The Soldier's Unexpected Family: A Clean Romance

The Soldier's Unexpected Family is the third book in Tanya Agler's Hollydale Heroines series. To be honest, this is the first in the series that I had read and I didn't actually realize that it was part of a series when I began. There were a few instances where it seemed previous stories were referenced, but for the most part it was fine as a standalone... though it certainly had me wanting to go back and read more stories about Hollydale. In this story, we meet Natalie who has taken on the role of guardian for her best friend's son following her death. When his uncle Aiden arrives in town with plans to take him away, she has to convince him that Hollydale is the best place for him. What follows is a sweet romance filled with small town charm and a cute kid that you won't be help to help falling in love with. Having married my own opposite, there is always something about an opposites attract story that I enjoy. I enjoyed the chemistry between Natalie and Aiden, but even more than that I really loved getting to know the town of Hollydale. It was very much like a character in and of itself and I couldn't get enough. I found myself enjoying the sense of community and wanting to come back to Hollydaye again and again. If you enjoy a sweet romance, this is certainly one to check out. **I received a complimentary copy of this book for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

This is the third book in the series. I read and enjoy the first book in the series, but somehow missed the second one! (Which I will go back to reread soon!) I didn't feel like I had missed anything, though, so feel confident that you can read this one completely as a standalone. You'll just enjoy a few of the characters some more if you go back and read the others. Talk about complete opposites! Natalie is very laid-back, sweet, prepared for anything but can also fly by the seat of her pants. I think she is a good balance between being spontaneous and being a planner, though she leans a bit more toward the spontaneous side. She has a tremendous love for life and living in the moment. She is also a kindergarten teacher, which really helped me to relate to her ability to go with the flow and care for people, most especially her best friend's orphaned son Danny. Aidan is hard for me to warm up to. He's military and very rigid. He also had experiences in his own life that helped to feed this strict part of his personality. He comes to town to claim custody of his biological nephew after his sister's untimely passing. He and Natalie butt heads from the very beginning. Not only are they complete opposites, but they are also fighting for the same thing - custody of Danny. The boy's mother knew what she was doing when she set up guardianship for her son, but these two seem to have a hard time accepting it. They're both very stubborn and I just kept yelling at them to figure out a compromise. I feel like I had some good ones figured out pretty early on, but they both dig in their heels and only want their way. At the same time, by digging in their heels, they are able to teach each other how to give a little bit. Aidan can learn how to relax a little bit and Natalie can learn to be a bit more firm. The two are attracted to each other, though I admit I didn't quite feel the heat of the sparks flying off of the pages as much as the story insinuated. I could totally see how it would happen, though. Those we battle the most can end up being the most attractive, right? Finding that balance could create a great relationship, and you find yourself wanting them to figure it all out, for themselves and for Danny. I really do enjoy this setting of Hollydale and want to visit there. It was fun seeing characters from earlier books making appearances. And I have a feeling I know who is going to be the star of the next book in this series. I am looking forward to returning in the next installment. Thank you to Prism Book Tours and the author for my requested review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars I really enjoyed this book. This book is a make you feel good story. It's really beautiful, but it did have tears forming in my eyes at times. My heart just breaks for little Danny. I just wanted to hug him. This small town just wraps it arms around him. I loved Aiden and Natalie. They may seem like opposites, but they fit like puzzle pieces. Aiden doesn't know what hits him when comes to Hollydale. He experiences the magic and kindness of this little town. Natalie pulls at the heartstrings as well because she has gone through a lot herself. She puts 110 percent of herself into everything to help heal the wounds of loss. She's a breathe of sunshine for Aiden. This book was great, but for me when there is a kitten involved you have me sold. My heart exploded with Aiden taking care of Stormy. I would highly recommend this one. You won't be disappointed.