior prom. Fast forward to present day wherein, Emma, the owner of the Sweetwater Café, makes a promise to herself to finish her late mother’s ‘bucket list’ of things to do starting with completing a 5K run in support of the Women’s Wellness Center.

Meanwhile, Jack Hershey, the local park ranger, finds himself looking after his fifteen year old nephew, for the summer, having left the impression that he and Emma were in a couple’s relationship. As Emma makes preparations for the upcoming fund raiser, Jack finds himself drawn to the woman whose heart he destroyed years before. What ensues is the rebuilding romance and relationship between Jack and Emma, and the potential fall-out as Emma struggles with what is and what may never be.

The relationship between Emma and Jack is a second chance relationship; a high school sweethearts whose friendship was destroyed when our hero ‘forgot’ to pick up Emma for the prom but all is not as it appears to be when Jack finally reveals what happened and why . Battling between head and heart, Emma is quick to forgive for sins of the past but not so much her father, whose lack of respect for Jack Hershey is another matter. The $ex scenes are all implied.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters. We are introduced to Emma’s father Edward and his wife Angel; Jack’s sister Amanda, her son Sam, and newcomer Diana; as well as several previous story line characters including Halona, Brenna, co-worker Nina and fudge shop owner Dawanda.

SUNSHINE ON SILVER LAKE is a story of family, friendships, secrets and lies; of love, loss, revelations and acceptance. The premise is sweet with a little bit of drama; the romance is tender; the characters are charming but I struggled with the heroine’s need to hold a grudge against the man who has called to heart, as well as the woman with who her father has fallen in love.


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Release Date: March 26, 2020

Jack and Emma have been friends forever. Jack has always wanted more with Emma but one disasterious and potentially dangerous night when Emma was in high school put him firmly in the friend zone. When Jack needs Emma to pretend to date him, it feels like more. Jack has always wanted Emma but can she feel the same?

Sunshine on Silver lake is book number 5 in the #sweetwatersprings book series. This book deals with loss and disease but it does it in the perfect way. It had such great romantic moments...especially since Jacks last name is Hershey. This was a good read and I will very likely read it again.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

#bookstagram #netgalleyreads #bookrecommendations #sweetwatersprings

4.5 Stars
This was a new author for me and I was pleasantly surprised by it. I really enjoyed reading it and fell in love with the small town and charming town’s people. I hope to see future books that include some of those characters. The book was well written and transitioned smoothly between scenes. The storyline was interesting and the author did a wonderful job addressing the loss of a family member to cancer and the social impact of alcohol and drug dependence.
Emma St. James had lost her grandmother and mother to breast cancer. Emma is turning thirty this year which is the same age as her mother when she was diagnosed. Scared for her future, she has put off her yearly checkup with the Women Wellness Center. Emma came across a list of things her mother had wanted to do before her death, such as organize a 5K run and save a life. Emma decides to finish the tasks her mother hadn’t. She wants to have a 5K run during the summer at Sweetwater Springs National Park, but it is booked all summer. Jack Hershey was a childhood friend and the park ranger there. His sister thinks Jack and Emma are dating and not wanting to upset his sister, he asks Emma to pretend they are dating while his nephew is staying with him. He’d always had feelings for Emma but he had let alcohol influence his behavior when they were younger and now he had promised her dad to stay away from her. That promise and fear of relapse have kept him from pursuing her over the years, but now things are changing. Their pretend relationship starts to become real and their real feelings are being expressed.

I absolutely loved this book. This is why Annie Rains is not only one of my favorite authors, she is hands-down MY FAVORITE AUTHOR! I just loved Emma and Jack. I am not one to have a book boyfriend, but if I did Jack Hershey would be it. This book, as well as some of the previous books touch upon some important issues: breast cancer, homelessness, alcoholism. She doesn't seem to shy away from heavy topics. I'd love to see her cover an interracial relationship and other racial issues. If anyone can do it, Annie can! There are at least 2 more books and I hope many more. What is nice is her books, although a series, can also be read as standalones or one can start the series with any book. Also her romances are sweet romances in that any intimate interactions are behind closed doors. I've never listened to her books on audio, but I assume they are available on Audible, but you an comfortably listen and not feel that you are listening to a porno, when you come to a bedroom scene. One can just use their imagination. I look forward to her upcoming books with much anticipation.

