McKnight-Parker, owner of Dog-Eared Books & Brew, needs a
vacation. But, Christmas is just around the corner and her
daughter Sage is coming home for the holiday. She’s had a really rough
year with the tragic loss of her other daughter, and it’s time for her
and Sage to move forward.
Preparing for her holiday book club meeting, someone from her past just
pulled up in front of her business. Unfortunately, he’s just walked
into her bookstore along with her daughter Sage who’s just announced
to everyone that this man, Jackson Lange, is her father. There’s
nothing like ripping off the band-aid and getting right to the heart of
the story. Thankfully the author, RaeAnne Thayne, did it by the end of
the first chapter. If she hadn’t, this would have been a really long
story.
Sage and Jackson are both upset about Maura’s lie. Years ago, Jackson
left Hope’s Crossing a bitter and angry young man. Now twenty years
later he’s back, a successful architect and standing right in front of
her. Of course, he’s now going to stay in town for awhile so he can
get to know his daughter.
It’s not going to be easy having him back in town, and Maura is just
going to have to deal with it. On the other hand, Jackson has his own
demons to deal with, including his curmudgeon of a father, Harry Lange.
Once again, the author RaeAnne Thayne has done a remarkable job in
taking a sensitive subject and dealing with it not only head on but
with great care and thought. Here in Sweet Laurel Falls, the
author brings together two former high school sweethearts and has them
face their past in order for them to go forward into the future. This
seems to be a major theme in many of the books I have read lately.
Always tried and true, but each uniquely different.
book brings us a little closer to the town of Hope’s Crossing and all
the people who live there. Maura and Jackson are really going to have
to put their past behind them. They have a daughter who needs both of
them, and more than they both know. Rating:
Wishing you moments of great reading!
