Rating: 
Summary: Sweet
Review: Jillene is a mother facing the trials of life as best as she can. She is a widow with two preteen daughters, a struggling coffee bar, and a mountain of her late husband's debts. While she may need a white knight, she does not really want any more complications like romance in her life. However, her daughters have different ideas and place a personal ad, hoping to find happiness for their mom. The answer to their prayers comes in the form of Vince Tremonti, a true crime writer who fears his soul is becoming too dark from long exposure to the murk of humanity's basest elements. He has come home to try and find some peace with himself and his career. He finds himself continually involved in Jillene and the girl's lives, and falling in love reluctantly. Yet, he plans on making his stay a temporary one, so how can these three females fit into his world? ... With sweet characters and a pleasant setting, Ms. Holm makes her contemporary debut. Warmth and humor infuse this novel of small town life and love. No characters are larger than life, though the daughters seem too good to be true. You will find it easy to relate to the world that has been created here.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring
Review: Since I have never read a book by Stef Ann Holm, I was not sure what to expect. I thought I would like it considering all the good reviews this book got. I think I read a different book then the rest of the people here. This book was boring. The beginning and the end were good The other 250 pages in the middle could have been deleted and the book would have been way better. The whole middle was stupid and boring. I had to make myself finish this book. I did not see any real conflict why they could not be together. The reasons they came up with were stupid. There was not alot of attraction to watch or see grow. Once they FINALLY got to any of the sex it was ok, but way too long in coming with no build up. The girls were cute. Al's love story was better then Jillian and Vince's story. This book was a bomb and if this is as good as it gets from this author, then I am getting out now while the getting is good. Too bad I already wasted my money on this book. IF I read her again, it will be from the library first. Do not reccomend.
Rating: 
Summary: Not my cup of Java
Review: This book was bad from the first chapter and never got better. A woman bathing with her pubescent daughters is creepy. The humor is silly at best, and the writing is awkard. But the ending . . . Come on. The hero sings Jiminy Cricket? That's so girly man.
Rating: 
Summary: Simply Delightful!
Review: This book was just what I needed! According the the snippet on the author on the back cover of the book, this is her first contemporary novel. This is probably why I had never heard of someone who captivates so well! I loved so many things about this book - most of all, the warmth of all the characters. And everyone seemed so REAL. There is some kind of strange comfort to reading about Cheeze-Its, Barbie dolls, Al Pacino, Ray Bans ... I guess the pop culture references make the characters come to life. I really enjoyed Jillene ... she was not perfect, and so like a real life mother and widow. I loved reading about Claire and Faye (Jillene's daughters ages 12 and 10) the relationship was brought to life with a series of scenes that anyone who has a sister could relate to. Overall this was just a real pleasure to read, highly recommend!
Rating:
Summary: Simply Delightful!
Review: This book was just what I needed! According the the snippet on the author on the back cover of the book, this is her first contemporary novel. This is probably why I had never heard of someone who captivates so well! I loved so many things about this book - most of all, the warmth of all the characters. And everyone seemed so REAL. There is some kind of strange comfort to reading about Cheeze-Its, Barbie dolls, Al Pacino, Ray Bans ... I guess the pop culture references make the characters come to life. I really enjoyed Jillene ... she was not perfect, and so like a real life mother and widow. I loved reading about Claire and Faye (Jillene's daughters ages 12 and 10) the relationship was brought to life with a series of scenes that anyone who has a sister could relate to. Overall this was just a real pleasure to read, highly recommend!
Rating:
Summary: Loved Girls Night!
Review: This is my first book that I have read by Stef Ann Holm, I am so glad that I got a chance to read this book, a very enjoyable read. Jillene as two daughters Faye Claire they are so adorable. Jillene as been a widow for two years, her husband has left her in a finance debt she owns a coffee shop and she is barley making ends meet. Her two daughters know how lonely she is so they put up an ad for her and Jillene is getting all these weird phone calls from men she has no idea why they are calling she starts to freak out and then her daughter admit that they are the ones that put the ad for her, well needless to say she is not a happy camper she knows they mean well. When she is at the coffee shop she sees Vince Tremonti, at first she doesn't know who he is, he is the author of the book she is reading murder mystery when she finds out she is impress by him, she knows he is an ex cop, that's about as much as she knows. Before they get together they have to see if there relationship is wroth all this happiness that they both seem to find when they are together. The other part of the story that I loved is Vince's dad Al he is in love with Ianella when he is around her he feels like a teenage kid, it so sweet the way he acts when he is around her. A good read
Happy Reading Lisa
Rating:
Summary: A witty romantic read...
Review: This is my first Stef Ann Holm book and I loved it!! Jillene McDermott is a widow after seventeen years of marriage. With two daughters, age ten and twelve, Jillene is finally realizing how much it takes to keep a family together. From running her business to making sure the washer is fixed, Jillene is so far in debt that she has to make mac and cheese for dinner every night. A part of her is unable to mourn her husband. All she feels when she is going over her budget is a deep seated anger toward him for never telling her how bad their finances really are. When hometown hero, Vince Tremonti comes back to town, Jillene realizes how much she misses having a man in her home, and her bed. So she decides to seduce the successful crime writer without falling in love with him. Vince Tremonti has come home to Blue Heron Beach to escape. Putting himself in the mind of serial killers has taken its toll on Vince, especially since his latest 'project' has told Vince that he killed twelve women so Vince would write his story. Afraid of who he's become, Vince returns home to find perspective, which he always is able to do in Blue Heron Beach. He is broadsided when he meets Jillene who is doing an extrodinary job of running her coffee bar and raising two daughters. He knows that she represents everything that he's not good enough for. Girls Night is a book about the relationship between a mother and her two daughters who have overcome the death of their father and are thriving. The relationship between the three is heartwarming, especially when Faye and Claire decide to run a personal ad for their mom, believing that she deserves some happiness. It's about a man who believes he'll never be good enough, but discovers on his own that love can overcome any obstacles. The reader will laugh out loud at times in this humorous read that you won't want to miss!
Rating:
Summary: A witty romantic read...
Review: This is my first Stef Ann Holm book and I loved it!! Jillene McDermott is a widow after seventeen years of marriage. With two daughters, age ten and twelve, Jillene is finally realizing how much it takes to keep a family together. From running her business to making sure the washer is fixed, Jillene is so far in debt that she has to make mac and cheese for dinner every night. A part of her is unable to mourn her husband. All she feels when she is going over her budget is a deep seated anger toward him for never telling her how bad their finances really are. When hometown hero, Vince Tremonti comes back to town, Jillene realizes how much she misses having a man in her home, and her bed. So she decides to seduce the successful crime writer without falling in love with him. Vince Tremonti has come home to Blue Heron Beach to escape. Putting himself in the mind of serial killers has taken its toll on Vince, especially since his latest 'project' has told Vince that he killed twelve women so Vince would write his story. Afraid of who he's become, Vince returns home to find perspective, which he always is able to do in Blue Heron Beach. He is broadsided when he meets Jillene who is doing an extrodinary job of running her coffee bar and raising two daughters. He knows that she represents everything that he's not good enough for. Girls Night is a book about the relationship between a mother and her two daughters who have overcome the death of their father and are thriving. The relationship between the three is heartwarming, especially when Faye and Claire decide to run a personal ad for their mom, believing that she deserves some happiness. It's about a man who believes he'll never be good enough, but discovers on his own that love can overcome any obstacles. The reader will laugh out loud at times in this humorous read that you won't want to miss!
Rating:
Summary: I loved it!
Review: This is truly a fun read from beginning to end. Not only will you fall in love with Vince, you'll admire Jillene as she struggles to take care of her coffee shop and her girls. Jillene's not looking for love but that's exactly what she finds when the good-looking true crime author comes to town, and there's more than coffee steaming between Jillene and Vince! Don't miss it!
Rating:
Summary: Stef Ann BURSTS into the contemporary lime light with a hit!
Review: True Crime writer Vince Tremonti has come home to Blue Heron Beach to rethink the current book he's supposed to be working on writing. Being a former cop, he's always found a way to tell his stories in way that satisfies him that the families of the murder victims he writes about are never hurt, and in such a way that he's satisfied with the stories-but this time is different. The killer, Samuel Lentz, has revealed something about his case to Vince from his death row cell that has knocked Vince for a loop he's having a hard time recovering from, and he doesn't even know where to start. So he does what most people do when they're confused-he goes home. Jillene McDermott is using everything at her disposal to stay afloat financially right now. Her business, Java The Hut, a coffee house, is not doing the greatest-but she's getting some great ideas, and trying to pump life back into it. Her two daughters, Claire and Faye, are the true center of her world, and she just wants to get everything back to being great for them. After her husbands death two years ago, she had to face some horrifying truths-like the fact that he'd left her deeply in debt, and that she had no idea how to run the business he'd left, or her own finances. She's come an incredibly long way, but she knows she still has a long way to go. She has a wonderful, loving, and involved relationship with her daughters-and while it's not the same as it was before her husbands' death, they're still great friends and have fun together. And while she's sometimes lonely for adult companionship, she knows she just doesn't have the time or inclination to devote to a relationship with a man right now-even if she could find one who doesn't lie about his career, or who acts like a mature adult while in restaurants. Then Jillene meets Vince Tremonti. She's unprepared for the sexual pull she immediately feels for Vince, and finds herself nervous and shaky in his presence. How could the beautiful famous man be interested in some small town mom like her, anyway? But Vince is. He knows his life is scattered right now, and that he has some major decisions that he's putting off making, but there's something about Jillene that he can't keep himself away from. She tugs at something in him that has never been touched. And her daughters are so wonderful-the whole family could easily seduce him right in if he'd let them. Stef Ann Holm has kicked off her contemporary writing career with a bang! I found myself laughing out loud at the wonderful, zany antics of Jillene and her two daughters-the writing was so perfect I felt I was right there with them. And Jillene's embarrassment and awkwardness when she first meets Vince and finds herself attracted. Her writing is so vivid and compelling, the pictures come without effort. This was a wonderful love story, but also a wonderful story about relationships-Jillene with her daughters, Vince's with this father. And as an added bonus Vince's father, who's been widowed for most of Vince's life, finally finds love for himself. This is definitely a keeper-one of those feels good books that you'll pick up over and over again.
Don't miss this incredible read!
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