Harvest Moon brings a romance to the final Robinson sibling, Gavin. The Riverbend trilogy weren't lighthearted romances and the final one may be the saddest of the circumstances, but brings a second chance to a divorced couple.
Gavin and his wife Laurel have been divorced for awhile after losing their only child. Their mutual best friends die in a plane crash and they learn how to reconnect so they can be guardians of a daughter they left to the separated couple. This story has a different aspect to a Hunter novel in that memories of their first time of falling in love are revisited as part of the storyline. The added recollections give the reader more of the story.
Harvest Moon was a great story to end the love stories of the Robinsons. Series should be read in order to fully understand the storylines.
Thank you to Net Galley and Thompson Nelson for the complimentary copy of Harvest Moon. All opinions are my own.

Denise Hunter is ALWAYS a must buy author for me, so there was no question that Harvest Moon would make its way into our library. While I've enjoyed all of the Riverbend Gap series books, this one was by far the most emotional and gut-wrenching.

High school sweethearts Gavin Robinson and Laurel Jenkins started out competing for grades until they were put together for a 10th grade English project and had to work together. It took a while for Gavin to convince her that they could make a great team, but once he did, they stayed together throughout high school. College separated them for a bit, but Gavin chose to relocate to be with her. They married, had a son, and were happy, until a crazy accident stole the life of their little boy. Gavin's guilt and Laurel's overwhelming grief conspired to close their hearts to one another, until divorce seemed their only option.

Five years on, Gavin is finally starting his own construction business, and Laurel is up for the promotion she's been working toward as a horticulturalist at the Biltmore Estate. While they may have moved on in their business life, neither has dated anyone seriously. When Gavin's brother, Sheriff Cooper, brings tragic news, Gavin learns that his best friends had died in a plane crash, leaving their 3-year-old daughter an orphan. He also learns that their will makes him and Laurel guardians for the tiny girl. Can they put aside their own grief to love a parent-less child?

Told with flashbacks that give glimpses into their past, Harvest Moon shows how grief can tear the most loving family apart if the family isn't clinging to one another. I loved the ending!

Readers who love a second chance love story with some strong family dynamics, will love Harvest Moon. This one will tug on every heart string, but what a beautiful tune! I highly recommend!

Harvest Moon just tugs at the heartstrings! Laurel and Gavin, high school sweethearts, married young and eventually divorced. They have not talked to each other in years. When a plane crash takes the lives of their two best friends, Laurel and Gavin have to come together again. Mike and Mallory left Laurel and Gavin as guardians of their daughter, Emma. Both realize they need to do what is best for Emma and the orchard that their friends owned and operated. They both realize that they need to do what is best for them as well. Read Harvest Moon to see how they navigate the second biggest storm of their lives. Thank you to Ms. Hunter, NetGalley, and Thomas Nelson publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are strictly my own.

I am a huge Denise Hunter fan but I did not like the first book in this series. The second one was a better one but I still didn’t connect to the character like I often do in her books, but this one finally restored my hope in her books again and is my favorite in this series. I couldn’t put this one down. This series as a whole definitely feels heavier and has deeper themes than her other series and this book feels no different but I really enjoyed how the seriousness of this plot restored a relationship. It may not be for all readers since there is a heavy theme of grief and loss of a child and close friends in this book. I’m glad this book restored my love for Denise Hunter and that I pushed through the first two books to read this one.

This book was really good. There are so many emotions with this story. While it was tough to read sometimes, it was also hard to put down. I really like Gavin he faced a lot and took on all he lived in his pain but also tried to find a way to heal. Laurel came of super insecure throughout the book and it came of sometime as whiney. However she worked really hard to find healing in the pain. I felt this book was pretty original its not something you read about in christian fiction and it was very refreshing. I will say the author does switch back and forth from the present to the past and in the beginning it takes a minute to realize but you do catch on quick when the switch goes on. Overall this is a clean read and I would totally recommend its well worth the read.

“Harvest Moon” is is the third and final installment in Denise Hunter’s “Riverbend Romance” trilogy. It was a very deep story that broke my heart, but the ending was so healing and redemptive that this book will forever stay in my heart❤️

Side note: I highly recommend that you AT LEAST read book #1 prior to reading this novel (for context purposes).

Blurb:
Laurel & Gavin were once a happy couple with a cheerful toddler in their arms. When a fateful accident takes their young son away, the shaky foundation upon which Laurel & Gavin built their marriage quickly crumbles. The two divorce and go their separate ways. But when a couple of mutual friends perish in an accident and leave behind their toddler, Laurel & Gavin are left to care for the little one. But with this new arrangement comes much pain and pent-up resentment. Will Laurel & Gavin be able to work through their hurts from years ago? And will their families be able to accept their renewed relationship?

