365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #108

The Road Not Taken - Jackie Braun
Mills and Boon RIVA
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2011
ISBN: 9780263883756





My rating





From the back cover:

"Breaking down
Manipulative and cold as ice, Caro's ex might be an utter jerk, but she's got to go back to him to keep custody of her young son. Her journey through a blizzard makes the hard decision harder - and one almighty skid later she's got a whole new sub-zero problem...Until a mysterious stranger appears out of the mist on horseback!
Breaking free?
Trapped with him in the ongoing storm, Caro discovers her rescuer is an ex-cop - the grouchy-yet- gorgeous Jake McCabe. Shocked by their intense attraction, Caro will soon face the most difficult choice of all: in Jake she may have found the hero she's been looking for (and, by God, deserves!), but to claim him she risks losing her little boy..."


I know, I know, it's another RIVA! This is my first book by Jackie Braun and I quite enjoyed it.

The heroine Caro has been trying to get her life back after separating from her controlling husband, however due to him threatening to get full custody of their son she is on the verge of going back to him. During her journey to his home she is involved in a car accident due to a snow storm, where she is rescued by Jake, the hero. Jake offers her a place to stay at his inn he is refurbishing while her car is being fixed, his family are also there visiting. Jake moved to Vermont after a traumatic experience in his former job as a police officer, he has also struggled with his grief over the end of his marriage and his wife aborting their baby. Jake and Caro feel a connection to one another and they grow close, and with the help of Jake's family they begin to see past their own pain. However Caro knows she has to go back to her husband for her son's benefit.

From the very start this is a really emotional book. The characters each have their own issues that they are able to work through together, which is very satisfying to read. The third party characters also helped to add more depth to the story. The writing is wonderful and really draws you into the feelings of the characters. I do have a problem with the period of time the story takes place over, it's just too short to really believe the characters fell in love so deeply.

This is a nice, warm book about second chances. Recommend.

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