Teresa Southwick

Good book. Jon is new to Rust Creek Falls, having answered an advertisement for a pediatrician. He has some heartbreak in his past and has kept his emotions under control ever since. Dawn grew up in Rust Creek Falls and has come home after working in a city hospital. A recent romance has reinforced her distrust of men.

The initial meeting between Dawn and Jon didn't go very well. Jon isn't very good at talking to women, as he'd always been more interested in doctoring than flirting. show more Unfortunately, he managed to come across as judgmental and pompous and wasn't able to correct the impression before she walked away. Dawn had noticed his good looks when he first came in, but when she found out he was the new doctor she'd be working with, all her warmth and friendliness vanished. She was also irritated by his attitude about the infamous spiked punch incident (series Montana Mavericks: What Happened at the Wedding).

Dawn had been burned by getting involved with a doctor at her previous job. It turned out that he was engaged and hadn't told her, making her look like she'd knowingly been involved with another woman's man. After it came out, she was treated badly by others at the hospital, making her working life miserable. She left there to come home and work at the clinic, vowing she'd never get involved with another coworker. His lies and omissions also reinforced her distrust of men, thanks to the actions of her father. He had left the family, and his subsequent actions were extremely erratic and unreliable. Since that time, she has had trouble believing that men could be relied on.

Jon had his own issues that kept him somewhat isolated. While working as a doctor in a hospital, he had lost a young patient unexpectedly and it made him question himself. He took a job in Thunder Canyon to get away and heal. The effect the loss of his patient had on him also caused a rift between himself and the woman he was living with, making him reluctant to get involved again. After a few months of quiet at Thunder Canyon, Jon is ready for something more and joins the clinic at Rust Creek Falls.

Though their first meeting didn't go well, there were obviously sparks between them. Dawn is determined to keep it professional and treats Jon very differently than everyone else. I liked that Jon was determined to fix it and loved seeing him challenge her. Jon would really like to get to know her better, but accepts her reasons for being just friends. However, it's pretty obvious that they aren't going to be able to stick to it.

I loved watching the relationship develop. With Dawn's help, he finally saw that he wasn't solely to blame for the end of his previous relationship. I liked seeing the way that he was there for Dawn during some of her family issues, and that he helped her see things from a different perspective. When they cross the line from friends to lovers, both of them panic a little and try to go back to being just friends. He resisted the idea that he was falling for her until it was impossible to deny. Dawn realizes she has fallen for a man who probably won't stay in town. A medical crisis that has the potential to pull them apart, instead opens their eyes to what they really want. I loved Jon's big moment at the end.

I also liked the storyline involving Dawn's mother and father. His reappearance in their lives gives Dawn the chance to see her parents' relationship through the eyes of an adult rather than a child. She's very antagonistic at the beginning, but slowly begins to get to know him. I liked the tipping point in their relationship, as Hank is there for her when she thinks things are falling apart between her and Jon. show less

Sweet story with just enough sparks to heat it up. Brendan is a former Marine who has come to Rust Creek Falls to make some decisions about his life. He had a career he loved with the Marines, but he went home to Texas to take care of his dying father. After his father's death, Brendan was at a crossroads - should he re-enlist in the Corps, and go back where he felt a part of something, or stay out and find something else to do? Offered a place at Sunshine Farm, Brendan has found a purpose show more providing repair services for the town, but is it enough to keep him there?

Fiona is the oldest of her sisters and the only one still not married. She thought she was well on the way to her own happy-ever-after until her boyfriend left town and got another woman pregnant. While her pride was more damaged than her heart, she was resigned to being the spinster aunt. Having grown up in Rust Creek Falls, most of the single men are more like brothers than potential mates.

I liked the development of the relationship between Fiona and Brendan. From the moment they met, there were sparks between them, but they were wary. Brendan was sure he was going back to the Marines as soon as he was back in shape, so getting involved with Fiona would not be fair to her. He's also cynical about the whole idea of love, having seen what happened to his father when Brendan's mother left them. Fiona doesn't want to risk her heart on another man who will leave. In spite of their reasons to avoid each other, neither Brendan nor Fiona can stay away. I liked seeing the two of them get to know each other, first developing a good friendship. It was sweet to see Brendan's reaction when she told him about her ex, and I loved Fiona's efforts to show Brendan that he wasn't responsible for his mother's leaving. I liked seeing them try to keep their growing relationship "under the radar" which was impossible in the small town. As they continued to grow closer, Fiona realized that she had fallen in love with Brendan, and hoped that he would decide to stay, but was afraid to tell him so. I ached for Brendan, who realized that his feelings for Fiona had grown, but panicked because he equated love with pain and loss. I loved how both received advice that helped them face their fears and go after what they wanted. The epilogue was terrific.

