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You are here: Home / Book Reviews / REVIEW: The Wishing Season by Denise Hunter

REVIEW: The Wishing Season by Denise Hunter

March 19, 2015 by Bekah Leave a Comment

91Ibn6rGW4L._SL1500_The Wishing Season (Chapel Springs #3)
By Denise Hunter
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: Dec. 9th, 2014
Genres: Christian, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 320
Buy at: Amazon, B&N, CBD
Add on: Goodreads
Find the author at: website, Facebook, Twitter

Living side-by-side, a fledgling chef and a big-hearted contractor find a delicious attraction. Trouble is, their chemistry could spoil their dreams.

Spirited PJ McKinley has the touch when it comes to food. Her dream of opening her own restaurant is just one building short of reality. So when a Chapel Springs resident offers her beloved ancestral home to the applicant with the best plan for the house, PJ believes it’s a contest she was meant to win.
Contractor Cole Evans is confident, professional, and swoon-worthy—but this former foster kid knows his life could have turned out very differently. When Cole discovers the contest, he believes his home for foster kids in transition has found its saving grace. All he has to do is convince the owner that an out-of-towner with a not-for-profit enterprise is good for the community.
But when the eccentric philanthropist sees PJ and Cole’s proposals, she makes an unexpected decision: the pair will share the house for a year to show what their ideas are made of. Now, with Cole and the foster kids upstairs and PJ and the restaurant below, day-to-day life has turned into out-and-out competition—with some seriously flirtatious hallway encounters on the side. Turns out in this competition, it’s not just the house on the line, it’s their hearts.

Rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars)

My Review:
PJ McKinley’s dream is to open her own restaurant, so when a Chapel Springs woman offers her historic home in a contest to whoever has the best plan for it, PJ  jumps at the chance to win. But she has competition, and he comes in a handsome package. Cole Evans has a tragic past and grew up in the foster care system. His dream is to open up a home for transitioning foster kids who need help. After a less than ideal first meeting involving a clay pot and concussion, PJ and Cole have to find a way to work together despite their many differences. With PJ downstairs launching her restaurant and Cole upstairs building a home for kids, they are given a one year trial run to see who will win the house. When the two start to develop feelings for one another, more questions are raised. Whose dream will be fulfilled?

There’s something very special about Chapel Springs and the McKinley family. I don’t know how to explain it exactly, but these books are like a warm, inviting hug that lifts your spirit and leaves you smiling. I simply couldn’t put it down and read it start to finish in one afternoon. The characters feel like real people and rooting for them came naturally. I am really, really hoping for a fourth book featuring older brother Ryan’s story, because this much-loved series just can’t end yet!

PJ was adorable, her talkative personality and positive attitude made me smile countless times. Hunter did a great job with Cole’s character development, and his back-story played out perfectly. PJ’s restaurant was a nice subplot and, me loving sweets, I especially enjoyed all the baking that went on. Mmm…I would like some baklava and chocolate lava cake now please! 😉

Every time I read one of Denise Hunter’s novels, I become more and more a fan. She sucks you into these beautiful, genuine, and heartfelt stories that will make you both laugh and cry. And that’s exactly what The Wishing Season was- a beautiful story. Now I want to re-read Barefoot Summer and Dancing with Fireflies. I strongly recommend checking out this book and series, all you romance lovers! Especially if you’re a fan of Dani Pettrey’s Alaskan Courage series, Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series, or Susan May Warren’s Deep Haven series.

*I received this book free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Have you read this series? Are you a Denise Hunter fan? Thanks for reading!

Related posts:

REVIEW: Out of the Ruins by Karen Barnett (& a giveaway from the author!)
REVIEW: A Grand Design by Amber Stockton (& a giveaway from the author!)
REVIEW: Life Behind the Wall by Robert Elmer
REVIEW: So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Christian Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Romance Fiction

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I'm Bekah. Welcome to Will Bake for Books! Recipes and book reviews can be found here. Read More…

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