Who doesn't love a man who keeps Hershey Kisses in his pocket?

Emma has long been fighting her feelings for Jack Hershey, but these two have a hard time avoiding each other when they both live in the small town of Sweetwater Springs. Though fun circumstances, they continue to spend time together, and rekindle the old flames from high school.

This second chance romance is sweet, lovely, and has a huge focus on family. Both characters have some big struggles in their family dynamics, but they sure do their best to work through it in this novel. I continue to love each book in this series! Check it out!

This was another great book by Annie Rains that just warms your heart and makes you smile. It is a mix of friends to lovers and second chance tropes. Emma and Jack had a chance to get more than friendship from their relationship when they were younger, but a wrench was thrown into the works and they were back to friends before anything could even develop. They were then friends for years until a small fib to Jack's sister threw them together as a couple. Will anything happen this time.
Lovely characters and a great plot made for a wonderful feel good romance that makes for a great summer read.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

A romantic, love story as different as the tide in the sea and the changing sunset easily describes this book about Danae, the new interim Chief Marketing Officer of Barton Boating Company and Josh, their hired captain for their company's weeklong boat retreat.

Josh and Danae were two, hurt, lost souls that were better when they were together. They brought out the best in each other. They were opposites, but they fit together. Danae was such a planner and ironically cannot live without her planner, colored pens, and stickers. Josh was more spontaneous, enjoyed the ocean, and had given up the corporate life after he got divorced.

I enjoyed the places they ventured to and the beautiful sites they saw, It makes me want to go on a sailboat and see the New England sites and eat the fresh seafood, while enjoying sunsets and the stars.

I was surprised and pleased with how the book ended. I would love to see a sequel to this book because it was so much fun to read. m I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

I've enjoyed every book in this series and this one is no exception. It is a fun, banter filled second chance romance that makes you laugh and keeps you completely entertained. Emma and Jack are amazing characters and I wanted them to be together from the very beginning. The book is very well written with a nice easy pace to the story. Definitely a recommended read.

Emma is one of the core group of friends, natives of the small community of Silver Lake, as well as the owner of the café. She’s a people-pleaser with plenty of worries on her mind, the most recent being her upcoming 30th birthday which makes her the same age as her mother when she was diagnosed with and lost her battle with breast cancer. Adding to the struggle is Emma’s worry over a negative review for the café in the local online forum, and her need to ‘please everyone’ is making her crazy.

Jack, another local boy and the focus of Emma’s crushes for years is also the local Parks Ranger, and while he and Emma are still friends, the two are struggling with their wishes for more. Jack has his own issues with his history, and now with his sister entering rehab for her own problems, he’s taken in her fifteen year old son Sam, with a promise to his sister that he won’t share why Sam is moving for the summer.

With a history of alcoholism and addiction in Jack’s family, and Emma’s family history with breast cancer – the two have plenty of their own struggles to dealt with, and taking a risk and a chance to expand their relationship from friends to more, with all of the accompanying trust that is required in that situation will push them both to the edge.

This is a town and a place that makes you want to live there: with small town knowledge, gossip and the inevitable support of the residents, Jack and Emma’s own individual issues and the adorableness of their connection, as well as the ability to allow readers into the lives and worries of the characters makes this an un-put-downable story and feels very ‘classic Rains” with the heart, friendship, laughter and clever moments that make you think, smile and yearn for connections that span a place and a time where ‘home’ is always a welcome thought.

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.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aKM /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

It's always a fun experience returning to Sweetwater Springs!

I finished Sunshine on Silver Lake in no time. The story was engaging and the characters kept me entertained- not only the main characters, but the secondary ones as well.

The romantic relationship that developed between Jack and Emma was very cute and sweet, and I'd say theirs was both a second chance and friends-to-lovers romance.

