Veena’s review of I Want To Hold Your Hand (Green Mountain, Book 2) by Marie Force
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 03 Jun 14
I am avid romance reader, as you can all attest from the number of books I rave and rant about here. This is an incredibly moving story about a war widow, who’s finally coming out of the cocoon of grief that she’s been wrapped in since the loss of her beloved husband, and the wonderful man who’s content to hold her hand on her journey into the sunshine. Their story reached out and grabbed my heart and emotions in a way few stories do. I cried, I cheered, and I celebrated with Hannah and Nolan every step of their way.
Several months ago Hannah had accepted a dance with Nolan and returned his kiss, which raised his hopes that she might finally see him as more than a simple friend. But she’s been in retreat since then, and even though she’s ignored all his phone calls and invitations, she’s definitely been giving them thought. Who knows if and when she might act on her thoughts, but, thankfully, her father and grandfather play cupid, forcing her into a situation where Nolan is the only person she can call for help. And then nature takes a hand to keep the momentum going by ensuring that Nolan is there to hold her hand and wipe her tears as her beloved pet Homer breathes his last.
I fell in love with Nolan as he tells Hannah that he’s there for the long haul and is content to hold her hand until she can give him more. The romantic weekend getaway he arranges for their first sexual tryst and then his incredible gesture of declaring his intentions to her parents and her in-laws are the icing on the cake of my personal love affair with Nolan. I couldn’t help but root for Nolan all the way. Hannah is also a wonderful character as she deals with her guilt and begins to accept that she is one of those lucky ones who are blessed to have two loves in a single lifetime.
We see a lot of ugly in family relationships all around us, but if you want to see a perfect family, then the Abbot and Guthrie families are shining examples. Though Caleb’s brother gives me a few bad moments, I am glad to see that one put to bed quickly and cleanly, especially since it looks like one of Hannah’s siblings has tender feelings for him. Using Hannah’s diary entries, the author does a stellar job of blending her first love story into her present love story. It allows us to relate to Caleb Guthrie and to appreciate why it is so incredibly hard for Hannah to say goodbye to her first love and embrace her new one.
I can see that the Abbot patriarchs are going to busy for some time in the future as they keep the momentum going in ensuring that the siblings all find their happily ever afters. I can’t wait for Colton’s romance, especially since he’s shaved all the facial hair he’s worn almost since high school and changed his image. Wonder who he’s dashing off his mountain to go meet?
Grade: A
Summary:
For the Abbott siblings, the Green Mountain state has always been an idyllic place to call home. But it isn’t until they open themselves up to love that they’ll truly discover how fulfilling life can be…
Almost seven years after losing her husband in Iraq, Hannah Abbott Guthrie isn’t sure she’s ready—or able—to move on, but the attentions of a lifelong friend are making her think about it for the first time. The memory of the sweet kiss she shared with Nolan Roberts hasn’t strayed far from her thoughts, but she also fears that pursuing something with him would mean betraying her husband’s memory.
Nolan has loved Hannah for years, but he’d been giving her the space she needed to heal from her devastating loss. Now, when an opportunity arises to show her how he feels, Nolan can’t resist, but he knows earning her love will take more than a kiss. Somehow he has to prove to Hannah that finding love twice in a lifetime is possible—and well worth risking her heart.
Other books in this series:
