User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
i was ready for a cheesy heartfelt romance but oh my god reading this felt like reading the synopsis for a book. where was the emotion???
Rating: really liked it
CuteI received this book from the author, Melissa Storm for my honest review. At first I didn't realize how much I was going to love this story as it's so different from my normal reading. I learned things about mushing and felt like I was flying right along on the sled. The position of each dog and the parts they played as a team was enlightening. This was more of a love story and it was also refreshing like a breath of fresh air.
Rating: really liked it
When I first heard of Let There Be Love, I expected it to be a nice, clean romance. Well, it was clean, no mature content to report. Nice? Not so much. Romance? Well, not really either. Amazon advertises it as paying tribute to the great literary tradition of Jane Eyre. Really? Please don't compare this with anything written by Charlotte Brontë.
There are only raving reviews on Amazon too, so I'm here thinking that I didn't read the same book as everybody else. For me there are too many wrong things with Let There Be Love to mention them all, so I'll just list a few.
Lauren is either too immature or too dumb to believe that taking on a new job about which she knew nothing about, and job that involves taking care of animals at that, wouldn't entail some sort of training. But then, it's just as hard to believe she would be hired on the spot (or rather, at a long distance, since apparently she was hired for a job in Alaska while she was still in New York), to take care of a pack of competition dogs, with no relevant credentials at all. On top of that, she's also expected to do the house work, something her employer seems to have failed to mention beforehand. I also found hard to believe all those dogs would be so friendly to her without some sort of adaptation period, but then I don't know enough about sleigh dogs to judge.
Shane, on the other hand, comes across as rude, brute and borderline abusive. He orders Lauren around as if she was a slave, kicks stuff, cleans his mouth with the back of his hand (yes, don't we all love our male heroes to do that?) and basically blames Lauren for everything bad that happens.
He's all that, but then when she threatens to leave, he apologizes and promises he will behave and everything is Ok again. Until next time. See a pattern there? Now, I do believe everyone deserves a second chance, but to me this spells abusive relationship all the way. Is it a retelling of Beauty and the Best? Maybe. Does it pass on the wrong message? Yes.
And then, there's that love declaration, right before the happily ever after:
Shane laughed and kissed her finger. “I love how you think. And I love you, too.”
“Finally!” Lauren said with an exaggerated huff. “I was beginning to think you’d never tell me.”
He looked confused. “What? That I love you? I’ve told you before, haven’t I?”
It sounds like they're discussing something he forgot to buy at the grocery story instead of true love. And it makes total sense that a man would forget if he's told a woman you loved her before, because that's not really relevant, right? Yep, you can see why those two are definitely not my favorite pair.
I'm rating Let There Be Love with two stars just because I think the story did have potential, and and the mystery involving Lauren's parents did manage to engage a minimum amount of interest from me, but this isn't a book I would recommend.
Rating: really liked it
Fun Trip to the Cold Alaskan WeatherMelissa Storm’s book is really a fun and easy read.
It touches lots of emotions loss and recovery, fear pain and then read tension, and finally if you were fun racing dogs through the Alaskan wasteland.
The plot is pretty easy and the pace for the readers very fast. However, in the end it was sort of predictable and that’s not always a bad thing.
I enjoyed this book personally I’ve been reading and learning about Alaska in the past few months. This book gave me a little bit more of a taste.
A good book, not great. .
I recommend
Rating: really liked it
Another great story from Melissa Storm! You'll love Lauren immediately, and the way Shane warms up to her is heartwarming by the end. And, of course, any book that has a pack of dogs as characters must be good. :-) I definitely recommend!
Rating: really liked it
This was my first book by author Melissa Storm, but it won't be my last! This is book 1 of the series and it starts it off with a bang - The bang of the gong for dog sled racing that is. The book centers on Alaska, two people who need help, and some way ward dogs.
Shane needs help and Lauren is the one to fill the role...or is she? She has zero experience, but needs to start her life over again. She needs a fresh start in a place that feels a little like home...little does she know that it kind of is home. Shane had an accident that leaves him unable to race and Lauren feels a natural affinity to the sled dogs, especially Briar Rose.
The two of them have a lot of arguments, a few times resulting in Lauren moving out and then back in and a new relationship that no one wants to define...will they make it, won't they make it? What will happen to them next?
This book needs a little more detail, and a little less simple phrases and it would be an epic read. Not a bad read, but needs a little fine tuning to be a great read.
Rating: really liked it
Beauty and the Beast sprinkled throughout this wonderful book
Lauren and Shane....
