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Cindy A. Christiansen
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Love On Laird Ave Paperback – November 15, 2011

by Cindy A Christiansen (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 6 ratings
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Tatum Stewart is trying to make it on her own without her over-protective father. She starts a new computer consulting business and buys a new bungalow on Laird Avenue in Sugar House, Utah. She has no idea that the forces of evil are working against her that is, Burke Woods. His grandfather owned the home during Prohibition, and Burke wants the valuables stashed in her basement. Tatum’s dream home soon turns into her worst nightmare requiring her to hire the local renovation expert, Ryan Bulldarren. Who knew he would come with his own protection manual when he buys her a Bullmastiff dog as her new security system and sets about sabotaging her dates. Can these two quirky individuals figure out what Burke’s up to before it’s too late? Can they manage to keep their relationship strictly business?
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  1. Print length
    186 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    November 15, 2011
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.47 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1618850954
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1618850959
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a fine and much recommended read, not to be missed." Midwest Book Review
"...extremely funny and heart-warming." Romantic Times Book Reviews
"This suspenseful seamlessly crafted book is delightful..." Conger Books Reviews
"...truly a comical story from beginning to end." Manic Readers Reviews

From the Author

Being sold by independent sellers. No longer available in this edition.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Secret Cravings Publishing (November 15, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 186 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1618850954
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1618850959
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.47 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 6 ratings

About the author

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Cindy A. Christiansen

Cindy A. Christiansen

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Bestselling author, Cindy A Christiansen, has combined her love of dogs with her joy of writing to create an award winning combination. Her novels always include canine characters both in the pages and on the cover, an extension of the credit she gives to her extraordinary rescue dogs for their part in helping her overcome numerous challenges. In a reciprocal gesture for their love and devotion, a portion of the proceeds from her books are donated to assist abandoned and abused dogs.

She lives in Utah with her loving husband, two creative children with autism, and a pack of rambunctious dogs.

Cindy writes clean & wholesome action/adventure romance with humor...and dogs! Here's what her books give you:

* A clean read without bedroom scenes and without offensive language.

* A tantalizing, fast-paced plot.

* A story without a lot of boring description.

* Down-to-earth, small town heroes and heroines with everyday jobs.

* A rollercoaster ride of emotions you face right along with the characters.

* A special dog to steal your heart.

* A few added facts, a good message, and that important happily-ever-after ending.

Her books are appropriate for teens and up, men and women, and Christian readers.

Fly into a good book at: http://www.dragonflyromance.com

AWARDS:

Time Will Tell: LUW - Oquirrh Chapter: Published Works - 1st Place

Fortune for Fools: LUW - Oquirrh Chapter: Published Works - 2nd Place

Hunting for Happenstance: LUW - Oquirrh Chapter: Published Works - 3rd Place

Legacy of Lies: Honorable Mention, RWA Heart of the West Chapter Contest

Legacy of Lies: Honorable Mention, RWA Golden Pen Contest

Hazardous Hideaway: First Place, RWA Great Beginning Contest

Love on Laird Avenue: First Place, League of Utah Writers Oquirrh Chapter Contest

Braving the Blaze: Second Place, League of Utah Writers Oquirrh Chapter Contest

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
6 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

MissMed51
5.0 out of 5 stars Love on Laird Ave by Cindy A. Christiansen - Recommend
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2013
Verified Purchase
Tatum needs to have more confidence in herself so in comes Ryan home improvement expert. Ryan seems to have everything under control except he has trouble with discerning what business hours means. I would recommend this book for the romance alone but there's suspense as well when trouble starts calling in the form of someone trying to get into Tatum's basement (and its not Ryan).
This is a charming story that took me on a wild ride of laughs with a lovable guard dog thrown in. Hope everyone takes the time to read this well written tale of love and compassion.
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Heather
5.0 out of 5 stars Cute and Quirky
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2012
Verified Purchase
I loved this book, it was cute and quirky, with a twist I didn't expect. A good read to take you away for awhile :-)
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Iola
3.0 out of 5 stars Clean, Sweet Romance with Potential
Reviewed in the United States on June 18, 2012
Tatum Stewart has just graduated from University and is looking to escape from the shadow of her over-protective (and rich) father. She plans to start her own computer programming business, seriously look for a boyfriend and renovate the dream house she has just purchased in lovely Laird Avenue. Unfortunately, the house has a secret hidden in the basement that is about to attract some unwanted attention.

