by Catherine Anderson
Series: Mystic Creek #1
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
After years of living in fear of her husband, Amanda Banning has left him and moved to Mystic Creek, Oregon, for a fresh start. But she’s having a tough time providing for herself and her six-year-old daughter. Writing her secret yearnings on slips of paper and sending them into the wind helps her cling to the hope that things will get better…and that she can find happiness again.
Jeb Sterling has no idea that the handwritten messages he finds scattered across his land are the first hints that his life is about to change. Nor does he understand why he feels so compelled to help Amanda Banning and her daughter when a cold snap leaves them temporarily homeless. Maybe he’s inspired by Amanda’s courage or perhaps by her beautiful brown eyes. Either way, the man who once renounced love suddenly finds himself willing to do anything for the pair. Amanda seems to have given up on her dreams, but Jeb refuses to quit until he makes her every wish come true…
Silver Thaw by Catherine Anderson is the first in her new Mystic Creek series. It is set in the quaint countryside town of Mystic Creek, Oregon. Sometimes a book has all of the magical ingredients to deliver that book high I crave and Silver Thaw delivered in spades. Filled with lovable, flawed characters, a darling little six-year old to melt your heart, some danger and a town that you will want to visit, Silver Thaw is a read I highly recommend.
Espresso Review: Romantic, tender, low-heat, magical, and suspenseful with characters you will fall in love with.
Caffeinated Breakdown of Silver Thaw
World: Mystic Creek is the perfect rural town, with a mix of elderly, small businesses and ranches. It is a place where neighbor helps neighbor and families ties are strong. Anderson brought the snow, ice, old homes and ranch to life with her descriptive writing. The majority of tale takes place between November and the New Year.
Characters: Amanda Banning and her six-year-old daughter, Chloe, got to me. Amanda has moved to escape and protect the daughter she loves. Gads! Their story will grab your heartstrings and pull. They are dirt poor and without a car or support. Amanda writes her desires, fears, and thoughts on slips of paper. Each night she releases them into the wind. Despite their grim prospects Amanda is strong and is a character, you will rally behind. Jeb Sterling is a thirty-year-old carpenter who owns his own small ranch. He is quiet, independent and if he were honest with himself -lonely. I adored Jeb, he is the type of boy a mama can be proud of and a woman longs to call her own. *full swoon here ladies* The interaction between Jeb, Amanda and her daughter ranged from comical to “wipe a tear from your eye” and hug the book moments. Add in Jeb’s family and lord I was ready to pack my bags and ask them to adopt me. There are even some critters to make you laugh.
Plot: I loved the little handwritten messages and thought is was a clever little twist. Of course, we have a snowstorm and a few disasters to force our couple to interact. I love this troupe and Anderson kept it fresh and believable. While the road to our HEA was predictable, Anderson added twists, danger and delightful moments that kept me flipping the pages. I completely slipped into the story and read it almost in one sitting despite it being a full-length novel. Genuine and well crafted I could have read about them forever.
Romance: Slow burning for the most part and low on heat this romance is memorable in so many ways. First, both characters are delightfully fleshed out and likeable. We get laughter, delightful banter, and “oh be still my heart” moments. I had all the feels reading this and loved every dang one of them. Toss in some suspense, danger and a little character growth and I was melting.
Caffeinated Conclusion: Silver Thaw was such a wonderfully crafted tale with so many elements I enjoy in romantic tale. A slow-burning romance that gives you butterflies, fleshed out characters you adore, a small-town with all the trimmings and just the right touch of suspense to keep you flipping the pages to learn how it all works out.
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Melissa
Love the small town vibe…and wow that cover!!!
Michelle James
Silver Thaw sounds so good I bought it right away. Can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the wonderful review.
kimbacaffeinate
Enjoy Michelle it certainly made me smile
DannyBookworm
I really want to read more Adult Romance and you completely sold me on this one! Especially “We get laughter, delightful banter, and “oh be still my heart” moments” is a sentence that completely got me. I love it when there is some fun and laughing moments, so I think this a book I would really enjoy! Thanks:)
kimbacaffeinate
I hope you get to read it Danny 🙂
Ro
Everything Ms. Anderson writes I absolutely adore! I go out of my way to find her books and look forward to adding this to my list to read this year. As always, your review is right on point. Kudos…
kimbacaffeinate
Thanks Ro. I can see why you adore her books…so many elements I love
Christy
Curses!! I can’t believe I didn’t grab this one. I know I thought about it! Dammit. Now I have to wishlist it.
kimbacaffeinate
Awe…next one.
Lupdilup
Another one for my wish list! We’re not even 3 weeks into the year and you already have added more than a few books to my list. But how can I not add this one? Sounds terrific, I never read anything from this author before, but now I’m looking forward to meeting her characters. I don’t know the narrator, but it already has a few great ratings. YAY!
Thanks Kimba!!
kimbacaffeinate
LOL..I enjoyed this 🙂
Paij Slater
Great review! It sounds fantastic! It’s been added to the ever growing TBR pile ;). Thanks…hehe
Felicia The Geeky Blogger
Yeah! She is one of my favorite authors. I devoured her historical native American bodice rippers back in the day!
Kay
I love adorable heartwarming kids in books. 🙂 I love this breakdown type review. I love how you switch it up. I am trying to do that now on my blog too, keep things fresh makes it more fun. 🙂 Anyway, I think I’m going to have to give this one a try since you loved it so much. It does sound like a really good book.
Brandi Breathes Books
The messages do sound like such a personal touch
kimbacaffeinate
yeah they appealed to my romantic side
Angela Adams
I can’t wait to read this book! Thanks for the post
kimbacaffeinate
So glad you will be reading it and I will be continuing the series
Sharlene Wegner
I am a fan of Catherine’s & have been looking forward to reading this. Thanks for the great review!
