Eileen Aberman-Wells
I loved, loved, loved Tanner’s Promise by Kaylie Newell, her first book in The Harlow Brothers series. This wonderful story is not quite a second-chance story or friends to lovers trope, but the hero and heroine were high school classmates. Tanner Harlow has quietly been building his landscape business using his landscape designer degree. After the death of his mother he finds himself as the temporary guardian to his eleven-year-old half-sister. Tanner loves his sister but has no idea how he’s going to be able to build his business during his busiest season while keeping his sister with him. Luck is on his side when his newest client, his high school crush, has a solution that would benefit them both. Francie Tate, an elementary school teacher, moved back to Marietta so she could be close to her ailing father. Her little bungalow needs some fixing up, but the neglected yard needs a lot of help. Imagine her surprised when the landscaper she hired turns out to be her class mate Tanner. When Francie learns of Tanner’s need for child care, she impulsively offers to watch his half-sister for the summer in return for some landscaping and renovations around the house. This deal seemed like a win-win, but neither Francie nor Tanner planned on falling in love with each other or with Tanner’s sister. I enjoyed seeing the main characters grow and become more confident throughout this story. Tanner learned that he was not only capable of parenting his sister but that his work was in high demand. Francie was able to stand up for herself instead of trying to please others, but especially her mother and her high school ex-boyfriend. Despite obstacles Tanner and Francie didn’t anticipate they were able to create a friendship that was respectful and loving. I totally loved reading this book and didn’t want to put this book down. Ms. Newell wrote a wonderful and emotional story which drew me in, making me forget the world around me and did not let me go until I turned the last page, loving the characters she created. I highly recommend this book to other reader and look forward to the future books in this series. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Sandi Ramirez
I have been waiting for this Marietta book to come out for a while and when it did Tanner Harlow's school life reminded so much of my school life that it simple blew me away. I sat and read this book in one sitting. It is no surprise to those who know my reviews that I would be reading this Marietta based book because well it has become by adopted hometown. But this book touched more to me than simply being part of a community that touches my soul. This book is about three brothers who are there for their tween step-sister. Tanner had issues in school and when his mom passes he is left to take care of his step-sister who needs him more than ever. Sadly his Aunt wants to pull his sister away and take her to Hawaii to live with her there after the summer months are over and this is just part of the storyline that gets to me. Tanner owns a landscaping company, no he is not a gardner or a yard boy as some seem to think. Boy do I know that feeling in life. Then he runs into the girl who seems to be the only one who saw him when he was in high school. Like really saw him and not his stutter... Francie Tate. She is back in Marietta and is a school teacher herself. This is one of those books that once I picked it up it was like Kaylie Newell was writing for me to read this. Like she knew I WAS going to read this and she was saying "I see YOU and I know You and You are Important to Me. I can not wait for the next Hallow brother's story and to see who he meets in Marietta and how they interact with these three.