Review:
This was a difficult and heavy plot line to read. The pain that Laurel & Gavin experienced in losing their son was heart-wrenching and made me tear up a time or two. The pain, confusion, and brokenness that these two characters experienced was difficult to hear about, but it provided the foundation for an immensely beautiful story or healing, acceptance, and spiritual growth❤️ As Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This book exemplifies this verse and put my heart together perfectly in the end🥰

On a final note, I listened to portions of this book on audio and can I just say that the narrator’s portrayal of Emma’s voice (the toddler) was SPOT-ON!!!! So stinking adorable, my heart absolutely melted🥹❤️

A huge thank you to Thomas Nelson & NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions expressed are completely my own☺️

🚨TW: death, grief, loss, divorce, dementia

A heartwarming story by an author I have never read before. I will be reading more! A story of a small town, a death of a child, the unraveling of a marriage, tragedy, new hope and happiness. A beautiful story to read while enjoying the cool breezes of Fall.

Gavin! I feel like I've been waiting forever to finally get Gavin's story. You know from the first book in this series that Gavin's story is tragic and haunts him. But this book? The tragedy just expands and it is honestly heartbreaking. My heart was invested in the characters, the story and the outcome.

Grief is such a hard thing because everyone grieves so differently and the process moves at a different pace for everyone. This is very true for Gavin and Laurel. I was so grateful for the flashback scenes to when Gavin and Laurel fell in love and how their love story progressed. It gave me the much needed foundation and information I needed to understand them both- maybe especially Laurel.

There's nothing like joining forces for the good of someone else to bring people together. In this case, the sweetest little girl needed love and security and family. I love that no matter what was going on between Gavin and Laurel, they were one hundred percent committed to Emma. That was good for my heart. And there is something so satisfying about second chance love stories. This is such a good one. I loved it.

I would definitely recommend reading this series in order.

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Harvest Moon is the third book in Denise Hunter’s Riverbend Books series. Eldest Robinson son Gavin is finally getting his life back together after tragedy and divorce shook his life. He is starting his own construction business with his sister Avery’s boyfriend Wes while maintaining a part time campground manager position to keep his lodging and income while getting the company off the ground. His ex wife Lauren is working as a horticultural specialist at Biltmore House in Asheville. Neither have really moved on.

Then tragedy strikes again as their best friends Michael and Mallory are killed in a small place crash leaving their toddler, Emma, behind. Both Gavin and Lauren come to the home immediately upon getting the news to care for the small child. Although Gavin and Lauren are named as guardians in the couple’s will, and Michael’s elderly parents approve, there is another who files for guardianship, one that Mallory would never approve.

This is another very good addition to this series of a very interesting, involved, caring family and it’s members. Character development is very well done. I very much enjoyed this book, and the series, and do recommend it!

This was a cute second chance romance. If you enjoy Hallmark movies you’ll love this book. The main characters tragically lost their young son in an accident and end up getting divorced. They are brought back together years later when their best friends die in an accident leaving behind their young daughter. They fight to get custody of her enemy though they aren’t married any more, and through the process learn that they still love each other.

Harvest Moon is the story of Gavin Robinson, the oldest of the Robinson siblings. His marriage to Laurel fell apart several years ago after their young son died in a tragic accident, which Gavin blamed himself for. They come back together to take care of their best friends' little girl after their friends die in an airplane accident. There are complications based on the situation and their own history.

I wanted to read this book because I love Denise Hunter's novels and particularly have enjoyed the Riverbend series. I think this is my favorite book in the series. I loved the complexities of Laurel and Gavin's relationship, and the depth of emotion in this book.

Emma, the little girl that Gavin and Laurel are taking care of, is so sweet and the author did a great job at realistically portraying two year old behavior (both good and bad!). Gavin and Laurel are characters to root for - both flawed and vulnerable and uncertain of what to do going forward, given their past.

This novel is set in an apple orchard and there were some fascinating details about growing apples, i.e. when they are ready for harvest. I love books that have details like this, where you feel you are learning a little something as you read. For instance:

"She lined up three apples— Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Jonagold, along with the refractometer and a butter knife. She’d learned a lot just from helping Mallory out with the orchard a few times. Harvesttime for each apple type varied, and many factors determined the right time to pick the fruit, including their ultimate purpose. These apples would be sent to Clean Eating. She’d already been in contact with them and ironed out the details. She sliced the Red Delicious in half, finding the seeds nice and dark. She took a bite of the flesh, and the juices burst from the fruit with a mild, sweet flavor. Now to measure the sugar content. She put a drop of juice on the refractometer’s slide, closed the lid, and peered through the eyepiece. After turning the focus ring, she read the scale. Ten degrees Brix. Between the sugar content and taste test, the Red Delicious apples were ready for harvest." (eBook location 1526).

