Review: Where The Heart Is (Ribbon Ridge #1) by Darcy Burke

Where The Heart Is (Ribbon Ridge #1) by Darcy Burke 

Published December 1st 2013 by Intrepid Reads

ebook, 131 pages

Series: Ribbon Ridge

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Heat Rating: Steamy-ish

Source: From the publisher through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review!
Amazon |  Goodreads

Mature-ish Content Advisory, must be 18+

Summary from Goodreads

Home is more than a place . . .

Breaking free from her structured life, Chloe English quits her high-powered job and moves across the country to work as an art teacher. The simple life is all she hoped it would be until her house burns down, leaving her homeless. When a handsome firefighter swoops in to save the day, she can’t believe her luck. He’s laid-back and unassuming, everything she’s looking for in a man—or so he seems. It turns out he’s as ambitious as her ex, comes with a family who could be more stifling than hers, and harbors dark secrets he may never be able to share.

Orphaned as a teenager, Derek Sumner has found a place in his best friend’s family. However, the love and support of his surrogate parents and siblings can’t erase the grief and loss he struggles every Christmas to banish. But this year he meets the fun and sexy Chloe, whose optimism and sense of joy are incredibly contagious. Can she help him face his bleak past so they can forge a happy future?

Where The Heart Is is the first book in Ribbon Ridge series and we are introduced to Chloe English and Derek Sumner who was orphaned as a teenager but found a place in his best friends family.

Cute season read. It was fast and easy to follow and overall just enjoyable, but that's all it really was. Derek is a sweet guy, his part volunteer fire-fighter and CFO or Archer Industries. He has made home within his best friends family and is well loved by his friends parents and siblings. He has a kind heart and we see that from the beginning when he helps Chloe after her heart breaks down. I won't say Derek had not gotten on my nerves a couple of times, cause he did. Chloe was a sweetheart and Derek had a lot of issues with his family home. When Chloe's house burns down and she needs a place to stay, thanks to his friends mother he reluctantly offers her his mother's house. Unfortunately Derek doesn't know how to deal with his mothers house and his mysterious painful past so he ignores Chloe and hurts her feelings.

Chloe was sweet as well. I think she took a lot from Derek and still she came out strong and did her best to wait for him. I had to give her credit for sticking it out as well as getting him to open up to her about his heart-breaking past and why he avoids his mother's house.

It was a pleasant read. Nothing too spectacular, but it was cute for the holiday season anyway. Very quick, I did finish this in a few days. The story did manage to hold my attention and I did love the Archers! I thought they were a fantastic family, the mother had a lot of heart. I am curious to find out what's in store for the other children!