This is another touching, heartbreaking as well as heartwarming story in this wonderful series.
This time the story belongs to Jack Hershey and Emma St James.
Even after Jack was a no show date on her prom, they have remained friends.
Jack never told her the real reason of his no-show, and that he has feelings for her. That actions of that day changed his life.
When Jack’s sister asks him to take care of her son while she’s taking care of herself, somehow a fake relationship is created. Giving Jack a second chance with Emma.
This touching story reminds us that though our actions in the past might have taken us down the wrong road, we also have the ability to overcome the obstacles and become a better person because of it. Also, that no one knows what the future has in store for us and we shouldn’t let fear keep us from allowing us to love and be loved.
This is another winner in this series.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Forever. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

This is the ultimate beach read for this summer. It has a cafe owner Emma who is best friends with Jack. They have been through a lot and know a lot about each other, however they both are secretly crushing on each other.

When Jack is asked to watch his nephew for the summer he doesn't correct his sister when she assumes they are dating, as it gives her hope. Jack gets Summer to agree to pretend but it is harder than it appears.

Emma is also coming to terms with her birthday, as it is the same age that her mother was when she passed from Cancer. She wants to honor her mom by organizing a 5k, and it gives her the strength to make sure she gets tested.

So many feel good moments, sprinkled with some sad moments. Beautifully handled and the gamut of emotions.

I enjoy reading second chance romances and small town romances so Sunshine on Silverlake by Annie Rains which is the fifth book in her Sweetwater Springs series was a very enjoyable read for me. Emma and Jack are the perfect couple. Sweetwater Springs is a great series so far. Annie Rains writes super small town romance.

Sunshine on Silver Lake is the newest novel in the Sweetwater Springs series by Annie Rains. Each book can be read and enjoy completely on their own but this is such a charming group of friends you end up wanting to read all their happily ever afters.

Emma and Jack have been friends since they were kids. He was there for her when her mom died from cancer and always there to lend a hand. After he stood her up at prom she never left herself imagine there being anything more to their friendship. Jack has always cared about Emma as a friend and more. He screwed up his chance when he let alcohol control his life but hasn't had a drink since. When helping out his sister somehow turns into Jack and Emma being in a fake relationship he realizes quickly he wishes it wasn't fake. Both Emma and Jack have heavy things to deal with in their personal lives , will they let each other be there for them when it really counts.

Jack I instantly loved right from the moment he placed three chocolate kisses on the café counter. Even with his faults, his will and determination to be better for himself and those he loved was admirable. Emma was a sweetheart. My heart hurt for all she went through with her mother and her own fears for herself and her future. However, her holding the past against Jack on multiple occasions, while believable, was frustrating. As in the other books the supporting characters continue to a fun, caring, supportive group of friends. I love when you can feel a couples chemistry and the story is so entertaining that you do miss the sex scenes. The fade to black and jumping right to the after cuddles work perfectly for Jack and Emma's relationship.


Sunshine on Silver Lake is a wonderful small town romance with both a fake dating and friends to lovers tropes included. Great characters and smooth storyline make this a read for any contemporary romance reader.

I live Emma and Jack. Emma has a coffee shop and Jack works in forestry.
They are lifelong friends.
Emma is having trouble with celebrating her 30 birthday.
Breast cancer runs in her family so 30 is difficult for her.
I love what she decides to do.
Jack's nephew comes to town to stay for a while. He fits in nicely.
Look forward to reading more in this series

Sunshine on Silver Lake is a book that just makes me smile. I had all of the feelings while reading this book, but in the end, it is an awesome friends-to-lovers romance.

Emma St. James owns the Sweetwater Cafe and has decided to plan a 5K in her mother's memory. Knowing that she's going to need help to pull it off, she asks the one person in her life who she knows has some pull with getting her a spot on the activities calendar at the National Park, her friend Jack. The complicated thing is that while she and Jack have been friends for ages, the fact is she still has feelings for him even after he stood her up years before when he was to take her to her senior prom.

Jack Hershey is the Sweetwater Springs National Park ranger and he's doing his best to continue to keep the demons from his past right where they belong. When he receives a call from his sister and she asks him to take his teenage nephew for a few weeks in the summer as she battles her own demons, he's happy to help out, but when a misunderstanding leads to his sister thinking he's dating Emma, things get a little dicey.

Knowing that Jack has to keep up the facade that he and Emma are a couple, he makes a deal with her - pose as his girlfriend and he'll get her a date for the 5K. Simple, right?! Not so much! With the two best friends trying to fight what they really feel, will they make it through the summer in a faux relationship or will it turn real?

There was so much to love about this book. Emma and Jack as characters were great. They were both dealing with things that are very common in our society today and I really liked the way Rains handled those issues. The anxiety and the worry that comes along with anything to do with medical tests is agonizing and you could feel that in the words that were written. Anyone that battles any kind of addiction fights a daily battle and you could feel Jack doing that in this book. I also really liked the play between Jack and Emma's Dad. Jack had something to prove and while I didn't love how Mr. St. James baited Jack on one occasion, I knew what he was doing and it fit.

I devoured this book and it's one I'd highly suggest adding to your summer reading list!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

I was sent this book from the publisher/publicity team. My ratings and reviews will be my own personal opinions and are in no way influenced by publishers or authors who may have sent me books to review.

When one of your favorite publicists recommends a book, you grab it! I was not disappointed.

I have actually never read anything from Annie Rains, and now I am hooked. I did not realize this was the 5th book in the Sweetwater Springs series as it can be read as a standalone. I just went and purchased book one as I really want to get back into these characters and world.

