Review: Close to Heaven (Colorado High Country #5)

Close to Heaven (Colorado High Country #5)

by Pamela Clare

Blurb:

 A woman at a crossroads…

Rain Minear has fantasized about finding herself in Joe Moffat’s arms for years. It’s just her luck that the night it finally happens, he’s carrying her into the emergency room. It’s Joe who steps up to help her when a tragedy brings her life crashing down. He gives her a place to stay, helps her get back on her feet, and even tries to save her Christmas, though he’s never cared for the holiday. But he’s far too ethical to sleep with a member of his staff, holding her at arms length despite the long-simmering attraction between them.

A man haunted by the past…

Joe Moffat moved to Scarlet Springs to repay a debt. He’s struggled for years to keep his hands off Rain. She’s the general manager of his brewpub, and he is not that kind of boss. But, oh, she turns him on. More than that, she has the biggest heart of any woman he’s ever known. He’d do anything to see her smile again, even put up a Christmas tree and listen to carols.

A season that changes two lives forever…

When a Rocky Mountain blizzard leaves them snowbound, they can no longer ignore their feelings for one another. As their passion turns to something deeper, it becomes clear to them both that this will be the most important Christmas of their lives.

Themes: Contemporary

Rating: 5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Okay wow, this series just gets better and better.  I was just the tiniest bit skeptical at the onset that Pamela would be able to pull off her usual greatness without all the added drama and danger of her I-Team series and still be able to keep her readers engrossed and craving more, but I know now I should never have doubted her mad skills. Once again Pamela proves that the skill of the author is the most important part of any story’s greatness.  This story has been a LONG time coming and I speak for all her fans when I say it’s about time.  Rain and Joe have become some of our favorite people in Scarlet Springs, truly being the glue that keeps the town together and makes everyone feel like a community. Rain with her innate sweetness and bubbly personality has made it her life’s work to always do whatever is needed to make her and her daughter’s life easier, giving up her dreams and returning home with an infant after the baby’s father turned out to be a bastard. Joe was the only person willing to give her a leg up and she never forgot that, but over the years those feelings have morphed into something deeper and undeniable, so when she is forced to take advantage of his hospitality she thinks it might finally be time to lay all her cards on the table.  But Joe is a stubborn man.  Joe would give anything to feel like he deserves a chance at happiness with Rain, but he has too much to atone for and the sins of his ancestors run long and deep, even if most of the current residents of Scarlet Springs don’t know it. Joe has wanted Rain for many years, but he won’t cross the line by sleeping with one of his employees so he has worked very hard to hide his desires and need from her, but when her world crumbles around her there is no way he won’t step in and offer her a safe haven.  Thrown together in the close quarters of Joe’s home and forced to come to terms with one another’s true feelings Joe and Rain must decide if they are willing to risk everything for a chance at the true happiness they both have searched for their entire lives.  I LOVED every second of this story and was thrilled I got the chance to read it (even mother nature helped ensure it got my full attention when snow swept into Florida closing the state down to give me the full  day to read:) ). Rain was the type of woman that I always wished I had the energy to be, sweet, fiery, giving and loving, despite circumstances that have made many a woman lose all confidence in themselves and certainly hardened their hearts.  She is not only the center of Joe’s world but the heart of  the small town of Scarlet Springs whether she realizes it or not, making her thoughts of possibly leaving town all that more terrifying.  Joe is a big sexy bear of a man, and to be honest in the previous stories I guess I missed the fact that he was so damn sexy… must not have been paying enough attention! But getting to see him through Rain’s eyes, especially as she falls even deeper in love with him showed me just how wonderful he truly was. The heat between Rain and Joe has certainly been building for twenty years so when they finally give into their passions and give themselves permission to fully embrace one another there is no way anyone in town can miss the sparks flying and melting the snow of the blizzard that put Rain in this predicament to begin with.  I am so glad that Pamela took a chance with this series and I cannot wait for whatever comes next because the characters in this town are so unique, interesting and full of life, I feel like I could drive into a small town in Colorado, walk into a local bar and find myself meeting each of these people as if they stepped right off the pages. If you are looking for a wonderful read for a long snowy day or a few nights by the fire cuddled with your honey,  this is the perfect read, but bring the tissues and the wine, trust me you will need them. Another stroke of genius,  Pamela!

*ebook provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.