Cooper's Charm

By Lori Foster

One summer, two sisters, and a chance to start over…

Before the burglary that shattered her confidence, Phoenix Rose had a fiancé, a successful store, and a busy, happy existence. After months spent adrift, she takes a job at the lakeside resort of Cooper's Charm. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, friendly colleagues, and a charismatic, widowed boss, Phoenix is slowly inching her way back into the world.

Visiting Cooper's Charm to check up on her little sister, Ridley Rose impulsively agrees to fill in as housekeeper. Still reeling from an ego–bruising divorce, she finds satisfaction in a job well done – and in the attention of the resort's handsome scuba instructor.

For Phoenix and Ridley, Cooper's Charm is supposed to be merely temporary.  But this detour may lead to the place they most need to be, where the future is as satisfying as it is surprising…

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Aug 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781489268877

Lori Foster

Lori Foster is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author with books from a variety of publishers, including Berkley/Jove, Kensington, St. Martin's, Harlequin and Silhouette. Lori has been a recipient of the prestigious RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Fantasy, and for Contemporary Romance. For more about Lori, visit her Web site at www.lorifoster.com.

Reviews for Cooper's Charm

[simplykelina · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Thank you to HQN for sending me a copy of Cooper’s Charm.This was my first Lori Foster read, so I was not sure what to expect. Do not let this cover fool you, this story is filled with steamy romance and a lot of angst. I also love that this follows two sisters as they learn to trust again, face their pasts, and move on from different tragedies. I also love the connection between Cooper and Phoenix and how they connect over a similar past. My heart was torn for them both as you learn more about what happened with each of them.This is a romance, but it has a small amount of suspense as well. You will wonder what happened to all of the characters and want to see how it unravels. You know the story is going to come full circle, and I kept waiting for it to happen.As I mentioned, this is also a steamy romance. There is lots of attraction and sexual encounters.Overall, I really enjoyed the plot and characters in Cooper’s Charm.

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Phoenix Rose and her sister Ridley have both had some tough knocks in life. Phoenix leaves her home and applies for a job at a local resort called Cooper's Charm. Delighted, she is hired and begins her healing. Of course, hunky Cooper Cochran will be integral to that healing process. Meanwhile Ridley, recently divorced, is handling her situation a bit differently. She is using her looks to love em and leave em. She misses her sister, so ends up at Cooper's Charm as well and smack into the arms of one of Cooper's employees.

This is a second chance romance story for more than just Cooper and Ridley. All the employees there have some sort of baggage to get over and this is a summer of love. There is an element of mystery to the story as well. It seems someone is targeting Phoenix for some reason and Cooper is worried about her safety. Will they find out who is stalking Phoenix? Will Phoenix be able to heal at Cooper's Charm? Will Ridley's dreams finally come true? I enjoyed the story with its sassy banter, loyalty to one another, family love and romance. A warning to reader's there are some descriptive sex scenes in the book, but you can skim them if you choose, and still very much enjoy this story. The publisher, HQN books generously granted my request to read this book and provided me with a copy. The opinions and ideas shared are my own.

[grgenius_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Right from the start, I knew I was going to like this one, and that first impression was dead on. Yes, it's a Contemporary Romance, and for fans of the genre, you KNOW how much more than JUST romance these stories really contain, but for those more skeptical, allow me to enlighten you. Yes, there are potential hookups, and trust me you'll be cheering them on, but it's SO MUCH MORE than that.

It's about Phoenix and the "big ugly" that happened to her, stealing her sense of self, and making her withdraw from those she loved. Did she give up? No...merely stole time to herself to regroup, but it didn't make the journey any less harrowing, nor the unexpected surprises any less bewildering (hello, Big Sexy...I mean Coop!). It's about Ridley, Phoenix's older sister, reeling from a bad divorce that left he with wads of cash, but a broken heart masquerading as new foudn freedom and confidence. Eventually, she'll break, but not before a lot of sexy banter is exchanged (and more) with a certain scuba god. It's about Coop and his carefully shielded heart, opening to the possibilities that love can bring...but don't think he'll go without a fight. He was touched by tragedy as well, making him more cautious of lending his heart out to, well....pretty much anyone...but that doesn't mean he isn't caring, protective, and a gentleman through and through for all those whose lives he touches. It's about Baxter, his unexpected past, and how it shaped the man he is today. His brazen flirtatious nature is smoldering, yet harmless...well, for most anyway...though true intimacy scares the ba jee bees out of him...for now. Those are just the main players, but it should come as no surprise that all the secondary characters are just as memorable too.

All in all, it's a story about second chances, for man and beast, and how no matter what if we are true to ourselves, there's nothing more that can be asked. We may need to reset at times when life throws us off balance, as well as learn that accepting the helping hand of another is not a sign of weakness. Phoenix may see herself as broken and weak, but when seen through the eyes (and hearts!) of others, she's as mighty as an oak with a heart of gold...and with the likes of Coop (and Sugar!) hanging around, she's well on her way to rediscovering her old self.


