He’s here to train her horses and then skip town. She’s keeping her true identity a secret. But their spark complicates both of their plans.
When Charlotte Honeycutt, owner of Stillwater Ranch, discovered her deceased mother’s safety deposit box, she was not expecting life-changing news inside—the long-hidden identity of her biological father and the location of her two half brothers, Gavin and Cooper Robinson. While her father’s location is unknown, her brothers have grown up in Riverbend Gap, just as she did. Charlotte is determined to know them, but she is unsure how the revelation of a new sister might be received. Fortunately, her plans to build a new stable on her horse farm coincide with this dilemma since Robinson Construction is the only game in town, and she jumps at the chance.
Horse trainer Gunner Dawson is averse to the idea of settling down—or having lasting connections of any kind. His time at Stillwater Ranch is only meant to be temporary, but the young woman he finds there isn’t at all who he expected. Despite an inner warning that she might threaten his peace of mind, he accepts the task of getting her training program off the ground. Before long, he’s not only working at the stables—Charlotte has somehow dragged him into a search for her biological father. And Gunner soon discovers he was right about his peace of mind. Meanwhile, an abused horse tugs at his heart, Charlotte’s brother becomes a loyal friend, and the town of Riverbend Gap is getting some kind of strange hold over him. He’s always run from connections before, but this time leaving seems harder than ever before.
Both Charlotte and Gunner will have to be honest with others and themselves if they have any hope of the future they’re both starting to long for.
Charming contemporary romance Stand-alone novel featuring characters from the Riverbend Gap Romances Perfect for fans of Rachel Hauck, Robin Lee Hatcher, Sherryl Woods, and Brenda Novak Includes discussion questions for book clubs
Denise Hunter is the award-winning author of more than 40 novels, three of which have been adapted into Hallmark movies.
Denise writes heartwarming, small-town romances, peopled with layered characters who have real-life issues. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.
In 1996, Denise began her first novel, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she's been writing ever since. Her books contain a strong romantic element, and her husband says he provides all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!
Denise and her husband live in Indiana, where they raised three sons, and are currently enjoying an empty nest.
I thought this series had ended with the stories of the three Robinson siblings and was happily surprised to find this continuation of it. I like this series a lot and always enjoy a trip back to Riverbend Gap, North Carolina with wonderful characters and a great setting where the Appalachian Trail runs through the small town. Apparently, there is a fourth sibling that no one knows about. Charlotte Simpson never knew her biological father but when her mother died, she discovered some pictures and newspaper clippings that gave her a hint but nothing definite. Charlotte is in a hard position to find answers and doesn't want to hurt other people in the process. Thankfully, she has a new horse trainer on her horse ranch to help with the ranch and he has a great listening ear and is willing to help her. Gunner Dawson carries his belongings on his Harley and has no roots, no family. He is there at the ranch for six months to help get Charlotte's training program up and running, including training a replacement and then he is off to work a Derby ranch in Kentucky. This book is full of questions, concerns, emotions, good and bad, and also new beginnings, and possibilities of more plus chemistry! Sweet story of forgiveness, grace, and trust. I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts and opinions.
Denise Hunter's middle name must be Romance. She keeps putting out wonderful stories full of romance and inspiration. This book takes us back to the Appalachian Mountains, and we revisit beloved characters from her previous series. This book can be a stand-alone because the author gives us the back stories, and the reader won't be at a loss. I enjoyed the bit of mystery and how the book ties up all the plots and subplots up into a wonderful bow. Highly recommend.
Lovely clean romance with a cowboy flair. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I had so many good feelings about this book. I love the way the author tells her story and brings you along with her.
The plot is unique and the way she weaves her magic is something to remember.
The main female character is looking for the father she never knew, and finding more than she bargained for is told in such a touching manner. It’s also fraught with land mines that could potentially hurt her along the way.
Her horse trainer is a wonderful companion and sounding board. They balance beautifully and I love their growing connection with each other. The author depicts them with caring, tender hearts and a friendship that can last forever.
Written with beautiful descriptions that will deliver you right into the community, Wildflower Falls is a clean romance, coupled with everything a sweeping women’s fiction story begs for. Family ties, strong characters, tender hearts, and a fabulous ending.
An amazingly heartwarming read. The Riverbend series can be read as a stand-alone book or in order. I will most definitely be going back and reading the rest of the series. Charlotte is still grieving the loss of her mother when she discovers some missing pieces from her past. The unconditional support she needs in this trying time comes from the most unexpected place, her temporary farm hand Gunner. This ended up being an uplifting book that was meant for my soul.
