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Porter Siblings #1
All They Need
After all Melanie Porter has been through recently, it's time to put her dreams first. And she starts by opening a vacation retreat outside of Melbourne. As she considers her next step, the unexpected happens. One of her guests--a friend--the "very" attractive Flynn Randall makes it clear he's in pursuit. Mel is definitely tempted. Who wouldn't be?
But Flynn comes with strings that could derail her plans. First, he's part of the world she eagerly left behind. Second, he's ready for a commitment, while she's still embracing life on her own.
A resolution seems impossible until Mel proves that she's still in the driver's seat!
But Flynn comes with strings that could derail her plans. First, he's part of the world she eagerly left behind. Second, he's ready for a commitment, while she's still embracing life on her own.
A resolution seems impossible until Mel proves that she's still in the driver's seat!
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
8 people are currently reading
788 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Mayberry
158 books1,149 followersSarah Mayberry was born in Melbourne, Australia, and is the middle of three children. From the time that she first “stole” paper from kindergarten and stapled it together to make “books,” Sarah has always wanted to be a writer. In line with this ambition, on graduation from high school she completed a bachelor of arts degree majoring in professional writing, then sat down to write a book. When inspiration didn’t strike, she began to wonder if, perhaps, she needed to live some life first before writing about it.
This still left the burning question of how to pay the rent. She found her way into trade journalism, working off the principle that it was better to write anything for a living than nothing at all. Her time there lead to the opportunity to launch a new decorator magazine for one of Australia’s major retailers, an invaluable and grueling experience that she found very rewarding.
But the opportunity to write fiction for a living soon lured Sarah away. She took up a post as storyliner on Australia’s longest running soap, Neighbours. Over two years she helped plot more than 240 hours of television, as well as writing freelance scripts. She remembers her time with the show very fondly — especially the dirty jokes and laughter around the story table — and still writes scripts on a freelance basis.
In 2003 she relocated to New Zealand for her partner’s work. There Sarah served as storyliner and story editor on the country’s top-rating drama, Shortland Street, before quitting to pursue writing full time.
Sarah picked up a love of romance novels from both her grandmothers, and has submitted manuscripts to Harlequin many times over the years. She credits the invaluable story structuring experience she learned on Neighbours as the key to her eventual success — along with the patience of her fantastic editor, Wanda.
Sarah is revoltingly happy with her partner of twelve years, Chris, who is a talented scriptwriter. Not only does he offer fantastic advice and solutions to writing problems, but he’s also handsome, funny and sexy. When she’s not gushing over him, she loves to read romance and fantasy novels, go to the movies, sew and cook for her friends. She has also become a recent convert to Pilates, which she knows she should do more often.
This still left the burning question of how to pay the rent. She found her way into trade journalism, working off the principle that it was better to write anything for a living than nothing at all. Her time there lead to the opportunity to launch a new decorator magazine for one of Australia’s major retailers, an invaluable and grueling experience that she found very rewarding.
But the opportunity to write fiction for a living soon lured Sarah away. She took up a post as storyliner on Australia’s longest running soap, Neighbours. Over two years she helped plot more than 240 hours of television, as well as writing freelance scripts. She remembers her time with the show very fondly — especially the dirty jokes and laughter around the story table — and still writes scripts on a freelance basis.
In 2003 she relocated to New Zealand for her partner’s work. There Sarah served as storyliner and story editor on the country’s top-rating drama, Shortland Street, before quitting to pursue writing full time.
Sarah picked up a love of romance novels from both her grandmothers, and has submitted manuscripts to Harlequin many times over the years. She credits the invaluable story structuring experience she learned on Neighbours as the key to her eventual success — along with the patience of her fantastic editor, Wanda.
Sarah is revoltingly happy with her partner of twelve years, Chris, who is a talented scriptwriter. Not only does he offer fantastic advice and solutions to writing problems, but he’s also handsome, funny and sexy. When she’s not gushing over him, she loves to read romance and fantasy novels, go to the movies, sew and cook for her friends. She has also become a recent convert to Pilates, which she knows she should do more often.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
January 2, 2012
I thought this was an amazing and heartbreaking read for a category romance!
There is a scene early on in the bk when the hero is still dating his GF before the heroine. The GF movingly proposes marriage to the hero, complete with ring in hand and on bended knee. It's agonizing for a variety of reasons. The hero realizes that he had been leading the GF on and hates hurting a friend he has known since childhood. I also felt sorry for the GF whose only flaw seems to be that she wasn't The One. It's also agonizing since like most readers, I dont like seeing a scene of such intimacy between the hero and someone who isn't the heroine.
However, the true beauty of that scene is how it informs the rest of the novel. From drawing parallels later in the bk when the heroine herself offers her key in hand as a symbol of her love to reminding me that the hero does have weaknesses when he is seen as The Perfect Man for the rest of the story. This is a well-crafted bk with few scenes wasted. There is a secondary storyline about the hero's loving parents dealing with the early stages of Alzheimer's and the realistic way it was depicted had me crying my eyes out.
Setting: Australia
Trope: Amazonian heroine (yes, Xena and Wonder Woman are mentioned)
Grade: A-
There is a scene early on in the bk when the hero is still dating his GF before the heroine. The GF movingly proposes marriage to the hero, complete with ring in hand and on bended knee. It's agonizing for a variety of reasons. The hero realizes that he had been leading the GF on and hates hurting a friend he has known since childhood. I also felt sorry for the GF whose only flaw seems to be that she wasn't The One. It's also agonizing since like most readers, I dont like seeing a scene of such intimacy between the hero and someone who isn't the heroine.
However, the true beauty of that scene is how it informs the rest of the novel. From drawing parallels later in the bk when the heroine herself offers her key in hand as a symbol of her love to reminding me that the hero does have weaknesses when he is seen as The Perfect Man for the rest of the story. This is a well-crafted bk with few scenes wasted. There is a secondary storyline about the hero's loving parents dealing with the early stages of Alzheimer's and the realistic way it was depicted had me crying my eyes out.
Setting: Australia
Trope: Amazonian heroine (yes, Xena and Wonder Woman are mentioned)
Grade: A-
October 17, 2011
I really enjoyed All They Need though it took a while to take off but I could feel the pain of Flynn and Mel, Flynn dealing with losing his father to Alzheimer's, standing helplessly and unable to do anything for the man he adored and Mel and how she dealt with the fact that she, a strong vivacious woman, allowed her marriage to completely suppress so much so that she couldn't accept what Flynn was offering and was scared of life and to take risks.
When the book opens we see Flynn attending a party of one of the wealthy, after all he is part of the society and noticing Mel as he always has with her jerk of her husband.
Eighteen months later, Flynn's life has changed after his father's diagnosis, he has left his dream business of gardening behind while Mel is finally living her life after her divorce is through, struggling to understand how she allowed her self-esteem to pounded so much.
Slowly, Flynn and Mel come in contact again and again and Mel is wary of anything, Flynn knows that but he still falls for her. I loved the moment when Mel finally opened up about how bad her marriage was, that was one poignant moment because she knew she was hurting Flynn and she needed him to know why.
At this moment you feel like hugging them both and telling Mel to take a chance. I loved Flynn how good he was to his parents and even Mel, even when she said that she couldn't give him much.
A book that tugs at your heartstrings.
When the book opens we see Flynn attending a party of one of the wealthy, after all he is part of the society and noticing Mel as he always has with her jerk of her husband.
Eighteen months later, Flynn's life has changed after his father's diagnosis, he has left his dream business of gardening behind while Mel is finally living her life after her divorce is through, struggling to understand how she allowed her self-esteem to pounded so much.
Slowly, Flynn and Mel come in contact again and again and Mel is wary of anything, Flynn knows that but he still falls for her. I loved the moment when Mel finally opened up about how bad her marriage was, that was one poignant moment because she knew she was hurting Flynn and she needed him to know why.
