Delores Fossen

Terrific start to the series. Egan is the oldest of four siblings, all choosing to serve in the military rather than remain on the family ranch. When his father suffers a heart attack, Egan takes a month's leave to come home and run the ranch while his dad recovers. Egan doesn't like visiting his hometown because they consider him a hero, and he thinks he's anything but. Egan and his best friend Jack joined the military together. Jack was killed by an IED, and Egan feels responsible.

Jack's widow, Alana, has mixed feelings since his death. She is grieving his loss because she loved him, but she's also angry over his infidelity. She also feels guilty because they argued about that infidelity right before his death.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Egan and Alana. With Egan home and Alana caring for his dad at the ranch, they are thrown together often. It doesn't take long for them to realize they are attracted to each other. But there are obstacles to their relationship. Alana's mother-in-law, Tilly, believes that Alana will always be "Jack's wife" and expects Alana to play the part of a grieving widow at the upcoming celebration of Jack's wife. Egan used to be married to Alana's sister, making things a bit awkward. Add the rampant gossip in the small town, and both feel the pressure.

I liked that Egan and Alana were honest with each other about their feelings and reservations. That openness prevented misunderstandings and kept the focus on what they wanted. I ached for both when Tilly's grief and mama bear blindness to Jack's faults caused problems for them. I liked how Alana stood up for Egan against Tilly's vitriol. The emotional storm came to a head with an unexpected revelation. I loved how Alana and Egan faced things together, realizing it gave them greater strength. The only question remained: what would happen when Egan's leave was up?

I liked meeting Egan's siblings and look forward to reading their stories.… (altro)