Love Me Tender

A Caribou Crossing Romance

By: Susan Fox

Narrated by: Kate Udall

Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Today, pay a visit to Caribou Crossing, the rustic, inviting Western town where broken hearts mend and new love takes root...

Dave Cousins, owner of the Wild Rose Inn, is known throughout Caribou Crossing as the nicest--and loneliest--guy in town. He's had his heart broken more than once, and he's determined not to let it happen again. So it's no wonder he's wary when a free-spirited drifter leaves him longing for more than just a steamy fling...

Like the wild goose tattooed on her shoulder, Cassidy Esperanza goes wherever the wind takes her. For her a new day means a fresh start. Yet something about her days in Caribou Crossing--and nights with its handsome hotel owner--makes her think about staying a while. But when life takes an unexpected turn, her first instinct is to take flight once more.

Is Dave strong enough to help them both face their fears, come to terms with the past, and believe that sometimes love truly can last a lifetime?

©2014 Susan Lyons (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Critic reviews

"You can't go wrong picking up a Susan Fox book." (Romance Reviews)

A heartfelt romance with compelling characters

LOVE ME TENDER: A Caribou Crossing Romance

Author: Susan Fox

Type of Book: Audiobook - Unabridged

Narrator: Kate Udall

Length: 11 hours, 54 minutes

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: January 26, 2015

Publisher: Audible Studios

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is the fifth book in the "Caribou Crossing" romance series but despite that fact, this book also works as a stand-alone novel. In fact, this is the first book from that series that I have read and I enjoyed it immensely and I did not feel that I was missing part of the story.

Dave Cousins is thirty and divorced. He was born and raised in the small town of Caribou Crossing in Northern British Columbia. He had been married to his best friend from high school, but they weren't in love. When Dave met Anita he knew he had found his soulmate.

Dave and Jessie got an amicable divorce and agreed to share custody of their daughter, Robin. Then Dave and Anita got engaged and began planning their future together. Tragedy struck when Anita was diagnosed with a fatal illness and died soon after.

Three years have passed since then and Jessie has gotten remarried. This time to her soulmate, Evan who had left Caribou Crossing thirteen years earlier.

Dave is heart-broken and knows that he has lost the only woman he will ever really love. He focuses on his work. He owns the Wild Rose Inn and between the inn and his daughter, he feels that his life is as full as it will ever be and has resigned himself to that fact.

Cassidy Esperanza is 27 years old and lives the life of a gypsy. She travels from place to place and lives life to the fullest. She arrives in Caribou Crossing and meets Dave. She is attracted to him but is not interested in a serious relationship.

Dave isn't interested in any type of relationship, casual or otherwise. But Cassidy's bright personality and joie de vive makes her appealing to have as a friend.

Cassidy seems like a happy-go-lucky person without a care in the world, but her upbringing and childhood had been far from perfect. In fact, she is emotionally damaged.

Can two wounded souls find love? Can they help each other to heal? Or will they just cause more emotional damage and bring old wounds to the surface?

This book is, at it's core, a romance, but it is much more than that. It is a compelling drama as well.

Susan Fox has created a huge cast of characters that readers will fall in love with. Readers/listeners will wish they lived in the town of Caribou Crossing. Personally I would love to go visit the Wild Rose Inn since it sounds idyllic.

This book also deals with some serious topics such as divorce, cancer, death, multiple sclerosis, emotional trauma and more.

The narrator, Kate Udall, is very talented. I enjoyed her story-telling abilities.

I rate this audiobook as 5 out of 5 stars.