At Home on Marigold Lane

Highland Falls #5

By Debbie Mason        

ISBN13: 9781538708989

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra                   

Summary:

For family and marriage therapist Brianna MacLeod, moving back home to Highland Falls after a disastrous divorce feels downright embarrassing. Bri blames herself for missing the red flags in her relationship and worries she’s no longer qualified to do the job she loves. But helping others is second nature to Bri, and she soon finds herself counseling her roommate and her neighbor’s daughter. Bri just wasn’t expecting them to reunite her with her first love . . .

Caleb Scott knows his failed marriage has been tough on his stepdaughter, so he’s grateful she’s found someone to confide in . . . even if it’s Bri MacLeod. Seeing Bri brings up feelings he’d thought were long buried. He knows it’s not the right time for either of them to be rekindling a relationship, but being with Bri feels right—like coming home. He’ll just have to convince her that risking her heart again might give them exactly what they both need . . . a second chance.

Review:

I must say this right off the top – I have never been disappointed by the writings of Debbie Mason and At Home on Marigold Lane is no exception. As far as I am concerned – I want to live in Highland Falls. Ms. Mason’s storytelling is so good that I feel like a member of the community, being sad for various community members when things go wrong, happy tears when life goes oh so right, and just coasting by when life is just happening.

At Home on Marigold Lane is the fifth installment of the Highland Falls series and can be read as a stand-alone title. Though I must say – knowing some of the townsfolks add a certain amount to the story. This is a second chance romance with all the right ingredients.

Brianna MacLeod had moved back to Highland Falls a little over a year ago (living at the family’s inn on Mirror Lake) to recover from her divorce from her abusive husband Richard and a near fatal fall. To make things a wee bit harder for Bri – her ex-fiancé Cal (Highland Falls’ Hometown Hero) still lived in Highland Falls as a successful doctor working at the local hospital – and the doctor overseeing a portion of her recovery! In order for Bri’s sister and brother-in-law to finally go on their long-postponed honeymoon – Bri must convince them that she is on solid ground with respect to her recovery (she’s not…but she must pretend). Bri decides moving out on her own will set the stage for making everyone believe she is better. Well, that idea becomes fraught with challenges -> Bri has a roommate in the house she has rented!   Who one might wonder? Turns out Bri’s once best friend AND sister of ex-fiance Cal (happily married Cal – or is he?). The story evolves from there… and what a story it is.

I found the story filled with romance (remembering her first kiss with Cal at Bridal Veil Falls for example), lighthearted banter (I can see how Bri and Cal were once good together), and some very funny moments. There are also very serious issues brought up as well – abuse being first and foremost.  And having the story filled with hunky doctors is never a bad thing 🙂

There are numerous storylines (above and beyond the romance) that kept me entertained. The challenges Cal and his wife (soon-to-be ex) had with their teenage daughter (Izzy) for one. The recovery of Bri was also well written and kept my interest. Intrigue as to why Brid and Cal’s nuptials were called off is another mystery – which is revealed in due time…

The cover of the book is definitely eye-catching…probably the dog, though I do love the big house with the great wrap-around porch.

All in all – another great addition to the Highland Falls series. If you love a well-told tale that will keep your interest throughout the whole story – then I suggest you pick up At Home on Marigold Lane by Debbie Mason. Though in reality – any title written by Ms. Mason is worth reading, in my humble opinion 🙂