Bookshelf Friday - The Wishing Season by Denise Hunter

I have loved this series by Denise Hunter, so when The Wishing Season released last week, I knew I was going to read it. It's the third in the group, so let's look at the blurb, and I'll see you on the other side:)

Spirited PJ McKinley has the touch when it comes to food. Her dream of opening her own restaurant is just one building short of reality. So when a Chapel Springs resident offers her beloved ancestral home to the applicant with the best plan for the house, PJ believes it’s a contest she was meant to win.

Contractor ColeEvans is confident, professional, and swoon-worthy—but this former foster kid knows his life could have turned out very differently. When Cole discovers the contest, he believes his home for foster kids in transition has found its saving grace. All he has to do is convince the owner that an out-of-towner with a not-for-profit enterprise is good for the community.

But when the eccentric philanthropist sees PJ and Cole’s proposals, she makes an unexpected decision: the pair will share the house for a year to show what their ideas are made of. Now, with Cole and the foster kids upstairs and PJ and the restaurant below, day-to-day life has turned into out-and-out competition—with some seriously flirtatious hallway encounters on the side. Turns out in this competition, it’s not just the house on the line, it’s their hearts.

Ok, so first that cover is amazing. I love the color and their smiles; a total win. Second, the story completely captivated me (side note: I happen to have a current hero who I think would be BFF's with Cole, so that drew me in even more) from the moment I read the first sentence. Denise opens this book with the H/H meeting in an unconventional way. It made me laugh, while also setting up immediate obstacles for them to overcome.

As usual, Denise is amazing with the chemistry between her two leads. She also writes some of the best leading men out there. Here characters are always imperfect and relatable, which allows her to organically weave in a story of grace and faith...because we are all imperfect. We are all in need of God. And rather than preaching at us, her stories simply show the testimony of her characters' lives. The Wishing Season was no exception. In fact, I think it may now be my favorite in the series with PJ's quirky ways and Cole's past hurts that are handled so well. They made a great pair.

Once again you'll be treated to laughter, love, and hope when you pick up this book. A wonderful way to enjoy time by the Christmas tree and a few moments of rest in the middle of this season. I give The Wishing Season 5 out of 5 stars and you can purchase it here.

And speaking of rest, I'll be taking time with the family to unwind and unplug over the next couple of weeks. I'll be back January 5th for the new year.

Merry Christmas everyone!

If you'd like to see a break-down of what my stars equal, check out my page My Ratings System to the right there. And a big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 20 books, including Dancing with Fireflies and The Convenient Groom. She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader's Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories. Her readers enjoy the experience of falling in love vicariously through her characters and can expect a happily-ever-after sigh as they close the pages of her books.

In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

When Denise isn't orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking coffee, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are raising three boys.

Learn more about Denise when you visit her website: www.denisehunterbooks.com