I received this book via I Am a Reader. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Not Always Happenstance by Rachael Anderson Series: Power of the Matchmaker,
Published by HEA Publishing on 2016-02-01
Length: 220 pages
Reviewing eARC from I Am a Reader
![](https://momwithareadingproblem.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/JDDiBooks-CBS-W-e1531416902596.png")
*** This book is part of the Power of the Matchmaker series that features one recurring character--the match maker--but it is a STAND-ALONE novel. ***
Lani has lived in Hana, Hawaii for five years. She's learned to surf, fish, dive, and manage her grandmother's bed and breakfast. She's also learned to take one day at a time the way it should be taken--relaxed and unrushed, savoring every moment.
But, like a large wave on the brink of breaking, her life is about to crash out of control. A proposal of marriage, a conniving grandmother, a cryptic Asian woman, and a handsome guest, and suddenly everything calm begins to churn, everything clear becomes confused, and all that was normal segues into peculiar.
As Lani struggles against the current to hold her ground, she realizes that she can either continue to fight and eventually lose, or take a take a leap of faith, hold her breath, and ride the wave wherever it takes her.
Not Always Happenstance by Rachael Anderson is the second book in the Power of the Matchmaker but can be read as a standalone. This fun, contemporary romance follows Lani. Lani is at a crossroads in her life. She must learn to trust her heart instead of head because if she doesn’t Lani risks losing something she didn’t know was missing.
Lani is such an easy character to relate to. She’s fun, outgoing, kind, sweet…the list goes on. BUT she has trust issues. Her dad ran out when she was a kid, her family isn’t close AT ALL, and her only constant in life is her grandmother. When her college sweetheart asks her to marry him after nine years and living an ocean apart, Lani has to decide if she loves him enough to leave the home she’s made in Hawaii or if it’s time to move on. I really felt for her on this! She loves Derek, but he isn’t IT….does that make sense?
Lani runs a bed and breakfast with her grandmother on one of the smaller Hawaiian islands, so this gives the author some leeway to have some fun characters. First there’s Pearl, the Matchmaker, the eccentric Asian lady who happens to show up for a room that people keep canceling and she stays the whole summer. And then there’s Easton. Easton is very mysterious. He shows up, rents the bungalow for the entire summer, but rather than see the tourist hot spots, he wants to see what the locals see. He’s a playboy who may have met his match in Lani.
The plot of the story is a sweet romance that blossoms between Lani and Easton. As I’ve already mentioned, Lani has some big decisions to make regarding Derek (her college sweetheart) and ultimately what she is looking for in life. Easton needs to learn how to love in earnest. Reading this story my heart broke for them over and over again because simple miscommunication or NO communication kept them from happiness.
Overall I really enjoyed this story. It’s sweet, funny, and a clean read which is hard to find in this genre anymore. If you enjoy contemporary romance, I highly recommend this and the rest of the books in Power of the Matchmaker. Each book in the series features a different couple helped along by Pearl. A new one is released the first of each month for 2016. It’s fun to see how each book ties to the next and I’m excited to read more!
Final Conclusion:
About Rachael Anderson
A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating. You can read more about her and her books online at rachaelreneeanderson.com.
Blog Tour $50 Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 2/29/16
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Leave a Reply