Autumn Getaway

Seasons of Love, Book One

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Pub Date Apr 01 2014 | Archive Date Feb 06 2015

Description

Author Jennifer Gracen brings together a colorful cast of friends and family in Book One of the Seasons of Love series, Autumn Getaway. Newly divorced mom Lydia is just getting back on her feet. Her college roommate’s wedding promises a much-needed getaway weekend with old friends, at a beautiful manor in Connecticut.

When she meets Sam, a handsome friend of the groom, she's nearly overwhelmed by a confusing mix of hope and trepidation. Their instant connection feels intensely real, to both of them, but the ink is barely dry on her divorce decree. It takes all her nerve, and more than a little prodding from her girlfriends, to convince Lydia to give her heart — and Sam — a chance. But when the magical weekend comes to a close, Sam must return to Chicago, while Lydia heads back to her complicated life and young son in New York. Can their newfound connection survive the trials of physical distance and years of emotional baggage?

Written with an appreciation for the day-to-day struggles of a newly single mom, Autumn Getaway explores the burdens and blessings of family, revels in the spirit of friendship, and celebrates the power of romance and hope as Lydia and Sam take a second chance at love.

Author Jennifer Gracen brings together a colorful cast of friends and family in Book One of the Seasons of Love series, Autumn Getaway. Newly divorced mom Lydia is just getting back on her feet. Her...


Advance Praise

“Be ready for a read of fun, friendship and even some drama with some powerful storytelling that will keep your attention till the end.” -Arlena’s Book Reviews

“Wow! What a breath of fresh air! This book is amazing! It's a perfect getaway for Lydia, the main character and us the reader!” –Tanya the Book Obsessed Momma Book Blog

“This is a solidly written and executed book with interesting and faceted characters and a satisfying ending.” Patricia Eddy review for Author Alliance

if I do pick up a romance book, I like it to be contemporary, full of vivid characters, and with a strong leading lady. Autumn Getaway by Jennifer Gracen is one such novel.” -Angela’s Epic Reads Book Blog

“I thoroughly enjoy the writing and the story line. Lydia is a character that many women can relate to.” Sheila at Paranormal Romance and Authors that Rock

“Watch out Nora Roberts, there is a new romance author in town! Jennifer Gracen has a flair for drawing you right into the story and makes you fall in love with her characters. I am so glad Autumn Getaway is part of a series of 4 books!” –Laura Goodreads review

“Be ready for a read of fun, friendship and even some drama with some powerful storytelling that will keep your attention till the end.” -Arlena’s Book Reviews

“Wow! What a breath of fresh air! This...


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Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9781620153598
PRICE $3.99 (USD)

Average rating from 35 members


Featured Reviews

Overall I did enjoy the storyline of this book. It is the first of four, building on the relationship of Lydia and Sam. In this book they meet at the wedding at a nice hotel. I like the premise and the idea, but at times it felt like the storyline was stuck, and just repeating the same old same old. More learning about each other, and more walks or talks would have been nicer than the snide attacks and put downs from his family. Didn't see the point on how mean it got at times. I would recommend this series, but felt this first book was a little slow at times. However, in the same way it does build on the foundation of their relationship.

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Autumn Getaway, Seasons of Love: Book One, Jennifer Gracen Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews Genre: Romance. I saw this trilogy and it appealed, not one full of sex but a more slow burn romance. In fact in this part there is no actual sex and yet its still full of sensuality. Having read several “erotic romances” recently that have been all sex and little story, this was just what I needed.

