FIVE STARS!

The best way to start this review of ‘Love Like This’ by Melissa Brayden is to use a favorite phrase of the main character and say, “Oh my dear goodness!” What an adorable and excellent romance this story is.

This is the fourth and final book in Ms. Brayden’s Seven Shores series. Each book tells the story of one character from a group of four women. ‘Love Like This’ is the story of Hadley Cooper and her love interest Spencer Adair. Both women work in the fashion industry; Hadley as an assistant manager in an upscale boutique on Rodeo Drive, and Spencer as an up and coming fashion designer. Both also have very different ideas about how their future lives will be. This, of course, leads to some interesting conflict in the story. The readers also get to meet the characters from the first three books in the series since they are supporting characters in this book.

This is my first Melissa Brayden book (but definitely not my last). This also means it is the first book I’ve read in this series so I can tell you the book can be read as a standalone story. Ms. Brayden did an excellent job of adding enough information that you learned who the supporting characters were and a little of their stories.

I fell in love with this story, and especially with Hadley. She is just so sweet and funny and would be a joy to have as a friend. Spencer is a good match for her too, with enough difference in their characters to create a good deal of chemistry which also aids in the conflict. I couldn’t put this book down. I went from sitting on the couch giggling and reading lines to my wife to crying a few chapters later. The author is an expert at creating emotional highs and lows. She really tugs hard on your heartstrings.

I can give my highest recommendation for this book. I’m giving it a full five stars and would give it more if I could. It has joined my folder of books that I love to read over and over, and I’m sure many more of Ms. Brayden’s books will join this one soon.
I am so pleased to have been given an opportunity to review this story in exchange for an ARC.