Fighting over a house and finding love... For Sale by Owner by Marlene Bateman (Blog Tour Review & Giveaway)


This is the first book by this author I've read and I was curious after reading the premise what I would think. Check out my review and enter the giveaway below...

For Sale By Owner
For Sale by Owner
by Marlene Bateman
LDS Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 272 Pages
October 3rd 2016 by Covenant Communications, Inc.

Summary

McKenzie Forsberg is headed home. She's quit her big-city job to return to her roots in the small town of Lake Forest. Kenzi hopes to buy her childhood home from her brother, Tom, as a way of revisiting the peace and security she's been missing in her life. But soon she is shocked to discover that the house has a pending sale, and Tom won't budge from the sale—not even for his sister.

Handsome widower Jared Rawlins catches Kenzie's eye until she realizes that he's the one who is buying her house—but he can only close the deal if he sells his own house by Christmas Eve. Jared is more than a little interested in Kenzie but has second thoughts when it seems that she may be sabotaging the sale of his home.

Slippery feelings of animosity and distrust ensue, with both Jared and Kenzie denying the chemistry between them. But then an unexpected discovery about their connected past puts a new twist in the dynamic. Now, can they put their differences aside and come to terms on a relationship that could last forever?

  
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My Review

FOR SALE BY OWNER is a story about a woman who comes back home with a plan and finds out that she doesn't actually have control over it like she thought she would. Not only is she challenged by fighting over buying a house she thought would be hers, she has a strained relationship with her father, a daughter to care for, a new job to start, and a possibly love interest to challenge her. The story was sweet and heartfelt and had some very nice moments.

This story started off good and then it kind of wavered for me. There were just a few things that threw me off. Such as a line from Jared's point of view: "What big brown eyes she had." There were other things that just didn't sound right and I also didn't love the heroine. She was a little crazy in parts, so she had to grow on me. It also just felt slow. However, the second half of the book picked up. I especially loved the heart to heart between McKenzie and her father. It was emotional and a great moment. I also loved the ending, which I can't give any details on since it would spoil things, but I absolutely loved it! A nice touch was the cookie recipes at the back of the book that were also woven in the story.

In the end, was this what I wished for? This had a very slow start for me, but was redeemed by the second half of the book. Overall, a very sweet read and definitely perfect for the holidays as it takes place during that time of year.

Content: Clean

Source: Received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not affect my review in any way.

About the Author


Marlene Bateman was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and grew up in Sandy, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor’s degree in English. Marlene is married to Kelly R. Sullivan and lives in North Salt Lake, Utah. Her hobbies are gardening, camping, and reading. Marlene has been published extensively in various magazines and newspapers and has written a number of nonfiction books. Her first novel, a mystery romance, was the best-selling Light on Fire Island.


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