{"id":60931,"date":"2021-09-07T09:00:29","date_gmt":"2021-09-07T13:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=60931"},"modified":"2021-09-07T08:08:03","modified_gmt":"2021-09-07T12:08:03","slug":"release-arc-review-southern-sunshine-southern-8-by-natasha-madison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=60931","title":{"rendered":"Release & ARC Review: Southern Sunshine (Southern, #8) by Natasha Madison"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/h4>\n

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Southern Sunshine is live!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Wow, what a read. A sweet, small-town, family-themed story that is full of emotion and really pulls at the heartstrings, this book is a total swoonfest with a love story that owned my heart. I freaking loved it!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Apple<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Nook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Kobo\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Audio<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

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\r\n <\/div><\/div><\/h4>\n
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Blurb<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Reed<\/i><\/b>
\nI never wanted to be a cowboy, living in a small town was suffocating.
\nThe military was my out.
\nI saw every place I ever wanted and everything that nightmares are made of.
\nUntil I almost lost my life and then I ended up back home.<\/p>\n

Hazel<\/i><\/b>
\nFinding out that I was pregnant the night before I left for college changed everything.
\nI left that small town and vowed to never return.
\nWhen my grandfather died, I had no choice but to go back home.
\nThe plan was just for two weeks.
\nI thought it would be quick and easy, until he was standing at the back door asking questions.<\/p>\n

Secrets never stay secrets for long in this town.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Add to Goodreads<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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Review<\/strong><\/h4>\n

5 stars!<\/b><\/p>\n

Wow, what a read. A sweet, small-town, family-themed story that is full of emotion and really pulls at the heartstrings, this book is a total swoonfest with a love story that owned my heart. I freaking loved it!<\/p>\n

Full disclosure \u2013 I almost didn\u2019t read this book. I read that blurb and was instantly terrified that the story was going to go down the path of a trope that I try my best to avoid\u2026 the dreaded secret baby. It\u2019s a genre that gets me intensely riled up and I usually get so incredibly angry that I cannot enjoy the story. But I love this series, I\u2019m invested in the characters and their lives, and I was eventually persuaded to give it a try, and I\u2019m so, so glad that I did because Natasha Madison wrote this story in a way that made it work, and it\u2019s so, so beautiful!<\/p>\n

Reed is the son of Casey and Olivia, and the younger brother of Quinn. He spent his life growing up in his father and brother\u2019s shadow, and came to resent other\u2019s expectations of him, and felt smothered by life in his small country town. As soon as he was able, he signed up to the military and left. Hazel worked with Reed at his cousin\u2019s bar, and the two of them were good friends who were quietly attracted to each other, and they spent one incredible night together before he left. That night changed Hazel\u2019s life forever.<\/p>\n

Fast forward six years later, and Reed has been injured and is home on leave. At the same time, Hazel\u2019s beloved grandfather has died, and she has returned to town temporarily to deal with things, with her five-year-old daughter, Sofia, in tow. It\u2019s the first time they\u2019ve both been home since they last saw each other, and sparks are about to fly.<\/p>\n

The surprise baby storyline is really hit and miss for me \u2013 usually a miss. However, in this instance, I could understand it.

<\/span>Spoiler<\/div>
Could Hazel have tried harder to get in touch with Reed? Yes. Should Hazel have tried harder to get him touch with Reed? Also yes. However, she was so young, and given her situation I could understand why she did what she did, and though I don\u2019t agree with it, I wasn\u2019t angry with her, my heart hurt for her, and I could definitely empathise.<\/div><\/div>\u00a0And it helps that it’s not overly angsty, and it Reed and Hazel’s reunion is honest and beautifully functional.<\/p>\n

The chemistry is still there, and the intensity is ramped up because it\u2019s underpinned by this massive secret and the drama that we know is coming. The emotion runs high, and I could not turn the pages fast enough waiting to see what was going to happen. And I was not disappointed, because the feels are amazing! I read those scenes over and over just soaking it all in, and I absolutely love how they both dealt with the life-changing reveal.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s all so emotional, and of course Hazel is still hurt by Reed\u2019s rejection of her all those years ago. But she owns her decision, she heartwrenchingly apologises for all that he missed out on, and she holds nothing back from Reed, being there for him and for Sofia as they navigate this huge change.<\/p>\n

