Books & Spoons Review for SUGAR PINE TRAIL by RaeAnne Thayne

3/10/2017

Haven Point librarian Julia Winston has spent most of her life taking care of other people. Now she’s 32 years old and feeling restless for the first time, banging around a big empty house with no one to share it with. In an effort to break free from her life of quiet complacency, Julia finds herself making a list of all the things she wants to do while she still has the chance—including getting a puppy, learning to ski, and kissing someone under the mistletoe. That someone, however, is most certainly not Jamie Caine, a military pilot who is temporarily renting a room in Julia’s home. Wary of Jamie’s blinding good looks and his reputation as the town’s resident heartbreaker, Julia puts up all her charm defenses, while the handsome pilot tries his best to steer clear of his mousy landlady (who, he has to admit, has some pretty stunning eyes).
But when Julia suddenly finds herself taking care of two young brothers in need, she and Jamie will come together to make an unforgettable holiday for the boys. Along the way, Jamie will learn that Julia has more spunk than she lets on, and Julia will realize that Jamie has more depth than she gave him credit for. Together, this unlikely pair will discover they have more in common than they ever imagined—all while fighting a powerful attraction that becomes more andmore difficult to deny.
Set against a backdrop of mistletoe, lakeside lights, and Haven Point’s stunning snowy mountains, SUGAR PINE TRAIL makes for perfect winter reading this holiday season.

I don't claim that there is such thing as a perfect story since we all filter the things we read through our own history and experience but I have to say, to me, Sugar Pine Trail is just about the perfect Christmas romance Novel and if there is only one holiday story you are going to read this year, I highly recommend this one. Seriously, it has it all, wrapped up in a heartfelt love story, smoothly embedded into the tale, there are mistletoe, snow, skiing, decorating, baking, gift wrapping, family mess, miracles, helping the needy and troubled, and a bundle of romance, falling in love, steamy kisses, and a puppy!
I loved how the story has a great balance of joyful and stressful family life, the bliss of a kiss and the agony of falling without guarantees. It had me all wrapped up in the warmth of the love and cherished moments smiling until a plot twist ripped my heart wide open and the tears were there.
Julia Winston is a librarian, preparing herself for the first Christmas alone after her parents have passed away. She is a loyal, kind-hearted, steadfast, trustworthy, introvert who feels like she is letting the life pass her by. Be careful what you wish for because next thing you know, Julia is the temporary foster mom for two young brothers, landlady for her major crush, and experiencing life to the fullest maybe for the first time in her life.
Jamie Caine is known as the charismatic serial-dater who can charm any woman to do as he wishes. But under all the jokes and flirting there is a man with a good heart, who loves kids, is great with them, doesn't mind helping Julia with the boys, takes care of them and opens his heart to this little untraditional family unit.
Both Julia and Jamie are lovable characters who show remarkable growth, or development, as the story progress. With a fun list of goals Julia wrote down in a book club, they experience life together, and with each new thing accomplished they learn new things about themselves and about each other.
I loved the adorable interactions between Julia and Jamie, there was something so tender, sweet, and steamy about them at the same time. The boys won my heart over from the first moment and their destiny both broke my heart and then mended it together again. The way those four formed a unit, held together and supported each other was like they all needed each other but for very different reasons.
A touching and delightful tale that captivated my complete attention while hanging on to each word, reading it till early morning hours because I could not put it down. The perfect Christmas romance story in my opinion
~ Five Spoons!

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne loves words. Her love affair started as soon as she learned to read, when she used to devour anything she could get her hands on: cereal boxes, encyclopedias, the phone book, you name it! She loves the way words sound, the way they look on the page, and the amazing way they can be jumbled together in so many combinations to tell a story.
Her love of reading and writing those words led her to a fifteen-year career in journalism as a newspaper reporter and editor.
Through it all, she dreamed of writing the kind of stories she loved best. She sold her first book in 1995 and since then she’s published more than 40 titles. Her books have won many honors, including three RITA® Award nominations from the Romance Writers of America and a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews.
RaeAnne finds inspiration in the rugged northern Utah mountains, where she lives with her hero of a husband and their children. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.raeannethayne.com.

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