ORDER A COPY: Whisper’s Edge: A Cricket Creek Novel
Publisher: Signet
Publishing Date: May 7, 2013
Paperback: 304 pages
Rating: 4 stars
Cricket Creek, Kentucky, is a sweet river town known for its theater, shopping, and cuisine. But tough times are affecting the residents of the local retirement community—until a handsome hero shows up Savannah Perry loves her job as social director of Whisper’s Edge, a retirement community on the picturesque waterfront of Cricket Creek. Raised in foster care, twenty-nine-year-old Savannah feels treasured and loved by the retired residents, who treat her as their adopted granddaughter and rotate having her over for dinner. But the community is struggling to stay afloat financially—until Tristan McMillan swoops into town, rescues a dog, and, well, saves the day Business-minded Tristan bought Whisper’s Edge from his estranged grandfather to prove his worth to the curmudgeon and to turn a quick profit. He never expected to fall for the charms of a village of crafty retirees—or to fall hard for a small town girl like Savannah. Suddenly the man who knows all about making money finds himself needing lessons in love and what really matters in life .
Hot shot lawyer Tristan McMillan is ready to show his grandfather who is the better man. He bought the run down retirement community from his financially bankrupt and emotionally bankrupt grandfather. The land is right in the middle of town, near the new baseball stadium, and right on the water, the perfect location for a new marina and fancy waterside restaurant. He has come to Town to find either an investor or someone willing to purchase the land outright for a tidy profit.
That last thing he wanted was for the residents of this little retirement community to consider him their hero. Nor did he count on the perky little redhead who runs the community center to think he’s her personal hero…actually he kinds of likes that since he can’t seemed to get Savannah Perry out of this thoughts.
This draw she has for him is not good for business. If he makes the hard decision to sell the property for profit, neither Savannah nor the residents of Whisper’s Edge will ever forgive him. He’ll need to choose between money and love, and with a lifetime of desire to show up his bitter grandfather, can love win out?
THOUGHTS:
This was a nice, sweet romance. Cricket Creek gives off a quaint, small town charm that takes you back in time. We also see several of the other characters from prior books who have all been wooed by the small town charm and charming, small town girls and how they are helping the community grow strong.
You could quickly see that this was the type of book where our hero would eventually give in to the charm of the girl, the neighbors and the desire to do right by everyone and that he would find a way to save the retirement community and keep the girl.
Savannah had the usual orphan upbringing, bounced around from bad foster home to bad foster home, but nothing dark in her past, no abuse, etc. She runs out of money right when she gets to Whisper’s Edge and ends up being “adopted” by the woman in charge as well as the residents. She is perky and very appreciative of everything that has come to her since getting to Cricket Creek. She is so perky you want to hate her, but you can’t and just like Tristan you fall for her charm.
The only things that disappointed me was that I had chosen this book in hope that there would be some feisty senior citizens around with great stories or crazy antics, like a great Betty White type character. What’s the point of the senior community storyline if you don’t run with it? There were a few scenes with Miss Patty or the sexy George-Hamilton-like twins who had all the woman drooling, but these scenes were more on the mild side, but really not enough overall or with nearly enough liveliness.
If you like a sweet, simple romance, and we all do from time to time, this story and the rest of the Cricket Creek series is definitely worth looking into.
Received an ARC from netgalley.com, courtesy of the publisher. Thank you.
Favorite Scene:
“So you live and work her in Whisper’s Edge?” he asked as he followed her up a brickpaved sidewalk that led to matching steps.
“I’m allowed to bypass the fifty-five-and-up rule because I’m an employee. Plus, it makes my commute to work a piece of cake.” Savannah flashed a grin and then opened the front door. “A humble home, for sure, but it’s all mine and I like it.”
Tristan took a look around. “I can see why. It’s bigger inside than I would have guessed.”
“I know.” Her smile boasted pride in ownership. “But believe me, this place sure needed some tender loving care and a whole lot of elbow grease.”
“Well worth the effort, I’d say.” The neat-as-a-pin main interior consisted of one big room that abutted a breakfast bar in front of a galley kitchen. To the right, he noticed a small hallway that he guessed must lead to a bedroom or two and a bathroom. Shiny hardwood floors gleamed against ample sunshine streaming through the front bay window. The furnishings were a mix-and-match variety that felt cozy but without too much clutter.
“So you like it?”
“Yes, I do.” Tristan found the surroundings warm and inviting. “I appreciate your sense of style.”
“Garage-sale chic?” She tossed her wavy head to the side and gave him her throaty laugh, which he didn’t think he could ever get tired of hearing.
“Call it whatever you want. I think it’s pretty cool.”
“Well, thank you. I’m guessing it’s very different from your own place. You seem like a modern-furniture kind of guy.”
“Mmm…yeah, I suppose,” he answered but had to think for a minute. What was his style? An interior decorator furnished his high-rise condo overlooking the Ohio River in Cincinnati. “Flying pigs,” he finally stated, drawing raised eyebrows from Savannah.
“Excuse me?”
Tristan chuckled. “My interior decorator decided that I needed a theme throughout my condo.”
“And she chose flying pigs?”
“I asked her the same thing. She got all snooty on me and explained the Cincinnati used to be called Porkopolis because of the river farmers who used to transport pigs through the city. It was the pig capital of the country or something, and evidently herds of pigs traveled through the streets.”
“Oh wow.” The expression on her face said that she was imaging pigs wander through town. “Interesting.”
Tristan chuckled. “The history of the river and pigs remains strong in the city to this day. They even have a yearly marathon that’s called The Flying Pig.”
“Oh.” Savannah shrugged. “Well, I guess she was trying to tie in local flavor.” She grinned and said, “Everything better with bacon. Don’t you agree?”
He laughed. “Totally. Now you’re making me hungry.”
“If you had more time I’d fix you some lunch. But go on…Why the flying pigs?”
“I guess the did it because my place looks out over the river and the city but every other day I would find a new flying pig somewhere..on towels, coffee mugs, salt and pepper shakers. People started thinking I liked flying pigs, and the collection that I didn’t want kept growing. It took on a life of its own.”
Savannah laughed. “So I guess birthdays and Christmases are full of flying pigs?”
“Come here.” Tristan held out a wet sock and winced. “Look closely.”
Savannah crossed the space between them and peered at the sock. “Oh my gosh, there are little winged pigs all of your socks!” She put a hand to her chest and chuckled in delight.
“It’s not funny. I have ties, a watch…you name it.”
“Did you ever tell anyone differently?” When she looked up at him he noticed flecks of gold in her green eyes.
Tristan hesitated. He had never divulged this to anyone and he had just met Savannah. But her sweet smile and inquiring eyes made him keep talking. “No, I didn’t because my mother made it her mission to find flying pigs to add to my crazy collection.”
“Ah…” Savannah glanced at his socks and then back at him. “And you couldn’t find it in your heart to disappoint her.”
“I’m wearing boxers riddled with flying pigs,” he answered dryly. “Does that answer your question?”
