Season of Joy

3.75 stars--SEASON OF JOY is the sixth instalment in Annie Rains contemporary, adult SWEETWATER SPRINGS romance series focusing on the people of Sweetwater Springs. This is thirty-one year old, tree farmer and single father Granger Fields, and thirty year old, artist Joy Benson’s story line. SEASON OF JOY 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 third person perspectives (Joy and Granger) SEASON OF JOY follows the building romance and relationship between thirty-one year old, Christmas tree farmer and single father Granger Fields, and thirty year old, artist Joy Benson. The Merry Mountain Tree Farm is struggling in the wake of a devastating fire and a low inventory for the upcoming holiday season. When his nanny suddenly quits, Granger Fields is desperate enough that he asks his friend, and art teacher Joy Benson to help until the end of the holidays but Joy doesn’t want to be a nanny-been there ,done that-she wants to get her own business off the ground. Offering to help until after Christmas, Joy finds herself falling for the father of her two new charges, a man who finds himself falling for our story line heroine. What ensues is the building romance between Granger and Joy, and the potential fall-out as Granger’s past comes looking for a second chance.

Joy Benson has loved and lost, and losing meant more than anyone could have imagined. Trusting again was difficult in the wake of her fiancé’s betrayal but falling for Granger and his daughters was easy and fun. Granger Fields also has issues of trust -as a single father whose wife and mother of his children was no longer in the picture, Granger knew his daughters would always come first, and entrusting their care to Joy meant trusting his heart for the foreseeable future.

The relationship between Joy and Granger begins as friendship but struggles with demons from the past. Joy and Granger have both been burned by previous relationships, and in this, the pain is still real, and the anger simmers at the surface. The romance is passionate-there are no $ex scenes.

Several of the previous story line characters play secondary and supporting roles including fudge shop owner Dewanda. We are introduced to Joy’s parents Drs Benson; Joy’s Aunt Darby and her boyfriend Ray, and Joy’s ex-fiance Dan, as well as Granger’s parent Gene and Debbie, his daughter’s Willow and Abby, and his ex-wife Erin.

SEASON OF JOY is a sweet story line, perfect for the holidays. Although Granger often is quick to judge, Joy is a passionate woman who wears her heart on her sleeve. The premise is charming; the romance is wistful; the characters are colorful and spirited.

I love Annie Rains, her stories are so wonderfully written, she wears her heart on her sleeve when writing her stories as this story definitely proves. This story was so sweet as we get to follow the whirlwind love of Joy & Granger as they slowly & stutteringly traverse the heartwarming & heartbreaking journey as they head into Christmas. Disappointment & heartbreak are nothing new to Joy & she has a definite plan for her future that only her loving Aunt is behind. Granger has lived with heartbreak & disappointment as well but he’s also had his two adorable little girls to help him along the way. I enjoyed the hesitation of this romance as they each tried & failed not to fall in love with the other. I also enjoyed the angst that was created when Granger’s ex-wife shows up after seven years. There was also the fun with Granger’s two young daughters as they bond with Joy but also an anxiety when their mother comes back. The descriptions of the family tree farm transformed into a Christmas wonderland was beautiful, I could actually picture it in my head. Definitely recommend this wonderful book. Thank you to Net Galley & the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC for an honest review.