Katy - reviewed on 11/27/2009 + 80 more book reviews

Carina Maria DiGratia ran away from her family and home in Sonoma, California, to heal her broken heart. She naively chooses Crystal, Colorado, a rough-and-tumble mining town, to start over. Her hopes for a new and better life are crushed by the reality of men hoping to strike it rich and women with few options. As she struggles to adjust to her new life, she also struggles with her relationship with God. Slowly she develops friendships and roots, but when increasing violence threatens the town she finds herself in a dangerous position that could help bring the violence to an end. In the end she learns that she must forgive and let go if she wants to move forward.

I absolutely loved this book. Carina is a spitfire--independent, funny, friendly, and with a quick temper. Just the kind of heroine I adore. The story is suspenseful and heartfelt. It is heartbreaking to watch Quillan, the freighter, work through the ghosts of his own past and his grudge with God while trying to stop the violence in town and deal with those who think he is the prime suspect. This is the first book in a series, so the story isn't really finished at the end of this book. There is still unfinished business for Carina and Quillan, which disappointed me. But this is an older series that is being reissued, so I don't have to wait for the next book to be published. I can just order it!

This is one of the best books I've read this year. I definitely recommend it. 5/5 stars.

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