And OMG, Reed! *swooooon*<\/p>\n

\u201cI found my purpose,\u201d I tell him the truth. She is five years old, and she is the best thing I\u2019ve ever done. <\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What a man! Reed is such<\/i>an incredible hero, and from the moment he learns about Sofia he steps up, and he is all in. He holds no grudge, he owns his part in how everything unfolded, and he goes about making amends and making up for lost time, throwing himself into Hazel and Sofia\u2019s life in any, and every way that he can, and he is absolutely perfect!<\/p>\n

\u201cJust so you know, Hazel, I\u2019m not going anywhere.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Little Sofia is just adorable. She steals every scene she is in, and seeing her with Reed absolutely melted my heart. This book is not just a love story between Reed and Hazel, it\u2019s a love story between father and daughter. Reed is a man who is in love with both of the women in his life, and watching him give himself completely over to both of them is absolutely beautiful. It\u2019s a beautifully written family story, and I loved watching it all unfold<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the first time in my life, I feel fucking whole. For the first time in my life, there is a reason to me.\u201d I point at myself. \u201cFor the first time in my life, I can breathe. Fuck, Hazel, I can\u2019t even explain to you how I feel. Because there are no words. The minute I found out that she was mine, everything \u2026 Everything changed. That girl,\u201d I point at the window where I know she sleeps. \u201cShe owns me.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And while Reed is finding his place with Sofia, he\u2019s also falling in love with her mother. The feelings between them have always been there, they\u2019ve just been pushed to the side while they went on with their lives, and now that they are back together and figuring things out, all of that attraction and emotion comes flooding back. It has the feel of a slow burn as everything slowly builds between them, and I was feeling all of the longing and anticipation with them, and when they finally take the step, it was everything that I was hoping for \u2013 beautifully honest and no-nonsense, emotional and so damn sexy, and I was in a world of swoon as Reed and Hazel find their happy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis \u2026 is just the beginning.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Characters from the series all appear, and it was great to catch up with them again. The dynamics between the group are so much fun, and I love the way that Hazel and Sofia were enfolded into the group.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s an epilogue which finishes off the story beautifully, and I finished this book feeling content and satisfied, with a huge grin on my face.<\/p>\n

This is the last book in the Southern<\/i> series, but the Southern Wedding<\/i> spin-off series will follow with the first book for Reed\u2019s sister, Harlow, and I can\u2019t wait for that one!<\/p>\n

I loved this book so much! 5 stars.<\/p>\n

An Advanced Reader Copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.<\/i><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Southern Series<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\" \"\"\u00a0\"\"\u00a0\"\"\u00a0\"\"\u00a0\"\" \"\" \"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Southern Chance (#1) <\/strong>(Jacob & Kallie)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Apple<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Nook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n

Southern Comfort (#2) <\/strong>(Casey & Olivia)
\n<\/strong>Review<\/a>
\nBuy: \u00a0Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Apple\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Nook\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n

Southern Storm (#3) <\/strong>(Beau & Savannah)
\n<\/strong>Review<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Apple<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Nook\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n

Southern Sunrise (#4) <\/strong>(Ethan & Emily)
\n<\/strong>Review<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Apple\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Nook\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n

Southern Heart (#5)<\/strong> (Mayson & Chelsea)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Apple<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Nook\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n

Southern Heat (#6)<\/strong> (Quinn & Willow)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0\u00a0Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Apple\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Kobo\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Nook<\/a><\/p>\n

Southern Secrets (#7)<\/strong> (Amelia & Asher)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Apple<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Kobo\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Nook\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Southern Sunshine (#8) <\/strong>(Reed & Hazel)
\nReview<\/a>
\n<\/strong>Buy: \u00a0Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Apple<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Kobo\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0\u00a0Nook<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

This series spins off into the Southern Wedding series, with books for the Southern Series kids.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Find family tree and series crossover details here<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Abou<\/strong>t the Author<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\"When her nose isn\u2019t buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she\u2019s in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It\u2019s a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn\u2019t listen to her\u2026<\/p>\n

Facebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Facebook Reader Group<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Follow on Amazon<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Follow on BookBub<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Subscribe to Newsletter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Check out more great reads on our\u00a0Natasha Madison Author Spotlight<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Southern Sunshine is live! Wow, what a read. A sweet, small-town, family-themed story that is full of emotion and really pulls at the heartstrings, this book is a total swoonfest with a love story […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":58637,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":5,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,9,24,1036,29],"tags":[59,581,48,1129],"class_list":["post-60931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-romance","category-second-chance-romance","category-single-parent","category-steamy","tag-arc","tag-natasha-madison","tag-review","tag-southern-series"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Southern-Sunshine.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-fQL","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=60931"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60931\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/58637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=60931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=60931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=60931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}