Sweet Laurel Falls: A Clean & Wholesome Romance (Hope's Crossing, 3) Mass Market Paperback – September 25, 2012

Maura's story is heartbreaking and yet so hopeful in the end. The theme of hope after pain was great. Loved it!

Maura McKnight-Parker, owner of Dog-Eared Books & Brew, needs a vacation. But, Christmas is just around the corner and her daughter Sage is coming home for the holiday. She's had a really rough year with the tragic loss of her other daughter, and it's time for her and Sage to move forward.Preparing for her holiday book club meeting, someone from her past just pulled up in front of her business. Unfortunately, he's just walked into her bookstore along with her daughter Sage who's just announced to everyone that this man, Jackson Lange, is her father. There's nothing like ripping off the band-aid and getting right to the heart of the story. Thankfully the author, RaeAnne Thayne, did it by the end of the first chapter. If she hadn't, this would have been a really long story.Sage and Jackson are both upset about Maura's lie. Years ago, Jackson left Hope's Crossing a bitter and angry young man. Now twenty years later he's back, a successful architect and standing right in front of her. Of course, he's now going to stay in town for awhile so he can get to know his daughter.It's not going to be easy having him back in town, and Maura is just going to have to deal with it. On the other hand, Jackson has his own demons to deal with, including his curmudgeon of a father, Harry Lange.Once again, the author RaeAnne Thayne has done a remarkable job in taking a sensitive subject and dealing with it not only head on but with great care and thought. Here in Sweet Laurel Falls, the author brings together two former high school sweethearts and has them face their past in order for them to go forward into the future. This seems to be a major theme in many of the books I have read lately. Always tried and true, but each uniquely different.Each book brings us a little closer to the town of Hope's Crossing and all the people who live there. Maura and Jackson are really going to have to put their past behind them. They have a daughter who needs both of them, and more than they both know.

I am so in love with this town and all of it's people, even a few of the rough and gruff ones. Maura has had my sympathy for quite a while now. She's never had an easy life, but losing her youngest daughter in that car accident really took it's toll on her. I found myself worrying about her long after the story ended, in fact. All of RaeAnne's characters seem so real to me, and so it's not surprising that I have come to care what happens to all of them, but especially Maura & Sage. Harry Lange has always acted like this big stuffy, cranky man, but I had no trouble seeing through that facade of his to see a lonely, wounded soul.I am so happy that Maura finally found her HEA, and with a man she has loved from afar for the last twenty years, no less.I have to confess; I had thought long and hard about who the 'Secret Angel' might be and it all came down to one person in particular for me, and I was right. I just hope that those few people in town that know who it is now, continues to keep the secret. Because IMO- it would be such a shame for it to all come to a screeching halt now.

First let me start off by saying you need to read the other two stories in this series first (Blackberry Summer & Woodrose Mountain). You could read this book by itself but there's a lot of references to things in the other books that would help with this story. That being said, this story is about love lost & second chances. The lead character Maura is divorced single mom of Sage & has recently loss her younger daughter Layla(this event is told in the other books). The holidays have arrived & she's about at her rope's end with everyone watching her & they sympathy she gets & then the final straw comes to town in the form of Jackson her high school sweetheart & Sage's father which neither Sage nor Jackson knew about until they met at a college lecture. As you can imagine neither Sage or Jackson are happy with Maura & thus the story begins. There is also the relationship between Jackson & his father Harry the town artiscrat who bully's everyone to get his way because he has money. All angles of the story are well told & keeps your interest. If you have read the other 2 books you finally find out who is "The Angel of Hope". All in all a very good story & easy read. I am looking forward to reading more by RaeAnne Thayne. These 3 books have been my first books I have read by her & have enjoyed each one. REcommend book & author.

Stories from Hope's Crossing, Colorado continue with Maura, who lost her youngest daughter to a car crash just a short time ago. Now her 19 year old daughter has returned for vacation from college, with Jackson Lange, Maura's first love. Jackson has just found out that he is Sage's father, but Maura had never told him about her. Sage has her own secret as Maura and Jackson try to reconcile their problem pasts. Life is also complicated by Sage's new found grandfather, Harry Lange, the most hated man in Hope's Crossing.I really enjoy these light romances that always have lots of serious situations and thoughts within the stories. One thought that stuck out in this book for me was:"It was a philosophical point he would have to ask Reverend Wilson next time he saw him on the golf course. Hypothetically, of course. If people helped others because they craved that feeling of satisfaction and delight, was it really selfless? How could an act be considered altruistic if, in a roundabout fashion, somebody was just fulfilling a need inside themselves by helping someone else?"This story also deals with grief, forgiveness and reconciliation. I've come to feel that the characters are good friends and neighbors. Looking forward to reading about more of the citizens of Hope's Crossing in the next book!

The pain of loss, is helped to heal by the return of love! Two love stories unexpectedly come to unfold, like the wings of Layla's butterflies. You feel so good! This is the best kind of story!

This series is awesome...cannot wait to read the last three...have read several in one day, because I can not wait for the end of the book

Enjoyed every minute of this book, I'm loving each of the stories about this town and its inhabitants . Looking forward to reading more in the series

I liked seeing more of Harry. I enjoyed this book but sometimes felt frustrated with the main characters. It hasn't stopped me from wanting to read the next book.

Am enjoying everyone of this series of books cnt wait to see what happens to the characters next, have already ordered my next bookIf you enjoy lighthearted

It's another great book in the series great writer with the best feel good factor just love reading her books they never disappoint

I am a big RaeAnne Thayne fan, especially of the Hope’s Crossing and Haven Point series. Loved this story. I enjoy the way she weaves facing the past with forgiveness and an assessment of the past that is free from self imposed judgement. Rather it is both healing and liberating.