Di’s review of A McKaslin Homecoming (The McKaslin Clan, Series 3, Book 5) by Jillian Hart
Inspirational Romance published by Steeple Hill 1 Jul 07
Any time you need a heartwarming story with remarkable characters, pick up a book by Jillian Hart. She writes contemporary, inspirational romances with Christian characters, but they’re not overly done as they meet the challenges in the world today.
In A McKaslin Homecoming, Lauren’s mother had taken her as a toddler and fled for L.A., leaving her other siblings behind in Montana. As a teen when she asked her mother about that time, the answer was always, “We were not wanted.” Being self-reliant throughout her life, Lauren’s past has made putting her faith and trust in anyone very difficult.
When her long-lost grandmother’s invitation to meet her family comes, Lauren accepts it on faith. So during her summer break from college, she returns to Bozeman, Montana after being away for more than 20 years. Instead of being greeted by her grandmother, it’s the cautious, rugged, dark-eyed Sheriff Caleb Stone who comes out of the shadows, whisking Lauren off on her first adventure in Big Sky country.
Most of her family is excited and they welcome Lauren during her visit. However, their way of handling the one “sour apple” among their bunch is to ignore Caleb’s opinion. Then Lauren’s new sister starts treating her as if she just returned from the corner store and wraps her in the fold of sisterhood. This includes sharing, caring, and most certainly interfering. The love and laughter of sisters sharing and interfering brings smiles with a heartwarming glow as you share Lauren’s becoming a part of this loving family.
For so long Lauren has relied on herself, so it’s hard to believe others may care about her. Not everyone gives her the warm welcome her grandmother hopes for, though. Afraid of losing her heart, Lauren holds her thoughts a little too long and everything goes wrong.
Instead of the trust she thinks Caleb has earned from her, Lauren finds she has been deceived. He’s been spending time with her to get information, not because he cares, and all the while she’s been losing her heart to him. How can she continue to return to visit her family, knowing her heart will break every time she sees him? It seems with all the love and family she has finally found, she has discovered heartache as well.
The loyal, upstanding Caleb Stone is caught in the middle between his close family ties to the McKaslins and his awakening feelings for the returned lost daughter who some are not welcoming home. He reluctantly does what he is asked by a so-called friend, but fears it will destroy any chance he might have with Lauren.
Caleb’s desire and faith drives him to at least try to make things right, and you find yourself cheering him on as he makes his plans. After all, he is the one who has destroyed her fragile faith in trusting for the first time in her life. Hopefully he can rectify that awful mistake, even if he doesn’t win her trust again.
If you are into inspirational stories, this is a recommended book, along with the other books in this series. The entire McKaslin family so far covers four different series. To discover them all, be sure to check out Jillian Hart’s web page.
Grade:A+
Summary:
When contacted by her long-lost grandmother, Lauren McKaslin wanted to reconnect–with all the warmhearted Montana McKaslins. For too long, she’d relied solely on herself and her faith. But mistrustful lawman Caleb Stone stood in the way, and his questions about her were intimidating. Was his attention more than a protective instinct? Now that she believed in family again, perhaps this was also the time to believe in true love.
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Other books in this series:
