Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Deborah Clack
Publisher: Haven
Release Date: October 6th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads
BOOK SUMMARY:
Self-sufficient Penelope Reid has her life completely mapped out—a necessity after surviving foster care. Now she’s on a mission to prove that she’s capable of managing a halfway house at Twelve Bluebells Ranch. The last thing she needs is hindrance from the charming Luke Granger, who asked her to dance three years ago, then disappeared before the music began.
Luke lives a nomadic lifestyle as a security specialist. He’s never found a reason to put down roots until he’s reunited with the bossy brunette and her generous heart. When vandalism strikes the ranch neighboring Twelve Bluebells, securing the area is just another gig for him before he hits the road. But as Luke and Penelope work alongside each other and care for the ranch’s halfway house residents, his restless heart finds reasons to stay, and her careful walls begin to crack.
When crisis threatens everything Penelope has built and tragedy pulls at Luke’s wandering heart, they must decide if it’s worth the risk to lower their guards for a love that could give them the home they’ve always longed for.
Deborah Clack crafts a story with poignant emotions and witty banter in this no-spice romance about taking risks and finding belonging in unexpected places.
Thank you to Haven Books for a gifted copy.
I’D READ ANOTHER.
This is my first book from Deborah Clack and I liked it enough that I would read another. Maybe I’ll go back and read the first book in this series??
I felt the chemistry between Penelope and Luke. I liked their interactions and the way Luke took care of Penelope and his overall protective nature. I thought the medical/brain trauma aspects were well written and brought a lot of good themes to the forefront.
I struggled with the FMC at times because she kept knowingly overstepping? I understood she cared but I thought it caused the focus of the plot to be turned away from Pen & Luke and what Pen needed to work through. I desperately wish we had Luke’s POV because I think the cowboy vibes would have been stronger and I would have understood the third act more (which I also was annoyed about).
There’s good found family moments and Pen does start to work through much of her trauma. I liked that she gave therapy a chance and found somewhere to genuinely belong. I thought that everything came together well and the necessary plot points were tied off.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was okay. I think she hindered the characterization for Penelope though (she came off more whiney).
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: none
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: moderate
- Content warnings: physical assault, traumatic brain injury, child abuse, domestic abuse, gun violence
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