At this moment you feel like hugging them both and telling Mel to take a chance. I loved Flynn how good he was to his parents and even Mel, even when she said that she couldn't give him much.
A book that tugs at your heartstrings.
October 31, 2012
If I had to highlight just one thing Mayberry does that elevates her books above the rest, I would have to choose the way she writes disagreements. Her characters act out at each other from a place of insecurity that feels true to the complicated, flawed little monkeys we all are. They say the same stupid things and make the same silly mistakes we all do, then get to resolve them like we'd all love to. The end result is a powerful, engrossing story where you're rooting for the couple with your whole heart.
Our heroine is Melanie Porter, recently divorced and the new owner of a string of vacation cottages. It's been 18 months since she'd left her wealthy husband and she's slowly undoing the damage he'd wreaked on her self-esteem and emotional state with his constant verbal abuse. When our hero arrives with his girlfriend to stay in one of her cottages she finds she's still got a long way to go. Flynn Randall was present at the Melbourne society party that proved to be the end of her marriage, and despite he and his girlfriend being perfectly friendly to her, she still can't help the panic and worry that she doesn't measure up and that they're silently judging her. Little does she know, though, that she wouldn't be the only one feeling awkward that day.
You see, Flynn had come to the area just to meet with a real estate agent about Summerlea, a historic estate with famous gardens that he's coveted since he was a young boy. When he gets back to the cottage, however, he discovers that his girlfriend had another goal in mind. Blindsided by her heartfelt marriage proposal, he realizes how thoughtless he's been with her feelings. Preoccupied with his father's recent diagnosis of Alzheimer's and his taking the reins of the family company as its CEO, he'd fallen into a comfortable relationship without considering what expectations she might have. After awkwardly turning her down, he returns their key to Mel, and heads back home.
They meet again when Flynn comes up to inspect Summerlea, which he's decided to buy, and thus begins the courtship dance of one gun-shy divorcee and a guy with way too much on his plate to be looking for love.
Before I get into the disagreements I alluded to in the first paragraph, I should point out that the characters do something fairly rare in romance - they share a passion for a particular hobby. Both Flynn and Mel are avid gardeners and gardening plays a major role in their romance. It's the safe topic of conversation and the window to their hidden selves at the same time. It's an excuse for Mel to visit Flynn without breaking her no dating rule. It's how Flynn ends up meeting all of Mel's family. And it never feels contrived because you see their love of gardening is genuine. You can just tell that well after their HEA, they'll be working together on their enormous gardens in companionable silence.
And thank heavens they had something neutral to talk about, because they'd have died of mixed signals without it. This was sort of a bizarro world romance in that the heroine was the commitment-averse headcase running hot then cold and the hero was the self-sacrificing, ever patient rock willing to do what it takes to win her love. Her ex-husband all but obliterated her sense of self and she's scared to death of getting involved with a guy again. The panic rears its head when she and Flynn first try making out in her kitchen:
And so we arrive at why I'm not giving this five stars. I thought Flynn and Mel were great characters working through a perfectly believable and entirely reasonable conflict. However, the book needed to be twenty pages longer to give the conflict more time to resolve. We went from never marrying again, never sharing a home again, full stop, to here's the spare key to my house, you were right, Flynn, in a single chapter. It was too fast, both for the pace of the narrative and for the characters within the book, since it was dispensed with in just a few weeks. Real problems like theirs deserved more respect. I would have preferred more of a work in progress ending than their neat, tidy HEA. Also, Flynn was kind of too perfect. It's a precious sort of complaint, but there it is. If he were a heroine, he'd get called a martyr.
All They Need was a delightful read that packed an emotional wallop. I never stopped cheering for them to find their happiness. Not even when they put beetroot and egg on their hamburgers.
Our heroine is Melanie Porter, recently divorced and the new owner of a string of vacation cottages. It's been 18 months since she'd left her wealthy husband and she's slowly undoing the damage he'd wreaked on her self-esteem and emotional state with his constant verbal abuse. When our hero arrives with his girlfriend to stay in one of her cottages she finds she's still got a long way to go. Flynn Randall was present at the Melbourne society party that proved to be the end of her marriage, and despite he and his girlfriend being perfectly friendly to her, she still can't help the panic and worry that she doesn't measure up and that they're silently judging her. Little does she know, though, that she wouldn't be the only one feeling awkward that day.
You see, Flynn had come to the area just to meet with a real estate agent about Summerlea, a historic estate with famous gardens that he's coveted since he was a young boy. When he gets back to the cottage, however, he discovers that his girlfriend had another goal in mind. Blindsided by her heartfelt marriage proposal, he realizes how thoughtless he's been with her feelings. Preoccupied with his father's recent diagnosis of Alzheimer's and his taking the reins of the family company as its CEO, he'd fallen into a comfortable relationship without considering what expectations she might have. After awkwardly turning her down, he returns their key to Mel, and heads back home.
They meet again when Flynn comes up to inspect Summerlea, which he's decided to buy, and thus begins the courtship dance of one gun-shy divorcee and a guy with way too much on his plate to be looking for love.
Before I get into the disagreements I alluded to in the first paragraph, I should point out that the characters do something fairly rare in romance - they share a passion for a particular hobby. Both Flynn and Mel are avid gardeners and gardening plays a major role in their romance. It's the safe topic of conversation and the window to their hidden selves at the same time. It's an excuse for Mel to visit Flynn without breaking her no dating rule. It's how Flynn ends up meeting all of Mel's family. And it never feels contrived because you see their love of gardening is genuine. You can just tell that well after their HEA, they'll be working together on their enormous gardens in companionable silence.
And thank heavens they had something neutral to talk about, because they'd have died of mixed signals without it. This was sort of a bizarro world romance in that the heroine was the commitment-averse headcase running hot then cold and the hero was the self-sacrificing, ever patient rock willing to do what it takes to win her love. Her ex-husband all but obliterated her sense of self and she's scared to death of getting involved with a guy again. The panic rears its head when she and Flynn first try making out in her kitchen:
She started pushing his jeans down, her hands frantic. He smiled against her mouth.Baggage: Mel has some.
"Slow down, babe. We've got all night," he murmured. His tone was light, but his words hit her like a slap.
Suddenly she could hear Owen's voice in her head, cold with condemnation and disgust.
Did it ever occur to you that maybe I'd like to take the lead now and again?
It's not a porn shoot, Mel. Do you have to make so much noise?
Could you at least try to pretend you're not always gagging for it? And you wonder why I don't like you talking to other men.
She jerked away from Flynn's kiss, her whole body tense. She tried to turn away from him but he caught her shoulders.
And so we arrive at why I'm not giving this five stars. I thought Flynn and Mel were great characters working through a perfectly believable and entirely reasonable conflict. However, the book needed to be twenty pages longer to give the conflict more time to resolve. We went from never marrying again, never sharing a home again, full stop, to here's the spare key to my house, you were right, Flynn, in a single chapter. It was too fast, both for the pace of the narrative and for the characters within the book, since it was dispensed with in just a few weeks. Real problems like theirs deserved more respect. I would have preferred more of a work in progress ending than their neat, tidy HEA. Also, Flynn was kind of too perfect. It's a precious sort of complaint, but there it is. If he were a heroine, he'd get called a martyr.
All They Need was a delightful read that packed an emotional wallop. I never stopped cheering for them to find their happiness. Not even when they put beetroot and egg on their hamburgers.
May 5, 2014
Okay, Flynn is just unbelievably yummy. And by that, I mean completely believably, but in that rare, "this is just a really good guy" kind of way. How can you not fall in love with this guy? The genius of Mayberry is that he's not so perfect as to throw you out of the story or to make you stop and think he's too much. And Mel is the first romance heroine I can think of who is a big, even strapping woman with all that entails (along the lines of Heyer's The Toll-Gate, but with more effect on events). Not that she's unfeminine at all, just that she's tall and strong and she knows it.
