New Giveaway! Now I'm giving away Take a Chance on Me by Susan May Warren (with bonus review)

About the book:

Darek Christiansen is almost a dream bachelor—oldest son in the large Christiansen clan, heir to their historic Evergreen Lake Resort, and doting father. But he’s also wounded and angry since the tragic death of his wife, Felicity. No woman in Deep Haven dares come near. 

New assistant county attorney Ivy Madison simply doesn’t know any better when she bids on Darek at the charity auction. Nor does she know that when she crafted a plea bargain three years ago to keep Jensen Atwood out of jail and in Deep Haven fulfilling community service, she was releasing the man responsible for Felicity’s death. All Ivy knows is that the Christiansens feel like the family she’s always longed for. And once she gets past Darek’s tough exterior, she finds a man she could spend the rest of her life with. Which scares her almost as much as Darek learning of her involvement in his wife’s case. 

Caught between new love and old grudges, Darek must decide if he can set aside the past for a future with Ivy—a future more and more at risk as an approaching wildfire threatens to wipe out the Christiansen resort and Deep Haven itself.

My review:

I am not a huge fan of contemporary fiction, but this story touched my heart. I live in an area surrounded by forests and mountains so the part where the fire raged out of control reminded me a lot of the fires in my community several years ago. Anyway, there were two parallel love stories going in this book. I enjoyed both of them equally. Yes, there were the usual secrets, but they were believable ones. We often make assumptions in life that aren't true. We often judge without all of the facts. We can get angry over a situation and hold it in until it consumes our peace. There is a bit of each of these characters in every one of us.

The story started out a bit slow, but I was pulled in once I got to know Ivy more. Her story as a foster child got me choked up a few times, and when she visited Tiger's grandmother...my goodness, the tightness in the throat and gentle sting of tears. Anyway, this story went deeper in that it also address the need for love and belonging. The fact that Ivy struggled with getting close to people made a lot of sense. So did her need for justice. I loved her character. That scene with Darek's mother... oh my, the waterworks got started there as well. There were a lot of things to ponder that go beyond mere entertainment.

The spiritual thread was present and well done. There was nothing sappy about the application. I loved how the author does that so seamlessly. The scene regarding forgiveness and the support in the courtroom, oh boy did that make a lump form in my throat. I found my lashes beating rapidly, too. This was a very touching story with depth and insight into things the that matter in all of our lives. Again, not a huge fan of contemporary fiction, but these characters won over my heart. 

Now for the question...

I appreciate a story that makes my eyes sting with tears at least once. What kind of stories make you cry?

A winner will be chosen next Sunday using "the hat" randomizer program.