Sunday, April 17, 2016

Like Never Before by Melissa Tagg

About the Book
Maple Valley became Amelia Bentley's haven after her heart and her dreams of a family were shattered. But her new life as a newspaper editor is shaken when the small-town paper is in danger of closing. Her one hope: A lead on an intriguing story that just might impress the new publisher...if only she knew who he was.
After his biggest campaign success yet, widowed speechwriter Logan Walker now has the chance of a lifetime--a spot on a presidential campaign. But his plans are interrupted when he finds out he's inherited his hometown newspaper. He travels home intent on selling the paper and spending some much-needed time with his young daughter before making the leap into national politics.
But instead of a quick sale and peaceful break from his hectic career, Logan finds himself helping Amelia chase her story. She's scrappy, but wounded. He's dependable, but lost. They may butt heads more than expected, but a series of leads on Maple Valley's quirky unsolved mystery is just the start of the sparks that fly in the office and in their hearts.

My Thoughts
I am not even sure how to describe the awesomeness that is this book! I always anxiously await the release of each new Melissa Tagg book but my anticipation for this one was off the charts for many reasons. First of all I swear she gets better with each and every book though I don't know how it's possible considering each time I finish a book of hers I think it's the pinnacle of awesomeness. Secondly I love the town of Maple Valley, I seriously would move there in a heartbeat if only it was a real place. And the third (and final reason I'm going to mention though I could go on for awhile) was because Melissa has been incessantly (in a good way) gushing about Logan for months and months and I honestly couldn't wait to meet this guy and find out if he lived up to the hype. (And oh my goodness he did, a swoon-worthy hero if ever I saw one.) Melissa has an amazing ability to write characters who are genuine, flawed human beings but she writes them in such a beautiful way that they completely capture your heart and that was definitely the case with Logan and Amelia! Logan, as I already kinda mentioned, was amazing. He was always putting others above himself and was determined to be the best he could be in every area of his life. I absolutely adored the way he loved his adopted daughter and my heart broke for him in the moments when various people questioned his ability to love and care for her! Amelia was fantastic as well, I loved her quirkiness, the way she embraced Maple Valley, her determination to save the newspaper, and her love of history! They both had been married previously, marriages that had ended with an unexpected accident and an unwanted divorce, so there was a lot of pain that still hadn't healed and some understandable hesitancy about pursuing a relationship. But as they spent more time together God used them to help each other heal and it was adorably beautiful to watch their romance bud, blossom, and bloom! They really were a perfect match!
I once again fell in love with the whole town of Maple Valley and especially the Walker family! I love how close all the siblings are and how they're willing to drop everything to help each other out! I really can't wait to get the rest of their stories!
I also thoroughly enjoyed the whole Kendall Wilkins mystery and had fun learning little bits of history I'd never really heard about before!
And of course I can't forget to mention the hilariously entertaining humor that Melissa is famous for! I seriously cannot count the number of times she had me smiling, chuckling, or flat out laughing out loud throughout this book!
Well I guess I should stop gushing at some point so while this review in no way does this book justice I hope it at least piqued your interest and has convinced you to try this amazing author out for yourself-I promise you won't be sorry!

Meet the Author
Melissa Tagg is a former reporter, current nonprofit grant writer and total Iowa girl. She's also a multi-published novelist, writing romantic comedies in the banter-filled style of her favorite 1930s and 40s classic films. Her latest book, Like Never Before, was named by Publishers Weekly to their spring 2016 "Religion and Spirituality" Top 10 list. When she's not writing she can be found hanging out with the coolest family ever, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next book. Melissa loves connecting with readers at www.melissatagg.com and on Facebook and Instagram.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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