Crazy For You By Susan May Warren & Michelle Sass Aleckson

Crazy For You

by Susan May Warren & Michelle Sass Aleckson

Publisher: Sunrise Publishing

Series: Deep Haven Collection

ISBN: 978-1953783059

I have loved A Deep Haven Collection so much, there was NO way I was going to pass up joining the launch team for book 3! Smart move because it didn't disappoint!

Summary:

The problem with being related to everyone in town is that there is no one left to date…until now…but will this outsider survive his family?

Former soldier Veronica “Ronnie” Morales isn’t going to let her kid brother, Tiago, get pulled into the gangs of Minneapolis, so, seeking safety and a fresh start, she heads to sleepy Deep Haven on the north shore of Minnesota. She’s hoping to put down roots as the paramedic for the new Crisis Response Team, but it’s not easy to be the town outsider.

Fire Chief Peter Dahlquist is a peacemaker—he has to be. After he’s related to both of the Deep Haven dynasties – the Zimmermans and the Dahlquists, Deep Haven’s version of the Hatfields and the McCoys. Worse, Peter is the holdout vote for a landmark project, which also makes him the loneliest guy in town when both sides demand that he pick sides. The only one who seems to understand his plight is the newcomer in town…his pretty, street-tough paramedic.

When Tiago finds himself caught up in small town shenanigans and the town blames Ronnie for tragedy, Peter is forced to pick sides. But will his choice cost him the home—and the woman—he loves?

My Review:

I was so happy to be back in Deep Haven with book 3! This time we meet the tough Ronnie who is missing what we like to call "Minnesota nice". I have to admit, I absolutely did NOT like her for most of the book. She was rude, disrespectful, and hurtful to those she was just meeting in this little town. Now, that being said, when you get to know her background, you get an idea of why she's rough around the edges... and maybe a bit deeper. That being said, she still wasn't a character I had warm fuzzies for. 

Well, Peter, Mr. Fire Fighter, got a sampling of her gruffness almost immediately. The one person she needs to win over to have any hope of keeping her new job and she starts off on the wrong foot. Man, I felt bad for him. Everyone loves him, but unfortunately, a lot of people are pushing him in directions he's not sure he wants to go in. The fella is feeling the pressure of everyone around him, mostly his family. This is where Ronnie's no nonsense ways give him the kick in the pants he needs. 

Like Ronnie, I always think sleepy, little towns are quiet pieces of paradise. As the story unfolds, it's a great reminder that you don't have to live in a big city for kids to make poor choices, that families fight, and that they have a lot of the same needs. Tiago, Ronnie's little brother, is a great example of this. It seems like no matter where this boy goes trouble finds him, not the other way around as some of the people seemed to think.

Ronnie and Tiago are sadly, good examples of how hard lives can when they don't have a stable force of loving parents or adults in their lives. Peter, on the other hand, is a good example of what a gift loving parents can be, even when they're most definitely not perfect. The rift between both sides of his family does a lot of damage and is shows how deep bitterness can go.

As always, I appreciate the line of faith that flows through the story. One of my favorite parts is when Pastor Dan gives Peter a pep talk! 

I could definitely feel the thread of all three books flowing together even when they're written by three different authors with Susan May Warren. So many of the characters are carried over and the feel for the town has certainly stayed the same.

About the Authors:

Susan May Warren is the USA Today best-selling novelist of 80 books. With more than 1.5 million books in print, she is beloved by reviewers and readers around the world. Visit Susan at www.susanmaywarren.com. 

Michelle Sass Aleckson lives the country life in central Minnesota with her own hero and their four kids. She loves rocking out to 80's music on a Saturday night and getting lost in good stories-especially stories that shine grace. And if you're wondering, yes, Sass is her maiden name. Visit Michelle at www.michellealeckson.com.