Customer Reviews

The Sweetest Thing (A Lucky Harbor Novel)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
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Tara Daniels has been thrown into the mix with sisters she never knew after her mother passed away. Each of the women had different fathers, personalities and traits that made them strangers to one another but determined to get to know one another and rediscover the magic that was their mother's eclectic lifestyle. What they discover as a continuation in this second book is taking their personalities and figuring out how to turn that into a winning B&B where they can live and work together as one. Sounded good on paper but when all this female chaos tries to mix into one pot it tends to burn more than bake evenly.

Tara is the controlling, bossy and very ordered life. She had a teenage fling with a local boy at 17 and the result of that was a child they had given up for adoption. But now that Tara is back in Lucky Harbor and Ford Walker is standing right there all handsome and enticing can she walk away from him twice in one lifetime and still retain any part of her heart that is still beating. Ford never forgot her and while he did not chase her down to keep her the love he felt for her and the regret at having to release the baby they created still haunts him. Tara made the adult decision but now that she is seeing her life as it was and how it can be again standing in front of her what will she do?

Ford made a career of being a world class, winning sailor who has the time, money and talent to do anything but still wants to be in Lucky Harbor doing everything but sail competitively again. The heat between him and Tara is alive and running through every fiber of his body and his yearning for her is real and over powering. But convincing Tara of this being fact not fiction is easier said than done since she believes he talks a good game and runs when the game is over.

But when Tara's ex-husband shows up in town claiming he wants her back and a ghost from the past also knocks on the door Tara is not sure which one is going to rattle her more. The ex-husband she has long since gotten over or the daughter she gave up that that she wants in her life more than her next breath.

Bringing pieces of your life to a relationship is enough to make it sustain but not thrive. When Tara starts to see that the missing parts are coming together does she have room for one man and one daughter or will she run away again and not make any choice at all? Careful is good but it is not fun, it is not relaxing and some days it makes no sense at all. Taking chances is risky but there are times when rolling the dice and running with the results may just work out and Tara finds Ford to be the winning hand she is hoping for.

Tara is a difficult character to like because I unfortunately see way too much of myself in her. She is bossy, controlling, and a tad pushy and wants everything to be in order. Ford is messy and tends to embrace the day and see how it plays out. But Tara is also like me in that she knows the love is there in her heart she is just afraid to let it go because getting hurt is not easy and Ford has broken her heart once before. But truth be told you have to run the risk of giving everything you can to the relationship, see how it plays out and not blame anyone for the good or bad parts. Ms. Shalvis knows how to write characters that are human which means imperfect and just like the rest of us going with the flow of life and seeing where it takes us.

The Sweetest Thing is the second book of the Lucky Harbor series. In the first book, Simply Irresistible, we are introduced to three estranged sisters: Maddie, Tara and Chloe. And three hot local hunks: Jax, Ford and Sawyer. Throughout Simply Irresistible, there were hints of a steamy past between Ford and Tara. I instantly fell in love with Ford around page 40 of the first book. I knew that book 2, The Sweetest Thing, would not disappoint.

Tara had no intention of staying in Lucky Harbor long. But 6 months later, she's still there, helping her sister Maddie remodel and open The Lucky Harbor Inn. The sisters have gotten closer, thanks to Maddie's insistence and their relationship has blossomed. They still bicker, argue and push each other's buttons but it's done with sisterly love. Tara is known as the Steel Magnolia. She's uptight, bossy and controlling. She doesn't let go easily and it is a bone of contention with her sisters. Nothing ruffles the feathers of the Steel Magnolia except for one thing - person: Ford. Ford and Tara had a steamy summer affair when they were teenagers; an affair that changed both of their lives forever. Ford wants to pick up where they left off 17 years ago. Tara doesn't want to go down that road again even though her attraction to Ford is more intense than ever.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like Tara. She is a type-A personality. She's not as warm and open and fun as her sisters. I liked Tara from beginning to end. It's hard not to like her. Tara is used to being in control; of living her life a certain way. Her sisters and now Ford, have completely turned her world upside down and she's trying to deal with it the best way she knows how. Add in her ex-husband Logan coming to town to win her back and what's a girl to do?

Ford is a man on a mission. His pursuit of Tara is sexy, single-minded and purposeful. When Logan comes to town, it's game on and may the best man win. Ford doesn't appreciate Logan arriving and throwing a wrench in his plans. It becomes a true competition when the townsfolk get involved and there's a Facebook page where you can vote on which guy you want Tara to end up with.

