Hiding in the Pages: The Triple Date Dare by Lauraine Henderson {Blog Tour Review + Giveaway}

Friday, February 24, 2017

The Triple Date Dare by Lauraine Henderson {Blog Tour Review + Giveaway}

Genre: LDS, Christian, clean romance
Publisher: Indie
Publication date: December 8, 2016
Number of pages: 212

Writer Laura Nelson can’t believe her luck. Since staying in a beach house on the Oregon coast, she’s had two run-ins with the police. The upside is that handsome Officer David Harrington handled both situations.

Laura, still stinging from years of making poor choices, has come to Oregon to take control of her life. She recently renewed her relationship with God and the church, and she’s in the process of writing her next mystery. But is she ready for romance?

David has a rule: don’t get close to women. He is ashamed of his unlawful past, a father in jail and an alcoholic mother. His triple date dare is a sure-fire way to keep women at bay. Who would love him with all his baggage anyway?

When he asks Laura out, David figures she will crash and burn as planned. He had no idea she would not only change the rules of his famous dating dare, but sneak her way into his heart.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

I recently moved back to Oregon with my husband of 31 years, where we’ve built a house on 68 acres about 40 miles outside of Portland. After growing up in Oregon, we’ve lived in Utah, Arizona, and Hawaii. We have three children, two girls and a boy, all grown and all writers themselves. We also have a dog (Golden Retriever) and a cat (Black). I love to write inspirational romance and hope my readers will be both entertained and uplifted by my stories. When I’m not writing, I love to paint (watercolors, oils, and acrylics), sew, knit, crochet, and read (of course)! My second novel will be published in 2017.

FACEBOOK | BLOG | AMAZON

My Review: 4 Stars

I love it when I'm pleasantly surprised by a book and that's exactly how I felt with this one. I was expecting something scattered and serious, but I got a light-hearted, sweet, funny, and entertaining read.

Laura is a writer and after leaving a bad situation in Hawaii, she lands in Oregon to work on her novel. Officer David Harrington is involved in one of the cutest meets I've read, which made for some serious laughs.

The instant attraction is palpable, but I love that it's not insta-love. This couple has to work through some past issues and Laura has to pass the test of David's Triple Date Dare, which leads to some amusing situations as they each battle for control. This book isn't all fun and games--it's mixed with some times of reflection and character growth as redemption and forgiveness are sought. These two characters are highly likable, as are their friends, and I settled right into this book and setting, not wanting to leave.

There are times when Laura almost gave me emotional whiplash. While remaining true to herself, she goes down a path of reaction to her situation and then suddenly, almost as if a switch is flipped, she reacts in a completely opposite way. It's almost like watching a butterfly began to emerge from a cocoon, as she starts to shed who she once was and begins to be who she really is. David is a fairly steady constant, although it was fun to see Laura get under his skin.

Overall, this is a great story with a great balance of interesting situations and personal growth. I'm looking forward to more!

Content: moderate religious elements, specific to the LDS church; mild romance; mild talk of drug use.