Anything for You: A Blue Heron Novel (Blue Heron, #5)

by Kristan Higgins

Before you get down on bended knee...you should be pretty darn sure the answer will be yes.

For ten years, Connor O'Rourke has been waiting for Jessica Dunn to take their on-again, off-again relationship public, and he thinks the time has come. His restaurant is thriving, she's got her dream job at Blue Heron Vineyard--it's the perfect time to get married.

What she and Connor have is perfect: friends with an excellent benefits package. So when he pops the question, her answer is a fond but firm no. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Jess has her hands full with her younger brother and finally a great career doing something other than waitressing. Besides, with her difficult past (and questionable reputation), she knows she's not wife material.

But this time, Connor says it's all or nothing. If she doesn't want to marry him, he'll find someone who does. Easier said than done, given that he's never loved anyone but her. And maybe Jess, who's always seemed so sure of herself, has a few things left to learn of her own.

• ISBN10: 1628998865
• ISBN13: 9781628998863
• Publish Date: 1 March 2016 (first published 29 December 2015)
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Center Point
• Edition: Large type / large print edition
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 500
• Language: English

Reviews

[Lorelei's Lit Lair]

Anything For You by Kristan Higgins
This story makes you think better about passing judgment, especially on women like Jessica Dunn, whose nickname used to be Jessica Does in high school. We get to see how her family and lifestyle was really like growing up. It clarifies so many things about her actions and decisions. I really liked her and was happy she got her happily ever after.
Connor O'Rourke, oh I've been waiting for this awesome guy to get his happy ending for a long time! Frankly I didn't know that he and Jessica had a past, which may be the reason why I enjoyed their story so much. I was probably too focused (and swooning) over the other heroes in previous stories of the series at the time.

[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
Nostalgic, achingly tender and sweet - Anything for You showed the extremely slow development of Jess and Connor's relationship. All the characters we already know and love in Blue Heron were present as well.



I have to admit I felt really bad for Connor with the beginning of Anything For You! He had prepared a very romantic evening for his on-again off-again girlfriend Jess, complete with a diamond ring to ask her to marry him - only to have her think he was adorable, but of course, the answer was no. As the story moved forward, though, with flash-backs to their childhoods, teenage years and early adult-hood, it became very clear that Jess was right. Of course the answer was no - there were too many things not yet settled and worked out between the two of them. Her difficult past as a trailer-park child, with parents who were drunk more often than not, and a disabled younger brother she felt responsible for, Jess just didn't have room for another full time relationship in her life.

Getting to know Connor and Jess was a pleasure, and I loved being back in the Blue Heron universe for their story. Anything For You is a solid story, about what is important in life, and also how hard it can be to let go of the past in order to grab hold of the present and the future with both hands. Connor was in a place where he thought everything was possible, but he hadn't really thought about how hard things still were for Jess, but when he put his mind to it - he was amazing at figuring out solutions to all the roadblocks in their way.

Sweet and tender, and with a romance between two people who had known each other almost their whole lives, Anything For You went deep into the main characters' thoughts and feelings to explore them, and to help them get to know themselves better all the while letting me get to know them well at the same time. I loved the other relationships in the story as well, both between friends and family, and other couples I had met in the past books in the series. The sense of loyalty between those close to Jess felt towards her was so strong, yet, she couldn't really see it because she was always striving to better herself to make sure her brother would always be safe. Putting her own life on hold was just normal for her, and as I learned the reasoning behind this, my heart broke for her.

Written in third person point of view, past tense, the story moved forward at an even pace, and both the overall story as well as the plot and the sub-plots were well executed.



"I just asked you to marry me, Jess," he said. "And it was adorable." She ruffled his hair. That didn't bode well, either. "The answer is no, obviously. What were you thinking? And boy, I'm starving. Did you call for pizza yet?"

No, the O'Rourkes were a sitcom family, starring Dad as The Hardworking Businessman; Colleen, the Sassy and Beautiful Daughter; Mom with a supporting role as Slightly Dim Housewife; and Connor as... As not that much. As Colleen's twin.