I do have to admit that Mel frustrated me, a bit. I have no personal understanding of emotional abuse or its aftereffects, so a lot of her self-protection seemed to me both irrational and self-defeating. I trust Mayberry enough to suspect that she got that aspect right, it just felt alien to me, is all. I get the difficulty in trusting others as fallout, I just have no experience with learning not to trust yourself.
But that's a small-enough niggle in an otherwise outstanding story.
A note about Steamy: On par with other Mayberry books, though this one saved it all for one big blow-out that goes on a bit...
I do have to admit that Mel frustrated me, a bit. I have no personal understanding of emotional abuse or its aftereffects, so a lot of her self-protection seemed to me both irrational and self-defeating. I trust Mayberry enough to suspect that she got that aspect right, it just felt alien to me, is all. I get the difficulty in trusting others as fallout, I just have no experience with learning not to trust yourself.
But that's a small-enough niggle in an otherwise outstanding story.
A note about Steamy: On par with other Mayberry books, though this one saved it all for one big blow-out that goes on a bit...
September 8, 2018
I have missed reading Sarah Mayberry books. She just gets people and their little quirks, insecurities and worries and this book was no exception. Flynn was FANTASTIC (I loved his relationship with his parents) and Mel, well I just adored her. (And can I say bravo for having a tall, Amazon-warrior heroine? Why do more romance books not have that?).
This was a nice, fast read that I was completely in the mood for.
This was a nice, fast read that I was completely in the mood for.
October 12, 2011
All They Need is the much awaited latest release by my favorite Harlequin author Sarah Mayberry. This story is somewhat a bit different from the last two releases by Sarah Mayberry in the sense that this is less intense, a bit more mellow and slow moving, but nevertheless makes for a great read, the remarkable ease with which Sarah manages to draw in the reader once again evident in this one as well.
34 year old Flynn Randall comes from one of the richest families in Australia. A single child, Flynn is the type of hero that makes you want to curl into a comfy little ball and sigh over. I say this because Flynn has “honor” tattooed on his forehead for everyone to see. Filthy rich, handsome and charming he might be, but he is no arrogant hero who expects each and every female within his vicinity to swoon over him. Rather, he is the type who feels things deep inside, the kind of man who steps up when his family needs him to do so, the kind of man who does the right thing even if it hurts him deep inside to do so.
31 year old Melanie Porter is newly divorced and still recovering from the number her abusive marriage has done on her. Not your average heroine Mel might be with her build that makes her tower over the average female. But to Flynn, Mel has always held an appeal even when she had been off limits, though he had never acted on his attraction towards her then.
Making a vow to herself to never make herself that vulnerable towards another person again, Mel is more than surprised and a bit apprehensive to say the least when she discovers that she might not be immune to the charms of Flynn who makes her want to throw caution to the wind and indulge. The ease with which they fall into an easy friendship with the hint of just something more was certainly one of the best things about this story.
But six years of constant verbal abuse has left its mark on Mel and her feelings towards Flynn though strong continues to be tamped down with the memories of what it was like when she was married before. But Flynn knows a good thing when he sees it, and when for the first time in his life he falls in love; the kind of love that he has wanted to feel always, being a witness to the deep abiding love between his parents; Flynn knows he would never let Mel go, even if it meant giving up his dreams of marriage and children in the process.
Although this novel too delves into a topic that touches one deeply, i.e. Alzheimer’s disease, it wasn’t the depressing sort of read but rather those bits makes you thankful for the memories good and bad that linger on in your life. Sarah Mayberry always has that uncanny ability to delve into the heart of the matter and that’s what she does even with this novel, delivering those bits and pieces that makes you want to cry and then smile all at the same time.
The enduring love between Flynn’s parents makes one yearn for a love like theirs, a love that would no doubt withstand the devastating reality of Alzheimer’s disease on a marriage that has withstood 40 years of togetherness. How Flynn and Mel find their way towards each other is a slow moving one, one that I felt was indeed appropriate for a woman like Mel who had undergone so much pain, self-doubt, abuse and heartbreak before. But once the relationship makes the turn it has been waiting for ever since Flynn and Mel lay eyes on each other, I was pleasantly surprised by the red hot bite of sensuality that Sarah weaves into their relationship so cleverly, leaving me with a hot flash or two in the process.
Like I have said before, and at the cost of repeating myself, Sarah writes stories about “real” people, whose feelings and emotions you can certainly relate to, whose sorrows you feel deeply and whose victories and happily ever after you see through with happy tears in your eyes.
Recommended for fans of Harlequin Super Romances, fans of Sarah Mayberry and fans of slow moving and yet satisfying romances.
Rating=4.25/5
Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance
My Quotes Included Below the Review
34 year old Flynn Randall comes from one of the richest families in Australia. A single child, Flynn is the type of hero that makes you want to curl into a comfy little ball and sigh over. I say this because Flynn has “honor” tattooed on his forehead for everyone to see. Filthy rich, handsome and charming he might be, but he is no arrogant hero who expects each and every female within his vicinity to swoon over him. Rather, he is the type who feels things deep inside, the kind of man who steps up when his family needs him to do so, the kind of man who does the right thing even if it hurts him deep inside to do so.
31 year old Melanie Porter is newly divorced and still recovering from the number her abusive marriage has done on her. Not your average heroine Mel might be with her build that makes her tower over the average female. But to Flynn, Mel has always held an appeal even when she had been off limits, though he had never acted on his attraction towards her then.
Making a vow to herself to never make herself that vulnerable towards another person again, Mel is more than surprised and a bit apprehensive to say the least when she discovers that she might not be immune to the charms of Flynn who makes her want to throw caution to the wind and indulge. The ease with which they fall into an easy friendship with the hint of just something more was certainly one of the best things about this story.
But six years of constant verbal abuse has left its mark on Mel and her feelings towards Flynn though strong continues to be tamped down with the memories of what it was like when she was married before. But Flynn knows a good thing when he sees it, and when for the first time in his life he falls in love; the kind of love that he has wanted to feel always, being a witness to the deep abiding love between his parents; Flynn knows he would never let Mel go, even if it meant giving up his dreams of marriage and children in the process.
Although this novel too delves into a topic that touches one deeply, i.e. Alzheimer’s disease, it wasn’t the depressing sort of read but rather those bits makes you thankful for the memories good and bad that linger on in your life. Sarah Mayberry always has that uncanny ability to delve into the heart of the matter and that’s what she does even with this novel, delivering those bits and pieces that makes you want to cry and then smile all at the same time.
The enduring love between Flynn’s parents makes one yearn for a love like theirs, a love that would no doubt withstand the devastating reality of Alzheimer’s disease on a marriage that has withstood 40 years of togetherness. How Flynn and Mel find their way towards each other is a slow moving one, one that I felt was indeed appropriate for a woman like Mel who had undergone so much pain, self-doubt, abuse and heartbreak before. But once the relationship makes the turn it has been waiting for ever since Flynn and Mel lay eyes on each other, I was pleasantly surprised by the red hot bite of sensuality that Sarah weaves into their relationship so cleverly, leaving me with a hot flash or two in the process.
Like I have said before, and at the cost of repeating myself, Sarah writes stories about “real” people, whose feelings and emotions you can certainly relate to, whose sorrows you feel deeply and whose victories and happily ever after you see through with happy tears in your eyes.
Recommended for fans of Harlequin Super Romances, fans of Sarah Mayberry and fans of slow moving and yet satisfying romances.
Rating=4.25/5
Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance
My Quotes Included Below the Review
September 1, 2022
staying on brand here & finishing up my books club read literally 30 minutes before we meet but it’s all good—This was my first Sarah Mayberry and I picked it up because our theme this month on (The Categorically Romance Podcast books club) is Australia August.
I loved this. There was something really cozy about it. I honestly didn’t want to rush through it. I didn’t want it to end. Definite blurred lines between women’s fic & romance and I enjoyed it.
