When Love Happens

Tori and Sean had chemistry that nearly short-circuited my eReader! That chemistry had the two in a whirlwind romance culminating with a quickie wedding in Las Vegas. But, the tragic death of her brother has Tori running from her marriage and new husband as she wallows in guilt and regret.

Sean had to return to Europe for a work commitment that keeps him away from Tori, but he’s not willing to give up on their marriage. When the opportunity to produce a reality show that involves Tori and the rest of the Archers is too good to pass up, he grabs the chance with both hands. But, Tori is planning a divorce, and hasn’t told her family about her husband.

I found Tori difficult to like, even in her grief. But Sean was fabulous: honestly caring and willing to go to great lengths to get Tori to see just how wonderful their relationship could be. While their chemistry is off the chain, there is so much more depth to Sean’s desire for her, and his willingness to push, prod and poke at Tori to see what is right in front of her eyes.

Wonderful storytelling, solid characters and several secondary characters that add depth and background to the story kept me engaged and amused. With interactions ranging from steamy to sentimental and every variation in between, readers can’t help but read on and want to know more. Working well as a standalone story, I’m now needing to read the earlier books in the series as I anxiously await the next.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for my review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

When Love Happens is another emotional installment in the Ribbon Ridge series. The author invites the reader back to Ribbon Ridge, where Tori is hiding a big secret from her family - her marriage to TV producer Sean Hennessy. I really enjoyed how the author brings Sean back into Tori's life. I could feel Tori's discomfort when Sean arrives and it was clear she and Sean weren't on the same page with regards to their relationship.

I love Sean. The author did a fantastic job of "making him British". I usually don't like reading novels written by Brits or set in Britain because the terminology is different enough from American English to make it difficult for me to understand. That was not the case here. Sean has a few expressions and things that he says that are clearly British (brilliant is a common phrase for him), but its not overwhelmingly British. It's enough to help me hear Sean's voice with a gentle, British accent, but not overwhelm me with terms that I don't understand. Sean's got a great sense of humor and a very likable personality, and there's no question as to why Tori's family likes him immediately, even as she was trying to get rid of him. But, he's no pushover. Sean tolerates great deal from Tori as they attempt to navigate their current relationship but when she pushes too far, he protects his own integrity and leaves her to wallow in a life of her own making.

And that was probably the one part of the story that I didn't like. I've read other reviews that enjoyed the "Operation Divorce Me" section of the book, but I really disliked that part of the book. I understand why Tori has decided that her marriage to Sean shouldn't continue, but the way she went about it was juvenile. Her attempt to create a hostile living environment for Sean was immature. I wanted to reach into the book and smack Tori upside the head. Sean is a good sport and recognizes quickly what she is trying to do, but as a mature adult, Tori should have been honest with Sean instead of continuing to lie to him, and manipulate him with childish games to get him to give her a divorce. I was happy when Sean decides that he's had enough and leaves. But of course, we know that's not the end. Tori redeems herself somewhat in my mind by the end of the book, but she lost a few points in my book due to her behavior with Sean. My 4 star rating is primarily based on my dislike for how Tori handles her relationship with Sean.

Alex's legacy continues in When Love Happens. I think I felt more urgency around knowing his thoughts about his suicide in this book more than the others, perhaps due to Tori's connection to his final moments. Tori is driven by extreme guilt that Alex reached out to her before the end and she has spent most of the time since his death living in grief, but not really living. Alex's death affects everything she has done since and it took Sean, and her family, to dig her out of the hole of grief she was slowly burying herself in. I like that each sibling is getting a letter from Alex when its most important in their story, and I feel like I'm getting to know Alex through these stories. Despite my overall concerns regarding how Tori handles her relationship with Sean, When Love Happens is another great chapter in the story of the Archer family and Ribbon Ridge.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.