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New Friends Street #3
Building a Family
Lawyer Eleanor Washburn defends wayward teenagers and supervises volunteers for Habitat for Humanity without missing a beat. But she is unnerved by fascinating single dad Pete Beck—especially since his chaotic life includes a little girl wishing for a mother. Sweet Cassie has Eleanor yearning for what's been missing from her lonely existence. Soon, both dad and daughter are chipping away at Eleanor's defenses. Can she find the courage to risk losing her heart to this ready-made family?
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
About the author
Lyn Cote
115 books573 followersLyn grew up loving books. Her favorite night of the week was Friday night, when the Bookmobile came to her neighborhood in Illinois. She’d spend those two hours chatting with the driver of the Bookmobile and the librarian and making the big decision of the week — which books to check out! In those distant days, children were limited in how many books they could check out. Lyn could only take home six a week — and there were so many to choose from. Her favorites were Cotton in my Sack by Lois Lenski, The Little House series and the One of a Kind Family series. Later, she discovered Georgette Heyer’s Regency romances!
This love of books led to a desire to write. Lyn won prizes in high school and college for her poetry and, not surprisingly, Lyn became a history and English teacher. When she became a mother, she gave up teaching, and while raising a son and a daughter, she began working on her first novel. Then she wrote her second and third. Long years of rejection followed — as it does for most writers. Finally in 1997, Lyn got "the call." Her first book, Never Alone, was chosen to appear in the first year of the new Love Inspired line. Lyn has written many articles on writing and the emerging Christian Booksellers Assoc. (CBA) fiction market. In 2006, Lyn's book, Chloe, is a finalist for the RWA's RITA, the highest award in the romance genre in the inspirational category.
Now, Lyn spends her days writing books that show the power of divine as well as human love. Her nest is empty and she and her real life hero, her husband, have more and more time to spend together in their home on a lake in the lovely northwoods. And books are still dear to her heart.
This love of books led to a desire to write. Lyn won prizes in high school and college for her poetry and, not surprisingly, Lyn became a history and English teacher. When she became a mother, she gave up teaching, and while raising a son and a daughter, she began working on her first novel. Then she wrote her second and third. Long years of rejection followed — as it does for most writers. Finally in 1997, Lyn got "the call." Her first book, Never Alone, was chosen to appear in the first year of the new Love Inspired line. Lyn has written many articles on writing and the emerging Christian Booksellers Assoc. (CBA) fiction market. In 2006, Lyn's book, Chloe, is a finalist for the RWA's RITA, the highest award in the romance genre in the inspirational category.
Now, Lyn spends her days writing books that show the power of divine as well as human love. Her nest is empty and she and her real life hero, her husband, have more and more time to spend together in their home on a lake in the lovely northwoods. And books are still dear to her heart.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 21, 2012
This is not the type of book I would ever pick up on my own, so take this review with a grain of salt. I picked it up just to page through it and got hooked on the story. Warm and intriguing, after a few chapters I just knew I'd have to finish it, and I'm glad I did. Very fun, lite reading. Something warm on a cold winters day.
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December 24, 2014Miniseries: New Friends Street
June 25, 2013
“Why would someone let their past wreck their present?” This could apply not only to Pete Beck and Eleanor (Ellie) Washburn, the couple in this story, but to pretty much every other couple in the Love Inspired series of romances.
Lawyer Eleanor Washburn works with disadvantaged youth in court and also with Habitat for Humanity on the weekends. Pete Beck’s adorable daughter Cassie becomes enamored with “Miss Ellie” and runs to her every chance she gets. Pete is also trying to work with two teens who are not exactly in trouble, but are getting perilously close.
As Ellie draws closer to Pete and his large family, she pines for a family of her own. She has plans to adopt a foster child despite being single. Ellie’s problem is her rigid workaholic mother, Delia, who seems to treat everyone as being beneath her. This is due to Delia’s relationship with her mother, who was apparently very overbearing. Delia doesn’t know how to relate to Ellie, and this causes a rift in their relationship.
This is part of the “New Friends Street” series which takes place in Wisconsin. Each book tells of a family receiving a Habitat for Humanity home as well as free furniture from a mysterious donor. I really liked this book as it deals with nontraditional families including single parents (Ellie has never married and Pete is divorced) and how families relate to each other (Pete’s parents bicker but love each other) including sibling rivalry. Recommended.
Lawyer Eleanor Washburn works with disadvantaged youth in court and also with Habitat for Humanity on the weekends. Pete Beck’s adorable daughter Cassie becomes enamored with “Miss Ellie” and runs to her every chance she gets. Pete is also trying to work with two teens who are not exactly in trouble, but are getting perilously close.
As Ellie draws closer to Pete and his large family, she pines for a family of her own. She has plans to adopt a foster child despite being single. Ellie’s problem is her rigid workaholic mother, Delia, who seems to treat everyone as being beneath her. This is due to Delia’s relationship with her mother, who was apparently very overbearing. Delia doesn’t know how to relate to Ellie, and this causes a rift in their relationship.