Rating: really liked it
1.5 Stars.
Between a 1 Star/“dnf” and a 2 Star/“not for me” rating but THE LONELIEST COTTAGE might work for others. (1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= Yes, it was Ok; 4= I liked it a lot; 5= A favorite, it was great!)
I wanted to like THE LONELIEST COTTAGE by Melissa Storm. My sister mushed dogs as an amateur for 20 years and I thought this series sounded interesting so I picked up the set of 3 books. (Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the title and book cover than the blurb). I haven’t previously read any Storm novels so I can’t say how she typically writes, however THE LONELIEST COTTAGE read like a YA romance novel rather than a realistic portrayal of competitive mushing with a bit of romance on the side - which I had anticipated. I was skimming pages by the 10th chapter and then hopped to the last chapter to see if the writing concluded as it had began. THE LONELIEST COTTAGE series may suit some readers looking for a breezy, slightly silly romance (IMO), but it was not for me. I did not finish it and am glad I purchased the set as a Daily Deal.
Lauren Dalton/FMC is a young woman from NY who quits her job upon receiving news of her father’s death. Afterward, while reviewing family documents she discovers her father once raced dogs competitively in Alaska. Intrigued, Lauren does a bit of digging, locates an advertisement for a handler position for a sled team and responds. She hopes working and living in Alaska will fill in the questions she has about the life her father never shared.
Shane Ramsey/MMC is an injured musher who requires assistance with his dogs following an accident leaving him on crutches. His team must continue their training if he has any hope to compete in the next season of races.
I didn’t like or respect Lauren; her attitude was exceedingly juvenile for presumably an adult. On her first morning she comments regarding her shirked responsibilities, “They’re just dogs, Shane.” When actually (!) they are his livelihood. Lauren’s attitude came off as arrogant, spoiled, and lazy - she arrived in Alaska clueless regarding her new position. She was extremely unqualified and entirely inexperienced for the position she accepted. Yet rather than carefully reading the job description provided (on her 1st day) or working to understand her job responsibilities, she immediately indulged in petty, flirtatious(?), juvenile, and repetitive arguments with her employer/Shane regarding her performance of those duties. (SMH). Her superior, careless attitude continued in this vein.
I did enjoy the setting description as far as I read. Building a solid sled team is a serious, expensive, physically demanding business one not to be considered lightly. Sled dogs are a breed unto themselves - quite dissimilar from “fluffy, little purse puppies” or even suburban “furr babies” (with the common luxury of sleeping inside on their owners’ sofas and beds) which Lauren seemed unable to comprehend. That being said, older, retired sled dogs can make loyal companions for the right individuals who understand their focused breeding, their passion to run, and see to their exercise in a safe fashion. For those interested, Sue Henry wrote a 12 book Mystery series (Murder on the Iditarod, #1) with a take-charge female dog musher character. It deals with the realities of sled racing in a much more realistic manner with minimal romance and a number of surprising deaths.
Rating: really liked it
Oh my! This book was so good. I love Melissa Storm’s books. They are so sweet and romantic. This book did not disappoint. It touched all points of life that people deal with in one form or another. Guilt, loss, anger, suffering, friendship and love. It is great.
In this book Lauren Dalton has lost her father unexpectantly. So instead of staying and dealing with everyone’s pity she decides to pack up and leave it all behind and go to Alaska to find out the part of her father’s life that he kept hidden from her.
Shane Ramesy is a famous dog sled musher, who is recovering from an accident that crushed his knee caps. Lauren is hired to help him take care of his everyday needs and his dogs. Lauren is not prepared for Shane’s wrath. She is determined to fight it out and take a stand and make him realize that he needs her. Will he let her? Will she find out why her father hid this part of his life from her? Will she find out the dark secrets that are tearing Shane apart?
This book deals with a lot of emotion. I was laughing out loud one minute, pissed the next and then crying. Shane really is dealing with a lot of emotional baggage and you can see that he is on a sinking ship with no life preserve to save him. Lauren is dealing with the loss of her father and having no one left to call family. Together they heal each other. It is sweet watching them from that bond that people who are broken often do. It makes them strong.
Melissa took her time writing this story and she did not rush while she developed the characters. She took her time and gave each character a piece her and there to develop that person, making them who they are and grabbing your attention and holding on. I can honestly say that once I started I was so captivated by the characters and all they had been through and were going through, that I just could not put the book down. I had to finish it to see what would happen to Shane and Lauren.
I really loved that the story was based on the sled dogs. It is nice to see animals bringing people together in stories. This was the beauty and the beast of Alaska story. Can Lauren tame the beast that is Shane and all his anger, hurt and guilt. Well I guess you will need to get the book and find out, since I am not going to tell you what happens. I highly recommend the sweet and cozy romantic read. A new spin on romance.