**copy received for review

[cathygeha · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Cooper’s Charm by Lori FosterLove at the Resort #1What a delightful introduction to a promising new series of romances set in Ohio at a lake resort that has just about anything vacationers might be looking for – sites to pitch a tent, hookup an RV or camper, rent a cabin or stay in a larger building. There are watersports, hiking, activities for children and no doubt other options not yet mentioned in the first book. The first book offers two romances (sisters find true love), a bit of a mystery that could prove life threatening, growth of characters dealing with pasts they need to work through and a whole lot of fun, romance and camaraderie. What I liked: * Phoenix’s ability to overcome the trauma she experienced – and her glasses* Ridley’s ability to give as well as take in relationships* The sister-love between Phoenix and Ridley* Baxter – a match in more ways than one for Ridley* Cooper – an alpha hunk that was a bit of a gentle giant till riled and in some ways wounded but not daunted* Maris and Daron – will they star in a book soon? * Joy and her son – wonder who she will meet? What I didn’t like: * The bad guy that was finally revealed* The local louts that seemed rather lost (do wonder if perhaps Harry might be given a chance to turn his life around)* Other than what I was supposed not to like…there wasn’t anything to diss in this book. Did I enjoy this book? YesWill I read more by this author? YesDo I want to read the next book in this series? DefinitelyThank you to NetGalley and HQN for the ARC – This is my honest review.5 Stars

[ethel55_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a wonderful contemporary story, with just enough sexy romance to keep things going. Phoenix Rose heads to Cooper's Charm, an RV park, to take a groundskeeper job after a frightening break in and assault at her landscaping business. Cooper Cochran bought the place after his wife's death and is recovering from his own darkness. They are great characters that you can root for and the addition of Phoenix sister Ridley and other employees like Maris and Daron round out the charming story.

[pam50627 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Cooper's Charm is the perfect book! The resort sounds like an ideal place to live, work, visit & recover. Phoenix needs to recuperate & find herself after a traumatic event. She's began to recover her strength but needs to get away from her familiar surroundings. This job sounds like it will be perfect! Just when she's starting to live again, & stop looking over her shoulder, a series of events start to happen. Has her past comeback to haunt her? Cooper lost his wife & unborn child years ago. He retreated into himself to grieve & purchased the resort to hide away. He's come out of his shell & is beginning to live again when he meets Phoenix. He can tell something has happened & his protective instincts are up. Is there something more to it? Who wouldn't want to go to Cooper's? The resort sounds perfect, the employees friendly & knowledgeable, & the scenery spectacular. Cooper & Phoenix, & even secondary characters Baxter & Ridley, have all been hurt in different ways. They all needed time to allow them to heal. The connections between them were plain to see the minute they met. The plot had several twists with the secondary plot line running throughout. This is a great start to a new series by a terrific author!

[scoutmomskf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Terrific story about two sisters who want to take back their lives, and the men who help them do it. It's also a story of family, support, and love, letting go of the past and taking chances.Phoenix had a happy life until a burglary and assault threw it all into turmoil. After months of drifting, she's determined to find her independence and reclaim her life. Taking a job as the groundskeeper at Cooper's Charm will get her back into the career she loves with enough physical activity to keep her distracted from her past. She doesn't expect the bigger distraction of her sexy, widowed boss. Cooper purchased the resort several years earlier, after the murder of his pregnant wife. The first two years were spent just trying to make it from day to day, but he's slowly found peace in his surroundings and the varied life of the resort. He still grieves for his wife, but he's more at peace, until a sexy, hurting Phoenix starts to get under his skin.I loved the development of the relationship between Cooper and Phoenix. I loved their first encounter, the sparks that were there between them, and the wary way they danced around them. Cooper is aware of Phoenix's past, which brings out the protectiveness in him. Phoenix is still dealing with the aftermath of the robbery and the effect it had on how she sees herself. Cooper is patient in the way he lets Phoenix get to know him and become comfortable around him. She is surprised by the fact that, in spite of his size, she is never afraid of him. I liked the slow and steady growth of their relationship, as the chemistry between them builds. One of the things I liked best was their ability to communicate, not just the everyday job-related stuff, but also those things that were more personal. I loved their honesty, as both agreed that they weren't into playing games with feelings. Phoenix also has some self-esteem issues about her body because she is quite curvy. Cooper finds her very sexy and has no trouble letting her know the effect she has on him. After a bit of excitement at the end, both Phoenix and Cooper were able to admit their feelings for each other and move on together.Phoenix's sister, Ridley, had recently been through a painful divorce, leaving her cynical and a little bitter. When she arrives at Cooper's Charm to check up on Phoenix, she is at loose ends and impulsively offers to act as the resort's housekeeper. This also puts her near Baxter, the resort's scuba instructor. The sparks between them flew fast and furious. I loved the back and forth between them. Baxter is commitment-shy after a bad breakup and is known as quite the player, but there is something about Ridley that gets under his skin. Ridley is only looking for a fun time, however Baxter blasts right through the walls she has erected around her heart. It was fun to watch these two chase each other and try to keep their emotions out of it. An unexpected development forces them to face their feelings and make some decisions.There was a bit of suspense involving Phoenix. It appears that someone is targeting her, and the question is who and why? There are several suspects, but I was pretty sure who it was from the beginning of the incidents. The resolution was a nail-biter with Phoenix's life on the line. I loved how it turned out, especially seeing Phoenix regain that last piece of herself.