Ryan Bulldarren is an expert at all things around home renovation, with all the skills of a builder, electrician, plumber and architect all rolled into one. Unfortunately, he also has a learning difficulty which means he lacks confidence in his professional abilities - and his ability to maintain a relationship. Ryan and Tatum are immediately attracted to each other, but the path of true love isn't going to run smoothly, between Tatum's blind dates and the intruders who keep trying to get into the house.

The prologue suggested that Love on Laird Avenue was going to be a romantic suspense, but actually it was more romantic comedy with a bit of suspense thrown in. I enjoyed the plot, and Ryan is a really likeable character (although I'd normally be suspicious of any man who can recognise a pair of $500 mens shoes in the dark).

However, I found Tatum to be a little over-the-top for my taste, and found it difficult to believe that she had the intelligence to graduate college. I know she's meant to be a poor little rich girl striking out to gain independence, but seriously? Buying new clothes every day because she doesn't know how to turn on an electric washing machine? Wanting to be independent but allowing Daddy to underwrite the mortgage? (Daddy's obviously underwriting the credit card and the $275 haircuts as well). Inviting blind dates off an internet matchmaking site home to dinner - without a chaperone?

This is a self-published novel, and while the proofreading was excellent, there were some editing issues, such as repetition (e.g. twenty sentences beginning with the word `she' in just two pages). There are also some issues with the narrative, with too much `tell' and not enough `show', but overall, this is an easy-to-read romance with some nice writing that would benefit from some editorial polish.

Thanks to Cindy A Christiansen and Secret Cravings Publishing for providing a free ebook for review.

P.S. Those who regularly read my reviews know that they are mostly of Christian fiction. Love on Laird Avenue is not Christian fiction - although it is a 'clean' read, none of the main characters have any religious conviction, Christian or otherwise, and it is written by a Mormon. It is set in Utah, so there are a handful of references to the Mormons (specifically, around Prohibition) but nothing particularly 'religious'.
3 people found this helpful
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Bookloving Gal
4.0 out of 5 stars Original, clean, fun, sweet
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2012
The reviewer called Iola has provided an excellent synopsis of the main plot, so I'll save myself a little bit of typing.

Ryan, the hero, is adorable. Tatum, the heroine, required a bit of understanding. I put the book away after the second time she slapped Ryan because she had misconstrued some innocent thing he had said AND RYAN HAD SIMPLY ACCEPTED GETTING SLAPPED. After a while I went back to the book, just in time for her to slap him a third time, but at least this time he noticed it and objected to it, even if he didn't call her on it.

The book has a lot of detail about architecture, and it sounds as if it's right. The plot is cute, and there's an agreeable quantity of slapstick humor. Structurally, the book is fine.

The writing--well, I wish the writer had slowed down a little. The characters always seem to be rushing around. Too often she relies on the words stomp, tromp, and traipse. The worst example has someone stomping up a ladder. Really? Sounds dangerous. I've only been to Salt Lake once, and didn't see the best parts. I would have enjoyed some old-fashioned description to help set the scene. I know description is not in style any more, but it would have made the read better in my opinion. The details of the house, and of the Governor's Mansion are called out--named--but not really depicted. The characters have tons of internal dialogue but still seem all rushed and headlong.

The books fulfills one of my biggest requirements for romance--the hero and the heroine force each other to grow. I like that.

This is one of the author's first books, and there's a lot to like. I think it will be fun to read her other stories as she progresses. I had expected (hoped for) a sequel that would be about a romance between the heroine's flaky best friend and the hero's insufferable brother, but alas, that is not to be.

As for the Mormon thing--I liked it. It's unusual, at least in my experience, and it's not at all proselytizing. In fact, one of the hoodlums gets a fair amount of humor out of it.

I would say, get the e-book, relax, and enjoy the story and the characters.
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