Rating: really liked it
I am all about Contemp retellings of Beauty and the Beast. Throw in a man who loves dogs...well you had me at hello...
Be prepared for so many different wonderful emotions this book will invoke...
also..get ready ready to set life aside for a bit too
Rating: really liked it
Coming September 19. I can't wait for you to read it!Amazon Kindle ~ http://www.melstorm.com/LTBLove_Kindle
Apple iBooks ~ http://www.melstorm.com/LTBLove_iBooks
Barnes & Noble Nook ~ http://www.melstorm.com/LTBLove_Nook
Kobo ~ http://www.melstorm.com/LTBLove_Kobo
GooglePlay ~ http://www.melstorm.com/LTBLove_Google
Lauren Dalton’s world shattered the day her father died. Now she’s willing to move four-thousand miles away from the only home she’s ever known in hopes of discovering the truth about his hidden past.
Shane Ramsey’s reputation says all anyone needs to know. He’s an amazing racer, but a terrible person. When an injury leaves him unable to work his dogs, he must swallow his pride and accept help for the sake of his team.
Will Shane open his home and his heart to the young woman who already shares his greatest love? Will Lauren find her place—and the truth about her family’s past—in helping the cantankerous Shane?
Harkening to the great literary traditions of Jane Eyre and Beauty and the Beast, Let There Be Love is a new twist on the most epic of love stories. Don’t miss the chance to lose your heart to a courageous team of sled dogs and the humans that love them in this tale set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Alaskan wilderness. Order your copy today!
Rating: really liked it
Disappointed. For me, the character development in this book fell flat. The male is weak and uninteresting. The female is better, but the writer left me wanting more depth. I also felt the story was unrealistic. A professional dog sled racer would not turn his most treasured possessions over to an inexperienced handler from New York. The story had opportunity for emotional development, and heart, but sorely missed the target. I did finish the book but predicted the ending after the first couple of chapters.
Rating: really liked it
Easy reading Nice book to read when you’re looking for something to get your mind off things.I will definitely read more of these adventures.
Rating: really liked it
Alaska and sled dogs what a sweet combination!This is the first novel I have read by Melissa Storm. I was attracted to it mainly because of the setting, Alaska and the subject ,sled dogs. My mountain man spouse hails from Alaska and I know would love to return. But I prefer to get my taste of Alaska from the deck of a cruise ship or the pages of a book! I am also an avid dog lover. As such any book that has Alaska AND dogs in it is worth me taking a look at it! The Loneliest Cottage did not disappoint.
Through Melissa Storm's superb word-craft I was magically transported to the small Alaskan town of Puffer Ridge , Alaska. In the pages of this book you can almost see the wide open wilderness, hear the crackle of boots walking on crisp snow and hear the sled dogs barking while they pull at their tethers ready to start the next race. This sweet romance has a Beauty and the Beast feel to the story of love, loss and finding home where you least expect it. There is a mystery to it as the main character Lauren tries to figure out why her father hid a previous life from her. Also why her new employer Shane Ramsey, a up and coming champion sled dog racer is such a grump! It's definitely a page turning adventure as Lauren leaves behind her home state of New York for the freedom of wide open rural Alaska and slowly begins to embrace the world of sled dogs and racing. This is not the usual romantic suspense novel I normally read but it held my interest just the same. This is the first novel by Melissa Storm I have ever read but I assure you it will not be the last!
Rating: really liked it
The ending was nice and drama free, but that’s kind of the entire book. Only emotional drama, nothing physical to overcome. And there was an inconsistency in the timeline early on. The characters also feel into insta-love as she was developing feelings as he remained the same until he kissed her over halfway through. There was little sign he was feeling romantically towards her until then so it felt out of place. Not to mention they known each other (maybe, I don’t know) a month (because timeline problems).
Then there was the bitchy ex-wife who had one active scene, and then it was retelling of encounters. Not to mention the bitch didn’t face charges or whatever for denying him his parental rights for 3 years.
And the physical therapist who was there in the first few chapters, then poof! Gone and no more.
This book gave me ZERO reason to give a shit about these people. Personally I thought Lauren was delusional and imposing her own romantic beliefs on Shane. Not to mention she said she was raised to be practical, but never did anything to suggest that was so, she never did anything that was practical. Not to mention 2.0 she had an English degree but didn’t know jack-shit about book, but that’s probably more an author oversight that her “book-ish English major”, never did or said anything to do with books and went into a field of work where said major was useless, TWICE!