Like Simply Irresistible, The Sweetest Thing is filled with humor, romance and sexual chemistry that is through the rough. Jill Shalvis knows how to write characters that you fall in love with and root for. Logan, Tara's ex, could have easily been portrayed as the bad guy. But he wasn't. I loved Logan, felt sorry for him at times and hope that he'll eventually find his HEA. Baby sister Chloe almost stole the show with her snarky comments and great one-liners. I can't wait for her book; she's going to give Sawyer a run for his money!

The Sweetest Thing did not disappoint. You know a book is good when you have a big, cheesy grin on your face the entire time while reading it. I finished Ford and Tara's story feeling satisfied and happy. A definite read for any romance lover. Every woman should have a Ford in their life. He's just so.....dreamy. *sigh*

Eh, I wasnt impressed with this book. Its just another sex filled contemporary romance. Whats new? Thats what publishers want and thats what people are reading. It was also pointless having Logan in the picture because DUH of course Tara wasnt going to take him back she was OBVIOUSLY head over heels for Ford. The whole thing with their daughter finding and accepting them was way too easy. Well this is just my opinion. Although I do like the premise of the series. 3 estranged sisters coming back together restoring their moms old B&B after their mother dies in a small coastal town.

This is the second book in the Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shalvis and I loved it! I have been a fan of Jill Shalvis and love her writting style. Her books are funny, entertaining and witty. This book was no exception. This is the story of Tara, the oldest of three sisters. We met all the characters in the first book, so it is probably better if you start with the first book. Tara is the oldest, very serious, "uptight", responsible, mature one and a little OCD of the three. She is known as the Steel Magnolia. Tara has a past that has come back to her. When she was 17 years old, she had a heated fling with another 17 year old boy named Ford. She ended pregnant and had to give the baby up for adoption. She hasn't come back to town or seen Ford since. She finds herself back in Lucky Harbor trying to fix up an inn her and her sisters inherited from their mom. The inn was slowly coming around and she was starting to get familiar with a new life with her sisters (who she hardly knew) and cooking for the only diner in town. Only problem is that Ford was still around and he was still stiring lots of feelings and emotions in her after 17 years. Ford was a world champion sailor and living in Lucky Harbor was perfect for his lifestyle, simple and uncomplicated. When he first saw Tara, so many different emotions washed over him: regret, anxiety, excitement and lust, definitely lust! He wanted to have a fling with Tara, but Tara knew better and didn't want to go there, especially after the last time. Story becomes more complicated when their teenage daughter shows up looking for them, and Tara's ex-husband shows up as well and wants her back.

Book was funny, dialogue and bantering between the sisters and all the other characters will make you smile. Book is filled with lots of secondary characters, and all the happenings of a very, very small town. I love that the characters in the book were flawed, they were able to recognize it and grow as a person. I liked how the story carries on from the first book, so you get to see Maddie & Jax (first book) and what they have been up to. Issues addressed in this book are so real, problems are those many people, especially couples and parents go through. Story is about second chances and seizing the opportunity to make things right. All these elements made this book a very enjoyable read. I cannot wait to read about Chloe's (third sister) story!

She may look like a Southern Belle who has it all together, but only Tara knows just how tightly she's wound inside. Being back in Lucky Harbor, the site of the most painful time in her life, has tied her up in knots since she showed up six months ago following the death of a mother she never really knew. Now Tara is working herself to the bone with her two half-sisters, one a veritable stranger and the other a wild child she's tried and failed to control, just trying to get their jointly-owned Inn up and running so she can wipe her hands of the place, the town, and the man who was once a boy who meant everything to her.

Ford has worked hard for the easy, uncomplicated life he leads. He owns a bar with his best friend, races his boat when he feels like it, and never wants for female companionship. Ever since Tara breezed back into town, though, and set about patently ignoring him and their painful past, Ford has been uncharacteristically unsettled and suddenly yearning for things that are completely foreign to him. He let her go seventeen years ago because they were just children when she got pregnant, and giving up their baby, giving him up and running away, had been what she needed to do. He was no good for her then. He isn't any better for her now.

But his mind and his heart disagree on that one. Vehemently.

Getting her back in his arms may not be the right thing, but for Ford, it's the only thing that matters, and when Tara's ex-husband shows up intent on reclaiming his wife, things in his noisy little town take a turn towards the absurd. Soon there are Facebook updates, Tweets, and pictures posted, and everyone in town is voting in a poll to see which man Tara chooses. He's betting on himself, but unless he's betting for forever, Ford could very well lose the only woman who ever mattered.

Almost as charming as its predecessor, Simply Irresistible, Shalvis has brought her readers back to the quirky seaside town of Lucky Harbor and reaquainted us with the three sisters who have come to put their mark on the place and make lives for themselves...even if it is against their initial intentions. In the first book, we got to see Maddie, also known as the mouse, find her roar, and in this one it's up to Steel Magnolia Tara to let go of some of her world-class control issues and embrace her vulnerabilities if she's going to find happiness and peace in her life.

I've got to hand it to Shalvis, she has a gift for creating contemporary romances that are light, flirty, and sassy, that have some humor and a dash of absurdity, that heat up the sheets and redden the cheeks...but that also touch upon serious and significant issues along the way. The emotional damage and detritus from teen pregnancy and ramifications of giving up a child for adoption were handled deftly and as realistically as could be given the tone of the book. Like with Maddie's past abusive relationship, the issue added depth and complexity to the plot and the definition of the main characters without dragging the book into maudlin territory.

I didn't feel Tara was as likable a character as Maddie, though. Normally I'm a huge supporter of the strong, intelligent female lead - which Tara was, but she also stomped over the line into hypocrisy a couple of times and that's a big turnoff for me. You don't get to be the one who tells the guy to get out after explaining why any sort of relationship won't work, then be disappointed when he leaves. You don't get to be the one who left and blame the guy for not chasing after you. That kind of stuff is just not cool for me. Snaps me out of the story like a slap upside the head every time.

She and Ford had great chemistry, though. Great chemistry. I liked Ford a lot, and he was satisfactorily burdened by his own commitment issues and too-laid-back lifestyle. That added depth to his character and kept him from being too perfect. And some of the most poignant, the most heart-clenching moments of the whole book were when he was interacting with Mia. For personal reasons, I'm a total sucker for those sorts of scenes.

I do wish there had been more time allotted to the sisters together. I would have given up a sex scene or two for that - there certainly were enough of them. There didn't seem to be as much of the sisters working together, being together, spending time with each other, as there was in the first book, and the absence, of Maddie in particular (though I sure don't begrudge her time with Jax), was keenly felt. I did, however, like the strengthening and evolving bonds between Tara and Chloe.

And about Chloe, who has fascinated me since her introduction... I'm dying to see Shalvis pit the Wild Child against the bulwark that is Sheriff Sawyer. There were several little gems of character evolution and burgeoning conflict between Chloe and Sawyer in this book and they offered some really great moments. I have great expectations for when they go toe-to-toe in their own book.

Though personally I slightly favor Simply Irresistible, I enjoyed the second chance romance of Tara and Ford in The Sweetest Thing. Shalvis remains a preferred author of mine, her books offering a wealth of entertainment. I've come to trust her for the sort of breezy, sexy, light contemporary romance - with a bit of bite - that I most prefer.

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Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.

Jill Shalvis has romance and comedy down pat. I loved returning for the second Lucky Harbor book and catching up with the sisters and other characters in town. Tara, the eldest sister, is a hard nut to crack...and she's determined not to be cracked by the sexy fling from her teen past. But Ford isn't the only part of her past cropping up, and soon Tara has her hands full trying to juggle it all. Choosing between the life she had and the life she has made is a tough one and Tara's being tugged in all directions.

What I love most about Shalvis's writing is the realistic dialogue and relationships between her characters. Her characters come alive, treat each other the way real people treat each other, and have real issues. She's one of the best when it comes to this! Plus, if you can make me laugh AND cry in one book...you're a winning author to me. Can't wait for the next Lucky Harbor book!

I like her style and her characters. She adds humor and I love the bantering. This was an enjoyable book....it was just a little too sweet for me.

The Sweetest Thing By Jill Shalvis is another heart warming fun and sexy read.

Tara Daniels has returned to Lucky Harbor, Washington. She intends to only stay long enough to help her two sisters get the Inn they inherited up and on its feet. Tara needs to get her life back in some type of order after her divorce. She needs to form some type of life plan but a man from her past keeps getting in her way.

Ford Walker has always lived his life in the fast lane. Racing boats for a living has taken him all over the world. He had returned to Lucky Harbor to simplify his life. But there is nothing simple about his long buried feelings for Tara Daniels. They fell in love as teens but reality soon had them apart. Now that Tara's back Ford will stop at nothing to get Tara to realize how good they could be together.