Candace
This sounds good, and like a romance that I could really connect with and enjoy. I love that it’s set in Oregon too. 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
The Oregon setting peaked my interest for this one 🙂
braine
Wonderful! I got a copy of this as well. I’m in the mood for romance lately and the slow burning ones are more my style than the fast and intense! Fab review lady!
kimbacaffeinate
Yes…I hope you love it as much as I did.
Heidi
A cozy, small town romance set in Oregon! Count me in.
kimbacaffeinate
You would adore this one Heidi 🙂
Melissa (Books and Things)
OMG! This one sounds like the book for me. I need to meet Jeb in his family and see if they will adopt me and a couple of furry critters. Yes, I did see that you mentioned critters that make you laugh. Yes, you know you totally sold me. 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
Oh you will like the critter Melissa and yes I do think you will love this one
Nikki-ann
Not an author I’ve heard of before, but this sounds good. Another one to add to my list 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
It was delightful and she knows how to hook the reader.
Katherine
This sounds wonderful! I’ve already added it on GoodReads. I love the whole concept!
kimbacaffeinate
Yes! I cannot wait to see with you think
ShootingStarsMag
This sounds really emotional and great- i love the idea of throwing notes into the wind.
kimbacaffeinate
I liked the concept too Lauren
Aubrey Wynne
I’m from the Midwest. What an appropriate title for the weather we have been having.
kimbacaffeinate
I live in the Midwest now and yeah…so true. Brrrr!
Stormi
Not a huge contemporary romance gal, but I do like the sounds of this one. 🙂 I might have to put in on my list just in case. 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
It is fun to mix it up Stormi 🙂
Megan Mc Dade
Oh I want to read this ASAP! Your review makes me need it NOW!
kimbacaffeinate
Squee..enjoy!
Faye
Giiiirl, your review totally convinced me. This sounds like such a heartfelt read that everyone should get when they want a feel-good story. I can just imagine how romantic and heart-tugging the handwritten notes are! I want this boook!!
kimbacaffeinate
Enjoy ..this had so many elements I adore 🙂 thanks Faye
Ramona
Love your review, Kimba – as usual the perfect mix of facts and atmosphere, great for drawing you in. You make it seem interesting, despite my initial reservations. Thank you for posting. I hope you’ll continue to recover from the flu!
kimbacaffeinate
I am feeling better thanks Ramona, not 100% but oh so much better then last week. I am glad I could tempt you as this was delightful.
Debbie Haupt
Hi Kim, Happy Monday. I haven’t read a Catherine Anderson novel in a while and by the looks of your review maybe I should start with this one!
Thanks
kimbacaffeinate
Happy Monday to you too..I wish it weren’t so cold but this novel will keep you warm 🙂
kindlemom1
I love flawed characters as long as it is done right and it sounds like it was in this. Plus, an adorable 6 year old? I love it!
Great review Kim!
kimbacaffeinate
It was so good and yeah the daughter was sweet 🙂
aurian
Nice review Kimba, this one sure sounds nice. Although al that littering 😉
kimbacaffeinate
lol…just go with it
Lily
I may or may not have gotten a giddy smile when you mentioned this one had a slow burn romance. YAY FOR SLOW BURN ROMANCES 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
Sometimes slow is just the thing 🙂
Sarah
I haven’t read much by this author, but I have seen her books on blogs I follow. This one sounds great, and I’m very intrigued by Mystic Creek!
kimbacaffeinate
I think I read one years ago but I will be on the lock out for the next one
Laurel-Rain Snow
I love discovering a book that is Number One in its series…and this one sounds really tempting. Thanks for sharing!
kimbacaffeinate
hehe..I do too Laurel I hope you pick this one up
Bookworm Brandee
Wow! This certainly sounds like something I’d love to read. It has many elements I adore in a contemporary romance – I love it when a child is incorporated and done well. That there are twists and turns on the way to the HEA is great. And I actually love a slow-burn romance. 🙂 Thanks for a great review!
kimbacaffeinate
It was the perfect blend Brandee
Nick
That cover is lovely. I really do have a thing for white covers.
This looks like an interesting story. I loved that the characters grabbed you. Also, slow-burn romance! Woo!
Lovely review, Kim.
kimbacaffeinate
I like them too Nick.
Carmel
I’m actually rather happy to see you describe the romance as slow burn & low heat. I’ve been dabbling a little too much in the other side of the spectrum as of late, and need a break because I have started to skim those parts. I adore it when authors include little extras in their books, like handwritten messages. Nice one, Catherine Anderson!
kimbacaffeinate
That is why I love to mix it up ..both are good but too much is never a good thing
Adriana
Wow, Silver Thaw sounds amazing! Your description of Jeb and the romance makes me want to read this book. It feels like such a hopeful book especially with Amanda’s secret slips of paper. They were meant to be sent to Jeb (:
kimbacaffeinate
It was well done and sucked me right in 🙂
blodeuedd
I do think I want to read it
kimbacaffeinate
ooh goodie.
Melliane
This one sounds very well done between the story, the messages and the characters. I didn’t know about it but I love small towl stories and now I’m really curious about this one. thanks for the review!
kimbacaffeinate
you are welcome Melliane.
Alreem
wow this book sound really interesting 🙂 and I love your review on it, stories about countryside town is always interesting to me 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
I love the small-town vibe too Alreem 🙂 happy Monday
Kathryn
I pre-ordered this and it arrived on publication date. Haven’t read it yet and may be awhile to get to it, but your great review of it has upped my anticipation. I love Catherine Anderson’s writing. I often just sit like you and suck up the book almost in one sitting. Often her books just hit the spot when nothing else does. Great review.
kimbacaffeinate
Enjoy it Kathryn