He thought about calling someone to join him - one of his high school pals, maybe. Levi Cooper was on leave from Afghanistan, and Big Frankie Pepitone was always up for a beer. Then he opted against it. Solitude was the order of the night. He was Irish - brooding was the song of his people.



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[Lindsey Gray]

4.5 Stars!

Finally back to Blue Heron! I've read how Faith got over a broken engagement and fell for her former beau's best friend. I got to experience the highs and lows Honor experienced while running the vineyard and trying to find true love. I ached for Colleen while she put on a brave front to mourn the separation from her high school sweetheart. I fell head over heals for Jack as he recovered from his divorce and found love with one of the most unlikely women in Manningsport. Now, Connor decides it is time to make an honest woman of the girl he's loved for over a decade. It didn't occur to him she would say no.

We got a more in-depth look at Connor O'Rourke in Colleen's story, Waiting on You. I honestly thought he was kind of a jerk at first until I realized how he and his twin acted like bickering brats to each other on a daily basis. When push came to shove, I saw how much Connor cared for his sister. I got to experience that side of Connor throughout this novel and saw how much hiding his love cost him.

I've loved Jessica Dunn throughout the entire series. We didn't get to know her as well as Connor, but I always felt bad for her and the reputation she had of being Jessica Does. In this story, we get to see the true heart wrenching life Jessica has endured from day one.

Higgins is good at sprinkling in the needed backstory in each of her novels. I will warn you though, most of Jessica and Connor's backstory is told upfront and there is a lot of it. Don't let that discourage you, dear reader. It is all necessary in the end. Oh, and keep a box of tissues handy as soon as you start reading.

Life is truly a crapshoot most of the time and Jessica and her brother, Davy, have struggled with that truth their entire lives. Jessica's alcoholic parents left her brother's care up to her from shortly after his birth. Born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Davy's IQ reached about 50 and he had to have a lot of supervision. Once Jessica could, she took him away from her parents to care for him herself. Jessica being with Connor shouldn't be a problem because of Davy's difficulties, but Davy absolutely hates Connor. So, here Jessica is stuck between her rock, Connor, and her hard place, Davy. What is a woman to do when the two people she loves more than herself can't get along? She chooses blood every time.

If I were in Jessica's place, I don't know that I would do anything different. She had a huge problem she had no idea how to fix. Thank God and all the saints that Connor doesn't give up and finds a solution of his own. One that comes with a new dog named Lady Fluffy.

When Connor goes to introduce his tiny new dog to his pregnant sister and her husband, Lucas, the O'Rourke siblings cause me to go into historical laugher once again.

“Meet Lady Fluffy,” Connor said two hours later, taking the dog out of his jacket pocket. “My new best friend.”

“Oh, Hail Mary,” Colleen wheezed then bolted for the bathroom. Her gales of laughter could be heard loud and clear.

“That is one great-looking dog,” Lucas said, fighting a smile. “Really manly. A poodle, is she?”

“Maltipoo. And shut up.”

“You gonna put a bow in her hair?” Lucas broke and started laughing.

“I repeat—shut up. Jessica’s brother picked her out for me.”

“God, you are whipped,” Lucas said.

“And you’re not?”

“Point taken.” He went over to the ladies room and knocked. “Mia, are you okay in there?”

Colleen emerged from the bathroom, wiping her eyes. “She’s really cute, Con. When you said you were getting a dog, I just pictured you ... with ... with a ...” The laughter started again.

“Get her out of here,” Connor told Lucas. “Leave, Dog-Face. Go push out that baby rhino.”

She stuck out her tongue.

Higgins again thrills me with laugh out loud dialogue and brilliant story development. I'm truly thankful that I was privileged to read another masterpiece from this one-of-a-kind storyteller.

Thank you Kristan Higgins, Netgalley, and Harlequin HQN for gifting me with a copy of Anything for You in exchange for an honest review. I pray that this series goes on. There are so many more characters in Manningsport who need to find love. Maybe Gerard Chartier or Ned Vanderbeek? Hint, hint.

If you haven't read this series, you can drop everything and start right now!