The heroine in this is recently divorced from a mentally and emotionally abusive dingleberry and the portrayal of her ptsd from having lived through his madness felt so on point and believable. Mel (the heroine) is very adamant about, I will never live with a man again, marry again, give another man power over me like I did before…and then enters in Flynn who is crazy about her but so patient and sweet. His father is living with Alzheimer’s and oh man the scenes between his father and mother, who is just the absolute Best and supportive and You’re the love of my life, my knight in shining armor-I’m not going anywhere-just has my heart. I don’t know what else I can say…I loved this.
I loved this. There was something really cozy about it. I honestly didn’t want to rush through it. I didn’t want it to end. Definite blurred lines between women’s fic & romance and I enjoyed it.
The heroine in this is recently divorced from a mentally and emotionally abusive dingleberry and the portrayal of her ptsd from having lived through his madness felt so on point and believable. Mel (the heroine) is very adamant about, I will never live with a man again, marry again, give another man power over me like I did before…and then enters in Flynn who is crazy about her but so patient and sweet. His father is living with Alzheimer’s and oh man the scenes between his father and mother, who is just the absolute Best and supportive and You’re the love of my life, my knight in shining armor-I’m not going anywhere-just has my heart. I don’t know what else I can say…I loved this.
December 3, 2011
I just love Sarah Mayberry's writing. I want to have it's babies!
Mel Porter and Flynn Randall were bare acquaintances while Mel was married to a member of Melbourne's upper crust society set. Flynn's family is one of the richest, cream of the crop families. But Mel herself had come from decidedly blue collar, yeoman stock and had never really fit in. Her husband had constantly pointed out her flaws and over time it had worn down Mel's confidence to nothing.
But the two meet up again after Mel's divorce where she retreated back to her hometown stomping grounds, becoming the proprietress of a small vacation resort. Flynn books one of her cottages in preparation for buying a spectacular nearby estate. She is decidedly nervous because he is from that ultra-wealthy closed insular world she was never comfortable in. But Flynn is a decent guy and living proof that money doesn't buy happiness. He is dealing with his own share of issues because his father, the once powerful CEO of their family business is battling early onset Alzheimer's.
The two slowly bond, become friends and fall in love.
It is very difficult to summarize a Mayberry book because she doesn't write plot heavy stories. Her stories are decidedly character driven. But that is what makes them so great, imo. I immediately sunk into this story of a woman who prior to marrying her so-called Prince, had loads of life and self confidence only to have it leached out by degrees. There is nothing worse for a person like that to feel they aren't good enough around a certain class of people.
I also immediately liked Flynn. The author created a decent, interesting hero that still managed to come off and powerful and sexy. The treatment of the Alzheimer's story is especially effective, imo. I was especially moved by one scene where Flynn, his father and mother sit down to map out a course of care while his father can still make the decisions on the nature of that care himself. It was bad enough he was going to suffer from the dementia and the loss of dignity, but at least he should have this opportunity to make decisions about himself. That was pretty powerful stuff and a heartbreaking scene when told from the perspective of a son with memories of a decisive, powerful father.
The writing is, in a word, intelligent. The story flows easily, both Mel and Flynn act like normal people would act. Everything they do and say seems authentic. I loved Mel's family and how natural they felt. Mel is aware of the irrationality of her insecurities and they don't float away. I also think it was a great narrative choice to highlight the fact that emotional abuse is just as devastating, maybe in some ways even more-so, than physical abuse.
I even loved the fact that Mel wasn't some little delicate thing. Various characters described her as statuesque, looking like a Xena Warrior Princess or Wonder woman. At one point Flynn, eyes popping out of his head, mouth watering, looks at her says 'I would not be surprised if you told me you had an invisible jet parked in the driveway.' So of course I kept picturing her as looking like Lynda Carter -- tall, great shoulders, nice rack, sexy hips, sparkling eyes.
Just a really, solid good book. The two characters had oodles of chemistry, the story immediately engaged,and the writing was top notch. I simply enjoyed this book.
Mel Porter and Flynn Randall were bare acquaintances while Mel was married to a member of Melbourne's upper crust society set. Flynn's family is one of the richest, cream of the crop families. But Mel herself had come from decidedly blue collar, yeoman stock and had never really fit in. Her husband had constantly pointed out her flaws and over time it had worn down Mel's confidence to nothing.
But the two meet up again after Mel's divorce where she retreated back to her hometown stomping grounds, becoming the proprietress of a small vacation resort. Flynn books one of her cottages in preparation for buying a spectacular nearby estate. She is decidedly nervous because he is from that ultra-wealthy closed insular world she was never comfortable in. But Flynn is a decent guy and living proof that money doesn't buy happiness. He is dealing with his own share of issues because his father, the once powerful CEO of their family business is battling early onset Alzheimer's.
The two slowly bond, become friends and fall in love.
It is very difficult to summarize a Mayberry book because she doesn't write plot heavy stories. Her stories are decidedly character driven. But that is what makes them so great, imo. I immediately sunk into this story of a woman who prior to marrying her so-called Prince, had loads of life and self confidence only to have it leached out by degrees. There is nothing worse for a person like that to feel they aren't good enough around a certain class of people.
I also immediately liked Flynn. The author created a decent, interesting hero that still managed to come off and powerful and sexy. The treatment of the Alzheimer's story is especially effective, imo. I was especially moved by one scene where Flynn, his father and mother sit down to map out a course of care while his father can still make the decisions on the nature of that care himself. It was bad enough he was going to suffer from the dementia and the loss of dignity, but at least he should have this opportunity to make decisions about himself. That was pretty powerful stuff and a heartbreaking scene when told from the perspective of a son with memories of a decisive, powerful father.
The writing is, in a word, intelligent. The story flows easily, both Mel and Flynn act like normal people would act. Everything they do and say seems authentic. I loved Mel's family and how natural they felt. Mel is aware of the irrationality of her insecurities and they don't float away. I also think it was a great narrative choice to highlight the fact that emotional abuse is just as devastating, maybe in some ways even more-so, than physical abuse.
I even loved the fact that Mel wasn't some little delicate thing. Various characters described her as statuesque, looking like a Xena Warrior Princess or Wonder woman. At one point Flynn, eyes popping out of his head, mouth watering, looks at her says 'I would not be surprised if you told me you had an invisible jet parked in the driveway.' So of course I kept picturing her as looking like Lynda Carter -- tall, great shoulders, nice rack, sexy hips, sparkling eyes.
Just a really, solid good book. The two characters had oodles of chemistry, the story immediately engaged,and the writing was top notch. I simply enjoyed this book.
September 30, 2012
3.5*
All They Need is an entertaining story by an excellent writer of category novels. Sarah Mayberry's book are always worth reading because she has talent. And while this wasn't her best book, it is still well worth the time and effort.
Unlike most of Mayberry's books, the plot of this one was more predictable, more "pat." I did appreciate that Flynn is a good guy, willing to give up a lot for the woman he loves, but he comes off a little too perfect at times. Mel was well written, Mayberry gives her the right amount of brokenness due to her bad marriage. The secondary story concerning Flynn's parents was mostly well done, too, although a scene or two got a little sappy for my tastes.
All They Need is an entertaining story by an excellent writer of category novels. Sarah Mayberry's book are always worth reading because she has talent. And while this wasn't her best book, it is still well worth the time and effort.
Unlike most of Mayberry's books, the plot of this one was more predictable, more "pat." I did appreciate that Flynn is a good guy, willing to give up a lot for the woman he loves, but he comes off a little too perfect at times. Mel was well written, Mayberry gives her the right amount of brokenness due to her bad marriage. The secondary story concerning Flynn's parents was mostly well done, too, although a scene or two got a little sappy for my tastes.
