Worth the Wait
4 Stars

Similar to the first book, Worth the Wait also focuses on two couples. The first is Hogan Guthrie and his feisty boss, Violet Shaw, for whom he works part-time as a barbecue chef, and the second is that of Sheriff Nathan Hawley and his gorgeous yet secretive new neighbor, Brooklin Sweet. Both romances are delightful and Foster's characterization is engaging.

Violet is the type of heroine one either loves or hates. She has endured a great deal of loss, and her prickly façade conceals a deep-seated vulnerability and fear of becoming attached, especially to a man with Hogan's reputation. Speaking of which, Hogan's hound-dog behavior in the previous book did not endear him, but it soon becomes clear that his womanizing ways are in the past, and now he only has eyes for Violet.

Nathan and Brooklin's relationship gets off to a rocky start as his actions are borderline stalkerish. Nevertheless, Brooklin has a backbone of steel and doesn't hesitate to put him in his place. Her strength and resilience throughout the book are incredible, and the revelation of her past only reinforces her fortitude. Their romance is intense with several sweet and endearing moments.

The minor stalker plot adds another layer of tension and suspense as it keeps the reader guessing - is the threat one from Brooklin's past or a more recent one to Violet. The eventual climax and resolution are intense and exciting.

Overall, this has been a short and fun duology. ( )

By working two jobs, Hogan Guthrie is trying to get his life back together after the death of his cheating wife who took everything their family had, including their son, Colt's college fund. Moonlighting as a barbeque cook at Violet's diner has helped to supplement his income at a marketing firm, and it doesn't hurt that he is very attracted to the beautiful diner owner. Nathan Hawley took a job as Clearbrook's town sheriff after leaving his position on the Columbus, Ohio SWAT team. His new neighbor, Brooklin Sweet, is hiding lots of secrets, and the more Nathan tries to get her to open up to him, the more she pushes him away. When the town of Clearbrook is rocked by violence, Hogan and Nathan agree to work together to protect the ones they care about.

Worth the Wait is full of characters who are almost too perfect to be believable. All of them are attractive and nice, but just don't seem to be willing to see what is right in front of them. In addition, this book is actually 2-3 romance stories along with a suspense plot jammed into one relatively short book. The length of the book does not allow for very much character development beyond showing the reader how nice everyone is. The plot also lacks depth in this simple small town romance. Overall, however, Worth the Wait does include some well crafted steamy scenes and includes a very satisfying ending, making it worth the read for someone looking for a light, small-town romance. ( )

Haven't even quite finished book 1 in the series, but this came up as available in my library. It carries on perfectly from the first book and not unexpectedly it is about Hogan, the brother, and Nathan, the Sheriff, and their girlfriends Violet and Brooklin. In many ways, the drama around Brooklin is very similar to the drama around the book 1 heroine, Honor - a bad person chasing after her! - that part is kinda simplistic.

With its cast of characters this series would make a good TV series about 30 somethings in a small town - the newbies and those who've returned. And there's a great opportunity to fill it with delectable cooking scenes.

Covering the two leading men almost equally made the novel stronger - and it is a device not used often enough perhaps.

These books are light on plot but big on building relationships between disparate guys and gals. ( )

AMAZING! Great story line, stands on its own boot or sneaker clad feet, and the heat factor is moi caliente (Psst... ADULT READERS ONLY!)! Violet is a gal with passion, drive, and such a big heart... oh and shrinking she is not. Hogan is all man with looks to kill, brains to spare, and a heart of gold... his past may be less than stunning but it doesn't put an ounce of damper on his brilliance. Nathan may be a man of the law, but he knows what his heart wants and he's not afraid of the pursuit. Brooklin may be wary for VERY good reasons, but her true character, and her selflessness can't be stifled. Then there's Colt, Jason, Honor, Lexie....shall I continue, or would you like to discover this title on your own? 😉


*copy received for review via BookSparks #PopUpBookTour ( )

Worth the Wait (Guthrie Brothers) by Lori Foster  
Lori Foster doubles the pleasure with twice the sexy sweetness and a smidge of mystery.  Small town reads are my addiction and Brooklin and Nathan with their penchant for unpredictability, stir up trouble, while Hogan and Violet spice up their lives with a bit of wicked temptation.  Hot fun meets the danger zone making the tittle a perfect.  Lori Foster is worth the wait.  ( )