If you're interested in a heartwarming, small-town romance to read and enjoy this summer, Sunshine on Silver Lake is a great choice.


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*TW/CW: Cancer; addiction

**Complimentary copy for review provided by Forever Romance Publishing. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.

I really enjoy this author so I was excited to get this book and sit down and read it. I really feel like this book was about healing and forgiveness and finding your true self. I really liked Emma she wanted to have it all together but she still wanted to please people as well so she really was looking to find herself. She really had her heart broken in the past and turning 30 has her really thinking and making hard decisions. Jack was easy to fall in love with. I liked how the author didn't try and make the characters perfect. I liked reading again about Dawanda and her cappuccino readings you truly never know what's going to come out of her mouth next. There were so many fun sub characters that I want to know more about and read their stories. I love how the story draws you in and keeps you going to the end. There is adult talk but over all this book was totally worth the read and you can't go wrong.

Sunshine on Silver Lake is the fifth book in the Sweetwater Springs series. It is a sweet story with endearing characters. Jack and Emma were a wonderful couple with great chemistry. Jack asks Emma to pretend to be his girlfriend but, it won't be long before it turns into something real. This is a wonderful story and I would recommend it.

Wow! This book is just amazing. It is so sweet and incredibly heartfelt. Whenever I picked up “Sunshine on Silver Lake”, I was whisked away to the lovely Sweetwater Springs, and I truly fell in love with the characters and town.

While this is the 5th book in Annie Rain’s “Sweetwater Springs” series, I believe it can be read as a stand-alone novel as well. This is the first of Ms. Rain’s books I have read, and I can’t wait to read more as this has just become one of my favorite series! Ms. Rain’s brings the fictional town to life in such an exquisite way, and I could really envision everything. Her characters all feel like such real people, and all of their interactions felt incredibly authentic. Their wants, fears, and needs are written in such a realistic way, and I was drawn in from the very first page to the last.

Emma, a café owner, and Jack, a ranger at the local park, have been friends since childhood. Perhaps they have hoped to be more than friends! Emma decides to put on a 5k in memory of her mother, and Jack works where Emma is hoping to hold it. He promises to try to figure out a way for Emma’s event to be held on such short notice. Furthermore, Jack’s sister asks him to watch his nephew, and Jack asks Emma to pretend to be his girlfriend when a misunderstanding occurs. What ensues is hilarious, entertaining, tugs at your heart strings, and is so moving.

(Possible spoilers!)
I truly found myself rooting for these two from the beginning.
It is so clear how drawn they are to one another, and many a moment had me squealing in delight as they realize and begin to act on their true feelings for each other. And Barnaby, Emma’s dog, is just so precious my goodness!

If you enjoy contemporary romance I highly recommend this book! I could not put it down, and could not wait to see how everything worked out. Some moments had me laughing out loud, some had me in tears, and everything just flowed absolutely brilliantly.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC of this novel, and to Forever for sending me a finished copy of the book as well! I so enjoyed it!! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

*Please Note: There are some heavier topics addressed in this book. I believe that they are handled beautifully and with the upmost respect by the author.

Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2020
I enjoy reading books by Annie Rains. This book is about Emma and Jack. They have background and they both have things in their past they are trying to overcome. This is a great story and I enjoyed being with them as they learn who they really are and what they really want. The storyline is great and deals with real life problems. Loved the characters and they way they inner act with each other. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

Annie Rains brings readers back to the charming small town of Sweetwater Springs with Sunshine on Silver Lake!

Emma and Jack have been friends for years, and at one point there was the possibility of something more between them. It didn't happen then, but supporting each other during difficult times leads to a fake relationship, more time together, and another chance at love.

This book was a nice story that touched on some pretty heavy subject matter, but both health concerns and addiction are something so many people experience. I liked how Jack and Emma's romance was intertwined with those family and personal issues. It felt realistic that those concerns would influence their relationship both past and present.

I do wish that part of Jack's sister's story had been fleshed out more, but I am wondering if that will happen in a future book.