Lydia – she’s a great lead, recently divorced, one of those marriages where they just grew apart, and add in that her young son has severe speech problems, and her husband just didn’t want to make the effort to keep their marriage going. Lydia mourns the loss of what could have been even though she’s happy about the divorce. They couldn’t have continued and yet everyone – well almost everyone – has that idealistic dream of perfect home and family...and now for her its gone. She’s on a weekend away at her good friend's wedding. Many of the guests have made a three day event of it as its in a glorious premises, and she meets Sam there. His family have been lifelong friends of the grooms family and his older brother Alex is the grooms best friend. there’s a connection between the two right from their first meeting which surprises them both. she’s excited and scared though – is it too soon? should she be concentrating on the struggle to help her son? granddaughter number one has sever speech problems and like Lydia we were fobbed of for years with “she’ll catch up/its because she has an older brother/because her parents have separated...” ad nauseum. After much struggling to get help finally when she started school and the staff said they couldn’t teach her as they didn’t know what she’d taken in she spent a full year in a language school in a class of nine, and everything became so much better, and she caught up to her peers. I can feel so much for Lydia, when the experts you need just won’t help its hard, everyone wants the best for their children and speech is such a basic thing. she and Sam chat and find they have so much in common and over the weekend they get much closer. Sam makes it clear he wants more than just the weekend though but Lydia is scared, she thinks maybe its too soon. Her friends are pushing her forward, thinking a fling is what she needs and yet she’s just not a fling type person...thankfully Sam understands. He too had had his share of problems, a very traumatic past and his family are more than a little protective of him, seeing Lydia as an emotional problems he doesn’t need. their intervention adds so much to the story, creates plenty of tension, angst and drama. Lydia can see their point but that’s the last thing Sam wants, his families intervention just when he’s finally on the way to persuading her they can have more, can try a long distance romance. If I was Sam I’d have been furious at them – and he was!
Its a great read, and I’m so happy I’ve got books two and three on my kindle. I really wanted to get to book two straight away but try to hold back and review she part first. That’s been hard to do!! Its been a treat to have a story that’s romance, but not page after page after page of tepid, boring, repetitive sex scenes. Seems like after FSoG every romance has to be a trilogy and full of sex. I loved Fifty, felt the story wasn’t detracted by the sex but its spawned a myriad of thin, dull stories packed with boring sex trying to cash in on its success.Tip: If the sex scene is dull first time round, repeating it endless times isn’t going to magically make it good. Even if its good constant repetition of the same unvaried sex gets dull.... there are some real gems and I’ve loved them, but also books that would have been better if, like this one, the sex was kept back and the story allowed to shine. It’s been a real treat to read a solid romance where the sex is tantalising, sensual and teasing, even when its just gentle touches and searingly hot, erotic kisses. The weekend ends, and Lydia is back home, and now we just have to see whether they can make things work, given the distance, her problems with son Andy and Sam’s families very open opposition. Easy Winking smile

Stars: Five, a treat to read. How to make a story romantic, emotional and sensual without endless sex. ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers.

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Autumn Getaway by Jennifer Gracen is a refreshing read unlike other novels. Her inspiring romance novel, is a story about a divorced woman who meets a man at her friend’s wedding. Lydia went through a recent divorce and is just getting her life back together when she meets dashing Sam whose handsome looks have her debating the feelings she’s feeling towards him. But, Lydia’s friend convince her to give Sam a chance at love. But can Lydia and Sam make it permanent? Will this chance of letting anther man in her life shatter what Lydia has just put together? Or will Sam give Lydia the life of love and happiness with him? And what happens to them as they go back to their lives after the wedding? Can both Sam and Lydia make it work out? I love reading Jennifer Gracen’s delightful novel. Her character Lydia is strong and easy to connect with on so many different levels. Readers will love following Lydia as she rediscovers herself and her new love. Life may not always be balls and magical but sometimes things can work out beautifully in the end. I would recommend this beautifully and realistic novel to all readers around the globe. Autumn Getaway is indeed a read that takes you away. Overall, I rate the novel a five out of five stars.

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I loved this book! Its the first in the series of 4 books and I will admit as soon as I finished this one I started reading the next and have already got the next two lined up on my to read list. I sat down and read it in a day, its a lovely story, its really well written and I felt the two main characters were strong with an excellent of friends to support the story. Highly recommended and a feel good story.

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***I received a free copy of this book from Booktrope through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

This is a sweet, charming, honest and well crafted story about taking a chance on something that doesn’t make sense but you can feel could be a good thing if you only let it happen. Lydia has just officially put an end to her nine year marriage, though as far as she and those who are close to her are concerned it has been over for a long time, and is on her way to her friends wedding, her first solo getaway in a very long time. As soon as she arrives she meets Sam and there is an instant spark but as she is still trying to find her footing in her new divorcee status, she pushes it to the side. But as fate would have it, Sam and their interest in each other, can’t be pushed aside.

I really enjoyed this book, more that I thought I would and much of that was because of how well each character was well written from Lydia and Sam down to John the bartender and even though there were a few that I wanted to smack, I can’t say that I didn’t like them and want to know more about them, especially Lydia’s college girlfriends. They were awesome and when they were all together I was actually seeing me and my friends doing exactly what they were. Lydia is someone I just liked she’s compassionate and witty. She has been through the wringer with her now ex and yet she’s still standing tall and working to get her life back on track. She may not have the best relationship with her ex, but she is trying to do right by their son. There were times when I wanted to shake some sense into her and others where I just wanted to give her a hug and tell her it would all work out. Sam is just this perfect man. Tall, dark, handsome, smart, funny and uber understanding. This may be horrible to admit but I was waiting for a flaw but it never came and that was okay. This is a romance, but also as you find out more about Sam it becomes clear that he really is just this good guy. He may not have gone through what Lydia was going through, but when you find out what he has gone through shows that he does understand the the mix of emotions that she is currently dealing with and through his gentle, yet firm approach I think I may have fallen just a little in love with him.

The other part that I really liked about this book is that this is not your “Inta Love” romance. The H/h do not have an HEA at the end ~ so warning for those that may not particularly care for this kind of series or prefer to wait and read it all at once ~ but it’s also not a full on cliffhanger. This book is the beginning of the journey for both Lydia and Sam and their relationship because what Lydia is going through cannot be resolved in just one 300 page novel and have it be satisfying in any way. There are so many factors that have not been dealt and need to be that I have much respect for Ms. Gracen for writing their story in this manner and am looking forward to seeing what happens next.

