Thanks to Steph from Stephloves for recommending this book.

Levi Cutler and Jane Parks find themselves stranded in a gondola during a major surprise blizzard in the mountains outside Lake Tahoe. Thinking they are going to die, Levi calls his mother to say good-bye, but instead, tells her about his "girlfriend," Jane. When they survive, Levi is stuck with his lie and manages to convince Jane to pretend to be his girlfriend at his parents' 40th anniversary dinner. What happens after that changes both of their lives forever.

The Family You Make is a very sweet romance between two people who have lived through strife and come out of it with damaged hearts. The characters in this book are very well developed and are extremely likable. A wealth of funny and quirky supporting characters helps to make the leads' love story heartwarming and emotional. Even though the story is filtered a little through rose colored glasses, it is still an entertaining and poignant read. ( )

Jill writes the sweetest romance books. The Family You Make is no exception. Yes, they all start to seem like a Hallmark movie, but by the end you find yourself just as in love with the characters and the plot as you always do! ( )

What a wonderful start to a new series from one of my favorite, go-to authors! Jill Shalvis delivers not just one, but two romances, both featuring strong female characters who need to reconcile their present with their pasts and learn to let themselves be loved and to love in return.

I just loved both Levi and Jane and Mateo and Charlotte as couples. Both Levi and Jane need to learn to move on from how they have defined themselves from their pasts, learning to trust each other and not run when things get hard. Charlotte has to overcome issues from her past as well, and Matteo has just the right touch with her, being patient and giving her the space she needs to learn to trust herself and let someone into her life.

I love how Ms. Shalvis really drives home the point that family, especially for these characters, is the one you make, whether that is embracing those in the family you are born into, or finding your person or people to make your own family. There is a lot of emotion in this book that centers around this theme, and I loved every page of it!

As mentioned, I am a big fan of Jill Shalvis’s writing and find it easy to get lost in her stories. There is such a realness to the characters and she always manages to find a way to make her stories relatable. I’m happy this is the first in a new series and can’t wait to read more about the characters in Sunset Cove. This was another wonderful read that I would recommend to anyone! ( )

Thanks Goodreads FirstReads for my ARC.

Over the years, I had heard good things about Shalvis’ books. But, despite of having them on my to-read list and even in my personal library, this is the first one I’ve read. Clearly, I’ve been missing out.

Jane and Levi have a unique meet-cute story : a near-death experience suspended in a gondola hundreds of feet above the ground during a winter storm. Levi’s first thought was to call his family to convey good news and bad news. Only the bad news didn’t happen and he’s…stuck.

He has to make good on the fib he told his family. Family. The word had different meanings for each of them. For Levi, family, although loving and close, was smothering, claustrophobic, something to escape from. For Jane, family was abandonment. Her childhood resembled a pinball, being batted around to and fro. Her adult life was much the same, by choice. As a traveling nurse, she went where she was needed. Never staying in one place for very long. Her assignments were sometimes dangerous. This current one was not any less so. Matters of the heart usually are.

Told in alternating third person perspectives of Levi, Jane, and Charlotte. Jane met trauma surgeon Charlotte on a trip with Doctors Without Borders and was currently renting a room in her house. Technically, her landlord. But more a loyal, sincere, nurturing best friend. Charlotte’s story and love interest makes for an entertaining sub-plot.

Shalvis did not disappoint. I really enjoyed this book! It had it all : drama, romance, comedy and…life lessons. ( )

This story is about two couples, and three of whom are dealing with past personal problems that affect them forming new lasting relationships. A near-death experience in a ski gondola forms a bond between Jane and Levi. It also sets up the reason why Jane is Levi’s pretend girlfriend. The rest of the story follows these two and their two friends as they try to deal with changing emotions while falling in love. It was an interesting tale to begin with, but then seemed to drag a bit after a while with not much happening. The two female protagonists seemed a bit whiny, and the two males were beyond patient and understanding. Not a bad story for chick-lit, just not much to it. ( )