I recommend the Riverbend trilogy for anyone who loves small town fiction, sweet romance, and family stories.

2.5 stars

Since Denise Hunter is one of my favorite authors, I struggled with writing this review. Unfortunately this book was too depressing for me and I had trouble connecting with or caring for the characters. I felt like this book was a miss for me, but I still look forward to the author's next release.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

I've loved every book I've read by Denise Hunter. She is a talented storyteller who creates wonderfully flawed characters that reveal great inner strength and rewarding growth.

Harvest Moon put me in all the feels--difficult ones and witty ones and oh so satisfying ones. A lovely, heart-piercing story of family, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary ecopy!

What an astounding conclusion to the Riverbend Romance series by multi-talented author, Denise Hunter! I'm not quite certain why she is dubbed as a writer of feel-good books, however, as this novel sent me on an emotional roller-coaster ride—breaking my heart in a 1,000 different pieces and gluing them all back together again.

In 'Harvest Moon' Hunter writes about very real people dealing with messy problems and tends to delve into them a bit deeper than in previous books. Divorce, grief, dementia, and survivor's guilt to name a few. Precious little Emma and the return of the Robinson family (who we met in books one and two) help to keep things lively & full of humor, however. In spite of this being the end of a series, it also reads well as a standalone novel.

A lovely, well-written story filled with hope, forgiveness, and family—be sure to order 'Harvest Moon' at your favorite bookseller!

*I received an ARC of this book from Thomas Nelson publishing via NetGalley & was not required to write a favorable review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.*

Harvest Moon by Denise Hunter is the third book in A Riverbend Romance series. This story takes off after the second in the series, so it is best to read them in order. This is Gavin and Laurel’s story. It was nice to finally learn about their past and how it affect them. It was nice to see how they attempted to put their past behind them to help their friends’ daughter. As the two work through the grief of losing their friends, they work together to care for the little girl.

I have really enjoyed this series and was happy to be able to read Gavin’s story. This is a well written story that deals with a lot of emotions and sensitive topics. This a wonderful story of reconciling a relationship and forgiveness. The story show the importance of parents making sure their child has a relationship with people they pick for guardians if needed. I enjoyed how Emma had a friendship with both Gavin and Laurel prior to her parents’ deaths.

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book, this is my honest review.

Second chance at romance. I have been looking forward to this story since the first book in the series. After been introduced to Gavin and getting a snippet of his story I knew I couldn't wait to read about him and his ex-wife. It was worth the wait.

There were moments that were kind of silly because it could easily have been cleared up however considering the hurt, pain and childhood issues of both individuals involved I could also see how some of these could easily continue unchecked.

I hated that I had to wait so long for a resolution but I also loved it. Even though I wanted a reconciliation earlier in the book and kept seeing areas where it could have happened, considering the couple and all they have been through I think this was good.

It was nice catching up with some previous characters from the other books in the series. Overall a satisfying ending to the series.

Harvest Moon is the third book in Denise Hunter’s Riverbend Romance series. And I absolutely loved this book. It is a standalone book. I hadn’t read the rest of the series and was still able to fully enjoy this book.

This is a heartwrenching, emotional story of second chances and forgiveness. Laurel and Gavin have gone through so much in their lives. I loved that although there was so much pain, there was so much growth and so much hope and love was able to come out of all that they had gone through.

This emotionally charged romance will hook you right from the beginning. It is not a book you can easily put down. I loved every moment and even though I had to go to work, I did not want to stop reading it.

If you are a fan of second chances, God’s healing and forgiveness then you are going to love this book. I can’t wait to go back and read the rest of the series.

This book was not the greatest. While this book touches on forgiveness and second chances, the story is overshadowed by grief and it was just so sad. I loved the second book so much. I wish Gavin and Laurel were assigned to a different scenario to heal their marriage

If you like second chance romances, you’ll love Harvest Moon! Seeing Gavin get his happily ever after was great closure to this series! I enjoyed seeing their first romance unfold alongside their second. The only thing I didn’t like was that the series was over! After reading this, I want to go back and read the whole series again!

Hunter never disappoints. This book was great. If you love second chance and forced proximity I highly recommend.

The premise of this book involves a divorced couple being named guardians of a young child after the death of their best friends. (No spoiler that is in the book description.) So if those are triggers please tread carefully.

I absolutely loved how these two came together for the sake of this child, Emma. Obviously an incredibly difficult situation but they handled it so well. I loved how they found ways to reconnect while caring for her and living in the same house.

I didn't love the extended family relationships even though I'm sure they will be quite relatable for some readers they were too much for me.

Overall this was a fantastic reconciliation love story full of inspiration and hope.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review