A Reader's Opinion: Family Ties by Krista Kedrick

The Book

She’s all country…
He’s all city…

Grace Tucker thought she had her life put back together - with the help of her over-protective brothers. She had a quiet, predictable life operating the family hardware store in her hometown and spending her free time with her friends, the Caldwell family. That was . . . until a tragic accident took her two best friends and left their daughters orphaned. If that wasn’t devastating enough--Dirk Caldwell, the egocentric brother no one’s met, blows into town.

Dirk Caldwell realized he wasn’t in California anymore when he stepped from the redneck, rattletrap airplane and was smacked in the face with a cold breeze laced with manure. It was exactly what he’d expected from the backwater town his brother called home. But going head to head with Grace Tucker was not.

When two worlds collide can they form a bond strong enough to tie a family together?

A Reader's Opinion

I've lived in small town USA most of my life, but not quite like the one the author shows us in this book-from the quirky characters to country life. The book begins on a tragic note, but at the same time there's enough humor to keep it light and fun. I wasn't sure about whether or not I would like Dirk because from close to the beginning, I thought he needed a good butt-kicking, but he got a pass because he wasn't exactly in town on a pleasant errand. As the story went on, I continued to get a good laugh at Dirk's expense, but then I ended up admiring his willingness to get in and play with the "big boys" on the ranch.

Grace is one tough gal and proves it every step of the way, but she's not annoyingly tough because she still knows when to have a good cry even while she's pulling it all together for the sake of her friends' children. The chemistry between Dirk and Grace is good, but the best part was that I believed it. The romance felt real because it contained real-life, but not overly dramatic, circumstances and behaviors. The author provides enough steam between the characters to let you know of their attraction, but left out the smut--another plus.

This is a fun contemporary read with "real" people in a pretty good "real-life" setting. There's humor, romance, devotion, sadness, and love. I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoys a nice contemporary romance.

Get the book.