One Hundred Excuses

An Aspen Cove Romance, Book 5

By: Kelly Collins

Narrated by: Logan McAllister

Author Kelly Collins takes you back to Aspen Cove where life is sweet, the tea is sweeter, and love is the sweetest of all!

Marina Caswell didn’t expect to find herself broken and alone with a four-year-old daughter. She could offer a hundred excuses as to why her marriage failed, but the truth was, she’d chosen poorly. After a painful marriage and an ugly divorce, she flees with her little girl to Aspen Cove, looking for a place to heal their wounded spirits and mend their shattered hearts.

What she doesn’t expect to find in the quirky little town is love in the form of Sheriff Cooper, a man who insists that everything - including trust, love, and respect - is grown like a garden. All it needs is a bit of attention and care, something Marina has never experienced.

As the local sheriff, Aiden Cooper can recognize trouble at a glance. It usually looks pretty, smells nice, and wears heels. After his last relationship failure, Aiden doesn’t expect love to bloom when single mom Marina Caswell plants roots next door, but when he sees the sadness in her eyes, he makes it his mission to sow seeds of hope and happiness in her heart.

The tiniest kernel of love can grow when the conditions are right, but a weed from Marina’s past threatens to choke out what they’ve cultivated together. Can Aiden and Marina’s love grow and thrive, or will the past seek its revenge, causing their love to wilt and die before it can ever take root?

Find out in One Hundred Excuses.

©2018 Kelley Maestas (P)2023 Kelley Maestas

romance

Neighbors become well acquainted. A young girl. Abusive relationship. Starting over. A well told story. Some intimate details that are easier to skip with a printed page, but the overall tale was engaging.

Great Read

One Hundred Excuses (Aspen Cove #5) was a good read by Kelly Collins. Marina Caswell is broken and alone with her four year old daughter. She had a very painful marriage and an extremely ugly divorce. She believes that Aspen Cove will be the place to heal her wounded spirit and mend her shattered heart. Sheriff Aiden Cooper is a man believes trust, love and respect are grown like a garden. I really enjoyed reading Marina and Aiden’s story and cant wait to read more by the author.

Is Marina willing to trust Aiden with her heart?

One Hundred Excuses is the fifth book in the Aspen Cove Small Town Romance series, but can be a stand alone. Marina and her daughter have lived a nightmare, but they’re trying to start fresh in Aspen Cove. Living next door to the sheriff is a surprise, but Marina quickly realizes that she can trust Aiden, as well as the other residents with her safety and independence. But is she willing to trust Aiden with her heart?

This is my favorite book in the series! I absolutely loved listening to the book and having the characters come alive in a way that just doesn’t happen by reading. It’s a sense of magic, honestly. Mr. McAllister is fantastic with his narrating and I love that you can feel the romance blossom between Marina and Aiden through his tones. I love Marina, I love her strength, I love that even though she still gets scared, she’s willing to stand up for herself and her daughter. I loved listening as she slowly opened herself up to Aiden. And what a man he is! Protective, caring, going way above and beyond to make his two girls happy, I swoon over Aiden every time I read or listen! I love their connection, I love how he builds her up and stands next to her, I love how Kellyn plays into the story and romance from the very beginning, and I love how Aspen Cove rallies around its own people! I giggled, I swooned, and I might have even cried as I fell in love with these characters!

Anothe wonderful story in this series

I have loved audiobooks 1-4 and this one was just as good.
This story belongs to Marina Caswell, her daughter Keilyn and Aiden Cooper.
Aiden is the town’s sheriff. A man with a big heart who’s intrigued by his new neighbor, Marina and her daughter.
Marina has left an abusive man and now is trying to build a new home with the daughter. A girl that was traumatize because of the abuse to the point of no longer speaking as well as being terrified of men.
But as these three get to know each other, the little girl blossoms as does Marina.
But when her ex comes back to haunt her, will Marina be able to fight back and find her HEA with Aiden?
While the story is at times heartbreaking and at others heartwarming, it’s also a reminder that domestic abuse whether physical and/or emotional, does exists in all social classes.
This is another story by this talented author that’s worth your time.

Love this book and the series

I love this books! This was a sweet romance between a woman ending from her past and the local sherif. Trigger warnings for domestic violence and implied sexual abuse.

Narrator does a Great Job

I do enjoy visiting Aspen Cove. The small town atmosphere, the closeness and support of friends and family make it feel like you are visiting a really special place.

I admired Marina both for getting out of a violent situation, and for the way she got out. It had to be hard for both Marina and Kellyn to trust anyone. The way they both opened up and put their trust in Aiden was really sweet, especially with Kellyn. Kellyn, even speechless played a major part in this story. I loved the way Aiden behaved with Kellyn.

There was also an unexpected twist in this book. I wasn't expecting it, yet, I wasn't surprised either.

The narrator, Logan McAllister, did a really good job. He was able to convey just the right amount of ugliness in the character of Marine's ex husband. I always consider a great narration to be one that let's you get lost in the story and you aren't thinking of whether it's a man or woman speaking.

A sweet, sexy, heartwarming, small town, single mom romance. I look forward to the next Aspen Cove installment.

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed this audio book received from the author.

Heartwarming & Romantic!!!!

A heartwarming and suspenseful story about Marina a young woman fighting to keep her and her daughter safe from her ex husband and Aiden the town sheriff who finds the one woman he wants to make a home with. Kelly Collins draws her readers into a small town Colorado town where everyone knows everyone and neighbors become family. Filled with flirtatious banter, heartache, healing, fear, domestic and child abuse, gaining strength and courage from friends, a stalker of an ex, laughter, and finding true love. A wonderful story of overcoming abuse and opening your heart to love. Readers will fall in love all over again with the town and people of Aspen Cove.

"Victor not a Victim"

Marina Caswell tells herself through the book that she is a victor and not a victim. She has survived unspeakable abuse and yet she is a victor. She rises from the ashes and provides an amazing life for Kellyn, a little girl who isn't hers, but yet Marina treats her as though she is. Aiden is the town sheriff and knows there is something special about these two from their first meeting. Marina is very quick to trust Aiden which I was surprised about since her past relationship left her life in ruins. Aiden quickly falls for Marina and wants to protect them, but quickly learns that Marina can protect herself. This story does deal with an issue that may be a trigger for some people. I thought the story was well told and loved returning to Aspen Cove.

The narrator did a great job bringing this story to life.

Cooper, Marina and Kellen

Another great Aspen Cove story. This one involving a child who doesn’t speak due to trauma and the town sheriff. A definite recommendation. The narration is on point as always.
Sister Spotlight 💕

loved it

Loved it !! this story. the narrator is so fantastic it's like your really there!! After listening to this story,. I totally enjoyed reading this book. It’s well written and the characters were uniquely fantastic. I would suggest this book to my friends that like this sort of genera. this was a good book. The narrator was great.