Peaches and Dreams (Green Valley Heroes 4) by Juliette Cross – Dual Review

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Description:
Marly Rivers is not crazy. No matter what everyone says. They may think her dream is foolish, but she plans to prove them all wrong—one jar of moonshine at a time.

Single dad Wade Kelley is just fine. No matter what his best friend Jed says. He doesn’t need a woman in his life. But when his son Jake breaks a jar of moonshine, he sets something in motion that neither Wade nor Marly are prepared for.

A friendly favor turns into late nights, long dinners, and a romp in the woods. And in a deer stand too. By the time Wade realizes he’s fallen hard and deep for Mad Marly, it may be too late to tell her. When she falls into real and sudden danger with poachers, he may not even be able to save her.

Barb’s Review: Peaches and Dreams by Juliette Cross is her 2nd book in the Green Valley Heroes series.  We meet Marly Rivers at the start, as she works at a moonshine store, as well doing a podcast with her friend, Lola.  Marly is known in town as ‘Mad Marly’, since she is always outgoing, wild, fun and rambunctious; with many people thinking of her as a bit crazy. At the store, a young boy accidently breaks something, Marly tries to protect the boy, but his father saw what happened, and came across to Marly as a bit arrogant.

Wade Kelley comes across as grumpy, he is a single father, who loves his son, Jake; making sure to be the best dad and make his son happy.  Wade is a wildlife resource officer, and he has a great family that will do anything to help out Wade and Jake.

Marly is determined to win this year’s moonshine competition and open her own moonshine distillery.  She approaches Wade, if she can talk to his grandfather to learn more about what she needs to do in the upcoming competition. Wade does agree to connect Marly with his grandfather, who offers her his old cabin to use for her various flavored moonshine. Wade does finds her wild ways unnerving, but that will change in a short time. 

Wade took Marly to the woods where the cabin is, and explains that she needs to be careful and leave before dark; since getting lost in the woods is dangerous.  The more time they spend together, and with Marly constantly flirting with Wade, as he does help fix the cabin up, Wade soon begins to have feelings for her.  He cannot resist her charming and fun ways, and loved how close she had become to Jake. Marly was perfect for Wade, helping him come out of his comfort zone; with the sparks between them sizzling. I really ended up loving Marly and Wade together, as well as Jake being so adorable.

The last quarter of the book was intense and exciting, as Marly found herself in danger, with poachers, as well as getting lost in the wilderness. Can Wade save her?

I really liked Marly, as she was so wild and different, though very early on I found her a bit annoying, but she grew on me throughout the rest of the book.  Peaches and Dreams was a fun, heartwarming, passionate story in a wonderful small town. The secondary characters were all great; I also did love Scooter and Pooter. Once again, Juliette Cross gives us a wonderful romance, which was very well written. I really enjoyed this book.

Sandy’s Reviews:

PEACHES AND DREAMS by Juliette Cross is the fourth instalment in the contemporary, adult, multi-authored GREEN VALLEY HEROES romance series, set in Penny Reid’s Green Valley Universe. This is Wildlife Resources Agent and single dad Wade Kelley, and moonshine distiller and business woman Marly Rivers’ story line. PEACHES AND DREAMS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Wade and Marly) PEACHES AND DREAMS follows the building romance and relationship between Marly and Wade. Wade Kelley is a single father; a grump of a Wildlife Resources Agent but finds himself attracted to our story line heroine. Marly Rivers is determined to open her own distillery but is in need of some up to date equipment. An accident at the place where she works, brings Marly up close and personal without story line hero, an accidnet that sets into motion Wade and Marly’s happily ever after. With the help of Wade Kelley, and Marly’s grandfather ‘pops’ Marly sets up shop in a cabin in the woods but all is not well as Wade is struggling to find one or more poaches, hunting black bear, poaching out of season. As Marly and Wade’s relationship begins to build, Marly finds herself struggling with a place in Wade’s life, and the less than welcome reception of the father she loved. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Marly and Wade, and the potential fall-out as Marley battles between head and heart ; and finds herself the target of some out of town hunters.

The relationship between Wade and Marly begins acrimoniously as Marly struggles with Wade’s grumpiness and over lack of enthusiasm when it comes anyone else but Wade is unable to sit by and watch Marly endeavor to begin her own business without some ‘muscle’ he is willing to provide. As their relationship grows, Marly begins to fall in love with Wade’s son Jake, hoping one day to see herself as somebody’s mom. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate but I dislike the use of a certain four-letter word.
We are reintroduced to Lola and Jed (Parks and Provocation 2), as well as the introduction of Wade’s son Jake, and Marly’s grandfather, and estranged father.

PEACHES AND DREAMS is a story of family, friendships, relationships and love; trust and understanding. The premise is captivating and delightful; the romance is provocative and seductive; the characters are determined, dynamic and energetic.

Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories. She has a B.A. in creative writing from Louisiana State University, a M.Ed. in gifted education, and was privileged to study under the award-winning author Ernest J. Gaines in grad school. Her love of mythology, legends, and art serve as constant inspiration for her works. From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance–brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.

Juliette is a multi-published author, including her Nightwing series with Kensington Publishing and The Vessel Trilogy with Samhain Publishing.

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