This is part of the “New Friends Street” series which takes place in Wisconsin. Each book tells of a family receiving a Habitat for Humanity home as well as free furniture from a mysterious donor. I really liked this book as it deals with nontraditional families including single parents (Ellie has never married and Pete is divorced) and how families relate to each other (Pete’s parents bicker but love each other) including sibling rivalry. Recommended.
February 16, 2012
I loved the character "Pete Beck" because he is just an overall good guy. He got hurt in his first marriage and because he has 2 kids he is afraid to trust and love again. His first wife was a lawyer and she was not ready to be a mother so she gave full custody to Pete. He does the right thing and raises their two kids with the help of his family.
Pete is the Building trades teacher at the local high school.Eleanor Washburn is head of the Habitat For Humanity and also a lawyer who defends wayward teenagers. Luis and Colby,students of Pete's, helped build a Habitat for Humanity house. These boys were also clients of Eleanor's. Cassie,Pete's daughter forms an attachment to Eleanor because she wants a mom in her life. Pete panicks at first about her new friendship with "Miss Ellie" because his kids has been hurt in the past. Eleanor has had two broken engagements so she is afraid to trust too. Her mother has a hard time showing her feelings for Eleanor because of the way her mother treated her. Eleanor doubts her mother's love for her. This makes her trust issues worse.
Eleanor decides to adopt a little girl named Jenna. She plays on Pete's son's baseball team. To find out if they all become a family, you will have to read the book!
Pete is the Building trades teacher at the local high school.Eleanor Washburn is head of the Habitat For Humanity and also a lawyer who defends wayward teenagers. Luis and Colby,students of Pete's, helped build a Habitat for Humanity house. These boys were also clients of Eleanor's. Cassie,Pete's daughter forms an attachment to Eleanor because she wants a mom in her life. Pete panicks at first about her new friendship with "Miss Ellie" because his kids has been hurt in the past. Eleanor has had two broken engagements so she is afraid to trust too. Her mother has a hard time showing her feelings for Eleanor because of the way her mother treated her. Eleanor doubts her mother's love for her. This makes her trust issues worse.
Eleanor decides to adopt a little girl named Jenna. She plays on Pete's son's baseball team. To find out if they all become a family, you will have to read the book!
November 7, 2011
This is a satisfying, very engaging story about people helping others. It is enjoyable and interesting that this "New Friends Street" series revolves in part around an actual charity, Habitat for Humanity. Ellie, the main female character in this book, was extremely easy for me to relate to, as her life paralleled mine in many ways. She is a career woman, but also longs to be a single mom and is pursuing adoption through the foster care system, all of which have been personal experiences in my own life. The romances in this story seemed to develop fairly naturally, and this Love Inspired book was a little different than some as it didn't center as much around the spiritual growth of the main characters, but rather growth in other areas of their lives. Lyn Cote also does an excellent job in demonstrating that families do not need to be composed of individuals that are alike in their dispositions or interests in order to work well. This is the third book in this series, and I am intrigued with it enough that I want to go back and try to read the other two.
November 16, 2011
Really liked how the author brought up the relationship between the heroine and her mother. I found it very believable and compelling. Also, my hat's off to the author for focusing on the Habitat for Humanity. She shows what it can mean when people are helping people.
May 22, 2016
Lawyer Eleanor Washburn also directs the Habitat for Humanity housing project on New Friends Street. Pete Beck and his two children are soon part of her life, but will that affect her adopting a daughter?
September 6, 2012
This is a great book and a wonderful read. I was able to sit down and finish it a couple of hours.I enjoyed all of the characters.
*I won this book on Goodreads First Reads
*I won this book on Goodreads First Reads
September 12, 2011
A good story, though the author left the issue of the heroine's mother's change of attitude too ambiguous and she used the word "chuckled" far too often.
March 21, 2012
This was an enjoyable book of true family blessings. I loved to read of big happy family full of characters and lots of love!
April 26, 2016
Boring. Nothing much happened.
August 14, 2019
After a run of books that were heavy and violent, this sweet story was a welcome break!
It is your formula romance - two people w/ past relationship issues are afraid to take a chance on love. The attraction is instant and despite the objections both have, they end up in love.
The "happily ever after" may be trite, but it was just the break that I needed!
It is your formula romance - two people w/ past relationship issues are afraid to take a chance on love. The attraction is instant and despite the objections both have, they end up in love.
The "happily ever after" may be trite, but it was just the break that I needed!
May 21, 2019
I liked this book it was very good book.
April 20, 2022
This is a sweet, tender Romance about two people who have been hurt badly in the past and are trying to build a life among the wreckage. I enjoyed this one.
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December 24, 2014Miniseries: New Friends Street
January 19, 2013
I absolutely loved this book! Very well written sweet story.
August 12, 2016
Beautifully writtten... Had trouble putting it down once I started reading.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews