Purple Orchids (The Mitchell Family Series)

This is by far my most favorite read of any book and I have a few that I have fallen in love with over time. Baylor (beautiful name btw) and Gavin are the most amazing couple and amazing individuals. Normally I try to get through a book to move on to the next one. However, this author wrote 434 pages that sucked me in and I didn't want it to end. I actually had deleted two books prior to this one after only reading less than half because I didn't find them interesting enough to continue. Then along came Purple Orchids. I am so in love with all of the characters in this book. Everyone played a pivotal role in making Baylor and Gavin's love story beautiful, charming, sad at times and humorous at times. There are two more in this series about Baylor's sisters. I would normally wait until they go on sale, but I'm so addicted to this author's writing that I'm snatching those two up immediately. Yeah, yeah...I know they're only $3.99, but when you have as many digital books in my queue as I do, you don't need to spend full price. The next two are also rated at an average of 5 stars and I have no doubt after reading Purple Orchids that those ratings are not from friends and family or paid reviewers. This author's writing is that good! Is the story unique, some of it yes and some of it no. Man whore falls in love with beautiful girl because she's different, but the way Samantha Christy brings these two together along with the many other parts that are different than other romance novels is well developed and just beautiful. I highly recommended this novel!

I really like Samantha Christy’s writing style and skills. Purple Orchids is a great example of her work. In it there is lots of angst offset by lots of humor. It has a good HEA ending.

In ‘Purple Orchids’ we read the story of Gavin and Baylor. Gavin and Baylor meet in college. They are totally opposites. Gavin the athlete with the rich family. A real-life playboy with another girl on his arm every single day. And then there’s Baylor. She works hard for everything she’s got. She isn’t into dating, and she definitely isn’t interested in parties. From the moment Gavin and Baylor meet, there is a connection between them. And soon they fall hard for each other. Things seemed perfect, but then something changes everything. And they never see each other again. Now years later they accidentally meet again. And there is a lot of hurt and anger between them. They soon learn that people in their lives haven’t been honest with them. And there lives could have been very different. Now they get a second chance to talk things out. But eight years is a very long time, and nothing is the same anymore. When I first read the book description, I didn’t expect this book to be in different parts but I definitely enjoyed it. In the first part we meet Gavin and Baylor in college. They meet and fall hard for each other. We get to read moments from both Gavin and Baylor’s point of view, and it was perfect. Gavin sure made me swoon at times. The next part in this book is eight years later. We still read the story through both their eyes, and I loved every moment of it. The chemistry between Gavin and Baylor was flying of the pages, and I was really rooting for them right from the start. The romance was amazing, and there where some great sexy moments as well. The one thing that I didn’t love, was the evilness of Gavin’s ex. It just felt a bit far reached. But it didn’t bother me to much since I loved both these characters so much. Overall ‘Purple Orchids’ was an amazing read. And I’m definitely curious to read more books by this author.

This is a new to me, author. This was wonderfully written. I can’t wait for my book besties to read it. Romance sweet romance.

Let me just start by saying that I really enjoyed the last half of this book. There were twists and turns that I didn't see coming that genuinely made me gasp, however, the first half of the book dragged on and on. I felt like it was very repetitive and if I had to read one more sex scene or hear Gavin profess his love one more time I was going to scream. There was no substance to their 3 month relationship other than the fact that they liked to run, eat french fries, and have sex every 5 seconds. Now, the 2nd half of the book is where she actually started a decent story line that had me intrigued. I think she needed elaborate more on the stalker situation bc that part still makes no sense. Anyways, not a bad read, but I won't be continuing the series. I don't love the characters enough to know what's going to happen next.

This book was a slow burn but what twist and turns. I had all the emotions a book can produce great read.

Purple Orchids is the first book in the Mitchell Sisters trilogy. It is written in the first person narrative divided by three sections. First and last from the point of view of the hero, Gavin McBride. The second section is from the point of view of our heroine, Baylor Mitchell, the eldest of the Mitchell sisters. The book opens present day with Gavin reminiscing with his friend about 8 years prior when he was a sophomore in college. From his point of view, we witness how he met Baylor and the courtship that followed. Unlike every other female college freshmen, Baylor is not concerned with being like everyone else. While the sorority sisters are in short dresses with dyed hair and surgically enhanced cleavages, Baylor is fresh faced in jeans and Dr. Seuss T-shirts. The two glitches in their relationship are their friendships with others. Gavin’s childhood friend is a woman that sees Baylor as the competition; Baylor’s ex-boyfriend is someone that remains a close friend. Baylor and Gavin experience a lot of firsts together, each promising to go at the other’s pace, as Baylor is a virgin and Gavin has never had a serious relationship. Over French fries they learn all about each other, until lies and insecurities break them apart. Each believing the other ended the relationship, they each pack their hearts away so they would never be hurt again. Now eight years later, Baylor is faced with the man she thinks left her all those years ago. She is determined to keep him away; he is determined to show her the truth behind the lies. Through Baylor’s eyes we see the couple reconnect and face all the challenges and blessings that lay ahead. Old traditions are recreated as the couple learn everything they missed in the eight years they spent apart. The simple writing and clever use of repetitive phrases keep the pages turning as we fall in love and experience the ups and downs of this beautiful relationship. Sure to be read multiple times. Each visit with Baylor and Gavin will have us whispering, “Miss me?”

This book was a wonderful way to start 2017. It had everything I love in a book; two character POV, hot sex scenes; lovable characters; a villain you love to hate and a rich story. I can not wait to read the remaining Mitchell sisters books. Gavin is the book boyfriend of dreams... He has a Texas drawl and says darling and partner... Swoon worthy!!! Baylor a strong woman who makes you want to be a wonderful woman like her! I had every emotion with this book and at one point I was going to throw the book because I was so frustrated with the drama. I was completely absorbed by Samantha Christy's way of weaving an amazing story. Here is the blurb: One day . . . one moment . . . one letter. One lie. That’s all it took to change the course of our lives. Gavin McBride She blindsided me. Broke me. Shredded me. And now she’s back, thinking I did the very same thing to her. When I reach out to her, I get more than I bargained for. Much more. There’s nothing to forgive. But I need her to forgive me. There’s no way to go back. But I need us to move forward. Baylor Mitchell I found a way to survive. Without him. Without us. Without the future he promised. I never hid from him. I didn’t know I had anything to hide. Until he threatened everything I knew to be true. When he came back and I found out it was all a lie. We need to accept the past. We have to learn to trust in the future. We must risk our hearts once more. If we want any chance at reclaiming a love that never died . . . on that one day . . . in that one moment . . . with that one lie. Note to reader: This book is a standalone novel. It is the first in a series that follows three sisters.