Make Me Stay

Hope, Book #5

By Jaci Burton

ISBN: 9780515155648

http://www.jaciburton.com/

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer jerjen

Synopsis:

The fifth novel of heartwarming passion in the Hope series, from the New York Times bestselling author of the Play-By-Play. Perfect for fans of Jill Shalvis, Rachel Gibson and Bella Andre.

Reid McCormack is back in Hope to renovate the old mercantile. Then he plans to go back to Boston, where he’s built a successful career. But beautiful florist Samantha Reasor is a distraction Reid hadn’t counted on. Samantha intends to convince Reid that Hope is where his heart has always been, and coming home might be the best choice he could ever make. (Goodreads)

Review:

Samantha Reasor owns a florist shop that she inherited from her grandmother.  When her grandmother retired, Samantha took over the shop and she enjoys her job.   She loves making floral arrangements for the citizens in Hope, whether it is for a happy occasion such as a birthday or anniversary, or a sad occasion, such as a funeral.  She pours herself into each creation and they reflect the love that she has put into them.  She is happy with her life; she has her grammy and really great friends to fill her life when she is not working.  The only thing missing is that special someone to share her life with.

Reid McCormack has returned to Hope to renovate an old mercantile that has fallen in disrepair.  He loves to create things and restore things to their former glory, so this is the perfect job from him.  He plans on getting all the renovations completed and to then return to Boston, where he owns an architectural firm and a condo.  Time spent in Hope is great, he enjoys visiting with his family and seeing old friends.  But nothing will keep him from returning to Boston and the life he has made for himself there.  But sometimes life gets in the way of our plans and when he spends time with Sam and gets reacquainted with her, he realizes those plans may be hard to follow through with.

The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional.    Sam is a caring honest person who will do anything to help her friends.  The relationship between Sam and Grammy Claire was so heartfelt and I could have read about them all day long.  They are the only family that each has and their love and commitment to each other is strong.  When her grandmother gets sick, Sam is devastated and does not know how she will survive if something happens to her.  My heart broke for Sam.  Spending time with Reid has been good for Sam but she knows she cannot lose her heart to him because he will not be staying in Hope.   But the fiercely independent self-reliant Sam finds comfort when Reid offers his support.

Reid is a great guy and he has a big heart.  He enjoys being an architect and he knows that he is good at his job.  The more time that he spends with Sam the more he likes her.  He thinks that she is smart, sexy and one of the most giving persons he knows.  He wants to help her and make life easier for her but he knows he will only be there for her for a limited time.  But the closer it gets to the time he will be heading back to Boston, the harder the thought of leaving becomes.  He has enjoyed being with his brothers, being back on the family ranch and he even enjoys the dog (Not My Dog) that has adopted him, although he would not admit that to anyone.  I loved reading about the relationship that develops between man and dog.

I really enjoyed reading about the family interactions between the McCormack brothers.  There is a lot of teasing, bickering and aggravating going on between them, but they all love each other immensely.  This is the type of family that everyone should belong to, or at least know.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read.  The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and much of the time I felt like I was right there watching the activities going on around me.  Do not read this book when you are hungry because the descriptions of the baked goods will make you even hungrier.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-crafted women’s contemporary romance.  I would not recommend letting a young adult read this book due to some language and a lot of steaminess.  I have read other books by this author and this one is my favorite.  Check it out, you will not be disappointed.