Denise Hunter sure knows how to write a page turner! Avery and Wes are wounded characters that learn and step out in faith. Even though it was love (or perhaps strong attraction) at first sight, Wes and Avery keep pushing their feelings away, to the point that I was trying to give them pep talks. The plot is well braided and I felt like I was in the characters head. The setting was described enough that I could see the carriage house and the tiny town of Riverbend Gap in my head. This is a must-read romance!

I loved Avery and Wes's story! Avery and Wes are each starting new chapters of their lives, trying to make the best of situations they inherited. Denise Hunter does a great job of making you care for the characters, and deeply feel their struggles. I love how her characters grow throughout the story.
The backdrop of the North Carolina Appalachian Trail small town is a wonderful setting. Wes was a hiker on the trail and Avery's office is near it and a river. It was so fun to read about this area and to visualize it. It made reading the story a richer experience.
This is the second book in the Riverbend Romance series, but it is standalone. References are made to events in the previous book but you do not need to read it first.

Book 2 in the Riverbend series takes up back to Riverbend Gap, North Carolina. This book can easily be read without reading book 1, but that one is also definitely worth a read. This book is a heartwarming and emotional story of family, budding romance, fears of the unknown, reaching out and learning to trust, and finding love. There were some laughs, a few tears, delight, and tenderness. I loved it!
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

3.5 ⭐

I was so happy to be back in Riverbend Gap! Another installment in this series and my heart is happy. Denise Hunter is my go-to for clean, easy-to-read romance. A plus that her MC are usually very capable and caring. You won't really find obnoxious people in these books - generally everyone is doing their best to be good people and to bring good to others around them 🥰

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for the complimentary review copy. All opinions are my own! Mulberry Hollow is out April 19! I cannot WAIT for Harvest Moon. Cue the Neil Diamond!!! 😍 Gavin's story is going to be the most emotional I think...I'm not ready but also so excited!

Mulberry Hollow by Denise Hunter is an excellent read that I devoured in what feels like minutes. The plot is highly engaging, and I was turning pages well into the night. I just did not want to put this book down. I love Wes and Avery. They are excellently crafted characters. Avery’s emotional struggles with a potentially life-altering diagnosis, her drive to protect and heal her community, and her devotion to always do what is right regardless of her happiness make her a very amazing woman. The way she feels and deals with the hard stuff makes her a very relatable woman, too. Then there is Wes. Oh, my stars, is he a swoony hero. He’s handsome and full of integrity and noble. He’s a little slow on matters of the heart, but once he gets there, boy oh boy does he get there! The chemistry between the two is instantaneous, but it never feels insta. Wes and Avery’s relationship feels as natural as a fictional romance can. And, yes, I cheered for them the entire time! And if this isn’t enough, I found the themes discussed quite relevant and timely. Overall, Mulberry Hollow is a wonderful read. I am so sad my time with this story is over.

There is a moment in the story where Avery contemplates her future. It is a very real possibility that she is a carrier for a very scary disease. So, she makes the decision to be single for the rest of her life. She struggles with the morality of bringing a romantic partner into her life because “why would she put someone she loved through, at best, an uncertain future and, at worse, a lingering, progressive illness that robbed her of dignity and life?” Of course, my heart hurt for Avery, but I also really wanted to shake her. As real life happens, I recently had a conversation with my mom about this kind of situation. This past Sunday was the anniversary of my dad’s death. My mom said such an amazing thing to me about my dad’s passing. She said, “Would I forego the 26 years of love and marriage and family just so I didn’t have to feel the pain and grief I’m experiencing now? Absolutely not. I wouldn’t give up one second with your dad just to escape the pain I feel today.” Yeah, I cried, but I was also super proud of my mom for coming to this realization. And this is what Avery needs to come to understand in Mulberry Hollow. Restricting her life and shutting her heart off to love because something hard and painful might come her way is no way to live. In fact, it’s really nothing more than being the walking dead. So, what does Avery do? Well, you’ll just have to purchase yourself a copy of this amazing story to find out! But I can say her final decision about her future will make your reader heart happy.

Mulberry Hollow is a truly wonderful story that I highly recommend. If you are a fan of Denise Hunter novels and/or you love brilliantly written Contemporary Romances, then this book is one you will not want to miss!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A heart-wrenching and heart-warming romance. The couple's back stories are tragic. One wishes only future happiness in their lives. Well told story. I look forward to reading more about the people of Riverbend.

Mulberry Hollow is a touching novel with strong family ties and friendship and is the second book in the Riverbend Romance series by Denise Hunter. Mulberry Hollow is a small town situated along the Appalachian Mountains. Part of the AT runs through Mulberry Hollow and hikers are always happy to see how helpful and friendly the townsfolk are. When Wes falls ill while hiking the trail, Avery, the town doctor, is there to help. There was just enough drama and romance to make this book a very enjoyable read. Thanks to author Denise Hunter, publisher Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for an honest review.

#MulberryHollow. #NetGalley

Avery Robinson, is young to have her own medical clinic. Her family is a little overbearing when it comes to how hard she works.
When Wes Garrett, a hiker off the Appalachian Trail, shows up at Riverbend Medical Clinic, dehydrated and barely standing., Avery offers him work in exchange for paying off his medical bill. The more Avery gets to know Wes, the harder it will be when he leaves.

#mulberryhollow #netgalley

I loved this storyline, Denise Hunter did a great job of making me fall in love with the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Avery and Wes. Avery is a doctor, Wes is contractor who is hiking on the applalchian trail. He gets sick and goes to the clinic that Avery owns. She gets him well. He doesn’t have insurance and wants to work off his bill with her. He fix up the carriage house behind the clinic. They form an attraction to each other, fall in love.

