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scoutmomskf's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. I felt like the problems and emotions were ones that were realistic. While both Travis and Sarah have issues, none of them seem to overwhelm the story. It starts with Sarah as an awkward teenager discovering that the guy she's been dreaming of is about to marry someone else. After humiliating herself by trying to stop the wedding she swears she will never risk her heart again. Fast forward nine years, and Sarah has become a successful children's author. When she receives a letter from a sick fan, she reluctantly returns to Twilight, only to discover that the little girl is Travis's daughter.
I had a little trouble connecting with Sarah at first. She was so resistant about going to Twilight that she came across as a bit selfish. Even once she was there she seemed rather standoffish. Some could be blamed on her memories of that day, but other things about her life are slowly revealed and begin to explain her problem. Her initial meeting with Travis shows her that she has never really forgotten those feelings for him. She also knows that she won't stay in Twilight so there's no sense in starting anything with him, tempting though it may be. She doesn't count on the ladies of the cookie club doing their best to push them together, or that Travis seems equally drawn to her. As the week goes on Travis and Jazzy start to break down the walls that Sarah has built up to keep people out. She starts to connect with them and others, but still doesn't see herself as able to have that happy ending.
Travis was a wonderful hero. From his kind attitude toward Sarah on his wedding day to the amazing father he is today he is awesome. He may have made a mistake by getting his girlfriend pregnant when he was twenty, but he was determined to do the honorable thing and take care of them both. He was an involved father from the beginning, and even more so when Jazzy got so sick. He took on the role of both parents when his wife left them, making Jazzy the center of his world. When Sarah came back to Twilight he was surprised by the strength of his attraction to her. He would be very happy to see where it goes, but he has some of his own baggage to overcome. Between watching his dad fall apart after his mom's death and then his disastrous marriage, Travis resists the idea of soulmates, fearing that his life would fall apart too if he were to lose someone he cared about that much. I really liked the way that he saw Sarah's pain and fears and gave her the space she needed to process what they were beginning to feel for each other.
Even as they began to acknowledge their feelings for each other, there were still some obstacles to overcome. Jazzy's mother comes back to town, causing Sarah to question her own place in their lives. Sarah has some professional problems that also interfere with her decision making process. Then there is a health crisis with Jazzy that brings a whole host of feelings to the surface, causing both Sarah and Travis to take a good look at what they really want from life.
The town itself is another character in the book. I enjoyed seeing the various Christmas traditions and how they worked with what Travis and Sarah were going through. The people had the usual small town nosiness and tendency to interfere, but mostly in a positive manner. There was a secondary storyline that was left hanging, but it is addressed in a later series of novellas.
I had a little trouble connecting with Sarah at first. She was so resistant about going to Twilight that she came across as a bit selfish. Even once she was there she seemed rather standoffish. Some could be blamed on her memories of that day, but other things about her life are slowly revealed and begin to explain her problem. Her initial meeting with Travis shows her that she has never really forgotten those feelings for him. She also knows that she won't stay in Twilight so there's no sense in starting anything with him, tempting though it may be. She doesn't count on the ladies of the cookie club doing their best to push them together, or that Travis seems equally drawn to her. As the week goes on Travis and Jazzy start to break down the walls that Sarah has built up to keep people out. She starts to connect with them and others, but still doesn't see herself as able to have that happy ending.
Travis was a wonderful hero. From his kind attitude toward Sarah on his wedding day to the amazing father he is today he is awesome. He may have made a mistake by getting his girlfriend pregnant when he was twenty, but he was determined to do the honorable thing and take care of them both. He was an involved father from the beginning, and even more so when Jazzy got so sick. He took on the role of both parents when his wife left them, making Jazzy the center of his world. When Sarah came back to Twilight he was surprised by the strength of his attraction to her. He would be very happy to see where it goes, but he has some of his own baggage to overcome. Between watching his dad fall apart after his mom's death and then his disastrous marriage, Travis resists the idea of soulmates, fearing that his life would fall apart too if he were to lose someone he cared about that much. I really liked the way that he saw Sarah's pain and fears and gave her the space she needed to process what they were beginning to feel for each other.
Even as they began to acknowledge their feelings for each other, there were still some obstacles to overcome. Jazzy's mother comes back to town, causing Sarah to question her own place in their lives. Sarah has some professional problems that also interfere with her decision making process. Then there is a health crisis with Jazzy that brings a whole host of feelings to the surface, causing both Sarah and Travis to take a good look at what they really want from life.
The town itself is another character in the book. I enjoyed seeing the various Christmas traditions and how they worked with what Travis and Sarah were going through. The people had the usual small town nosiness and tendency to interfere, but mostly in a positive manner. There was a secondary storyline that was left hanging, but it is addressed in a later series of novellas.
hugbandit7's review against another edition
4.0
another good book by Lori Wilde. This is your usual chick lit type book but was a fun read
bookndaisies's review against another edition
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
zenithharpink's review against another edition
3.0
This book was a lot of fun, like reading a Hallmark Christmas movie. It was a fun read, and the characters were engaging enough for this read.
I think the main negative for me with this book was that I read a Christmas novel in the middle of April, while it was 80 degrees here in San Diego.
I probably won't follow through with the series, but I will definitely be reading this cozy romance again-when the season is right.
I would recommend this to any looking for a Christmas-y romance. It's exactly what you would hope for.
I think the main negative for me with this book was that I read a Christmas novel in the middle of April, while it was 80 degrees here in San Diego.