If you love a great friends to lovers story, you need to pick this one up. I really loved how relatable the characters were and watching their relationship grow. I have been in a horrible reading slump lately, but I could not put this one down.

Overall, I loved this and look forward to reading more from this author.

Sunshine on Silver a lake is an entertaining and well written romance. Great plot, believable characters and a beautiful N. Carolina setting.i received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

This is a well written book that holds your attention from the first page until the last. It is so much more than a small town second chance romance. It has the whole range of emotions and you call feel every one of them. It will make you laugh, cry and feel every emotion in between. Emma and Jack's story was a joy to read and it has a wonderful sounding recipe at the end. Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this wonderful book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Jack and Emma had been childhood sweethearts, but Jack never showed up for their prom date. Now they are both 30. They still have feelings for each other but neither can make the first move. Things change when over the summer they must come together to help each other out. I love this series by Annie Rains. Sweet small town romance.

Thank you Read Forever Publishing for my advanced copy ♥️.

Well, that was delightful.
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I have been a super fan of Annie’s Sweetwater Springs series. This installment was no different. Except...I don’t know. Jack and Emma might be my favorite couple in SWS 🤔.
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These cozy Romance books are the perfect antidote for this world we are living in. Completely deposited me in this charming little town in the North Carolina mountains.
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If you are a fan of happily ever after. Check out this series. I assure you...you won’t be sorry!

Sunshine on Silver Lake is a great addition to the Sweet Water Springs series. The story is a super sweet friends to lovers story. Emma is a bakery owner who's been friends with park ranger Jack for ages. Circumstances cause them to finally act on their feelings. I love that you get a peek at the characters from the last four books. Very well written and enjoyable story.

Sunshine on Silver Lake by Annie Rains is an enjoyable book. This is set in a small town in North Carolina and was well written with the descriptive nature of the author. It was not just a romance story, but a second chance romance story. I love those! Although this town is small it is full of interesting characters, and meddling town members. Jack and Emma are the main characters and begin their present-day romance on a ruse of pretending that they are in a relationship. But, the surprise is on them when that turns around to being the real thing. A good Summer read.

I am so happy the day I came across a book by Annie Rains. I made sure after the first one I read to catch up on all the others I had missed out on. Sunshine on Silver Lake is another hit for Annie Rains and she is definitely on my top ten authors list. I think her Sweetwater Springs books would be a great Netflix series just like Robyn Carr's Virgin River. I highly recommend anything that Annie Rains writes.

I love second-chance romances and I love books that are set in a small town, so I was expecting to love this book. and I did. It was charming and heartwarming. And I loved all the characters.

Pros:
Small town setting is charming. Lots of women owned businesses, diverse secondary characters.
Cons: nothing really happened, and the main characters need to talk more. Literally everything could be fixed with a conversation.
This was a closed door love story.
The heroine's father was a jerk until the very last second.

Conclusion: if you're looking for a sweet small town romance, you may enjoy this one. It wasn't really my cup of tea though.

I aboslutely love all of the Sweetwater Springs novels. I don't think I will ever get enough of this little town and it's inhabitants. I always breeze through these books in a day or two! This book was focused on Emma St. James, the owner of the local coffee shop and her lifelong best friend Jack Hershey. Emma and Jack both have a lot going on and both have had feelings for each other for pretty much their entire lives but something that happened ages ago halted romance before it was able to begin. I loved watching this story unfold. I also liked the story of Jack's nephew coming to stay with him for the summer, and I am hoping that we get to know him and Jack's sister Amanda more in future books. If you love sweet small town romance I recommend this series to you. They can stand alone, but I have loved them all so I definitely recommend reading the entire series!

The cover art is so inviting and tranquil. I dove into this book. It's a charming read, set in NC. Emma fears having a checkup because breast cancer killed both her mother and grandmother at young ages. Jack is hanging around Emma, hoping to advance their friendship. He has battled his own demons and agrees to look after his nephew while his sister battles her. He and Emma pretend to be in a relationship to mollify his sister. I thought this part was the most shallow part of the story. Can Jack convince Emma to make their relationship real? Read the book and find out.

I've read quite a few books by Annie, but it wasn't until I had finished this book and was thinking about it that I realized how truly amazing Annie is at writing books that incorporate real-life, honest topics that fold into the HEA story so well that you leave happy and content with what you just read. Annie's books have included traumatic life events like accidents, illness, and death but they never feel like they're too much to handle. There are always great characters, a fantastic setting, and a wonderful story to life you up and make it all work out in the end.

Emma is a really great, complex character. She knows her fellow towns-people so well, does so much for them, and asks so little in return. She's also not aware of how great she is. I spent so much of this book wanting to give her a hug and tell her it was all going to be ok. Watching her figure that out for herself was really fulfilling and it was so worth it to see her get her HEA.

Jack is just a perfect romantic lead. He's the golden boy who you just imagine with a halo around him, which he has no idea he has because life has made him think he's not worthy. Watching him come into his own and move for what he wanted was really great. He and Emma go so well together.

It's always great to go back to Sweetwater Springs. There's just the perfect mix of warm, caring characters with the right amount of meddling folks who know what's right for everyone else. It's like going back to that quaint small town where you spent vacations as a kid - warm, comforting, and just the right little amount of twee to make you consider rolling your eyes before you laugh and go get that next cup of coffee with your friends so you can discuss the latest town shenanigans.

Love this series. The way that Annie intertwines the characters form the previous books is amazing. Dealing with one's insecurities is difficult but Annie writes with an understanding that is believable and well thought out.