Home for Good

Summary: When Joelle Winslow was six, her parents divorced and her mother took her to San Francisco from her father’s ranch at Marietta, Montana. After two years of begging her mother, Joelle was allowed to return.

While she was away, her father, Clark, had adopted a boy. The parents of the boy, Matt, were Clark's friends, who were killed in an auto accident. Eight-year-old Joelle felt she had been replaced by Matt, the son her father always wanted.

She liked Matt. However, since she felt that her father preferred him over her, Joelle went to college in New York City and never returned until after her father's sudden death.

Upon learning that her father has split the ranch between herself and Matt, she is determined to sell her half to pursue her dream of starting her jewellery design business. Matt is devastated because the ranch is the only home he has known and he earns his livelihood from it.  He wants to find a way to change Joelle's mind and make her stay.

This book by Terri Reed is about how he does so without Joelle having to abandon her dream.

My thoughts: As in the case of some of the other books I’ve reviewed lately, this book is also about a second chance. The difference is that this is not about a second chance at love but at returning home.

When this book also mentioned Marietta, Montana after The Long Way Home, I was confused. Only after checking did I realise they were part of the same series (Montana Born Homecoming); it was a pleasant surprise. 

I liked the following aspects of the story:

• Joelle discovers that her father loved her. 
• She realises that she and Matt never really resented each other after all.
• Matt, Joelle, Clark and Ava are all great characters.
• It does not rush into a conclusion, as in Matt and Joelle falling for each other as soon as she returns.

While not original, this is an enjoyable, entertaining book about realizing that there is always 'my version, your version and what really happened.’

Note: Tule Publishing gave this book to me in exchange for an honest review. I thank them for that.