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Autumn Getaway is book one in the Seasons of Love series. Sam and Lydia meet while attending their friends wedding for the weekend. They have a chance meeting in the lobby as he rescues a little red car that has escaped her purse when her suitcase falls over. Sam returns the car and sets her suitcase upright and that chance encounter sets the tone of the book. I look forward to reading Winter Hopes, the second book in the series to see how Sam and Lydia's relationship progresses.

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You will fall in love with Lydia and Sam. I adored this book!

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Reading Autumn Getway is like being wrapped in your favorite blanket with a warm cup of coffee as you reminisce with your dearest friend. After reading so anyway novels I couldn't have been more receptive to Jennifer Gracens New novel about friendship and letting go of the past. Yes, it is very Nora Roberts esque and follows the predictable format of man meets women and both have baggage. What set this apart is the fantastic characters. I liked them, I rooted for them,and I am thrilled that there are 3 more books!

Perfect rainy day by the fire book. I recommend you give it a shot.

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This was a lovely read. Part one of a new series and I may have to read the next one straight away.

Lydia is invited to a weekend at a beautiful hotel, where her college room mate is marrying. She's left her little boy with her newly 'ex' husband and is looking forward to meeting up with old friends and enjoying some quality time- enjoying the spa facilities, walking in the grounds and catching up with her friends. You really feel as though you are on the girly weekend with them and a guest at the beautiful wedding!

She meets Sam as she is checking in- when he picks up her luggage and there is an instant attraction even though she is only newly divorced. He seems to be the perfect man and they meet up over the weekend, as he is related to the best man.

The rest of the books will follow their long distance relationship and I can't wait to catch up with them again.

Many thanks to Booktrope and Net Galley for a copy of this book. It was a great introduction to a new author for me and I can't wait to read more by her.

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Jennifer Gracen has done a fabulous job in writing this novel. Lydia is a newly divorced woman who has never been away from her speech delayed child, Andy. She goes away for a girls weekend, and one of her best friends wedding. While she is at the hotel where the wedding is taking place, she meets a man. This man happens to be the best man's little brother, and really likes what he sees, when they meet for the first time. Sam has just finished his run, which he takes every morning. He is in the lobby of the hotel when he hears a suitcase fall to the floor, he looks up to see a beautiful woman, Lydia laughing. He raises his foot just in time to stop her toy car from running away any further than it already has. He goes over, helps her with her suitcase, and gives her the toy car back, and that is just the first meeting. Both of them feel an attraction to the other and both of them wish to get to know the other better.
This book has a lot of chemistry and a whole lot of drinking. You will have to read it to find out what happens in the end.

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A great story about a woman finding love again after the loss of her marriage. The setting is lovely, the characters are enjoyable. You find yourself with fingers crossed hoping that happiness will be the conclusion! Looking forward to reading the second book!

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I enjoyed this book want to get review the others so i can do the set on my blog

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Autumn Getaway is the start of series of novels concerning two wonderful characters. Lydia and Sam are down-to-earth kind of people, just the type to which I would become close friends if they weren’t fictional but instead real. That’s what makes this story work for me. While Lydia is at a new beginning in her life, she considers everything in reference to the effect it will have on her preschool son. I commend her for that. While at the same time, I could identify with how she works not to become bitter, snarky and resentful of her single mother circumstances but see the new possibilities instead. Sam, well, every woman should have a man like him come along. These two have depth and wisdom that makes them such a perfect couple. When they are together, it is obvious. In this story, Ms. Gracen has taken ordinary people and written an extraordinary story about them.

I did not realized that their story would continue through several books when I started reading but Jennifer Gracen does a marvelous job tying up the end to this first book. You know more is going to happen to these two this just the weekend that they meet at a wedding, but the initial meeting and attraction has a closure of a sort. Can’t wait to continue the story of Lydia and Sam in Winter Hopes.

4.5 stars

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A wonderful romance book that will pull out the romantic in you!

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I Loved every single page. The tory grabs you from the very first sentence. I really enjoyed devouring this book!!!

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In book one, we are introduced to Lydia and Sam, who meet at a friends wedding.

Lydia has just been through a divorce so she's very iffy about giving love another go.

Sam sees Lydia and there is a connection; now they just have to figure out how to make long distance work.

As an opening to a series, this was a really good story; I can't wait to see what else is in store for Sam and Lydia.

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I loved Seasons of Love's first book, Autumn Getaway, and read the whole thing in just a day. Lydia is a fascinating protagonist, and you are cheering for her and Sam each step of the way, but Jennifer Gracen keeps you hanging and twisting and turning through their love story. In Book One, Lydia meets Sam at a wedding in the mountains and they have an instant connection. This is a fun, sweet read that I highly recommend. You can check it out for $3.99 on Amazon/Kindle here.

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