Emma Benson is back in her small Wisconsin home town, intent on saving the farm she grew up on for her mother and herself. There are painful memories here: Her brother's death when she was five, her father's subsequent retreat into alcoholism and then desertion, in his own inability to cope with the loss, but it's also the center of her happy memories, as she and her mother worked the farm together while she grew up. Emma has moved on to pursue a career as a teacher, but with her mother struggling and in danger of losing the farm to foreclosure, she needs to do more than send checks to help save her childhood home.

When a tornado threatens the farm, another recent returnee turns up on her doorstep, seeking shelter from the storm. David Schlosser has been living in New York and writing best-selling mystery novels; he's now ready to settle down permanently in the town he grew up in, and where his parents still live.


During this first meeting, sparks--of both temper and attraction--are flying in both directions.

David knows what he wants--his own home, a family, and Emma. Emma is more confused. She loves her home, but loves being a teacher, too, and wants to follow that calling. She likes David and is attracted to him, but she's been badly hurt, by her father's desertion and by the man she expected to marry, and she's more intent on protecting herself from future heartache than finding happiness. It's an up-and-down courtship, with Emma torn between her attraction and her fear, David respectful of her limits but determined to win her heart and her trust, and Emma's mother Nancy, despite her own disappointments, a happy cheerleader for the relationship.

The tension ramps up when Emma acquires a stalker, who pulls some creepy pranks and them some really scary ones, and vandalizes David's car, too. As the incidents get more violent, David becomes more determined to protect her, and to make her a permanent part of his life, while Emma is torn between her attraction to David and her certainty that he'll leave her and break her heart again.

Emma's a strong, determined personality, prickly and sometimes rude in her need to protect her injured heart, but loyal, resourceful, kind, and tougher than she thinks she is. David is strong enough to be gentle and patient, and insightful enough to respond to Emma's fears rather than be driven away by them.

Recommended.

I received a free egalley for review from the author. ( )

Reviewed by: Aubrey
Book provided by: Author
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

: Called Home: Two Hearts Answer is Ms. Schumann’s first novel. I enjoyed it but it was a bit slow at times. I felt the flow of the novel didn’t go as easily as it should. Their were gaps and I would have to go back and re-read a few pages or paragraphs to make sense of what I had just read.

The concept of Emma coming home to help her aging mother with the farm is one that I love since I long to become a farmer. I really felt the trials that Emma was going through. She definitely did not have it easy. She did, however, whine just a bit too much for my liking. David, the hero, is quite a successful author who wants to win Emma over. He can be slightly annoying and cocky but rather sweet and endearing.

At first I could not feel the spark between Emma and David but eventually as I got to know both characters you feel the spark. Both have had to overcome insecurities and bad relationships to find each other.

Even with some plot holes I rather enjoyed this novel and would definitely read more from this author. She definitely has the potential to be an excellent writer. ( )

I am sad to say that I didn't like this book very much. There are aspects of the novel that I thought held potential, but there were two main problems that prevented me from enjoying the story as a whole.

1) The relationship between Emma and David just didn't work for me. First of all, I didn't understand how they didn't know anything about each other. It seems like they live in a small town and David mentions that they went to high school together, but that never goes anywhere. They know nothing about each other, which was strange to me. Secondly, the tension between them was drawn out far too long. It got to the point where I was seriously disliking Emma because David was a nice guy and she was making up reasons to be mean and to hate him. On the one hand, it makes sense because of her past with guys, but we don't really know about that until much later. On the other hand, she doesn't even take the time to be civil to the guy. She's overtly hostile and mean. Despite that, she still lets him kiss her without putting him in his place. I think the kisses could have waited until later when she starts accepting him.

2) I couldn't get past the writing. There are times when the same idea is expressed within two or three sentences in a row. Had that been cut down, the story would have been much cleaner and it would have flowed much better. Also, I thought that the dialogue was completely unrealistic, and there is a lot of dialogue in this novel.

*I was provided a free copy of this book by the author for my honest review.*
I did like the mystery aspect added in with the romance. I thought that was a nice touch and it is fairly suspenseful. A lot more could have been done with it to make it truly scary, but that's probably not what the author was going for. Overall, however, I just couldn't get myself interested in this novel.

*I was provided a free copy of this book by the author for my honest review.* ( )

Called Home by Gloria Schumann takes place in the small town of Brooks, Wisconsin. Brooks is a charming little town that has all the characteristics that you would suspect. This is a town where you can keep your doors unlocked, people still look you in the eye and say good morning, and everyone knows everyone else's business. This is a great setting for Called Home.
Emma Benson is the main character in this novel. She moves back home to help her mother manage their farm. She's fiercely independent almost to a fault. She's been burned by relationships in the past and has a lot of baggage. Emma is a likable character but she acts a bit childish at times. She's attracted to David but she is mistrusting of men. David has moved back to Brooks after living in New York for some time. As a kid he couldn't wait to leave Brooks but as a man, he couldn't wait to get back to the quiet life. He is instantly attracted to Emma. He's a man who knows what he wants and then goes after it. He has to knock down all the walls that Emma is erected between them. He's a great leading character. He's tall, dark, handsome and bookish. What more could a girl ask for?
When a tornado comes through Brooks, it shakes up more than just the town. It forces Emma to take a closer look at herself and she has to learn to trust again. However things start to go haywire when someone starts harassing David and Emma. Their characters are put in perilous situations that leave you guessing as to who the assailant is. Gloria Schumann throws a few red-herrings in for good measure as well. The story-line is also laced with themes such as forgiveness, love and learning to move on. The story line is a bit predictable at times but it's a sweet story.
Overall, I like this book. It's got romance, mystery and suspense. My favorite character in this novel is Nancy, Emma's mom. She reminded me of my mom whose name also happens to be Nancy. She's a spunky woman who lets her opinion be known. This is a pretty clean romance with minimum language, no sex but lots of smooching. ( )

Called Home by Gloria Schumann is a lighthearted romance with a bit of suspense thrown in. Broken hearts and longing for a peaceful life have brought both David and Emma to small town Wisconsin. I live in Wisconsin and also live in a small town and can understand the need to want to live there. Emma came to help her mother out and David came to get away from the big city hassles and to write. A lot of bad things happen to the farm that Emma came home to. A tornado starts out the story, with Emma, her mother and David who just happened to come to the farm seeking shelter. The story goes on from there swiftly with David wanting more than Emma is willing to give. But as strange things start happening at the farm and Emma's place of work, Emma soon wants to have David around to protect her from whatever is going on. To say more gives away the story, so I will say that if you like romance with a lot of kissing, no sex scenes, and a good amount of mystery thrown in then this is the book for you. I enjoyed it and recommend it. ( )