Caffeinated Reviewer

Maple Leaf Harvest by Catherine Anderson is the seventh standalone novel in the Mystic Creek series. Lane Driscoll is having nightmares, and those nightmares are coming true. When she goes into hiding, Jonas Sterling, a local psychologist, may be the only one who believes her. Suspense, romance and small-town charm await you…

Love and new beginnings blossom in Mystic Creek, Oregon, from the New York Times bestselling author of Huckleberry Lake.

Lane Driscoll has been having nightmares where she’s chased by a strange man. When she has a threatening run-in with someone who looks just like the man from her dreams, she decides to leave her hometown until she figures out what’s going on. Lane seeks refuge in beautiful Mystic Creek, where she gets a job working at the local perfume shop. Soon after she arrives, a handsome customer seems to think he recognizes Lane, but calls her by the wrong name.

When Jonas Sterling, a local psychologist, encounters his ex-girlfriend, Veneta, in town, he can't believe his eyes. He hasn't seen her for years. Jonas is even more baffled when it turns out the woman is a total stranger to him. There's no way two people could look so similar without being related. Jonas discovers Lane was adopted at the age of three and is now twenty-six years old—the same as the woman he dated.

After initial shock at the idea she could have a twin, something clicks inside Lane—and now she needs to locate her missing sister. A romance blossoms as Jonas agrees to help her. But when the man from Lane's nightmares shows up in her dreams again, Jonas and Lane realize Veneta may be in grave danger, and their search for Lane's sister turns into a heart-pounding race.

I’ve enjoyed each of the Mystic Creek stories. Each is a standalone set in the same small Oregon town. In Maple Leaf Harvest, Lane Driscoll has nightmares that lead to a violent encounter. Fearing for her safety, her parents help her escape. She takes a six-month lease in the town of Mystic Creek using only cash. For her protection, even her parents don’t know where she’s gone. While she has the funds to survive, Lane looks for work and finds a help wanted sign in a local storefront. It is here that Jonas Sterling, a local psychologist, sees her for the first time. Only he thinks she is his old girlfriend, Veneta. The girl who dumped him and his small-town. He is annoyed when she pretends not to know him and wonders what she is up to.

Lane’s nightmares continue, only now she is hearing voices. Fearing a breakdown, she seeks help and is given the name of a local psychologist. The tale that unfolds dabbles in the unique connections twins have.

The twin connection was interesting and led us to a case involving missing girls as Lane and Jonas hunt for Veneta. They travel up and down the coast and finally to Lane’s hometown. Jonas involves college buddy, now turned cop and his girlfriend. Stake outs and a slow building romance develop. The romance hits some snags when Veneta enters the picture, but the author kept the drama to a minimum and focused more on the twin connection and mystery.

This wasn’t a favorite in the series. I enjoyed it, but didn’t quite feel the romantic connection (though sweet). The mystery and suspense kept me engaged, but the pacing was off and parts dragged.

The characters were solid, and I liked both Lane and Jonas. Once Jonas realized what was happening, he stepped up and offered aid. He was respectful of Lane’s wishes, even when it wasn’t what he wanted.

Fans of small-town standalone romances in a series will enjoy the Mystic Creek series.

Amazon

About Catherine Anderson

Adeline Catherine was born on 22 December 1948 in in Grants Pass, Oregon, USA. She always yearned to be a writer like her mother. The morning that one of her professors asked if she could use samples of Catherine’s creative writing on an overhead projector to teach was a dream come true. In 1988, she sold her first book to Harlequin Intrigue and went on to write three more before she tried her hand at a single-title historical romance. Nine books later, she did her first single-title contemporary.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

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

Related Posts

• By Catherine Anderson
• Same Genre