Tara's secret makes a surprise appearance along with her ex-husband causing all kinds of inner turmoil for them both. Will these two former lovers be able to make a go of it as adults?

The Sweetest Thing is another delightful read. The interactions between Tara and Ford are just sensational. Their emotions run the gamut of past insecurities to present day issues. You find yourself routing for this couple to find a way to their happy ending. Jill Shalvis books are must reads for me, they deliver every time. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.

In The Sweetest Thing we head back to Lucky Harbor where Tara, Chloe, and Maddie are attempting to open the inn their mother left them. They are still struggling to feel and behave like an actual family, but really they have come so far from the three strangers we met in Simply Irresistible (read my review here). The inn is gearing up for opening day, and Tara is continuing to pretend Ford doesn't exist. They had a whirlwind romance years prior that left Tara with a broken heart. So now she is using extreme caution when it comes to the guy who can still make her heart skip a beat. Ford with all his sexy maleness is ignoring her leave me alone vibes and invading her personal space at every opportunity. Then the famous NASCAR star ex shows up determined to win Tara back. This has Ford realizing he might not want to lose Tara a second time, but is he ready to actually get serious about something instead of being the laid back guy with no cares in the world.


I love, love, love this series! I was anxiously awaiting this book as soon as I finished the first in the series. I adore the town of Lucky Harbor, all its quirky residents, and the romantic adventures involving the three sisters. The Sweetest Thing is Tara "The Steel Magnolia" and Ford's story. They are both resisting the urge to try for a second chance at love thanks to a mix of fear and stubbornness. They have very little in common other than their love of cooking, but they still mesh so well. I love when couples in books balance each other so perfectly. We also see Maddie and Jax again, and they are so very happy. Chloe is continuing with her wild child ways, and the tension between her and Sawyer is escalating quickly. I can't wait to read her story in book #3.


This book stars such wonderfully lovable characters paired with witty dialogue. This one also had a family reunion that left me teary eyed on more than one occasion. The perfect mix of humor, romance, and tear jerker moments. I love a book that can make me laugh and cry on the same page. Jill Shalvis is an author who I know I can turn to when I need a comfort read. She writes stories that leave me feeling all warm and fuzzy. I can't get enough, and I know I'll read this one again! If you enjoy contemporary romance you don't want to miss out on this series.

USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis has penned more than three dozen romance novels. She is a three-time RITA nominee and three-time Readers Choice winner. Other titles include: The Trouble With Paradise, Smart and Sexy, Kissing Santa Claus, Instant Temptation, Slow Heat, Storm Watch, Jinxed, Out of This World, Just Try Me, and Get a Clue. She resides in Lake Tahoe.

This is book two in the Lucky Harbor series, with Simply Irresistible coming before it, and the third book, Head over Heels, coming in December 2011. Though these books are part of a series, they can be stand alone reads. Anything needed to know about the plot in previous books is explained for new readers to catch up.

Two men are one too many... After her life majorly crashes and burns, Tara Daniels has no choice but to return to the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington, where she once spent a wild, hot, and heartbreaking summer visiting her mother. Now running a restored Bed and Breakfast with her two half-sisters in the house her mother once owned, she finally feels like she has a plan for her new life and is regaining some of her control back. Except a certain tanned, green-eyed sailor from her past has other plans. Plans that involve the two of them rekindling the passion they once shared so long ago. But Ford isn't her only problem. Oh no. Her very sexy ex-husband has shown up in the small town to win her back. These men are two things she can't control, and three is a crowd. And when her deepest secret reappears, Tara is forced to confront her past and discover what she really wants. If she looks close enough, she just might find it right where she is.

I had the pleasure in reviewing the first book in this series, and though I loved it, it would appear these books only get stronger and more intense as the series goes on. I cannot wait for Sawyer and Chloe's story in the last book.

This is an author who knows her conflict, knows how to produce heat, and knows how to invoke powerful emotions-- all while having you gasping with laughter. Not an easy task. The setting in a small resort town was perfect, filled with an array of secondary characters you can't help but love. I love the bantering between the three sisters, very unique and very diverse in their personalities, clashing at every turn. Most of all, this book in particular displays just how haunting the past can be, and just how difficult it can be to overcome it. Highly recommended!

Kelly Moran,
Bookpleasures