Waiting on You. Finished 1-16-17, rating 4.5/5, romance, 457 pages, pub. 2014

Blue Heron series #3  (1-The Best Man) (2-The Perfect Match)

Colleen O’Rourke is in love with love… just not when it comes to herself. Most nights, she can be found behind the bar at the Manningsport, New York, tavern she owns with her twin brother, doling out romantic advice to the lovelorn, mixing martinis and staying more or less happily single. See, ten years ago, Lucas Campbell, her first love, broke her heart… an experience Colleen doesn’t want to have again, thanks. Since then, she’s been happy with a fling here and there, some elite-level flirting and playing matchmaker to her friends.

But a family emergency has brought Lucas back to town, handsome as ever and still the only man who’s ever been able to crack her defenses. Seems like maybe they’ve got some unfinished business waiting for them—but to find out, Colleen has to let her guard down, or risk losing a second chance with the only man she’s ever loved.    from Goodreads

I love this series set in New York wine country.  The small town is charming, the people are eccentric and the dialogue is snappy.  As with the first two books I laughed out loud many times and was brought to tears at least once.  Higgins is so talented. I can’t wait to read everything she’s written.

Colleen, who owns the town bar with her twin brother, was in the first two books, but I was never really interested in her story.  Probably why it took me so long to start this one.  Colleen, it turns out, is a beautiful but somewhat broken 31 year old and I felt for her.  Lucas came to Manningsport broken by the deaths of his parents and he and Colleen found love.  Of course, young love rarely runs smooth and the two part ways.  I loved Colleen’s attempts to set up athletic Paulie with beautiful Bryce and her relationship with her half sister.

There were a few somewhat problematic parts for me on both sides, but in the end that’s what makes this one more real than some other romances.  They both did some unappealing things and in the end that made me cheer for them to find solace in each other all the more.