Denise Hunter’s books are like curling into a cozy warm blanket with a hot cup of tea and feeling all is well. Her stories transport me into a world I wish we lived in, where people truly cared about strangers and families treasured each other.

This book is a perfect example of what I am stating. While there are complications to overcome, the characters do overcome them with mature conversations and attitudes. A potential reader can easily read the plot of the story, so I will not go into that, but I will say that the plot grabbed me right away and kept my interest thoughout. I did read book one of this series so I knew (and cared about) many characters in this book prior to reading book two. It was a pleasure to return to their lives and find out what was happening.

I was so looking forward to reading the rest of this series after book one. Mulberry Hollow is an excellent continuation of the Riverbend series. Having never hiked in my life, I feel like I am experiencing a little of what it would be like to travel on a trail and visiting the small towns along the path. I think each book can be read independently, although I would suggest that you read the entire series since I am enjoying it so much! I am looking forward to reading the third book, Harvest Moon as soon as it is released!

I want to thank Thomas Nelson-Fiction and NetGalley for giving me the immense pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

I enjoyed this return visit to the small fictional town of Riverbend Gap, North Carolina, to reconnect with the lovely Robinson family from the first book of the series. One of the things I like best about this book is the way Avery and Wes’s relationship develops amidst overprotective brothers, health issues, and misunderstood loyalties. Well crafted, relatable characters; an attention-holding, smoothly flowing plot; a beautiful scenic setting; a subtle faith thread, and sweet romance come together to make an entertaining, heartwarming read. Even though it is part of a series, this book works well as a stand-alone. I do, however, recommend reading the first book of the series to meet this awesome family and get a better understanding of who Avery is and the decisions she makes. I recommend this engaging, satisfying read, and I look forward to reading Gavin’s story in Harvest Moon, the final book in the series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley . Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It was a treat to return to Riverbend Gap and revisit the wonderful people there. Mulberry Hollow stars doctor Avery Robinson who has her own clinic, and Wes Garrett, a contractor who has been hiking the Appalachian Trail in honor of a friend who saved his life. When Wes falls ill while hiking, he ends up on Avery’s doorstep. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing their relationship change and grow, even as they both struggled with other problems. It was delightful to be back with the wonderful Robinson family and see what they’ve been up to.

Denise Hunter’s stories never fail to entertain and captivate me, and this is a lovely addition to her collection of books. Her characters are engaging, colorful, and realistic with problems and hopes that will draw you right in.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Story Line: 5 Stars
Depth: 4 Stars
Faith: 3 Stars
Love Story: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars

After being slightly disappointed with the first book in the series, we were a tad cautious in returning to Riverbend Gap. Boy, are we glad we decided to travel here again! Book two captured our attention, held our interest, and we already want to come back for another visit! We loved the two main characters in this story and felt the depth and realness in their journey both together and separately.

The Robinson family has had their fair share of trials and Avery is not immune to her own - past, present and those to come. She has far surpassed all expectations by becoming a young doctor with her own practice at the age of 30. Little do others know this milestone birthday could be the age she starts to exhibit symptoms of the rare disease her mother passed away from. Living in fear is not how Avery wants to live so she has chosen to forgo testing to see if she has the gene for the disease. But is she truly living when she insists on being alone and not sharing her life with others because of the "possible" pain and heartache that might come? When a sick Appalachian trail hiker stumbles on her doorstep she is not prepared for the emotions he awakens in her. But is he simply passing through? Or will he be able to overcome his own trials and find a place to settle in Riverbend? Pick up a copy of this book, settle in, and enjoy this beautiful story. We sure did!



Note: We were given this book in exchange for our honest review.

Another wonderful book in this series! It is full of romance, intrigue, drama, and family dynamics that captures the reader from the opening pages. I loved the realness of the family dynamics and personal struggles in which the story is written.

Dr. Avery Robinson lives her life with purpose and passion. She is driven by the fact she could have inherited Huntington’s Disease from her mother and it effects every decision she makes. When hiker Wes Garrett falls on her clinic doorstep, it causing both Wes and Avery to question how they thought their lives would play out. They take us on an exciting journey as they try to figure out where life is leading.

This is an excellent series and Mulberry Hollow has left me longing for book three! It is a story that stayed with me long after I closed the book and left me thinking about the characters.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

I received this book from NetGalley. This is the second book in Denise Hunter’s Riverbend Gap series. This book centers on Avery and Wes. Avery is a Dr in Riverbend. Wes is hiking the Appalachian Trail in honor of his friend that saved his life. He is sick and ends up at The Riverbend clinic in Avery’s care. This was a wonderful book. Just as much of a page turner as the first book. I cannot wait for book three.

Cute heartwarming love story. Enjoyable cozy read. You can never go wrong with a book from Denise Hunter. :)

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley--all opinions are my own.

This book was so good!
Avery is awesome she has such a fighting spirit in her, she is so kind and looks out for others.
Wes is always trying to make sure he doesn't owe anyone. But looks out for others and is willing to sacrifice for them.
I loved this continuation of Riverbend series.
I loved that the other characters also had more details added.
I cannot wait for the next book!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really loved this book. This book centers around Avery Robinson MD who opened the clinic in Riverbend Gap a small town that an entrance to several hiking trails. Avery is celebrating her 30th birthday with her family. When she gets back to the clinic she finds a sick hiker outside. She gets him inside and begins her exam, gives him fluids and antibiotics, He spends the night in the clinic, his name is Wes , who is finishing the trailed for his frien Landon, who passed away. He then promised him he would take care of his sister, thus the story begins. There is also a weeding, between Avery's brother Garrett and Kate, who works at the clinic. A GREAT READ.

I love Denise Hunter's books. I liked the setting and how it weaves itself into the story. I was rooting for the characters as they discovered their feelings for each other. I couldn't put it down!