Healed By Love by Melissa Foster Series: The Bradens at Peaceful Harbor #1, The Bradens #13
Published by World Literary Press
Publication Date: June 11th, 2015
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 275
Source: Author
Format: eARC
Goodreads
Buy Online: Amazon ♥ B&N ♥ Kobo
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
The Bradens at Peaceful Harbor are the newest addition to the award-winning Braden series and the Love in Bloom family, joining the Snow Sisters, the Bradens, the Remingtons, & Seaside Summers, (Voted BEST BOOK SERIES by Supportive Business Moms, UK).
Fall in love with Nate Braden & Jewel Fisher in Healed by Love.
Nate Braden has loved his best friend’s younger sister Jewel for as long as he can remember, but between their age difference and his respect for Rick, he’s always kept his feelings at bay. Now he’s back in Peaceful Harbor, and Jewel is no longer sixteen years old—but there’s an even bigger obstacle standing in his way. Nate and Rick joined the military together eight years earlier. Nate came home a hero, but Rick didn’t make it out alive.
Nate Braden has always been in love with his best friend Rick’s younger sister, but he would never break the bro code, so he’s kept silent about his feelings. Just when he’s ready to come clean about his feelings for Jewel, tragedy strikes and he’s left with a lost opportunity and a guilt that overshadows everything else. It’s been two years and Nate has left the military to return to Peaceful Harbor, Maryland and help with the family business while he figures out his future and he’ll be checking in on Rick’s family as he promised, but he’s determined to stay away from Jewel, especially as he’s keeping secrets from her. Yeah well, that works for all of five seconds.
Since Jewel lost her brother Rick, all she does is work and take care of her family. For a young woman in her early twenties, her social life is non-existent but she does not miss it. Taking care of her family is enough to fill her time and besides, the guy she’s been in love with since she was fourteen only sees her as a younger sister, except for the one time he kissed her and then ran. But Nate is the one who comes to her aid when she’s hurt and nurses her back to health.
Both Nate and Jewel have unresolved emotional issues to deal with and their chance at a future together lies in getting through this. Nate blames himself for what happened to Rick and dreads having to tell Jewel that his orders as Rick’s commanding officer may have led to tragedy. Jewel barely survived the loss of her father and her brother and her fear manifests itself in an irrational devotion to her mother and siblings.
HEALED BY LOVE is their emotional journey to healing and forever. Nate cherishes Jewel and is protective of her and Jewel is sweet and gentle, with a core of steel, but together they are like two halves of a whole. The story as a whole isn’t your usual romance, it’s more about loss and dealing with the grief that follows loss.
I have read quite a few of Ms. Foster’s and while I enjoyed the story, I did not love it and this is why: I liked Nate and Jewel but they also got on my last nerve with the back and forth about their feelings for each other and their less than mature responses to and handling of the secrets. In spite of these issues, HEALED BY LOVE has everything we’ve come to expect from Ms. Foster: family, love and lots of emotion.
About Melissa Foster
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success.
When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.
Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.
Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.
Leave a Reply