Do you enjoy heartwarming, small-town romance stories?
Denise Hunter impresses once more in her romance novel, “Wildflower Falls.”
Hunter opens this 4th installment (can stand-alone) in her romance series with Charlotte Simpson learning to run the horse farm, organizing the building of a boarding barn, and hiring a horse trainer after her other’s passing. As if this wasn’t enough to deal with, she discovered a secret that her mother had been hiding. Sharing the secret has two possible outcomes: 1) she could receive the emotional support that she’s been needing or 2) she could rip apart a family and cause trouble in Riverbend Gap. Hiring Gunner Dawson proves to be both a godsend and a source of frustration. Can he help Charlotte get the farm back in running order? Can he give her the emotional support she needs?
I loved the sibling tension, the slow-burning sweet romance, and solving the mystery. Hunter’s exploration of redemption, forgiveness, and family is wonderful.
My reaction to this book surprised me as I’m not a romance reader. I binge-read this one afternoon on the deck (binge reading - not something I expected to do with this genre) and wiped away a tear or two…This book came to me at just the right time, it deeply affected me and I’m prompted to search out this author’s backlist.
One of the best romance novels I’ve read.
If you love horses, sweet romance, small-town stories and sibling rivalry, this is one you’ll want to pop in your beach bag!
I was gifted this copy by Thomas Nelson and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Book 4 of the Riverbend Gap series, and it was fun to reconnect with the Robinson family. The story introduced Charlotte Simpson, who owns a horse ranch just outside of town. Upon the death of her mother, she discovers the identity of her biological father, connecting her to two of the Robinson brothers. Will they accept her into the family? To improve business at the ranch, she hires Gunner Dawson to offer horse training. He agrees to a temporary contract, preferring not to put down roots anywhere. Yet, somehow Charlotte captures his heart, making him reconsider his wandering ways. Will love win out? A delightful, clean, sweet romance with characters that capture your heart.
An amazingly heartwarming read. The Riverbend series can be read as a stand-alone book or in order. I will most definitely be going back and reading the rest of the series. Charlotte is still grieving the loss of her mother when she discovers some missing pieces from her past. The unconditional support she needs in this trying time comes from the most unexpected place, her temporary farm hand Gunner. This ended up being an uplifting book that was meant for my soul.
This is such a sweet romance as Charlotte tries to find a way to identify who her father is. She thinks she knows, but she only finds the information after her mother dies. She's always wanted to know the rest of her family story and now she has the chance to figure it out, but how can she do that without unintentionally hurting anyone? Gunner is only in town for a short while, just long enough to help her get a training program started at her ranch. But then he comes to care for her, but he can't let himself. He knows what happens when you lose everything and he won't open himself up again. This story is a richly layered story that pulls in beloved characters from the prior three books but will stand on its own. I truly enjoyed it.
There’s just something about this series that is so satisfying and relaxing to read. I think it’s a combination of the beautiful setting and the downright likable Robinson family. (I mean, how can you not have a crush on Cooper and Gavin?) So I was thrilled to see Denise Hunter had written another book in this series. It did not disappoint.
When Charlotte discovers she has two brothers, Gavin and Cooper Robinson, she's eager both to get to know them and to find her father. Getting Gavin to build the new barn on the ranch she inherited from her mother helps with the first part, and Gunner, her new horse trainer, seems eager to help her with the second. A childhood tragedy taught Gunner not to allow himself to get attached to anyone or anything - and he's had a fine life moving around regularly doing what he loves best: training horses. But there's something about Riverbend Gap - and Charlotte - that's making him start to break all his rules. Can Charlotte manage to find her father so she can forge relationships with her brothers on an honest footing? And can Gunner convince himself to really give love - and Charlotte - a chance, or are they both doomed to broken hearts?
This is a delightful, touching and at times heart-wrenching book, but overall a story of hope, family and growth. It was great to see Charlotte gradually finding and developing relationships with her family - and watching Gunner work to overcome his past. The redemption of previous 'bad' characters is also wonderful when done well (as here), so that was an added bonus. I also loved the way the ending beautifully tied up not just the book but the series - though it's definitely sad to have to say farewell to Riverbend Gap. At the same time, this can be read on its own without the previous books (though, fair warning: you're likely to want to read Cooper, Avery and Gavin's stories afterward anyway). All in all, a great book, highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Charlotte Honeycutt has inherited her family’s ranch after her Mom’s unexpected death and she finds a box that contains information regarding her biological father and two brothers, and she is anxious to meet them, and hopefully a relationship.