January 27, 2013
4.5 rounding up
OH. This book is a little too short. Some of the middle development probably needed to be drawn out more and Flynn's parents' storyline could've used more attention.
BUT. I loved this for showing Flynn's understanding of Mel. For showing that there are people out there who will accept your struggles.
Also, for Flynn's realization of, "the timing might not be right, but this person IS right, so I can't not pursue this." I LOVE THAT.
OH. This book is a little too short. Some of the middle development probably needed to be drawn out more and Flynn's parents' storyline could've used more attention.
BUT. I loved this for showing Flynn's understanding of Mel. For showing that there are people out there who will accept your struggles.
Also, for Flynn's realization of, "the timing might not be right, but this person IS right, so I can't not pursue this." I LOVE THAT.
January 18, 2012
Ever since I discovered the Harlequin SuperRomance line not all that long ago really, Sarah Mayberry is an author I snatch up as soon as I see her newest release. Some are good and some are incredibly wonderfully good. This book for me, falls somewhere in between.
I found Melanie to be a very unusual heroine. She’s taller than normal, and bigger than life though her ex-husband has tried his very best to drum that out of her. It was a very emotionally abusive relationship and understandably Melanie is very wary of getting into another one with Flynn so shortly after getting out of it. She has taken her money and opened a B&B. While she’s met Flynn a few times in the past and he has certainly noticed and been attracted to her, Melanie doesn’t know him that well. At the beginning of the book, Flynn stays at her B&B with his girlfriend at the time. But he realizes he admires and is developing deep feelings for Melanie so breaks with his girlfriend in a real emotional scene.
As I said, Melanie is very gun shy about getting involved with Flynn, and then when they do begin a relationship, she is most reluctant to let it progress further. But Flynn is the definition of patience and understanding and doesn’t pressure her at all.
And Flynn – what a hero. He’s almost too good to be true. He is dealing with his fathers advancing Alzheimer’s, a wonderfully written, realistic side line story, and gives up his own business to take on his fathers company. His feelings and admiration for Melanie keep growing and although he finds it difficult not to push her, he manages not to. He allowed her to make her own choices in her own time and I really appreciated that about him.
This isn't my very favourite Mayberry book, but it's certainly up there in the top percent.
I found Melanie to be a very unusual heroine. She’s taller than normal, and bigger than life though her ex-husband has tried his very best to drum that out of her. It was a very emotionally abusive relationship and understandably Melanie is very wary of getting into another one with Flynn so shortly after getting out of it. She has taken her money and opened a B&B. While she’s met Flynn a few times in the past and he has certainly noticed and been attracted to her, Melanie doesn’t know him that well. At the beginning of the book, Flynn stays at her B&B with his girlfriend at the time. But he realizes he admires and is developing deep feelings for Melanie so breaks with his girlfriend in a real emotional scene.
As I said, Melanie is very gun shy about getting involved with Flynn, and then when they do begin a relationship, she is most reluctant to let it progress further. But Flynn is the definition of patience and understanding and doesn’t pressure her at all.
And Flynn – what a hero. He’s almost too good to be true. He is dealing with his fathers advancing Alzheimer’s, a wonderfully written, realistic side line story, and gives up his own business to take on his fathers company. His feelings and admiration for Melanie keep growing and although he finds it difficult not to push her, he manages not to. He allowed her to make her own choices in her own time and I really appreciated that about him.
This isn't my very favourite Mayberry book, but it's certainly up there in the top percent.
December 21, 2011
I really liked this latest book by Ms. Mayberry. What I like most about her books is that she is not afraid for her characters to be dealing with real issues. In this one, the heroine is dealing with something that affected her directly while the hero is dealing with a medical issue with a family member that is effecting the whole family. Mayberry’s characters are adults - they have responsibilities and lives and have to work at balancing everything, even a new relationship. They are dealing with life and falling in love, and while they often fall hard, they don’t or can’t abandon everything else that is going on in their lives. Those challenges are faced by the two individuals as well as the new couple.
October 17, 2011
Very good book with issues rarely found in a romance. Mel is finally starting to get her life back together after her divorce. Her ex spent a lot of time on his emotional abuse, so Mel is trying to get back to the way she used to be. She has no interest in entering a relationship where someone would have that kind of power over her. Flynn has always admired her, but as he gets to know her he finds that they have so much in common. He is dealing with a father who has the beginnings of Alzheimer's, and doesn't want to burden Mel with his problems. As they learn more about each other they find that they depending on each other makes them stronger, not weaker.
November 11, 2011
Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner
Sarah Mayberry is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, and one of the main reasons why I love the Harlequin SuperRomance line so much. I wanted to read this book but I was wary about it as well because it deals with a subject that touches close to home: Alzheimer’s. Needless to say this book had me crying from page one, but regardless of how that makes it seem this wasn't an overly dramatic read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The book opens with a party that our hero, Flynn Randall, is attending. Suddenly a woman catches his attention and he is immediately attracted to her. The woman is our heroine Mel Porter, a statuesque, full of life, and very married woman. What comes next has Flynn feeling even more attracted to her and everyone else talking: Mel falls into a fountain while trying to recover a piece of jewelry that someone lost. Mel isn’t embarrassed at all but her husband doesn’t seem happy about it, so they leave the party. Flynn only gets a last glimpse at her.
Flash forward one year later and Mel is a newly divorced woman trying to get her life back and slowly reclaiming everything she lost during her marriage. Her marriage was a very abusive relationship and you won’t find out how truly horrifying it was until almost the end of the book, but just based on what you see at first, Mel has a lot of healing to do.
They reunite when Flynn stays at Mel’s inn. Not only does he remember her, but he still feels the same attraction. Mel is weary of Flynn because just like her ex, he comes from a wealthy family and she thinks that there’s no way for them to be together since they have nothing in common and she doesn’t belong in that world. All those years of psychological abuse have taken a toll on her and she is afraid of what engaging in a relationship with him will do to her.
Flynn has his hands full. His father has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and his condition is deteriorating which means that they must make some arrangements in their lives. He had to quit his dream job as a landscaper in order to take charge of the family business, and he just bought a monster of a house and is planning to restore it. Oh! And he also has a girlfriend. As you can see, this won’t be and easy love story.
As I mentioned before, abuse is one of the main topics of the book. I think that when you hear the word abuse the first thing that comes to mind is violence, but we never think about psychological abuse. Now, my guess is that when a person is suffering from actual violence, they are also being subjected to some degree of psychological abuse, how could they not? If someone you love hurts you, that breaks havoc with your body AND your mind. Mel’s husband doesn’t hit her, but he insults her, criticizes her, and talks down on her to the point where she starts to believe him. This was so painful to read because I kept thinking about so many women, men and children living with abuse, and how terrible it is, and worse of all, how difficult it is to break free from it. I think Ms. Mayberry did a great job with Mel because even though she was a victim, she refused to live as one. What happened to her was a big part of her life but it didn’t define her. She was a sympathetic character but never pitiful, her story was painful but uplifting and instead of being depressed I felt happy because it made me feel like you can overcome adversity.
My main issue with the book was that she does a bit of a miraculous recovery at the end of it, and it all comes from a sort of epiphany that she has. I think maybe it would have been best to give her more time, because takes time to get over all those years of constant abuse. That part was a bit unbelievable to me. I was happy to see her get her happy ending but I think her recovery is a work in progress.
The other aspect of the story comes from the hero’s dad suffering from Alzheimer’s. I think it was a spot on portrayal of the condition, and most importantly, of how it affects the lives of everyone involved, especially the closest family members. Two of my grandparents suffered from the disease and I know from experience how terrible this condition is and how hard it is to watch them deteriorate. There’s a part of the book when the hero’s mom says something like if the disease were a person she will hunt it down and kill it, and that’s exactly how I felt. Then there’s the person with the disease. The hero’s dad felt helpless and so afraid, but they are all trying to adapt and try to prepare for what’s to come, and trying to make the best out of it. The book wasn’t depressing at all despite how sad the situation was, on the contrary, Ms. Mayberry uses the disease to showcase how much this people loved each other, and it made me happy to see that this guy had a loving son and a devoted wife who were there for him.
