Susan May Warren's When I Fall in Love ~ Reviewed

When I Fall in Love
Susan May Warren
Series: Christiansen Family
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (July 1, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414378432

Description: 

Hawaii was the last place Grace Christiansen ever imagined she’d vacation, much less fall in love. But when her family surprises her with a cooking retreat in paradise, she is pulled―or maybe yanked―away from her predictable, safe life and thrown headfirst into the adventure of a lifetime.

Max Sharpe may make his living on the ice as a pro hockey player, but he feels most at home in the kitchen. Which is why he lives for the three-week culinary vacation he takes each year in Hawaii. Upon being paired with Grace for a cooking competition, Max finds himself drawn to her passion, confidence, and perseverance. But just when Grace dares to dream of a future beyond her hometown, Max pulls away.

Wrestling with personal demons, Max fights against opening his heart to a love he knows he should never hope for. And as his secrets unfold, Grace is torn between the safe path in front of her and what her heart truly desires. If love means sacrificing her ideal happily ever after, Grace’s faith will face its toughest test yet.

Review:

  When I Fall In Love is book three in a series about the Christiansen Family.  This story revolves around Grace Christiansen.  She is a homebody who is afraid to try new things, especially after her rejection from culinary school.  After catering her brother’s wedding, she is surprised to find out that the family has bought her a three week vacation in Hawaii to attend a culinary event.  Terrified of the thought of going alone, she initially refuses, until her sister, Eden, admits she wants her to go to gain more experience to cater her own wedding.  In the meantime, Eden’s fiancé, Jace, recruits his hockey playing friend, Max Sharpe, who goes to the same culinary event every year, to watch out for Grace.  Neither Max nor Grace are looking forward to meeting the other one, but when they do, there is an instant connection.  Their feelings begin to grow for each either, however, the secret Max is keeping may keep them apart forever.

                I LOVED this book!  After reading the first two, I began to feel invested in the Christiansen family.  It was exciting to see them back, to see what was happening with characters that were in the background before, and see the featured characters from other books go about their lives.  I can relate to Grace’s character a lot, being a homebody myself, afraid to take risks and not good with change.  Watching her character grow was inspiring to me.  

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers