Teardrop Lane by Emily March Series: Eternity Springs #9
Published by Random House Publishing Group on January 27th 2015
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher
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Also in this series: Miracle Road, Mistletoe Mine, Dreamweaver Trail, Heartsong Cottage, Reunion Pass, Christmas in Eternity Springs
Also by this author: Miracle Road, Mistletoe Mine, Dreamweaver Trail, Heartsong Cottage, Reunion Pass, Christmas in Eternity Springs, Boone
In Emily March's beloved new novel set in Eternity Springs, a woman who has given up on dreams of a family meets a man who needs her to complete his own. Town physician Rose Anderson hides a well of sadness behind her cheerful and capable professionalism. Heartbreak has only reinforced her belief that marriage and children aren't in her future. Yet she's a woman with a pulse--and when sexy, brooding artist Hunt Cicero shows up at her office with his young nephew, the sheer physical attraction he ignites in her is both exciting and unsettling. Hunt has an artist's passionate temperament and a bachelor's lifestyle. So when he becomes guardian to his sister's children, he's riddled with conflict--and in way over his head. Without Rose and her warm maternal instincts, he'd be lost. Still, she's a woman who guards her own heart, and he's a novice when it comes to commitment. Can the healing magic of Eternity Springs shine on this patchwork family and allow Hunt and Rose to trust that love is the fabric holding them together?
Review
Whenever I open one of Emily March’s Eternity Springs books, I know I’m in for a richly satisfying romance full of complex, flawed, wonderful people. Her characters and storylines never come across as superficial or saccharine; they’re strong, believable, and real. I can see Eternity Springs, and these people, in my mind; I can hear their voices when they speak. Whatever it is that makes a story come alive for a reader, Emily March knows how to capture it. So I look forward to new releases with eager anticipation.
Teardrop Lane delivers on that promise. Hunt Cicero and Rose Anderson are both compelling characters whom I had met in previous books, and I was rooting for their romance the whole way. But there’s more than a romance in this one. I was just as drawn in by the children and their story, and Cicero’s evolving relationship with them, as I was by Rose and Cicero. There really aren’t two storylines here, and the children aren’t a subplot; their lives, Cicero’s, and Rose’s are slowly but inextricably woven together. It’s as much a tale of six people becoming a family as it is a romance, in a way that takes nothing away from that romance. It kept me reading late into the night, and I closed the book with the sense of having visited a well-loved place and having made new friends.
And that gets back to what I said in the first paragraph: Eternity Springs, its residents, and its stories feel real to me. March gets the details right, from the frustrations of dealing with a carfull of whiny children on a 2-day-long drive, to the descriptions of Cicero working in his glass studio or Rose dealing with patients in her clinic. Little is sanitized or idealized, except for the physical beauty of most of the “couples”, whether starring in this story or from a previous book. Kids get hurt or sick in this town; things don’t always work out perfectly for everyone – though of course things always work out for the hero and heroine in the end; this is a romance series, after all. But it’s not always easy getting there.
Some people might argue that the warmth, friendships, and community spirit of Eternity Springs are idealized, and that real life isn’t like that. But I live in a small town/county, and I’ve seen just that sort of care and support for each other among my friends and neighbors. I don’t think March is portraying Eternity Springs through overly rose-colored glasses. (The town could, however, do with a bit more diversity…)
Honestly, if you enjoy contemporary romance and you haven’t read the Eternity Springs series yet, you’re missing a treat. Run right out and get book one, Angel’s Rest. You can thank me later.
About Emily March
Emily March (aka Geralyn Dawson) Emily March is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a “master of delightful banter,” and her heartwarming, emotionally charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.
Ginny @ Gin's Book Notes
I love small town romances with strong family relationships. I’ve added Angel’s Rest to my to read soon list. This definitely sounds like a series I would enjoy. Thanks for introducing me to a “new to me” author.
Ginny @ Gin’s Book Notes recently posted…Free eBook and Sale Picks for Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015
Lark_Bookwyrm
This should be a good series for you, then – small town, strong family and friend relationships, and very well written. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! And welcome to The Bookwyrm’s Hoard; I hope you’ll stop by again!
Yvonne
This series has been on my radar for a long time. I really need to make time to read it.
Yvonne recently posted…Cat Thursday – January 8th
Lark_Bookwyrm
It’s really quite good, Yvonne. One of the things I like about it, besides the strong writing and the small-town appeal, is that the couples aren’t all young. There’s one book about a couple who have been married over 20 years and have kids in college; they’ve drifted apart and the wife leaves. There’s one about a single mother with a high-school-age daughter, and the father who left. In that way, it’s a more realistic town and series than some of the ones that focus mostly on 20-somethings. I usually recommend Emily March to people who like Robyn Carr and vice-versa, because they have a similar warmth and understanding of people.
Bookworm Brandee
Apparently, I’m missing out on a treat. 🙂 I haven’t heard of this series before. But I’ll be sure to check it out…put it on my tbr. I like series set in small towns like this – I enjoy the camaraderie that living in close-knit communities seems to evoke. AND I see the author is a graduate of Texas A&M. *ha* I’ll definitely check her out as I’m a Texas girl. 🙂
Bookworm Brandee recently posted…**When Life’s Kicking Your Butt, How About a Theme Song?**
Lark_Bookwyrm
If you like small-town romance, you should definitely check these out, Brandee! I hope you like them, and I’d love it if you’d let me know once you’ve read one! BTW, although it’s always nice to read them in order, you don’t absolutely have to. I started with one of the early books, but not the first one, and then went back and read the others.
Maja (The Nocturnal Library)
This reminds me a bit of Robyn Carr, whose Thunder Point series I absolutely adore. I love these feel-good, small town romances, sweet but with nuanced characters. It’s exactly my thing.
Lark_Bookwyrm
I just told Yvonne that I always recommend Emily March to people who love Robyn Carr. You’ve described both authors’ work perfectly, and I think you will love this series!
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library
I think we’ve got the same reading list but you’re about 4 books ahead of me. I just pulled this up on my Kindle to start! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it. The previous book in the series (Dreamcatcher?) was my first Emily March and I really enjoyed it but I always worry the next book by an author I really liked won’t live up to the 1st. Looking forward to starting this and great review!
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library recently posted…Twisted Threads – Blog Tour Review
Lark_Bookwyrm
I think we’re getting the same ARCs from NetGalley! 😉 Enjoy this one – it lacks the major drama of the previous one but has more of the small-town thing going on.
Bea @Bea's Book Nook
I like small town romances but it does me drive me nuts when they’re idealized. This sounds good. Someday I’ll try this series.
Bea @Bea’s Book Nook recently posted…Cat Thursday – Pooka on the Prowl
Lark_Bookwyrm
I’ve really enjoyed this series – I hope you do too!
kimbacaffeinate
I love the sounds of Eternity Springs..you know how much I adore these small town settings.
kimbacaffeinate recently posted…Dictatorship of the Dress by Jessica Topper
Lark_Bookwyrm
Kimba, you have got to read the Eternity Springs series. I really think you would love it!