I probably won't follow through with the series, but I will definitely be reading this cozy romance again-when the season is right.
I would recommend this to any looking for a Christmas-y romance. It's exactly what you would hope for.
reneek84's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first book I've read from Lori Wilde- I guess this is the 3rd book in the series. It was a sweet, wonderful book and I certainly look forward to reading more from this author.
irishtraveller's review against another edition
2.0
I almost gave this one three stars. Almost. What held me back was the author's propensity to tell vs. show much more than I've become accustomed to. While the story was heartwarming and the characters were lovable, I found myself wanting to throw something at our heroine, Sarah Collier. I simply couldn't understand why she wouldn't accept this gorgeous hunk of a man she'd been in love with since her teenage years. I mean, Travis Walker is basically what every woman wants: sensitive, caring, tough, rugged, and super sexy. But I found the chemistry between them somewhat lukewarm, and Sarah's tendency to pull herself away from people was more irritating than quirky.
paperlove's review against another edition
3.0
Zugegeben: Weihnachten ist schon ein paar Monate her, deshalb hat die Geschichte nicht ganz zur Jahreszeit gepasst, aber da ich so viele Bücher auf meiner To-Read Liste stehen habe und bei einer Liebesroman-Challenge mitmache, habe ich „Traumhaft verliebt“ nun trotzdem gelesen.
Die Story beginnt mit der 15-Jährigen Sarah, die ihre Ferien bei ihrer Grossmutter in Twilight – einem kleinen Dorf in Texas – verbringt. Im Dörfchen gibt es einen „First Love Cookie Club“ (der übrigens auch der englische Titel des Buches ist) und an den Brauch von sogenannten „Schicksalsplätzchen“ glaubt. Der Nutzen hinter diesen Schicksalsplätzchen entnehme ich einfach mal der Inhaltsangabe: „Wenn man in der Nacht vor Weihnachten ein Plätzchen unter sein Kissen legt, dann sieht man im Traum seinen Seelenverwandten …“
Genau so ist es auch bei Sarah passiert: Sie hatte in der Nacht vor Weihnachten von Travis geträumt. Der hatte jedoch vor, eine andere Frau zu heiraten. Also stürzt die 15-Jährige Sarah am Tag der Hochzeit in die Kirche und blamiert sich vor der gesamten Hochzeitsgesellschaft, indem sie Travis ihre Liebe gesteht.
Nach dieser Einleitung findet ein Zeitsprung statt. Sarah ist nun 24 Jahre alt und eine – mehr oder weniger – erfolgreiche Autorin, die auf Wunsch eines kleinen Mädchens nach Twilight zurückkehren sollte. Bald stellt sich heraus, dass Und damit nimmt das Schicksal(splätzchen) seinen Lauf…
Ohne weiter spoilern zu wollen, muss ich gestehen, dass die Story sehr vorhersehbar ist. Es passiert zu keinem Zeitpunkt etwas, das mich komplett aus den Socken gehauen hätte und am Ende versucht die Autorin noch vergeblich eine – meiner Meinung nach missglückte – Wendung einzubauen, die aber sehr schnell abgehandelt wird.
Es handelt sich bei „Traumhaft verliebt“ um einen nette, wenn auch relativ unspektakuläre Geschichte, die man sicherlich zur Weihnachtszeit als kleine Lektüre für Zwischendurch lesen kann, aber dann auch schnell wieder in Vergessenheit gerät.
Die Story beginnt mit der 15-Jährigen Sarah, die ihre Ferien bei ihrer Grossmutter in Twilight – einem kleinen Dorf in Texas – verbringt. Im Dörfchen gibt es einen „First Love Cookie Club“ (der übrigens auch der englische Titel des Buches ist) und an den Brauch von sogenannten „Schicksalsplätzchen“ glaubt. Der Nutzen hinter diesen Schicksalsplätzchen entnehme ich einfach mal der Inhaltsangabe: „Wenn man in der Nacht vor Weihnachten ein Plätzchen unter sein Kissen legt, dann sieht man im Traum seinen Seelenverwandten …“
Genau so ist es auch bei Sarah passiert: Sie hatte in der Nacht vor Weihnachten von Travis geträumt. Der hatte jedoch vor, eine andere Frau zu heiraten. Also stürzt die 15-Jährige Sarah am Tag der Hochzeit in die Kirche und blamiert sich vor der gesamten Hochzeitsgesellschaft, indem sie Travis ihre Liebe gesteht.
Nach dieser Einleitung findet ein Zeitsprung statt. Sarah ist nun 24 Jahre alt und eine – mehr oder weniger – erfolgreiche Autorin, die auf Wunsch eines kleinen Mädchens nach Twilight zurückkehren sollte. Bald stellt sich heraus, dass
Spoiler
das Mädchen Travis Tochter ist, der inzwischen wieder geschieden und auf dem Singlemarkt ist.Ohne weiter spoilern zu wollen, muss ich gestehen, dass die Story sehr vorhersehbar ist. Es passiert zu keinem Zeitpunkt etwas, das mich komplett aus den Socken gehauen hätte und am Ende versucht die Autorin noch vergeblich eine – meiner Meinung nach missglückte – Wendung einzubauen, die aber sehr schnell abgehandelt wird.
Es handelt sich bei „Traumhaft verliebt“ um einen nette, wenn auch relativ unspektakuläre Geschichte, die man sicherlich zur Weihnachtszeit als kleine Lektüre für Zwischendurch lesen kann, aber dann auch schnell wieder in Vergessenheit gerät.