Moonlight Over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan is a heartwarming novel of love and new beginnings. Although this newest release is the sixth in the From Manhattan with Love series, it can be read as a standalone.

With both of her siblings finding love, Harriet Knight knows it is time for her start fighting her own battles. In order to do just that, she devises a "Challenge Harriet" plan to help her conquer her fears (of which there are quite a few). Since she has always been shy and lacking self confidence, Harriet's twin sister and brother protected during their tumultuous and dysfunctional childhood and this habit has continued well into adulthood. She continues to avoid confrontation and situations that make her uncomfortable, but Harriet knows if she is to find happiness, she has to be the person in control of her life. Although a little naive, Harriet is a kind, compassionate woman with a big heart and a soft spot for dogs. Which is exactly why she finds it so difficult to say no when Dr. Ethan Black asks her to temporarily stay with him while he is pet sitting his sister's rambunctious dog.

With a demanding career as an trauma doctor in the ER, Ethan puts in long hours so he does not have much of a personal life. He also discovered early on that he must shut down his emotions in order to effectively deal with the drama that comes with some his patients. This need for emotional distance coupled with his failed marriage have led him to the conclusion that he should not be in a relationship. Ethan is quick to surmise that Harriet is not one for casual dalliances, so he tries to tries to ignore his attraction to the very charming dog walker.

Their acquaintance is off to a bit of a rocky beginning due to Ethan's angry outburst and his uncomfortable questions about a very personal aspect of Harriet's life. His insistence she stay with him to help take care of his sister's dog is also rather heavy-handed and insensitive due to her insecurities. However, Harriet is unexpectedly feisty when her back is against the wall and she does not allow her discomfort to stop her from dealing with these challenges. Ethan also learns a lot about of himself when she calls him on his behavior. Harriet is surprisingly open to exploring their mutual desire and she has the self-respect to walk away when her emotional needs are not being met. With the future of their relationship in his hands, will Ethan find the courage to admit his feelings for her?

With an adorable canine, a gutsy heroine and a gruff hero, Moonlight Over Manhattan is an uplifting holiday romance. Harriet and Ethan are endearing characters who bring out the best in each other despite their rather inauspicious beginning. The romance between them is heartfelt and moves at a realistic pace. The inevitable conflict that threatens their future is believable and thankfully, short-lived. Old and new fans are sure to enjoy this latest addition to Sarah Morgan's delightful From Manhattan with Love series.
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DNF at 31%

Moonlight over Manhattan is another book I tried to read for the #HoHoHoRAT, but it really didn't work for me. The story was repetitive and I felt like the characters were on a loop. This book could have been a lot shorter if some of the repeated dialogue had been removed. There was also an oversharing of thoughts and feelings, and nothing was left to the imagination.


Both Ethan and Harriet were unbelievable characters. I didn't feel like their decisions and conversations were authentic, and it was exasperating trying to read through one of their interactions. Additionally, all of the characters sounded almost exactly the same. At one point Harriet was talking with an elderly lady, and I would often confuse the two. I kept having to stop, go back, and re-read a few paragraphs to figure out who was saying what.

Things fell into place a little too easily, and their situations weren't very believable. Also, some of the medical terminology was complex and went soaring over my head. I started skimming those parts because they weren't relevant to the overall story, and felt like a way for Ethan to show off. He may have been good at his job, but his arrogance was unattractive.

Ethan was mean and caused Harriet's stutter to resurface, but then he handled the situation too perfectly. He was apologetic, didn't finish her sentences, waited patiently, and had conveniently dated someone (a speech therapist maybe... I can't remember) who knew a lot about Harriet's condition. He referenced some of the things he'd learned while dating her, and them presumed to know everything about Harriet and what she was going through. It was obnoxious.

Speaking of Ethan, he was controlling and demanding. He put Harriet in uncomfortable situations and expected her to comply with his wishes (which she did). She saw his requests as an opportunity to challenge herself (to step outside of her comfort zone) even though she felt unsafe and wanted to do things differently. I hated how easily she gave in to his demands, and that everyone else approved because he was a doctor. That doesn't mean he isn't hiding an axe in his closet! It was insane. His personality, her decisions -- all of it.

Harriet was too perfect -- too innocent -- and therefore wasn't very relatable. If people like Harriet actually exist, they are few and far between. As an example, she attempted online dating, but seemed extremely surprised that people would lie on their profile pages. She was also incredibly friendly with homeless people (bought them food, gave them money, knew their life stories), and went out of her way to help the elderly (groceries, cooking, exercise). She avoided conflict, took everything at face value, never questioned people's decisions or stood up for herself, and was entirely too trusting.

After awhile I stopped caring enough to continue.


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Another wonderful addition to this growing series filled with heart, love, challenges, and just the right amount of steam. With characters to love, and a storyline to fall in love with, it's the perfect way to warm up this holiday reading season!


**copy received for review...full post on my blog 12/13/17! Stay tuned! ( )

This novel is the third installment of the From Manhattan With Love series, featuring Daniel and Fliss’s sister, Harriet. Harriet is the shy one who prefers dogs to people and who would love to have a home and family but doesn’t think she’ll ever get there. She has a hard time dating because her anxiety goes into overdrive. She tells herself that she’s happy with her dogs, her friends, and her family, but now that Fliss and Daniel have found the loves of their lives, she’s not just alone but lonely.

Enter Ethan Black, an ER physician Harriet encounters first when she injures her ankle extricating herself from a bad date and then again when Ethan is required to take care of his sister’s dog and Harriet is drafted from dog walking to dog sitting. Ethan is very much not a dog person, but he loves his sister and has a strong sense of responsibility, so there he is, saddled with a spaniel and Harriet.

Harriet is hesitant and nervous about dealing with Ethan, which brings out her long-buried stammer and makes her even more anxious. But she is determined to make sure Madi the dog is treated well, so she whips both Ethan and Madi into line.As they get to know each other she relaxes and Ethan discovers that there are women who will cook and make a home for themselves, not just to land a Hot Doctor.

Of course this is a romance, so there has to be conflict, and Ethan and Harriet both have barriers. Ethan is divorced, having discovered that he didn’t know how to make a marriage and a demanding job fit together in his life. Harriet is scarred from her difficult childhood and her parents’ awful marriage, and she’s resigned to not finding the kind of man who will love her for herself. But they’re both gorgeous and kind and warm and lovable, so of course they become attracted to each other. Ethan knows Harriet isn’t the one-night-stand type so he is careful with her, while meanwhile Harriet is thinking friends-with-benefits might just work out. There are hurdles along the way, but they feel like real-life hurdles.

I’m making this sound boring, but I wasn’t at all bored while I was reading. Sometimes you want a warm, fluffy blanket of a book about decent, loving people finding each other. I can totally see rereading this one.

Also, if you’ve read the McNeil brothers novels, the McNeils make an appearance late in the story and it was fun to see them again.

I think this my favorite of the From Manhattan With Love series. I love reading romances about people who are totally different from me but who clearly make the world a better place by being in it. ( )

Wonderful book, full of love, joy, dogs and Christmas spirit. I really loved Harriet and Ethan's characters and I fell in love with both of them. Wonderful book! ( )