The love story between Mel and Flynn was sweet and slow. Flynn was such a sweet and understanding guy. Once he realized that he loved her, he was willing to do anything to make her happy. It was harder for Mel to follow her heart because she did it once and things turned out terribly wrong, now she’s traumatized and afraid of losing herself again. It wasn’t an easy road, but there was a lot of love and humor in them, and I honestly believe that love and humor are the key elements to overcome adversity.
I don’t want to bore you more with this long review so I’ll wrap it up. I just want to say that the book wasn’t perfect, the girlfriend subplot was pointless and made no sense except as a set up for the next book, maybe she will be the heroine, maybe not. The ending was a bit rushed, the heroine complains a lot, and at times the hero seemed too good to be true. But it was a great and touching story, it wasn’t a depressing or sad story despite the seriousness of the themes, and it was very romantic. I think contemporary romance fans will enjoy it and I absolutely recommend it to everyone.
Sarah Mayberry is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, and one of the main reasons why I love the Harlequin SuperRomance line so much. I wanted to read this book but I was wary about it as well because it deals with a subject that touches close to home: Alzheimer’s. Needless to say this book had me crying from page one, but regardless of how that makes it seem this wasn't an overly dramatic read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The book opens with a party that our hero, Flynn Randall, is attending. Suddenly a woman catches his attention and he is immediately attracted to her. The woman is our heroine Mel Porter, a statuesque, full of life, and very married woman. What comes next has Flynn feeling even more attracted to her and everyone else talking: Mel falls into a fountain while trying to recover a piece of jewelry that someone lost. Mel isn’t embarrassed at all but her husband doesn’t seem happy about it, so they leave the party. Flynn only gets a last glimpse at her.
Flash forward one year later and Mel is a newly divorced woman trying to get her life back and slowly reclaiming everything she lost during her marriage. Her marriage was a very abusive relationship and you won’t find out how truly horrifying it was until almost the end of the book, but just based on what you see at first, Mel has a lot of healing to do.
They reunite when Flynn stays at Mel’s inn. Not only does he remember her, but he still feels the same attraction. Mel is weary of Flynn because just like her ex, he comes from a wealthy family and she thinks that there’s no way for them to be together since they have nothing in common and she doesn’t belong in that world. All those years of psychological abuse have taken a toll on her and she is afraid of what engaging in a relationship with him will do to her.
Flynn has his hands full. His father has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and his condition is deteriorating which means that they must make some arrangements in their lives. He had to quit his dream job as a landscaper in order to take charge of the family business, and he just bought a monster of a house and is planning to restore it. Oh! And he also has a girlfriend. As you can see, this won’t be and easy love story.
As I mentioned before, abuse is one of the main topics of the book. I think that when you hear the word abuse the first thing that comes to mind is violence, but we never think about psychological abuse. Now, my guess is that when a person is suffering from actual violence, they are also being subjected to some degree of psychological abuse, how could they not? If someone you love hurts you, that breaks havoc with your body AND your mind. Mel’s husband doesn’t hit her, but he insults her, criticizes her, and talks down on her to the point where she starts to believe him. This was so painful to read because I kept thinking about so many women, men and children living with abuse, and how terrible it is, and worse of all, how difficult it is to break free from it. I think Ms. Mayberry did a great job with Mel because even though she was a victim, she refused to live as one. What happened to her was a big part of her life but it didn’t define her. She was a sympathetic character but never pitiful, her story was painful but uplifting and instead of being depressed I felt happy because it made me feel like you can overcome adversity.
My main issue with the book was that she does a bit of a miraculous recovery at the end of it, and it all comes from a sort of epiphany that she has. I think maybe it would have been best to give her more time, because takes time to get over all those years of constant abuse. That part was a bit unbelievable to me. I was happy to see her get her happy ending but I think her recovery is a work in progress.
The other aspect of the story comes from the hero’s dad suffering from Alzheimer’s. I think it was a spot on portrayal of the condition, and most importantly, of how it affects the lives of everyone involved, especially the closest family members. Two of my grandparents suffered from the disease and I know from experience how terrible this condition is and how hard it is to watch them deteriorate. There’s a part of the book when the hero’s mom says something like if the disease were a person she will hunt it down and kill it, and that’s exactly how I felt. Then there’s the person with the disease. The hero’s dad felt helpless and so afraid, but they are all trying to adapt and try to prepare for what’s to come, and trying to make the best out of it. The book wasn’t depressing at all despite how sad the situation was, on the contrary, Ms. Mayberry uses the disease to showcase how much this people loved each other, and it made me happy to see that this guy had a loving son and a devoted wife who were there for him.
The love story between Mel and Flynn was sweet and slow. Flynn was such a sweet and understanding guy. Once he realized that he loved her, he was willing to do anything to make her happy. It was harder for Mel to follow her heart because she did it once and things turned out terribly wrong, now she’s traumatized and afraid of losing herself again. It wasn’t an easy road, but there was a lot of love and humor in them, and I honestly believe that love and humor are the key elements to overcome adversity.
I don’t want to bore you more with this long review so I’ll wrap it up. I just want to say that the book wasn’t perfect, the girlfriend subplot was pointless and made no sense except as a set up for the next book, maybe she will be the heroine, maybe not. The ending was a bit rushed, the heroine complains a lot, and at times the hero seemed too good to be true. But it was a great and touching story, it wasn’t a depressing or sad story despite the seriousness of the themes, and it was very romantic. I think contemporary romance fans will enjoy it and I absolutely recommend it to everyone.
July 26, 2021
Nice story, a step above the usual. I liked the hero's patience and watching the heroine find her way out of a terrible marriage. I also liked that the author didn't pretend like those wounds can be healed really quickly or by just falling in love again.
July 9, 2024
Content warnings: Major:
Minor:
Mel Porter is rebuilding her life after a bad bad marriage to a wealthy social climber. She's a steady working class girl with a passion for gardening and working with her hands. She's warm and friendly, with a dry sense of humour. She's also 6 feet tall and described in the text as looking like Xena and Wonder Woman.
Mel Porter isn't ashamed of her body. She doesn't hate short women or think she's not like the other girls. But she struggles with the way people treat her, and the poisonous things her abusive ex-husband tried to hurt her with, calling her simultaneously unfeminine and slutty, attention seeking and ugly. She never fit in with the snooty old money Melbourne crowd and she has no interest trying again.
Until Flynn Randall, the wealthiest of the old money crowd, ends up her neighbour. Flynn closed down his landscaping company to take over the family business after his father is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, but renovating the crumbling garden estate next door to Mel has been his dream project for years.
Strap in for the sweetest neighbours to friends to lovers slow burn. Mel and Flynn are so considerate of each other, it's just lovely. Flynn is so patient and kind with Mel's trauma and recovery. Mel is so supportive of Flynn's anguish at watching his father slowly deteriorate. They're also just so stinking funny and cute. They tease each other good naturedly, banter back and forth over the right way to carry a tree (Mel, my spectacular Amazonian goddess, is convinced it's best done alone), and share lasagne dinners while doing their utmost to ignore the burning sexual tension like good neighbours.
When the bleak moment inevitably strikes, they Communicate with a capital C. It's still a conflict, because they want different things from life, and sometimes talking it through and being honest can't change that and it sucks! But they'll figure it out because they're building on a solid partnership and friendship. They've got each other's backs.
If I had to find something to criticise, I wish we could see Mel interact with Flynn's friends more, once they've established the relationship. His best friend is never seen on page again after the first couple of chapters. And lastly it seemed rather unlikely that Mel would subscribe to the gender roles in the narrative, given that she herself doesn't fit them at all, so it felt odd to see some casual cissexism here and there. But they're petty quibbles with an overall well crafted, thoughtfully written romance.
