Coming Home, Mariah Stewart (4 stars)

About Coming Home
The Chesapeake Diaries Series #1
(From Mariah Stewart's website)

In the wake of his wife’s murder, agent Grady Shields turned his back on the FBI—and everything else—to retreat into the vast solitude of Montana, grieve for his lost love, and forget the world. But after years in seclusion, his sister’s wedding draws him to St. Dennis, a peaceful town on the Chesapeake Bay. Though he swears he isn’t interested in finding love again, Grady can’t ignore the mutual sparks that fly when he meets Vanessa Keaton.

Although her past was marked by bad choices, Vanessa has found that coming to St. Dennis is the best decision she’s ever made. Bling, her trendy boutique, is a success with tourists as well as with the townspeople. She’s made friends, has a home she loves, and has established a life for herself far from the nightmare she’s left behind. The last thing she’s looking for is romance, but she’s finding the hot new man in town is hard to resist.

And when her past catches up with her, Grady finds that he’s unwilling to let her become a victim again. As together they fight her demons, Grady and Vanessa discover that life still holds some surprises and that love doesn’t always have to hurt. 

Read an excerpt

Review

Love isn't always a bed of roses, and both Grady and Vanessa fully understand that. Neither is looking for love. In fact, they both avoid it. But there's nothing like a wedding, especially between two people who are a wonderful match, to bring out the possibilities.

Vanessa lives in a charming town, one that gave her a new lease on life. Years ago, she found a brother, Beck, there as well as a man who became like a father to her. Grady left town to leave behind his own demons, but he's back for his sister's wedding to Beck. 

There are some initial sparks, but then Vanessa's past comes back to haunt her. Grady, a former FBI agent, will not stand by and watch. What starts out as mutual attraction and need develops into something deeper. It's not fast, but it is sweet.

What I loved: characters with depth, a mature romance (not just a their-eyes-met-across-a-crowded room one), and the charming town of St. Dennis. There were so many characters that stayed with me, leaving me wanting to know more about them. Good thing this is the first of The Chesapeake Dairies series. I can't wait to find out more about this town and its inhabitants.

I highly recommend to readers who enjoy romance, but not just fluff. Mariah Stewart does a great job of building something real. By the end, I wanted to live in this town and be surrounded by these type of people. All in all, a wonderful read.

Rating: 4 stars

About Mariah Stewart

Mariah Stewart is the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. 

A native of Hightstown, New Jersey, she lives with her husband and their dogs amid the rolling hills and Amish farms of southern Chester County, Pennsylvania, where she gardens, reads, and enjoys country life.

Thanks to TLC for my review copy.

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.

Stop by tomorrow (2/27/13) for my review of the latest of The Chesapeake Diaries series, The Long Way Home.