Gunnar Dawson is a horse trainer who is averse to finding a permanent setting(home), but Charlotte surprises him, she’s not what he expected, and staying around Riverbend starts to tug at his heartstrings. It doesn’t really go into why he doesn’t want to settle until toward the end, and I was glad to understand why Gunnar was averse to staying in one place for any length of time.
I really liked both Charlotte and Gunnar, both together and separately, but I wished that it showed Charlotte getting to know her brothers a little more, and their families. It was nice to see her getting to know her Dad but her brothers largely didn’t know they had a sister until towards the end of the novel. There was a lot of heartache getting to the end but Gunnar and Charlotte were able to find their HEA!
My gratitude to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson. All opinions expressed are mine.
I think this is the last one of the series. They're all standalone romances, but you'll get more out of the stories since the characters appear several times throughout the series. It was great catching up with the other characters and families and see what they were all up to.
Charlotte an Gunner are perfect for each other: she has a horse ranch and he's the horse trainer. She hires him to get the training program going, and he's only supposed to stay for 6 months, but when Charlotte confides in him, their friendship starts growing.
Both Charlotte and Gunner have a lot going on, and despite knowing his stay is temporary, they start falling for each other. He's there for her and she's there for him as well.
The theme of family, friendship, and loyalty is big, just like in the other stories. A lovely read!
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
After reading and falling in love with the characters of the first three Riverbend Gap series, I was thrilled when Denise Hunter wrote and continued the series with this fourth book. Each book in the series is a stand alone, but they each touch on the other stories/relationships along the way — I highly recommend reading them in order. In this book, the author introduces us to a new sibling of the beloved Robinson family. It’s a sweet story, of forgiveness, restoration, second chances, and of course romance. While I love Denise Hunter and will read anything she writes and absolutely love this series, this one could’ve used more character development; it felt a bit rushed and wrapped up too quickly. Overall I enjoyed it and look forward to reading Hunter’s next book.
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this advance copy read. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
From the very first line, "Charlotte Simpson had never stalked a man before.", to the heartwarming epilogue, Denise Hunter is at the top of her romance writing game. I will automatically read anything that has her name on it, such is my confidence in her ability to charm and entertain through a well written story.
Wildflower Falls is full of wonderful characters in a setting that begs a visit. It was a delight to return to Riverbend to spend time with the Robinson family we've come to know and love. The choices Charlotte and Gunner make will determine their future and I enjoyed my ringside seat as they worked towards their happy ever after.
I'm so looking forward to the next Denise Hunter book! Wherever she takes me, I'm all in! I appreciate Thomas Nelson making a copy of Wildflower Falls available for review. All thoughts and opinions are my very own.
I have read all four books in the Riverbend series and enjoyed them all. I hate to see the series come to an end. These books can be read as standalone books. Hunter can pull you in and her romance is so addicting. You won't be able to put the book down. The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.
Wildflower Falls was a good read that I was able to easily finish, even while trying to get out of a reading slump. Denise Hunter knows how to write romance novels that hold my attention and are interesting.
The characters were nice, although the romance was not a favorite of mine. I enjoyed the mystery of who her father was and seeing how she reconciled with family from that side.
All in all, Wildflower Falls was a good read and one I enjoy reading.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
Wildflower Falls is book four in the Riverbend Series by Denise Hunter. This book can be read as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend reading the entire series, you will fall in love with each person in this little town.
Charlotte Honeycutt and her half-sister, Emmerson inherited the Stillwater Ranch in Riverbend Gap when their mother passed away. She left them the ranch and an envelope full of secrets. Charlotte grew up on and loved the ranch and worked hard to do everything she could to keep it in the family. Emmerson wanted out, she wanted to sell the ranch and become a baker, which caused much tension between the sisters.
While going through their mom’s personal belongings, Charlotte found pictures of her half-brothers that she did not know she had, which led her on a search to find her biological father. Her brothers were very well known and successful men that lived in Riverbend and had been raised by their mom and stepfather. Charlotte wanted to find her father before letting her brothers know that she was their sister.
Gunner Dawson, a horse trainer, was hired temporarily at the Stillwater Ranch to help Charlotte get a training program with the horses started. He vowed to not get involved with Charlotte, his boss, but it was hard while spending so much time with her at work and helping her with her search for her father. He had to keep reminding himself that he was only working on the ranch for a short time and would be leaving to pursue his dream job in another town.
