Book Review: An Early Spring by Joann Durgin + a Confession
Small-town charm and rediscovered dreams are always in season in Dogwood Creek, Tennessee!
Investigative journalist Ryan Hartmann is living his best life. Based in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, he gets the prime assignments and travels the world. When he finally takes a break to visit his Grandpa Luke in a tiny mountain town in Tennessee, Ryan encounters a gorgeous fireball of a woman at the local diner before he even steps foot in his grandfather’s house. After a case of mistaken identity and a wacky run-in at the local bookmobile, these two are off and running!
Jennifer Collins moved into her grandmother’s mansion in Dogwood Creek five years ago. Her Grandma Ellie has plenty of room and, as a successful playwright, she needs an assistant. Also a part-time actor at the nearby Smoky Mountain Playhouse, Jennifer slides effortlessly into both roles. What she doesn’t expect is a handsome man from Atlanta with mesmerizing eyes, surprising transparency, and a witty sense of humor who comes to town and challenges her at every turn. When a long-held, fiercely guarded family secret is leaked to the public and the press, who has the obvious motive? Who can be trusted?
Join the fun among the dogwoods where love is always in bloom. Toss in a bit of mystery, a group of lovable matchmakers, and the perennial possibility of small-town hijinks. Where the ordinary becomes extraordinary and everyday citizens step out of the shadows as heroes. Who knows, there might even be a knight in shining armor among them!
From USA Today Bestselling Author, JoAnn Durgin, comes this heartwarming second installment of the Dogwood Creek Matchmakers series. Watch for a new release every other month!
Julie’s Confession:
Let me start by saying I owe readers and Joann Durgin a HUGE apology. When I wrote my recent review for the latest release in Dogwood Creek Matchmakers, Love in Bloom by Lisa Prysock, I felt like I missed something. I was certain I wrote about the first release, Chasing Snowflakes, by Lori Soard. I was correct, even though I didn’t label it a review.
I was pretty sure I did the same for Joann Durgin’s second release, An Early Spring. I was pretty wrong. This was released in March and is still available. What I love about Dogwood Creek Matchmakers is that they can be read as standalones. My hope, more as a reader than a participating author, is that you devour this series. Because what a treat you are receiving.
An Early Spring is no exception. In this small-town Christian romance, we are back in Dogwood Creek, Tennessee. Joann does an amazing job placing us right in town. These are not characters, they are neighbors. Friends. From the bookmobile to The Gathering Place, there are rich characters and fun interactions I could not get enough of.
Then there’s the romance. I’m a sucker for a hero who is available for their grandparent, and in this case it’s Ryan, an investigative journalist from Atlanta who visits Dogwood Creek to see his Grandpa Luke. Add Jennifer, a local actress equally committed to looking out for her grandmother, and you’ve got me. I’m all in.
What set this apart was the mystery. I didn’t see that coming, and it was a beautiful thread I loved pulling as I turned the pages. Ryan and Jennifer discover the truth as secrets are revealed, the public and press get involved, and the two are faced with dealing with the aftermath together or apart.
This was an enjoyable read from beginning to end. I’m just mad I didn’t alert you to this sooner. If you love small-town romance, clean and wholesome storytelling, engaging characters, and a splash of mystery, there is no better book to pick up before spring leaves than An Early Spring by Joann Durgin. I highly recommend it.
