REVIEW: Love, Alabama by Susan Sands

Love, Alabama (Alabama #2) by Susan Sands is the second book in the Alabama series, but it reads like a stand alone book. This is a book about secrets, finding love, fighting for what you believe and is just a really good feel good book. This is the story of Emma and Matthew.

Emma Laroux is a former Miss Alabama, until ten years ago she gave up her crown, gave up her chance at Miss America, and nobody knows exactly why. All Emma remembers is that something happened to her, and a kind man helped her when she needed it most. Now Emma is a pageant coach, helping the next generation win the crown. While helping her sister with her new cooking show, she did not count on felling the strong pull of attraction with the new director, Matthew Pope.

Matthew knew the minute that he layed eyes on Emma that she is the girl he helped all those years ago, but she does not remember him, does not remember that night, and he figures he will put off telling her the truth, for now. But the more time that Emma and Matthew spend together, the more that they are drawn to each other and the harder it is for him to come clean.

When Emma’s ex and the town mayor starts causing trouble for Matthew and Emma, and issues with Matthew’s mother starts to cause problems and doubts, it will take Emma’s family and friends to get these two back on track.

What I loved about Emma and Matthew is that they had true feelings for each other. Matthew really cared about Emma and did not want her hurt. I love the way that he took care of his mother, and the way that he took responsibility for not coming clean with Emma. I loved Emma, an felt bad for her. Her ex Tad took advantage of her, and she was in the dark about it. He caused Emma to doubt Matthew, but when she learned the truth, she did what ever it took to let him know how sorry she was for her doubts, because she really knew him, deep down, she really knew that he was not the man that Tad tried to make him out to be.

This is an amazing little summer read that will keep make you smile. I look forward to more in this series.

Book Info:

Publication: April 13th 2016 | The Tule Publishing Group | Alabama #2

Emma Laroux’s life is nearly perfect. She lives in the small town of Ministry, Alabama, where she grew up, surrounded by family and friends, and owns a thriving pageant-coaching business. Emma almost never concerns herself with the town gossip that she’s a has-been former beauty queen, admittedly a gorgeous one.

Television director Matthew Pope wonders what kind of karmic sin he’s committed along the way that takes him from Manhattan and lands him back here in Podunk, Alabama, not two hours from his own home town full of bad blood and disastrous memories, to direct a new Southern cooking show for the network.

Matthew recognizes Emma as the former Miss Alabama he’d rescued from a difficult and desperate situation ten years before. Emma doesn’t recognize Matthew because she’d been drugged at a frat party that night.

Tad Beaumont, the mayor of Ministry, Alabama, is Emma’s ex-boyfriend and a controlling narcissist, and unbeknownst to Emma, has manipulated circumstances, making certain Emma’s dating relationships have never progressed.

Matthew helps Emma realized what’s been missing from her life as they discover a deep connection and budding relationship. A huge sin of omission and Tad’s well-placed lies and manipulations might cost them their future together.

Can Emma forgive and learn to trust Matthew after ten years of keeping men at arm’s length?

Can Matthew overcome his weighty emotional baggage after returning home to face his own demons of the past?