Author: Robyn Carr
Source: Little Bird Publicity
Goodreads Summary:
Having left the military, Dakota Jones is at a crossroads in his life. With his elder brother and youngest sister happily settled in Sullivan’s Crossing, he shows up hoping to clear his head before moving on to his next adventure. But, like every visitor to the Crossing, he’s immediately drawn to the down-to-earth people and the seemingly simple way of life.
Dakota is unprepared for how quickly things get complicated. As a newcomer, he is on everyone’s radar—especially the single women in town. While he enjoys the attention at first, he’s really only attracted to the one woman who isn’t interested. And spending quality time with his siblings is eye-opening. As he gets to know them, he also gets to know himself and what he truly wants.
When all the Jones siblings gather for a family wedding, the four adults are drawn together for the first time in a way they never were as children. As they struggle to accept each other, warts and all, the true nature and strength of their bond is tested. But all of them come to realize that your family are the people who see you for who you really are and love you anyway. And for Dakota, that truth allows him to find the home and family he’s always wanted.
My Thoughts:
I have been loving this series! I love these characters, the setting, their world. Their names, their backstory, their trials and triumphs. I find them to be very real, have real world problems and issues that are relatable - and of course I enjoy the love stories as well, the "main attraction" if you will.
In this book we are introduced to Dakota Jones, a former soldier who is now looking for the next step in his life now that he has left the military. And like any returning soldier, he seeks out his family for a visit that turns into more than a visit. Dakota had not intended to stay, but after seeing the town, meeting its residents, one resident in particular, he finds that Sullivan's Crossing in Timberlake, Colorado has worked its magic on him and he begins to set down roots. He finds a job, a house, and begins to get to know his siblings, Cal and Sierra again, and to bond with their families. Strengthening these roots.
He catches the eye of a few of the women in town right away, but there is only one that interests him, and she is the one who is going to make him work for it. Sid(ney), another , transplant to Sullivan's Crossing, had no intention of getting into a relationship after the one she has just gotten out of. But that was before she met Dakota, who shakes up her plans. Sid is dealing with her own issues and past, and Dakota is respectful of that in his pursuit of her. I really liked how his character interacted with Sid, playful yet patient.
There are a few other storylines at play in this book, dealing with Sierra, and his other sister, Sedona who makes her appearance partway through the book. Both of their storylines deal with pretty big topics, which I thought Carr handled brilliantly and sensitively. A few scenes even made me a little teary for these women.
Overall, I really loved this book. It is the third in the series, and while you can read it without having read the previous two, I would still recommend reading the others first. These are good characters, a good town. You won't regret your reading foray into this small town in Colorado!