They're so cute I hate it 😂🥰
Minor:
Mel Porter is rebuilding her life after a bad bad marriage to a wealthy social climber. She's a steady working class girl with a passion for gardening and working with her hands. She's warm and friendly, with a dry sense of humour. She's also 6 feet tall and described in the text as looking like Xena and Wonder Woman.
She was easily the tallest woman at the party—at least six feet tall—with broad shoulders that would put a lot of men to shame.
Mel Porter isn't ashamed of her body. She doesn't hate short women or think she's not like the other girls. But she struggles with the way people treat her, and the poisonous things her abusive ex-husband tried to hurt her with, calling her simultaneously unfeminine and slutty, attention seeking and ugly. She never fit in with the snooty old money Melbourne crowd and she has no interest trying again.
Until Flynn Randall, the wealthiest of the old money crowd, ends up her neighbour. Flynn closed down his landscaping company to take over the family business after his father is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, but renovating the crumbling garden estate next door to Mel has been his dream project for years.
Strap in for the sweetest neighbours to friends to lovers slow burn. Mel and Flynn are so considerate of each other, it's just lovely. Flynn is so patient and kind with Mel's trauma and recovery. Mel is so supportive of Flynn's anguish at watching his father slowly deteriorate. They're also just so stinking funny and cute. They tease each other good naturedly, banter back and forth over the right way to carry a tree (Mel, my spectacular Amazonian goddess, is convinced it's best done alone), and share lasagne dinners while doing their utmost to ignore the burning sexual tension like good neighbours.
When the bleak moment inevitably strikes, they Communicate with a capital C. It's still a conflict, because they want different things from life, and sometimes talking it through and being honest can't change that and it sucks! But they'll figure it out because they're building on a solid partnership and friendship. They've got each other's backs.
If I had to find something to criticise, I wish we could see Mel interact with Flynn's friends more, once they've established the relationship. His best friend is never seen on page again after the first couple of chapters. And lastly it seemed rather unlikely that Mel would subscribe to the gender roles in the narrative, given that she herself doesn't fit them at all, so it felt odd to see some casual cissexism here and there. But they're petty quibbles with an overall well crafted, thoughtfully written romance.
He dragged his gaze to her face, looking rather gratifyingly distracted.
“You should probably know that if you told me you had an invisible jet parked around the corner right now, I’d totally believe you,” he said, his tone bordering on the reverential.
She laughed, even as her confidence skyrocketed. “Aren’t you a little old for Wonder Woman fantasies?”
“No one is too old for Wonder Woman fantasies.” He flipped the quilt back on the empty side of the bed. “Come back to bed and I’ll let you use your golden lasso on me.”
“Make a girl an offer she can’t refuse, why don’t you.”
They're so cute I hate it 😂🥰
May 5, 2017
For a moment i thought i'm gonna hand over another 5 stars and mark the Porter Sibling series as my favorite out of all Sarah's novels... but, something happened when things were getting better and it just let me down.
So, we can see from the first pages of the book that Mel and Flynn have a great chemistry and the strings of attraction pulls them together even if they are in different relationships. Honestly, i loved this feeling, it was so nice to watch this "i'd like to take a bite of you" thing that both of them had, it made me feel the butterflies of their start.
Then the story goes on, time flies and bad things happen to both of them and when they reunite, the joyful seed of attraction starts growing once more. It was a total pleasure to see both of their frustrated desires, their clumsy behavior and how they grew closer and closer with each encounter.
There are a few things that surprised me in a totally good way! First, i love the fact that Sarah wrote a love story about a really tall woman, you don't see this everyday and for sure, there are plenty of tall women around the globe that live their own sweet love stories and no one really cares to share such things. Mel was described as tall, wide shoulders woman, with not so much of a supermodel face features, but still she gets under your skin as you read her story.
Second, Flynn, well he was surprising, rich and so humble and nice, i don't know if he's actually part of a fairyland than reality, but i'd like to think that there are men with his status, with at least half of his good points (they don't have to be interested in gardening *laughs*).
Third, i totally LOVED the scene from her garden with all her family around! If someone asked me the first thing i remember from the novel, would be this scene. It was funny, full of crazy lines, family warmth and of course, my favorite character of her novels, Harry Porter was in full glory.
As for bad points... well the most annoying was
But, as an overall, well, this is a fun book with a nice story.
Still, my favorite remains Suddenly you with Mel's brother, Harry, as the main leading star!
So, we can see from the first pages of the book that Mel and Flynn have a great chemistry and the strings of attraction pulls them together even if they are in different relationships. Honestly, i loved this feeling, it was so nice to watch this "i'd like to take a bite of you" thing that both of them had, it made me feel the butterflies of their start.
Then the story goes on, time flies and bad things happen to both of them and when they reunite, the joyful seed of attraction starts growing once more. It was a total pleasure to see both of their frustrated desires, their clumsy behavior and how they grew closer and closer with each encounter.
There are a few things that surprised me in a totally good way! First, i love the fact that Sarah wrote a love story about a really tall woman, you don't see this everyday and for sure, there are plenty of tall women around the globe that live their own sweet love stories and no one really cares to share such things. Mel was described as tall, wide shoulders woman, with not so much of a supermodel face features, but still she gets under your skin as you read her story.
Second, Flynn, well he was surprising, rich and so humble and nice, i don't know if he's actually part of a fairyland than reality, but i'd like to think that there are men with his status, with at least half of his good points (they don't have to be interested in gardening *laughs*).
Third, i totally LOVED the scene from her garden with all her family around! If someone asked me the first thing i remember from the novel, would be this scene. It was funny, full of crazy lines, family warmth and of course, my favorite character of her novels, Harry Porter was in full glory.
As for bad points... well the most annoying was
But, as an overall, well, this is a fun book with a nice story.
Still, my favorite remains Suddenly you with Mel's brother, Harry, as the main leading star!
May 29, 2012
Mel Porter is struggling to get her independence and bravery again, after walking out of an emotionally abusive husband and unhappy marriage. So when Flynn Randall is on her pursuit, Mel prepares to keep him at arm's length. Because Flynn comes from the world where her ex-husband used to come from. And Flynn comes with a string -- he is ready for commitment, something that Mel promises herself no more.
-----
I'm still wiping my tears while I'm writing this down. Isn't there any more cruelest diseases in the world, than Alzheimer? *sobs*. Anyway, this is another wonderful, heartbreaking, and a bit painful story from Sarah Mayberry. I like how her stories (the one that I have read) always offer something thoughtful, even if they still have 'classic' Harlequin characteristics, such as the rich, successful, handsome man.
I like the struggle that Mel faces in learning to trust Flynn. I like it that she is not quickly charmed by Flynn, and that it takes awhile for her to finally give her heart. Because what she suffers from her marriage leaves an emotional scar.
Flynn comes as a little bit ordinary for me, if NOT for the fact that he is facing the situation of having a father with Alzheimer. I mean, character wise, I don't feel for Flynn as much because he's that typical good, kind, generous, handsome, rich, character. Nothing more. It's his family situation that drives me towards him.
And I have to be honest, this time, it's the secondary characters that steal my heart, namely Flynn's parents. The part where Flynn's father apologizes to his wife because he feels useless due to his disease, and his wife will have none of it, just breaks my heart. Tears running down my face. Can't help it.
-----
I'm still wiping my tears while I'm writing this down. Isn't there any more cruelest diseases in the world, than Alzheimer? *sobs*. Anyway, this is another wonderful, heartbreaking, and a bit painful story from Sarah Mayberry. I like how her stories (the one that I have read) always offer something thoughtful, even if they still have 'classic' Harlequin characteristics, such as the rich, successful, handsome man.
I like the struggle that Mel faces in learning to trust Flynn. I like it that she is not quickly charmed by Flynn, and that it takes awhile for her to finally give her heart. Because what she suffers from her marriage leaves an emotional scar.
