Daily Archives: February 5, 2009

Love Finds You In Valentine Nebraska

Love Finds You In Valentine Nebraska by Irene Brand
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Summerside Press (December 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1934770388
ISBN-13: 978-1934770382
From Amazon.com:
Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Love Finds You in Valentine, Nebraska What can a California girl do with a few dusty acres of land in rural Nebraska? So Kennedy Blaine wonders after she inherits a ranch in the small, westernstyle town of Valentine, Nebraska. As Kennedy makes arrangements to sell the property, she finds herself drawn to the ranch and to its attractive manager, Derek Sterling. She decides to spend the summer in her ancestral home and reconnect with family members. But soon Kennedy is subjected to harassment by someone who clearly wants her to leave Valentine. Depending on Gods protection and Dereks assistance, she sets out to discover who is behind the offenses. But when her search reveals painful details about her family and raises questions about Dereks own past, will Kennedy still want to know the truth? Love Finds You is a series of fulllength romance novels that give readers a peek into the flavor of local life across the United States. The novels are uniquely named after actual American towns with quirky, interesting names that inspire romance and are just plain fun! This means that each fictional story draws on the compelling history or unique character of a real place. Our fresh, original love stories will feature everything from romance kindled in small towns, to old loves lost and found on the high plains, to new loves discovered at exciting vacation getaways.

About the Author
In a writing career spanning three decades, Irene has won numerous awards and published 45 books with sales of more than two million copies. Irene primarily writes inspirational romances, but she has also published nonfiction books, devotional materials and magazine articles. Before she became a fulltime writer, Irene taught for 23 years in public schools. Her other passions include traveling (she and her husband have visited all 50 states and 35 foreign countries) and history (she holds a Masters Degree in the subject). Her published titles include Where Morning Dawns, Listen to Your Heart, and the Kentucky Brides collection. Irene is an active member of her church and is affiliated with several writing organizations. She is a lifelong resident of West Virginia, where she lives with her husband, Rod.

This was a refreshing, enjoyable story, even though I felt the conflict was a bit cliche – rich woman and poor man fall in love, but he feels she’s too good for him.

Kennedy inherits her familial ranch, and when she arrives to survey her property, she meets rancher Derek Sterling. She’s immediately attracted to the handsome worker, however, Derek feels they cannot have a fulfilling relationship due to his troubled past – he’s adopted and unsure of his parentage, plus, he has not always lived on the straight and narrow. Kennedy doesn’t feel that Derek’s concerns are warranted, and she’s dealing with her own issues – she has yet to forgive her grandfather for his deception and she’s carried this anger against her grandparent for years. When she starts to get death threats, Kennedy must really look inside herself and draw upon her faith to make important decisions about her life. Only through their faith in God can both of these lovebirds finally overcome their obstacles.

This is the first Summerside Press novel I’ve read, and I have others in my TBR pile.

~Cecelia Dowdy~