I was hooked from the first page when I realized the hero, Wade Stone, was willing to face the wrath of his home town crowd because his mother wanted to return. No matter what he’d suffered, he was willing to accept more if it meant being there for her now. Nine years earlier he’d run from the town and everything dear trying to escape the horror that had befallen his family. That included leaving behind a budding relationship with his first love, Amy – the girl who still filled his dreams no matter how hard he tried to forget her spearmint scent or the taste of their first kiss.

Amy Mitchell lived in a fog for years after Wade skipped town. Growing up next door to each other as friends, she’d trusted him with her heart. Then one snowy Christmas Eve, he’d kissed her on the church steps and said someday he was going to marry her inside that very building. Soon after, everything changed and Wade left town without saying goodbye. Fifteen years old and she put her social life on hold while waiting for his return. Over the years her faith slowly dwindled as everyone told her to face reality. When he drives back into town, Amy must decide if she's willing to put allow her burning embers to spark into a romance because there's no guarantee rodeo rider Wade will stay around this time. Is his return any more real than his leaving had been?

Janet Tronstad is a master at engaging the emotions. I eagerly turned each page, waiting for Wade and Amy to ‘make up’. They'd only shared one kiss, but Tronstad made it memorable. Not only for Wade and Amy, but for me as well. It was enough to keep me believing they’d get together in the end even though Tronstad littered doubt along their path.

Check Janet Tronstad's website for more information on the complete Dry Creek Series.

If you like Christmas books, here's my review of Janet Tronstad's Dry Creek Oct 2008 Christmas story: Snowbound in Dry Creek