Flynn comes as a little bit ordinary for me, if NOT for the fact that he is facing the situation of having a father with Alzheimer. I mean, character wise, I don't feel for Flynn as much because he's that typical good, kind, generous, handsome, rich, character. Nothing more. It's his family situation that drives me towards him.
And I have to be honest, this time, it's the secondary characters that steal my heart, namely Flynn's parents. The part where Flynn's father apologizes to his wife because he feels useless due to his disease, and his wife will have none of it, just breaks my heart. Tears running down my face. Can't help it.
April 4, 2013
Sarah Mayberry proves once again that she can balance writing about serious, meaty issues and heartfelt romance. This is a very sweet story about two people finding love with one another after having been battered around a bit by life.
Mel Porter is a vibrant, larger than life woman with a fantastic sense of humor who had most of her personality crushed out of her by an emotionally abusive ex-husband. Not surprisingly, as she comes into her own again she is wary of relationships and avoids anything that smacks of her ex's high society world. Flynn Randall comes from a very influential Australian family and Mel is instantly suspicious of him, but something about his warmth and genuine kindness starts slipping past her defenses.
Mel is a smart, very fun character and the dialogue between the leads just sparkles sometimes. Much of the time, Flynn just seems like the perfect nice guy, but when Mayberry gives readers a window into his struggles as he watches his father slip into dementia, his character takes on a little more depth. Even though All They Need tackles some tough issues, this really is a feel-good story and I found myself smiling most of the way through it.
Mel Porter is a vibrant, larger than life woman with a fantastic sense of humor who had most of her personality crushed out of her by an emotionally abusive ex-husband. Not surprisingly, as she comes into her own again she is wary of relationships and avoids anything that smacks of her ex's high society world. Flynn Randall comes from a very influential Australian family and Mel is instantly suspicious of him, but something about his warmth and genuine kindness starts slipping past her defenses.
Mel is a smart, very fun character and the dialogue between the leads just sparkles sometimes. Much of the time, Flynn just seems like the perfect nice guy, but when Mayberry gives readers a window into his struggles as he watches his father slip into dementia, his character takes on a little more depth. Even though All They Need tackles some tough issues, this really is a feel-good story and I found myself smiling most of the way through it.
September 10, 2015
Another winning Sarah Mayberry romance, not as good as some of her others, but I enjoyed this light read. Melanie, a six foot dark haired beauty is now divorced and still reeling from the verbal and emotional abuse she endured from her ex-husband. Always belittling her and making her feel stupid and not up to his high society friends, she meets an old friend from her married life, Flynn Randall. At first wary of him, she hangs back. Flynn has his own ups and downs. Born to a wealthy family, he is now going through the emotional roller coaster of dealing with his father's early diagnosis of Alzheimer's. Mark is nothing like Mel's first husband but it takes a lot of coaxing and patience on his part to make her realize he's not like the SOB she'd married. As usual, this story makes you think about what's important in life and counting one's blessings. Short and sweet.
3.5/5
3.5/5
December 3, 2011
A very solid 4 stars. Both lead characters have depth, you get to know them, as they get to know each other. Friendship, support, love. This is Sarah Mayberry best story yet. Her secondary characters are real, they are not names on paper but fully fleshed characters despite the minimal space she can devote to them. Flynn's parents, their love and devotion for each other facing a terrible adversary is really well done. Flynn is a wonderful hero and someone you would want as a best friend, lover, son. Mel, even if she's been hurt, terribly, she's brave, takes care of herself and ultimately faces her demons and comes out on the other side stronger and wiser. I obviously loved it, it's a great story with characters you care about and they are worth caring about. Really.
November 9, 2012
A story about a woman recovering from an abusive marriage and her fears about falling in love with a man, in spite of the fact that he happens to be one of the good guys. A well written story and a very realistic portrayal of the wounds inflicted by abuse.
My only regret, is that it felt a bit long and dragged in the middle. But I will definitely seek out more work by this author.
My only regret, is that it felt a bit long and dragged in the middle. But I will definitely seek out more work by this author.
November 1, 2013
B-E-A-utifully written, this was the first Sarah Mayberry book i've ever read, and I must say I am really very impressed. The characters were so well developed, each of them have their own charm and before you know it you are already in love with them. I haven't read many romantic novels, but hands down this would definitely be amongst the list of my top favorites.
May 12, 2012
3.5-4 stars - Good to very good category romance with friends-to-lovers theme. Well done with the believable characters and their foibles. Good sexual tension, too. I cried at one point towards the end, which is quite a lot to say about a Harlequin category romance.
December 27, 2012
This one made me cry...
March 8, 2015
I just really liked Flynn.
December 9, 2017
2017 has been incredible for me. This year gave me a string of beautiful writers such as SEP, Lisa Kleypas, Scott Adams, and so on. Sarah Mayberry is the latest addition to this ever-growing list and I am happy for this little serendipitous discovery. It just so happened that I was looking for Suddenly You by Lisa Kleypas but I accidently bought Sarah Mayberry's Suddenly You. It was one of those times when the wrong number turned out to be the right one.
So, here I am, reviewing All They Need. My second read from Mayberry and I loved it as much as I liked the first one. I know I am reading in reverse order, but whatever. It's a beautiful book. I mean, just look at the cover! It conveys the gist of the book in just one picture.
I loved Flynn and Mel, but I have a soft spot for nice heroes, so I'm going to be a tad partial towards Flynn. I loved how he stood by her and waited patiently for her to outgrow all her fears. Their journey was emotional and believable. It was one of those times when I actually bought into the HEA. Since their love is not based on magical wangs but on actual trust and mutual respect, I think Mel and Flynn will make a steady couple.
March 1, 2017
Melanie Porter is still slowly but surely recovering from an abusive marriage. With her new business just getting off the ground, she has vowed never to give herself to another man - never to lose herself - ever again. She knows she still has much work to do to get back to the person she once was and wants to be again. Admirable goals if it weren't for just one person: Flynn Randall.
Flynn is dealing with his own troubles and for some reason feels comfortable enough with Mel to lean on her. Which she has no problem with and, in fact, likes. But maybe she likes it a little too much. And when he looks at her with his piercing blue eyes, or drags a hand across his ruggedly handsome face, she begins to feel things that she thought long dead. Will Mel be able to get out of her own way to find the happiness she's always wanted?
Flynn is dealing with his own troubles and for some reason feels comfortable enough with Mel to lean on her. Which she has no problem with and, in fact, likes. But maybe she likes it a little too much. And when he looks at her with his piercing blue eyes, or drags a hand across his ruggedly handsome face, she begins to feel things that she thought long dead. Will Mel be able to get out of her own way to find the happiness she's always wanted?
June 11, 2017
That's it. I'm done. This book left me in a gooey puddle.
Usually, I detest it when the hero or the heroine pushes the other away for some inexplicable reason or another. And yet, this one worked.
I really felt Mel's pain, her mistrust, her fear in letting anyone ever get close enough to hurt her again. And I felt Flynn's dedication, his love for Mel and his family, and his unwavering strength. He might've been a tad too perfect not to have pushed Mel, but I adored just how much he believed in her, and allowed her to set the pace in the relationship, no matter how much of a sacrifice it was for him.
Usually, I detest it when the hero or the heroine pushes the other away for some inexplicable reason or another. And yet, this one worked.
I really felt Mel's pain, her mistrust, her fear in letting anyone ever get close enough to hurt her again. And I felt Flynn's dedication, his love for Mel and his family, and his unwavering strength. He might've been a tad too perfect not to have pushed Mel, but I adored just how much he believed in her, and allowed her to set the pace in the relationship, no matter how much of a sacrifice it was for him.
July 9, 2019
Loved the heroine and the hero both; this would have been a five-star read except for the slightly rushed ending.
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