Will Gunner and Charlotte fall in love? Will she find her father and tell her half-brothers who she is? How will her sister feel about Charlotte looking for her father and finding out that Charlotte has brothers, will she feel left out? Read Wildflower Falls and you will not be disappointed.
Denise Hunter is one of the best story tellers. I get so wrapped up in her stories that I want to meet the characters and I don’t want to put the book down until it is finished. Her books are always clean and inspirational. She also includes discussion questions for book clubs.
I thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this book.
Denise Hunter's middle name must be Romance. She keeps putting out wonderful stories full of romance and inspiration. This book takes us back to the Applachian Mountains, and we revisit beloved characters from her previous series. This book can be a stand-alone because the author gives us the back stories, and the reader won't be at a loss. I enjoyed the bit of mystery and how the book ties up all the plots and subplots up into a wonderful bow. *I was given a copy of this book by Thomas Nelson Publishers. This is my honest opinion.
Wildflower Falls by Denise Hunter Riverbend #4 8h 11m narrated by Jessica Holton, 336 pages
Genre: Romance > Christian, Contemporary, Clean; Family
Featuring: North Carolina, Horse Ranch, Horse Trainer, Secret Baby Trope, Dual POVs, Family Dynamics, Trust Issues
Rating as a movie: PG-13
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌼⛲️🐎
My thoughts:📱3% 15:09 Ch. 2 - I don't remember these people. I remember the siblings from the previous books but not this girl, her mother, or ranch. I do remember the construction guy, I thought he was taken so that was weird.
This one took forever! I fell asleep several times because I was sleepy but couldn't stop. I wasn't even mad when I had to go back to Ch. 23 for the third time, I welcomed it. The story was pretty good, despite the MC checking out a married man, all is explained in the next chapter. MC is new but the characters from the previous books are all present. I hate secret baby tropes but this is how you do a secret baby trope. Loved it. Everything I have listed this as book 4 in a series but the publisher has it as a standalone related to the series on the description, even though the series is on the cover. I strongly disagree with these as not only will you be lost as the characters are written in a way that you are expected to know them in the first half of the book, but in the second half you will get a quick summary of everyone's story, so spoilers. Finally, it ends with to be continued, and they set it up for other characters to get a book as well as continued background stories for the original characters, definitely all part of the same series and book 4, not a standalone.
Recommend to others?: Yes! I loved this one so much more than the last book, it's such a great series.
I’ve never really particularly been a horse-lover, or cowboy-themed story fan. Wildflower Falls, by Denise Hunter, may have changed that for me. This story was everything I love in a romance. It was an absolute joy to read and ticked all the boxes for me: clean romance, light faith element, likable characters, clear communication (for the most part and understandably so), found family, recurring characters from previous stories, and a cozy setting.
Wildflower Falls is the fourth book in the Riverbend Gap series and though I have loved all of these stories, this may be my favorite. These stories are all inspiring, feel-good, and heart-warming to read…the perfect pick-me-up in story form. I always love reading series in order so you understand the subtleties and backstories of the extra characters, but these can be read as stand-alones, if you prefer.
Wildflower Falls is set in the country, alongside the mountains of North Carolina, bordered by the Appalachian Trail. Charlotte Simpson is trying to honor her late mother’s wishes to keep her horse ranch alive and thriving, even though it’s an uphill battle. Charlotte loves the ranch and it’s legacy and is willing to dig her heels in and do the work. In order to assist her efforts, she hires Gunnar Dawson, a short-term horse trainer who is highly skilled, truly gifted, and not hard on the eyes, but he is also a committed nomad, adverse to settling down.
Gunnar and Charlotte, slowly form a friends-to-something more connection, while struggling to work through their own haunting issues from the past. Simultaneously, Charlotte is facing resistance from her half-sister, Emerson, who wants to create her own life apart from the ranch, and feels threatened by Charlotte’s new search for her birth father. As Charlotte discovers a surprising connection to the Robinson brothers, who are conveniently building a new barn on her property, she is also faced with an impossible dilemma.
This plot has many meaningful facets and subplots. The characters, and the connections and interactions between them make for a captivating story. The themes of moving on from heartache of various kinds, as well as a second chance at love, is touching and inspiring. The aspect of found family and community is impactful. This story is a treasure and was a pleasure to read.
This book was kind of sad and it was also sweet and romantic.
This book is part of the Riverbend Gap series. This story revolved around a woman named Charlotte Simpson. She has a sister named Emerson. Charlotte’s mother passed away leaving her with grief. She learns that she might be related to the Robinson clan in the town. She has been looking to find her biological father.
