Sweetbriar Cottage

Publisher's Summary

When Noah and Josephine discover their divorce was never actually finalized, their lives are turned upside down.

Following his divorce, Noah gave up his dream job and settled at a remote horse ranch in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Northern Georgia, putting much-needed distance between himself and the former love of his life. But then Noah gets a letter from the IRS claiming he and Josephine are still married. When he confronts Josephine, they discover that she missed the final step in filing the paperwork and they are, in fact, still married.

Josephine is no happier about the news than Noah. Maybe the failed marriage - and botched divorce - was her fault, but her heart was shattered right alongside his, more than he would ever believe. The sooner they put this marriage behind them, the better for both of their sakes.

But when Josephine delivers the final paperwork to his ranch, the two become stranded in his cottage during the worst spring snowstorm in a decade. Being trapped with Josephine is a test of Noah's endurance. He wrestles with resentment and an unmistakable pull to his wife - still beautiful, still brave, and still more intriguing than any woman he's ever known.

As they find themselves confronted with each other and their shared past, old wounds surface, and tempers flare. But when they are forced out into the storm, they must rely on each other in a way they never have before. Josephine finally opens up about her tragic past, and Noah realizes she's never been loved unconditionally by anyone - including him. Will Noah accept the challenge to pursue Josephine's heart? And can she finally find the courage to trust Noah?

©2017 Denise Hunter (P)2017 Thomas Nelson Publishers

Critic Reviews

" Sweetbriar Cottage is a story to fall in love with. True-to-life characters, high stakes, and powerful chemistry blend to tell an emotional story of reconciliation." (Brenda Novak, New York Times best-selling author)

" Sweetbriar Cottage is a wonderful story, full of emotional tension and evocative prose." (Francine Rivers, New York Times best-selling author of Redeeming Love)

struggled to finish

Narrator is monotone and very difficult to listen to. I almost quit listening in the first chapter. But the storyline was good enough that I suffered through the who book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

My favorite Denise Hunter book

SPOILER ALERT:

It's my second time reading/listening to this book, and I'm every bit as floored as the first time. The premise of the story is sweet, but it is masterfully done. Josie's brokenness, Noah's change of heart, the heartbreak, the fear, pain, and SPOILER the survival and reconciliation; it's all done so well. Not my last time reading this book.

Sweet Story, But Not my favorite Narration

In the end I really enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend it. However, the narration in the 1st 15 minutes almost made me stop listening. She doesn’t really change the voices of the characters and it makes it a lot harder to envision who is speaking. Once I got into the story further though, I didn’t notice it as much.
One thing I really liked about this book is that the chapters alternate from the past to the present. It builds the story in a really wonderful way that keeps you guessing. I also liked that it was a sweet love story and not overly sexy.

Narrator Issues in Audio Version

Fine story that succeeds in expressing some of the long-term relationship problems from early trauma. I have hesitance in purchasing audio versions from this author because of the narrator. I have learned that slowing speed a bit helps in catching more of the context and intended expression.

It was ok

I really wanted to love this book. From the moment I laid eyes on the cover I knew I had to read it. The cover just draws me in and instantly fills my heart with such peace. Unfortunately, the book itself doesn’t do the same.

This book left me so frustrated. Though I could sympathize with both Josie and Noah I found myself not liking either one of them very much. By the end I was exhausted with Josie’s antics and over it all.

This was my first book that I have read by the author. Since I really enjoyed the plot I’ll give another one of her books a try.

The audio performance was difficult to enjoy. That didn’t help the book at all.

Listened in One Day!

Really kept my attention! I don't understand all the complaints about the narrator. She was fine! Listen to the sample. That's what you get. The only reason I marked her down a bit was at times I couldn't distinguish the male voice from the female so I didn't know who was talking. Other than that, she wasn't annoying or anything. I will listen to this book again. Loved it!

A wonderful story of love and growth!

Sweetbriar Cottage follows a couple who find out that their divorce, 18 months ago, was never filed with the court. It weaves the story of Josephine and Noah and how they handle this information. Josie has some very bad baggage that she kept secret. This story is a real page-turner. The narration is excellent, too. Highly recommend!!!

Tedious

I made it about half way and decided my time is too precious to waste any more of it on this book. The story drags and it's made so much worse by the awful narration. A big 'Miss' for me.

I cried...

The story was good. Excellent actually. The narrator was a drag though. I haven’t cried in a long time, especially while reading a book. Well, I cried and cried toward the end of the book. When that happens I have to say awesome job!

I listened to this book almost in one sitting.

I loved the message that is woven throughout this book. You will not regret getting it.