The Day He Stopped In: a sweet friends to lovers romance

The Day He Stopped In by Elana Johnson is the third book in the Hawthorne Harbor series. Janey Germaine is a widowed park ranger who is raising her twelve year old son, Jess. Adam Herrin is the Chief of Police and long time friend. Little does she know but Adam has been keeping an eye on them as a promise to her late husband as well as his own personal feelings. Adam has had a crush on Janey for a long time. But out of respect for her late husband and her son, Jess, he has kept a friendly distance. One day, when Jess gets in trouble, the door opens for Adam and Jess to spend more time with each other. He begins to wonder if the opportunity is finally here to show his true feelings but would Janey be ready to take their relationship out of the friend zone? 

The Day He Stopped In is my favorite book of the Hawthorne Harbor series so far and Adam is my favorite Herrin brother. This story is so sweet, funny, and relatable. Adam is a great character who takes his job as Chief of Police seriously. Janey’s hesitation for a new love and the fear of losing it again is relatable. She questions whether falling in love again would be disloyal to her late husband. I know many readers groan and cringe at third act breakups but the make up scene was so romantic, my heart melted and I fell in love with Adam all the more. Jess is a great character as a young man who is growing up and helps connect his mom and Adam. If you enjoy sweet, clean friends to lovers romance, I recommend The Day He Stopped In as well as the first two books in the series. 

The Day He Stopped In is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook  

The Day He Drove By: a second chance romance

The Day He Drove By by Elana Johnson is the first book in the Hawthorne Harbor series. Ten years ago, paramedic Andrew Herrin delivered Gretchen Samuels’s baby girl on the side of the road when she and her husband couldn’t make it into town. It was a story Andrew told time and time again and it is a reason he loved being a paramedic. Their paths cross again, now Gretchen is a widow and the baby is ten year old Dixie. He once again comes to her rescue when her van gets a flat tire. As their new friendship grows, Gretchen finds herself falling for Andrew but she remains unsure. Can Andrew convince Gretchen that he wants her and her daughter in his life? 

The Day He Drove By is a sweet small town romance. I enjoyed Andrew as a man who had his heart broken before and trying to find his own happiness in life, love and career. Gretchen is a woman who is afraid to love again. When circumstances keep putting Andrew and Gretchen together, she can’t help but be drawn to his sweet and kind nature. Even though the misunderstandings are predictable for a romance, they were realistic and common misunderstandings. I enjoyed all the supportive characters and the small town community feel. There is even a hint at the couple for the next book. If you enjoy clean, sweet small town romance, I recommend The Day He Drove By. 

The Day He Drove By is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook