Love Without End
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
For two single parents with bruised hearts, it’ll take more than a little courage to get back on the horse when it comes to love.
Kimberly Welch lost her husband to a heart attack in the blink of an eye. But she’s losing her daughter slowly, in the day-to-day tension. In three difficult years, Kimberly has gone from Seattle socialite to Kings Meadow charity case, and her daughter is not responding well to the changes. She’s becoming a sullen, cantankerous teen.
Chet Leonard lost his teenage son in a car accident. Then his wife abandoned him and their two remaining boys. He tries to keep his mind on the family ranch, but if the last two years have taught him anything, it’s that sometimes you just have to let the memories hurt. Let the memories hurt, and leave well enough alone.
But when Chet volunteers to help tame Kimberly’s daughter’s horse, everyone gets more than they bargained for . . . especially when eighty-four-year-old Anna McKenna shows up.
Nana Anna has reappeared in Kings Meadow after decades away, bringing with her the magnetism and transformative joy that come from a life well lived . . . just the kind of magic that a couple of unlucky-in-love single parents need to conjure up a little courage and raise a new family from the ashes of tragedy.
"Hatcher crafts a lovely installment of the Kings Meadow Romance and readers will want more of the Idaho ranchers. It takes us into the healing power of horses and God's ability to create community where it is most needed." —Romantic Times, 4-1/2 star review
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this uncomplicated, appealing love story, Hatcher takes readers back to Kings Meadow, Idaho (setting of A Promise Kept), where Chet Leonard, rancher and single father of two teen boys, agrees to assist newcomer Kimberly Welch's daughter, Tara, in training an unbroken horse. Kimberly and Tara have recently left Seattle, where Kimberly believes they belong. But her husband's sudden death has left them destitute and insecure, and his massive debts were a bitter surprise. Kimberly's friend Janet takes her in and recommends fellow church member Chet as a mentor to Tara, whose own attitude has, predictably, plummeted. Chet's old family friend Anna has returned to the ranch, also widowed after a long, loving marriage. The story of Anna's loving influence on four generations of Leonards acts as counterpoint to, and guide for, the Welches' acclimatization to Kings Meadow. Details of the Idaho mountain community's kindness, and of the development of strong relationships among members of that community, make this a feel-good novel well worth reading.
Customer Reviews
A beautifully crafted and touching story
Chet Leonard lost his eldest son to a car accident and his wife not long after when she chose to leave him and their two younger sons. Determined not lose anything else, Chet is protective of his family and his Kings Meadow ranch home. When long-time family friend, Anna, returns to the ranch in her old age, Chet is glad to welcome her back into his family.
Kimberly Welch lost her husband to a sudden heart attack. Soon after she found that she and her daughter, Tara, would lose everything to debts her husband had never told her of. With nowhere else to go, Kimberly turns to her old friend Janet and moves to Kings Meadow, Idaho to live with her.
The story begins when Kimberly contacts Chet asking for help with a horse that has been gifted to Tara. This horse soon brings the two families together, sparking changes in all their lives, and a fair few sparks between Kimberly and Chet. Neither feels ready to risk their hearts again, but cannot deny the growing attraction or friendship they share. Anna's story is beautifully woven through the present day love story of Kimberly and Chet, and adds real depth to the novel and history to the ranch setting and Leonard family.
The story did seem to jump forward in some sections, but otherwise flows nicely, with a great mix of family, romance and ranch life. Both main characters are Christians, struggling to align their faith with their life circumstances, and the underlying faith aspects of the story are subtly interwoven throughout the novel.
This is the first book in the Kings Meadow series, though it can be read as a standalone. I will definitely be looking to read the second Kings Meadow book, Whenever You Come Around, to be released in 2015.
The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.