Love Triangle with a Twist: Mulberry Hollow Book Review
About the Book
Contractor Wes Garrett is nearly finished hiking the Appalachian Trail in honor of his recently deceased best friend when he falls terribly ill. He stumbles into the nearest town and soon finds himself indebted to the beautiful young doctor who owns the clinic. In lieu of payment, he proposes a trade that will keep him in town—and away from obligations to his best friend’s sister—for several weeks.
But as Avery and Wes spend time together, their friendship begins moving into unexpected territory. Soon they both begin to question their plans for the future. But will Wes be able to let go of the debt he owes his best friend? And will Avery find the courage to risk everything for love?
My Thoughts
I went into this book without reading the book blurb, but knowing that it was a continuation of the little town of Riverbend and characters that I enjoyed from Riverbend Gap. Listening to the audiobook version was like listening to a sweet friend share their love story. It flowed so easily, and the narrator’s gentle voice conveyed the highs, lows, and romantic angst that was sprinkled all through this story.
Wes and Avery’s first meeting happened by accident – quite literally! Avery found him at the door of her clinic with a high fever and virus and with the knowledge that she was his only hope of getting better. After a few days of TLC from Avery, Wes feels obligated to repay Avery for her skills and agreed to perform some home repairs on the carriage house next door. These repairs were only supposed to last for 2 weeks, but unexpected delays kept creeping up at every turn and Wes was anxious to get back on the Appalachian Trail hike to make his way to Lillian.
This love triangle was a bit different than what I’ve read since Lillian lived several states away. Oh, and Wes has actually NEVER met her in person! When Wes started feeling torn between both ladies, all I could think was, “Oh no…this will not end well for someone!”
I appreciated that Avery’s character was more than just a doctor. At 30 years old, she had already experienced the passing of her mother from an incurable disease, and there was a 50/50 chance that she carried the same gene which would result in her receiving the same diagnosis. That uncertainty had me glued to the story until the very last chapter when she shared the results.
The only reason why I can’t give 5 stars is the noticeable lack of Christian content. There were a couple of scenes of attending church (which felt bland), plus a couple of moments of internal reflection about God’s plans. There were opportunities for so much more, and I have higher expectations from a Christian publisher (sorry/not sorry). I will continue the series as I’m curious about some of the side characters and how their stories will play out, and Denise Hunter definitely knows how to write romance. 🙂
4 Stars