One of the things I liked best about the book was Luke Stockton's ideas for Sunshine Farm. It was terrific to see how he found Brendan's strengths and used them to draw him into life in Rust Creek Falls. I especially enjoyed all of Luke's little nudges meant to make Brendan see that he had a place there. I loved seeing the support that all the veterans showed each other, and was especially moved by Brendan's encounter with Vietnam vet JT Halstead. I look forward to seeing more from Luke and Brendan in the future. show less

Very good story. Sydney is frustrated by her father's insistence that she be settled, or at least in a good relationship before he will propose to the woman he loves. She was burned in love several years earlier, and hasn't found anyone worth risking her heart over. So in order to move her father along in his relationship, she asks a stranger to pretend to be her boyfriend.

Burke is surprised by Syd's request. He's in Blackwater Lake because his company is building a new resort on the show more outskirts of town. He's intrigued, not just by her proposition but also by the woman herself. He wouldn't mind getting to know her better, but he's not the type to get involved. He was married once before, and it didn't end well, leaving him as a single father, and one that doesn't have much confidence in his ability to do it right.

I loved the romance between Syd and Burke. It starts out as a pretend relationship, but there is an undeniable attraction between them. Syd is cautious because her heart has already been broken once, but she can't deny her attraction to Burke. She knows a true relationship isn't possible, since he has said that he will never marry again, and he won't be staying in town for long anyway. But the more time she spends with him, the more she actually likes him. When he has to bring his eight year old son to stay with him, she discovers a whole new side to him, one that she could easily fall in love with. Burke starts out simply willing to give this intriguing woman the help she has asked for. But the attraction he feels for her is something different, and he wants to pursue it. It isn't long before he's feeling more than just attraction, but past experience has him convinced that he's not marriage material. I loved the buildup of their feelings. Both try really hard to convince themselves that their hearts are not involved, and that they can keep their relationship on the light side. Burke especially runs scared of letting himself feel more than just friendship and attraction. It takes a surprising conversation with his father for him to be able to overcome his past. I loved his big moment at the end - sweet and so emotional.

I loved Burke's son Liam. He was such a big part of who Burke was and why Burke has the issues he has. I loved seeing how their relationship changed because of Sydney's influence on Burke. The dynamics between Burke and his father were good too. He was determined to be a better father to his son than his dad had been to him. I liked seeing how his father owned up to his mistakes and wanted to help keep Burke from following in his footsteps. show less

Very good book. Erica came home to Bronco to regroup after ending a relationship, deciding to have a baby on her own, and losing her job. She left home twelve years ago for college and has only returned a few times for visits. Her return was a little rough as her parents were not as supportive as she had hoped. To escape the tension at home, Erica visited a local restaurant where she met Morgan Dalton.

Morgan and his family are relatively new arrivals in Bronco. He and his brothers agreed to show more work the ranch with their father to support their mother. There are hard feelings between father and sons because he cheated on their mother. They also feel like outsiders in Bronco because the local "old-timer" ranching families have not been particularly welcoming.

I liked the first meeting between Erica and Morgan. Morgan was drawn to Erica as soon as he saw her. I loved how easily they could talk to each other, even after he realized she was pregnant. After being away for so long, Erica also feels somewhat like an outsider, so it is easy for them to band together. I loved seeing how their relationship progressed from friendship to love. I especially enjoyed Morgan's support of Erica, from taking her to doctor's appointments to offering to be her labor coach. I loved so many of the scenes of them together. There are also sparks of attraction that both try to ignore, but they grow along with their deepening feelings for each other. I ached for them both when a moment of intimacy ended in a misunderstanding. I wanted to shake Erica for allowing her insecurities to send her running without letting Morgan explain. I hurt for Morgan, who realized the depth of his love for Erica and didn't know what to do. Thanks to advice from an unexpected source, his big moment at the end was fantastic. I loved the epilogue with their next steps into a future together.

A big theme of this book was family and expectations. Erica arrived home feeling that she was a disappointment to her parents. This was apparent to her in their reactions to her pregnancy. I ached for her and her reluctance to share the truth with them. I liked the eventual repair of those relationships, especially the one with her mother. Her brother, Gabe, irritated me at times with his attitude toward Morgan. I expected better of him, having read his story in In Search of the Long-Lost Maverick. Morgan had his own family issues. His problems with his father were a result of his love for his mother and anger at his father's actions. It was easy to see how Morgan held on to his anger and was hesitant to trust Neal again. I liked how Erica's influence helped Morgan work past his anger and alter his relationship with his father.

Also part of this book is the ongoing search for Josiah's daughter, Beatrix. At the end of the previous book, the investigation had stalled as they ran into dead-ends. However, hope returns thanks to an unusual clue. I look forward to seeing how it works out. show less