Book Review: For Six Good Reasons

For Six Good Reasons (Smoky Mountain Series #3)

By: Lin Stepp

Published By: Canterbury House Publishing

Publication Date: April 2011

Page Count: 248

Buy it at Amazon or IndieBound

Source: Provided by Author

Audience: Adult - Appalachian Fiction

* Review of Book #1: The Foster Girls

* Review of Book #2: Tell Me About Orchard Hollow

Lin Stepp has done it again. She has delivered another warm, clean romance with Appalachian flare and small town charm. This edition in the Smoky Mountain series is my favorite so far and I sincerely hope that Alice, Harrison, and the Stuart clan will remake appearances in future books. 

I have mentioned in my previous reviews that Stepp is a master of detail concerning place in her novels and this one was no exception. This was the first book in the series where I actually wanted to pack up and move to town. The other areas from the previous books were interesting, but there is something magical about Greenbrier. Also, in previous books there were lots of characters I enjoyed, but this was the first book in the series were I really enjoyed all of the characters - even the nasty ones. This book felt more real than the previous ones and I could see all of these people in my mind. I suppose it didn't hurt that I kept picturing Harrison as Henry Cavill for some reason. I blame Immortals; I had just seen that movie when I started this book. 

I also really like that even though the romance in this one was predictable that it deviated from the romances of the first two books in the series. I felt like Alice and Harrison truly had their own story to tell. Alice and Harrison have now taken the spot as my favorite couple in this series. Sorry Scott and Vivian! It was nice to see that Alice and Harrison both brought baggage into the relationship, but together they were able to sort things out. Their romance was also more entertaining due to the influence of the six charismatic Stuart children who are constantly dolling out advice and mischief. I laughed out loud when the kids were explaining to Harrison that he needed to be more romantical to win Alice's heart.

You could pick this book up without reading the previous two books and be fine from a story standpoint, but I would suggest giving the entire series a try if you are a fan of regional literature set in the Appalachians or you're just looking for a good, clean romance. I'm a fan of letting my imagination do the work and Stepp really allows that to happen in her books. Readers never get anything that would make them blush, but the romances are still intriguing. I would also recommend this to readers of Christian fiction. While Christianity is not the focus of this series by any means, there is some light commentary on religion and all of the characters tend to practice strong morals and conservative values.

One Last Gripe: Harrison was so stubborn at times that I just wanted to push him into the creek.

My Favorite Thing About This Book: The notion of fate and how it plays out for the characters

First Sentence: "Unbelievable. I'm having that dream again."

Favorite Character: Harrison - even though he drove me insane a lot of the time - tight jeans and a cowboy hat can help me overlook stubborness any day

Least Favorite Character: Mozella

Summary:

In this third book in Lin Stepp s Smoky Mountain Novel series (after The Foster Girls and Tell Me about Orchard Hollow), a young woman with six foster children under the age of twelve hopes for patience, peace, and a bigger house but love? Not hardly.

Sometimes fate deals an unexpected hand.

When Alice Graham returns to look at the for-sale property at the base of the Smoky Mountains in Greenbrier, Tennessee, it was absolutely notbecause of that recurring dream of the cowboy she d seen high on the ridge top in the winter. She certainly never expected to see him again, despite the peculiar flash of attraction she felt between them. To her surprise, one month after buying the rural property, Alice discovers that the odd attraction between them definitely still sizzles.

However, it seemed unlikely that anything would come of these romantic feelings. Alice is trying to make a home for her and the six Stuart siblings she agreed to foster. Six kids are enough to scare off any man right away especially confirmed bachelor Harrison Ramsey and the unsolved mysteries and unpleasant rumors floating around about his past. However, fate soon has Harrison mixing in with Alice's, and the children's, lives.

Harrison Ramsey and his nearby riding stable prove to be a natural draw for the kids, and he soon finds himself entwined with the Stuart children and Alice. Despite numerous accidents, upsets, and ongoing misunderstandings, events play out in a heartwarming, romantic story of the creation of a new family the perfect read for women looking for PG-rated, contemporary romance novels with a strong sense of place and dynamic characters.