Review: Spoons by Ev Bishop

09 February of 2016 by ButtonsMom2003

Reviewer's Rating: 5

5.0Overall score

Spoons took me on an emotional ride that I won’t soon forget; I didn’t want to put it down.

Spoons By Ev Bishop

Women’s Fiction / Contemporary Romance

Released February 9, 2016

Winding Path Books

Series: River’s Sigh B & B, Book 3

Reviewed by ButtonsMom2003

There’s an extreme heat wave at River’s Sigh B & B, but things have never been colder between Noelle Archer and her husband Cade.

Dragged there for a reunion with Cade’s screwed up family, Noelle is confused, resentful—and considering divorce.

Noelle never would’ve predicted she’d be trapped in a loveless marriage, but Cade’s more distant and aloof than ever, plus she’s sure he had an affair. What other choice does she have? Husbands who cheat don’t become faithful, and wives who put up with it become bitter and lonely. She won’t have that for herself, and she won’t model that for her children.

Cade has always clung tightly to Noelle, his beloved daughters, and their life together. He’s not good at expressing himself, but he’s been confident, even cocky, that if he’s strong enough, works hard enough, provides well enough, Noelle will know how he feels. But now one moment of stupidity that wasn’t what it appeared has wrecked everything. He wants her to believe in him the way his parents and brothers never have, with no explanations necessary—but maybe that’s unfair.

He’ll swallow his pride. He’ll find the words. He’ll do anything to fix their relationship. But what if it’s too late? Can shattered love ever be restored?

Spoons took me on an emotional ride that I won’t soon forget; I didn’t want to put it down.

Spoons is the 3rd book in the River’s Sigh series (if you don’t count the novella New Year’s Resolution: One to Keep as #3) but can be read as a standalone. This is my absolute favorite so far but please consider reading the other books, too, as they are great.Spoons is a bit of a departure from the “normal” romance story (the author also lists the genre as Women’s Fiction). Spoons is about a married couple who’ve been together for a while but are now being torn apart. I think this story spoke to me so much because it’s about an established couple rather than young love. Don’t get me wrong, I love stories about new love, too, but they seem to be a bit more plentiful in my experience.

Noelle and Cade are married – and they have two beautiful little girls – but things aren’t good between them. They are attending a celebration for the 35th wedding anniversary of Cade’s parents but everyone knows that Cade’s father has been unfaithful to his wife many times. Noelle doesn’t see the point of celebrating a farce of a marriage. Cade’s brother, Callum, and his wife, Jo, own River’s Sigh B&B and the celebration will be held there.

The story centers on Noelle and Cade’s relationship and we slowly learn why things have gone bad between them. The scenario seems so plausible to me: Cade has buttoned himself up and doesn’t talk to Noelle anymore and she has become withdrawn from him. Because she thinks Cade had an affair, Noelle’s self-confidence is at an all-time low and she’s become the type of woman she never wanted to be: a bitch. Communication is key to any relationship but Noelle and Cade don’t seem to know how to communicate anymore.

I love how this story unfolds and, thanks to the descriptive and captivating writing of Ev Bishop, River’s Sigh is a place I wish was real so that I could go there. The strong cast of secondary characters – some of which were main characters in earlier books – help to enrich this story but you never lose sight of the fact that this book is about Noelle and Cade.

I shed many tears while reading this story, both sad and happy, and that’s part of the reason I loved it. Books that touch on my emotions are the best kind and this one fired on all cylinders.

Ev, please write faster – I want to read more stories set in the world of River’s Sigh B & B!

I almost forgot – I was a bit puzzled by the title of Spoons but it comes into play in a beautiful way in the story.