Charlotte is starting a ranch where she will be training horses and other things. She ends up meeting a guy named Gunner Dawson. He applies for the job as a horse trainer on her ranch. He has experienced loss in his life. He is hoping to avoid it. Gunner has always gone place to place and home to home on his motorcycle. He ends up meeting Charlotte and the Robinson’s in town. He has committed to only stay a few months on the ranch. He didn’t count on falling for Charlotte along the way. His memories come back to haunt him urging him to leave until his heart gets in the way. This book was wonderful and I loved every minute of it.
I thought the last book in the Wildflower was the last of the series since every sibling in the Robinson family had their happily ever after story but apparently there is a long lost sibling, a girl. Charlotte grew up not knowing who her biological father. It was not until her mother died that she found a clue in her mother's belongings. This lead her to the possiblity that she is related to the Robinsons. It was interesting to follow her journey to who her biological father is. She did not let the Robinson clan in on who she really was and some were irritated when they found out who she kept that information from her. Loved the developing relationship with her hired hand Gunner but Gunner had commitment issues that steemed from childhood trauma.
I highly recommend this book to fans of Denise Hunter. You will not be disappointed. I received a complimentary edition of this book. All opinions are my completely my own..
I thought the last book in the Wildflower was the last of the series since every sibling in the Robinson family had their happily ever after story but apparently there is a long lost sibling, a girl. Charlotte grew up not knowing who her biological father. It was not until her mother died that she found a clue in her mother's belongings. This lead her to the possiblity that she is related to the Robinsons. It was interesting to follow her journey to who her biological father is. She did not let the Robinson clan in on who she really was and some were irritated when they found out who she kept that information from her. Loved the developing relationship with her hired hand Gunner but Gunner had commitment issues that steemed from childhood trauma.
I highly recommend this book to fans of Denise Hunter. You will not be disappointed. I received a complimentary edition of this book. All opinions are my completely my own..
Wildflower Falls is another excellent book in the Riverbend series by Denise Hunter. This book will pull you in from the first page and you'll once again be visiting the Robinson family. With her mother's recent death, Charlotte discovers she may have a family she didn't know about. As always, Ms. Hunter has packed this book with family drama, secrets, and new beginnings. I loved the small-town feel of family and friends helping each other. Thanks to the author Denise Hunter, publisher Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
This one and the first two books in the series were just not my favorites and I struggled to connect to the stories. I recommend book 3 and I think that one could easily be read as a stand-alone. If I had been a horse person this one might have been more enjoyable. Nothing wrong with the story just wasn’t a fav for me. I know many have enjoyed this series but it hasn’t been my favorite series by DH. It is fun for fall though. It also should be noted that this would be marketed more as a clean women’s fiction/romance series over inspirational-very little faith elements.
I have long been a fan of Denise Hunter and I truly enjoyed this book as well. In fact, when I found out that this book was part of a larger series, I went back and found all of the earlier books and got caught up in the storyline so that I could fully enter into the world of these characters. As always, Denise Hunter delivers a story that is well worth reading and provides wholesome clean romance you can truly feel good about!
I received a free copy of, Wildflower Falls, by Denise Hunter, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book four of A Riverbend Romance series. After her mother death, Charlotte is looking for her biological father. Charlotte hires Gunner to help her with her horses. This is such an engaging read, though I do not like secrets and lies, Charlotte's mother new told her who her father was, which is ridiculous.
This is another beautifully written story by Denise Hunter. Charlotte and Gunner are two strong yet vulnerable people who find one another's hearts on the horse ranch that she and her sister have inherited. Charlotte is working with everything she has to save the ranch as the third generation of owners. Her half sister, Emerson, seems to be pulling against her while pulling away from the ranch itself. Realizing she needs to offer specialty training for vulnerable and abused horses the older sister hires a professional horse trainer, Gunner, who has a stellar reputation. Charlotte is carrying a secret. Among her mother's private files she finds paperwork that leads to the possibility of her own biological brothers and father. Carefully she seeks to learn the truth. This is a great story about family, loss, home, secrets, devastation, and so much more. I received this advanced reader's copy from the publisher and NetGalley. It works as a stand-alone but I do recommend the other books in the series because it's such a wonderful set of characters and storylines. The Robinson family is a special centerpiece of the books. I did read Wes and Avery's story in the past and loved it also. I really like that I was able to see Emerson's side of the story in this book. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy a clean, yet stirring romance that feels part of an emotional life filled with realistic challenges story.