Elizabeth G. (lizliteyear) reviewed Return to Oak Valley (Ballinger Family, Bk 1) on + 120 more book reviews
Contempory novel about first loves & second chances.
Maris S. (eastender) reviewed Return to Oak Valley (Ballinger Family, Bk 1) on + 12 more book reviews
A romantic novel that discusses the issues of going home again and falling in love again.
From Amazon/Booklist:
Shelley Granger returns to her isolated California town after 17 years of self-imposed exile because her older brother, Josh, whom she revered, committed suicide. As the last remaining Granger, she intends to stay and take care of the family business but finds out that Josh has sold most of the cattle, and left her in debt. She has trouble believing that he really killed himself, but the more she learns the more she realizes that she's put Josh on a pedestal. She also has to face Sloan Ballinger, the man who drove her away all those years ago. Shelley fell in love with him even though he's a Ballinger and her family has hated his since just after the Civil War, and sure enough he betrayed her. Now Sloan wants to try again, but she doesn't know if she can trust him. Busbee's enjoyable western soap opera is filled with sexy characters just begging for a sequel.
First Shirlee Busbee I've read. The plot was good, nice low angst but also very little action and pretty slow moving! Most, maybe half the novel is all details, internal monologues, and back history of both the main characters and the town! I skimmed quite a bit! Both main characters points of view are given, but it's mostly from the heroine's perspective. She, I didn't like so much, but the Hero of the book almost makes up for the lagging pace of the novel.
While this isn't going on my keeper shelf, it wasn't a bad book to read while sick in bed.
Shelley Granger returns to her isolated California town after 17 years of self-imposed exile because her older brother, Josh, whom she revered, committed suicide. As the last remaining Granger, she intends to stay and take care of the family business but finds out that Josh has sold most of the cattle, and left her in debt. She has trouble believing that he really killed himself, but the more she learns the more she realizes that she's put Josh on a pedestal. She also has to face Sloan Ballinger, the man who drove her away all those years ago. Shelley fell in love with him even though he's a Ballinger and her family has hated his since just after the Civil War, and sure enough he betrayed her. Now Sloan wants to try again, but she doesn't know if she can trust him. Busbee's enjoyable western soap opera is filled with sexy characters just begging for a sequel.
First Shirlee Busbee I've read. The plot was good, nice low angst but also very little action and pretty slow moving! Most, maybe half the novel is all details, internal monologues, and back history of both the main characters and the town! I skimmed quite a bit! Both main characters points of view are given, but it's mostly from the heroine's perspective. She, I didn't like so much, but the Hero of the book almost makes up for the lagging pace of the novel.
While this isn't going on my keeper shelf, it wasn't a bad book to read while sick in bed.
