Short Take Reviews: The Greene Family series by Piper Rayne | Books #0.5 - #3

I was recently in the mood for something short and sweet so I picked up My Twist of Fortune on a whim. And I’m so glad I did! This prequel novella to the Green Family series checked all my boxes and was the perfect introduction to the loud, boisterous, meddling, blended Greene family. There's a time jump between the prequel novella and the rest of the series and subsequent books follow each of the (now grown) Greene kids. I'm excited to continue the series, but for now here are my thoughts through book #3.

MY TWIST OF FORTUNE

by Piper Rayne

Greene Family series #0.5

Pub date: February 4, 2021

Marla returns to Sunrise Bay, Alaska with her four children after divorcing her cheating husband. Determined to make a fresh start in her hometown, she almost immediately encounters Hank Greene, her husband’s cousin. They had feelings for one another in high school but never acted on them. Hank, a widower with five children of his own, is ready to (finally) pursue a relationship with Marla but knows there are hurdles to cross – from their kids and from the small-town gossip that spreads like wildfire.

This was my first book from the writing duo of Piper Rayne and I was hooked from the very start. I loved this story of two people of a certain age, who had been dealt some tough hands, but were willing to take a chance on one another to find lasting happiness. With a perfect mix of sweet and steamy plus some humor, I enjoyed this series starter from beginning to end. 4 STARS

MY BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBOR

by Piper Rayne

Greene Family series #1

Pub date: February 23, 2021

Cade is the eldest of the siblings in the blended Greene clan. He runs a local brewery with his stepbrother Jed, and has a good life, even if his love life is lacking. When he sees a stranger in the bar one day he’s instantly intrigued. Presley has come to Sunrise Bay for the reading of her mother’s will – the biological mother that she never met. Meeting her sister throws a wrench in Presley’s plans and she decides to stay in town and open her own business in the building she inherited. While Cade and Jed were hoping to expand their business into the space next to the brewery, a plan now foiled with Presley’s arrival, Cade is much more interested in the new owner than his business plan.

Jumping from the prequel novella to this first book and seeing all the Greene kids grown up was such a treat! As the oldest, Cade took his role as big brother seriously and was always looking out for his siblings. Presley was a little prickly at first, unwilling to accept the kindness and friendship of those in Sunrise Bay, but it was understandable considering her background and her feelings concerning her biological family. Once she came around, look out, because she and Cade were off and running. I thoroughly enjoyed this small-town romance and the tight knit Greene family. The family matriarch, Grandma Ethel, was super sassy and not above meddling as she saw fit – and provided plenty of comic relief. With an ending that provided one surprising set-up for the next book, My Beautiful Neighbor was a real treat. 4 STARS

MY ALMOST EX

by Piper Rayne

Greene Family series #2

Pub date: April 6, 2021

Adam has been struggling for the past year, ever since his wife walked out with little explanation, ending what he thought was an idyllic marriage to his high school sweetheart. His heartbreak quickly turns to anger and confusion when she returns to Sunrise Bay and approaches him as if all is well. After an accident, Lucy has a form of amnesia and has come back to Sunrise Bay to reclaim her life, and hopefully her memories. The husband she remembers is now distant and angry but still agrees to help her as she attempts to piece together her memories and try to understand why she left Adam, the man she’s always loved.

I’m a sucker for a second chance romance and this one gave me all the feels. I seriously loved Adam and Lucy and my heart ached for them as they took small steps to reconnect. Adam was devastated when Lucy left and was hesitant to trust again. And Lucy desperately wanted answers on why she walked away from Adam and their life together. I adored these two characters, and they truly captured my heart. Grandma Ethel continued to provide some comic relief and the warm, supportive presence of the entire Greene family made My Almost Ex my favorite in the series so far. 4 STARS

MY VEGAS GROOM

by Piper Rayne

Greene Family series #3

Pub date: May 18, 2021

While on a girl’s trip to Vegas, Nikki wakes up to a strange man in the shower… and a ring on her finger. Finding herself married to MMA fighter Logan Stone is a shock and she returns home determined to put it behind her. But she gets a bigger shock when Logan arrives in Sunrise Bay, meets the family, and announces he’s there to make their marriage work.

Nikki’s reports on the town gossip on-air every day at her job at the radio station. Suddenly, with Logan in town, the gossip is about her. I struggled a bit with Nikki because she hasn’t been my favorite character among the Greene family siblings. Her job is literally spreading gossip and rumors, and no one was immune, not even family members. The shining star for me was Logan. What a sweetheart! He was so certain that he and Nikki were meant to be, and he was willing to make sacrifices to make it happen. His patience with Nikki and her trust issues was seemingly unlimited, and I loved his willingness to put his heart on the line. Once again, Piper Rayne gave an ending that provided a big set-up for the next book, and I can’t wait to read more about the close-knit Greene family. 3.75 STARS

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