When everything you’ve longed for is standing right in front of you, would you find the courage to chase it when you’ve given up on dreams?
Fox shifter Alison Smith gave up on happy endings when her ex-husband walked out, but that didn’t mean she was allowed to give up on happiness. With four growing kids, Allie is determined to look on the bright side and carry on, even when life seems to keep kicking the girl who’s fallen down.
Four kids, two jobs, and a pile of debt left over from her ex seem overwhelming most days. Luckily, Allie has the best friends a girl could ask for. Especially a certain quiet bear who’s always been her rock.
Patient. Oliver Campbell knows what it means to be patient. But twenty years of wanting one unavailable woman may have pushed him to the edge. With Allie working every night at his bar, their friendship has begun to fracture.
Then old ghosts offer one more kick to the little family that’s already down, and patience is a virtue Ollie can no longer afford. Allie’s ex-husband may be gone, but his actions are haunting his family. With danger licking the borders of Cambio Springs, the bear and the fox will have to work together. And twenty years of unspoken truths may finally come to light.
WAKING HEARTS is the third paranormal romance novel in the Cambio Springs Mysteries series.
Waking Hearts is the third book in the Cambio Springs series and probably my favorite so far. Like the two previous books, this one is a romance twisted with a murder mystery (it goes along with a mystery romance series).
I loved the romance in this book. Ollie has to be my favorite male lead in this series. He’s like a big cuddly teddy bear. One you don’t want to mess with. Allie is an equally awesome female lead. She reminds me of my own mom, large number of kids and all.
Their main conflict is Ollie’s anger and possessive nature and his fear of rejection. The possessiveness isn’t one that is normal in alpha male leads. He isn’t buckling Allie’s seat belt and he doesn’t mean to tell her what to do. He just wants to protect and isn’t able to do it with finesse.
On the other side, Allie is trying to be a single parent with a load of debt. She does have an attraction, but doesn’t want to add on to her troubles. The two of them have a strong insecurity that I can understand completely.
The mystery was equally as interesting. It ties in the second book’s events and brings an overarching plot for the series. This new development not only strengthens the world, it also adds a new predicament for the residents of Cambio Springs.
It excited me enough to see if Hunter was planning a fourth book, which she is! I am also bummed to say that she is planning on putting the series on hold after book 4. So, if you want to try out this series, do it! The hold might not be long if there are other Elizabeth Hunter fans.
Casia's Corner 