(Cloverleigh Farms, #4)
By: Melanie Harlow
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Indie
Release Date: Feb. 10th, 2020
Format: Kindle Advanced Copy
Blurb:
In hindsight, I should not have had that fifth mimosa at Breakfast with Santa.
Or the sixth, seventh, and eighth.
But my shame over the public meltdown that resulted was nothing compared to being abandoned by my husband of fifteen years for a much younger woman—and did I mention she’s pregnant?
For the sake of my children and my pride, I packed up and headed for my childhood home and the small town where I grew up. Cloverleigh Farms would be the perfect place for a fresh start.
Falling for Henry DeSantis wasn’t part of the plan.
Sure, he’s easy on the eyes and hard in the bedroom (also the hallway, the bathtub, and on top of his desk), but he’s newly divorced too, and things between us are moving so fast I’m afraid neither one of us has had enough time to heal. Not to mention the fact that I’m a single mom now—my kids have to come first.
But Henry makes me feel beautiful and sexy and wanted and strong—I haven’t felt that way in years. We understand each other, and when I’m in his arms, I’m tempted to trust again. To love again. To let myself be loved without fear.
But deep down, I’m terrified.
Is this all too much, too soon? Or am I a fool to let a second chance at happily ever after pass me by?
My Review
Being a girl who lives and is from Michigan, I can’t help but consume and obsess over every single word from the Cloverleigh Farms series. I love the strong Michigan vibes, the talks of snowy Christmases and icy cold winters is enough to make me want to snuggle in with a mug of hot chocolate, my favorite throw blanket in my lap, and a fire roaring in the wood stove. You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl. It’s rooted in, bone deep.
In My Own Words:
Unbreakable is the fourth book in the Cloverleigh Farms series by Melanie Harlow. This story revolves around Sylvia and Henry. It is also told in dual point of views.
Sylvia, oldest sawyer sister, has found herself in the middle of something she never saw coming. Divorce. With her world turned upside down, she does what any normal woman suffering from a broken heart does. She packs up her kids and leaves the sunny state of Florida and runs back home where she feels the safest.
Henry DeSantis is the honorary Sawyer brother, with his expertise and scientific knowledge that goes with producing the best wine possible, he’s found his niche and his home here with the Sawyer clan. His world used to be perfect, until life stepped in and decided to mess everything up. Now fresh from his own divorce, he’s decided to shut down his heart and from here on out his guard will be up.
That is until Sylvia knocks on his door and steps into his life like a hurricane. Neither expects to ever fall in love again, they both have trust issues and they both are fragile, which makes watching these two fall head over heels in love that much more enjoyable to read.
My Thoughts:
After reading the first three books in the Cloverleigh Farms Series, I knew without a doubt I had to have this book in my hands as soon as possible. The first three books were such epic reads, I had a feeling this one was going to be just as great if not more.
It’s taken me a few days to kick up the courage and read this novel. From past reads, I learned Melanie Harlow has a way of pushing the angst button and making her reader’s feel every emotion you can possibly feel. I wasn’t in the right mindset to read this book. And honestly, I’m glad I held off until I could focus one hundred percent on this book and this couple without any background noise going on in my thoughts.
Sylvia and Henry’s story exceeded all expectations I had set for them. These two had the power to hit all my heartstrings over and over again. I felt joy and I felt pain while reading this. But mostly I felt something I rarely feel when reading, I felt hope and a sense of security. Wow, that sounds so corny putting it that way, but that’s how I truly felt and how I continue to feel when I think back to Unbreakable.
Sylvia should get the mother of the century award. This woman did everything in her power to protect her children. In ways it was a positive message. You do what you have to do to ensure your children feel safe and sound when they fall asleep at night, especially after something as life altering as a divorce. It’s even more important in these moments and Sylvia put her life on hold to see that her children received an overabundance of life and security.
But also if you look at it from an outsider’s point of view this would also be viewed as a slightly negative situation. After Sylvia married her husband, she put her life on hold so he could live his life to the fullest. When they divorced, this should have given her the motive to live her life to the fullest with her children by her side. But instead she put her wants and her needs on the back burner because of an ultimatum. She started living for herself but as soon as her daughter found out and wasn’t happy about it, living for herself went out the window.
It was definitely a conundrum, one I could easily see playing out in real life.
Now Henry, this man was the sweetest man and may possibly be a new favorite male character of mine from Melanie Harlow. I loved the fact that this man understood every emotion Sylvia was feeling because at the same time, he was also going through his own similar situation. I loved the fact that Henry and Sylvia were a shoulder for the other to lean on. They were each other’s northern star, leading them back to love and the endless possibilities. He gave her a sense of safety, one in which she hasn’t felt in a long time.
I loved the vulnerability in this novel and the not knowing how these two are going to react the closer they get. It was all about the fear of the unknown and dredging deep and dark waters. I loved every bit of the anxiety I felt the closer Sylvia and Henry got together.
Come hell and high water, these two were made for each other. But there is a reason I dropped a half star rating on this novel, and that reason was I wanted more moments with Henry and Sylvia’s kids (Keaton and Whitney). Because her kid’s dad is a piece of work and only cares about material possessions, I thought it would be awesome to watch Henry play a hand’s on roll with her kids. All I wanted was a moment for the four of them, like a real family moment where Henry would take Whitney skiing or teach Keaton how to box. I needed these moments, and sadly I didn’t get them.
Overall though, I loved the hell out of this novel. I loved the instant chemistry between Sylvia and Henry. I loved the instant bond and the familiarity they felt within one another. It was a great romance and will go down as one of my favorites by Melanie Harlow. I can’t wait to see what else she has up her sleeve. We still have one sister left in the Sawyer Sister Club, and this is the story I have been most anticipating! I can’t wait.
DISCLAIMER: The section below contains amazon affiliate links.
*FREE WITH KINDLE UNLIMITED*
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Ry6YOG
Amazon Worldwide: http://viewbook.at/UnbreakableMH
Peace Love and Happy Reading,
You can also find me here:
Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Bookbub
One thought on “ARC Review ➛ Unbreakable (Cloverleigh Farms Series, #4) by: Melanie Harlow”