Coming Home (Woodland Park Firefighters #1) by Shelley Shepard Gray
Publication Date: November 29th 2022 by Berkley
Pages: 336
Source: Publisher
Rating: ★★★★
My
Thoughts:
Anderson and Chelsea were high school sweethearts, but broke
up, each going their separate ways with Anderson enlisting in the army and
Chelsea going to college. Brokenhearted,
Chelsea has a one-night stand and ends up pregnant. Although Chelsea regrets
the one-night stand, she doesn’t regret having her son, Jack, now nine-years-old.
Chelsea loved Anderson, he was everything to her, sweet, attentive, and when
they parted ways it broke her heart, but his reaction to finding out she was
pregnant isn’t something she’ll forget.
Anderson is back in his hometown of Woodland Park after
fighting in Afghanistan. Left with physical and emotional
scars, he’s happy to be home, helping people as a paramedic/firefighter, a job
he loves. The one big regret he has is how he handled things with Chelsea. He’s
never forgotten her and kicks himself over ruining things. It’s been a while
since he’s been back, and they have yet to properly cross paths but then he’s
assigned for and in-person service for the senior living home Chelsea works at.
Meeting again inspires him to try to mend things as he’s never loved anyone
like Chelsea.
Oh, I do love a second chance romance
and Coming Home was lovely! The regret and longing between these two were
palpable so I was fully invested on seeing them get their HEA. I loved the bond
that formed between Anderson and Chelsea’s son, Jack too. Jack was so eager for
a father figure and Anderson felt privileged to be there for him.
There was another side story with
Chelsea’s elderly neighbor, Camille. Her kids were exerting unwanted pressure
to move from Woodland Park to Florida to a senior center close by them, but
Camille wanted her independence and to stay in her hometown. A little romance
there, too. I’m happy Camille had support and understanding from Chelsea and
Frank, her fledging beau. I enjoyed it!
Coming Home was just the kind
of low-drama, heartwarming second chance romance I love! The small-town setting sounded beautiful,
and I enjoyed the supportive secondary characters, too. Lots of potential for future
romances.
4 Stars
Book Description:
When an army vet becomes a firefighter in
small-town Colorado, the flames of an old love reignite in this sweet
romance by bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray
In
Woodland Park, a small town nestled in the foothills of Pikes Peak,
Anderson Kelly and Chelsea Davis were once the high school "it"
couple--the star quarterback and the valedictorian. They broke up when
Anderson joined the army and one poor decision at a fraternity party
changed Chelsea's life. Now, she works long shifts in a senior center to
support her nine-year-old son, Jack.
After multiple tours in
Afghanistan, Anderson has changed, too--physically scarred but mentally
strong--and he decides to move back to Woodland Park. Anderson and
Chelsea steer clear of each other to avoid reopening old wounds, until
they are forced to reconnect through the senior center. They soon
discover that the love they once shared never completely vanished. But
it will take a fire, a dangerous collision, and the love of one little
boy to help Anderson and Chelsea see that the future they've always
yearned for is in sight...
About
the Author
Shelley
Shepard Gray is
a New York Times and USA Today bestselling
author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol
Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where
she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her
dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.
