Playful puppies and healing horses come into play when not just one but two Vets facing PTSD are sharing close quarters. Friendly, warm-hearted characters. The vets' difficulties of returning home are brought front and center in this heartfelt romance.

I loved the characters and the storyline development of this book. It was absolutely one of my favorites so far and I can't wait to delve in to the next one that this author writes. The storyline was simple, enjoyable, and entertaining.

After a harrowing tour of duty in Afghanistan, Army nurse Lily Thompson escapes to Wind River Ranch to find herself once more. Working as a caregiver to foreman Jake Murdoch’s elderly mother, Lily almost feels at peace—except for the unsettling presence of Jake, a tight-lipped, intimidating man everyone calls Bear. But one look in the powerful ex-Marine’s eyes and Lily glimpses a vulnerability that shakes her soul: a hurt she understands all too well—and longs to heal. Jake is ready to rail at the fates when Lily moves into his home. Everything about this captivating woman calls to him, demanding that he abandon his solitary stance and start to live again. But Jake is a man who knows that no one can save him from the past that stalks his heart and mind. Not even sweet, achingly beautiful Lily. Still, that doesn’t stop his longing to pull her into his arms—and keep her there forever. Will time, and patience, bring them the courage to make their connection real?
This was a pretty good story. It’s a book about two broken souls who find each other and are able to heal because of it. I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

This was okay for me. The writing wasn't bad, but I did feel like the story got repetitive after while. It was just a repeat of the problems Jake and Lily have from their PTSD. Don't get me wrong, I know that PTSD is a part of these characters lives, but this was supposed to be a romance. There just wasn't a lot of it. Jake and Lily's relationship is very much a slow burn, and I get why that needed to happen. When they meet, neither of them is in a place for a relationship. Most of the story felt more like a friendship, not a romantic relationship. I didn't read any of the previous books in this series, but I didn't feel like that kept me from reading this one.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

Home to Wind River is set on a gorgeous ranch where Lily has come to call home. She has returned from the Middle East where she was a military nurse to assist Jake's elderly mother. Jake, owner of Wind River and an ex marine had no intention of settling down with a woman, that is until Lily.

Love, taking risks, and healing are the central themes of this sweet story. Lily and Jake have great chemistry and a perfect couple to fall in love with....

***thanks Kensington for the opportunity to review with ARC

Home to Wind River is the 7th book in Lindsay McKenna's Wind River series, and, while this novel works well as a standalone, to really understand the dynamics of this series, I'd suggest starting at the beginning and reading these novels in the order written, since each of these novels introduces one or more of the couples you'll meet in this novel, which is one of my favorites thus far, and I give it 4.5 stars.

What you need to know if you're new to this series is that the Wind River Ranch is staffed almost entirely by, and intended to help heal, former or ex-military personnel, all suffering from PTSD and/or physically or emotionally damaged by their experiences while in the service. Equine therapy is a large part of what goes on there, as is psychological therapy, and PTSD victims helping other PTSD victims in a safe, sane and peaceful environment, a 100,000 acre ranch. If you're looking for a lot of action, intrigue, and hot sex, you won't find it here, but what you will find is something Ms. McKenna does so well, a slowly unfolding, soul-deep exploration of her characters, the trauma that brought them to the ranch, and the way in which these characters deal with it, and come together to help heal one another.

The vets in this novel are Jake Murdoch, ex-recon Marine with PTSD, 3-year resident, and current foreman at the ranch. His mother, Jenna, recently fell and broke her femur, and when Jake asks Maud Whitcomb, owner of the ranch, what to do, since their busy season is already underway and he can't pick up and leave, Maud agrees to have Jenna brought to the ranch and find a qualified nurse to help her recover from her injury. Enter one nurse, Lily Thompson.

Lily experienced the horrors of war all in one traumatic night while in an Afghan village, a night that left her with a severe case of PTSD, its flashbacks and nightmares, all resulting in an honorable medical discharge. Now, she can't stand the sight of blood, or tolerate loud noises, chaotic scenes or big crowds, making her unable to return to working in a regular hospital environment. Instead, she has been working part-time as a waitress/cook at a local diner, sleeping in a back room there rent-free, and also working part-time at an animal shelter, taking comfort in cooking at the diner, and in caring for these unwanted, injured or abandoned animals.

When Maud contacts Lily and offers her a full-time job during the projected two months that Jenna Murdoch will be recuperating at Wind River Ranch, she jumps at the chance to return to nursing. Since Jenna will be living in the foreman's house with Jake and his mother, to cook, clean and see to Jenna's care and rehabilitation, she will be in daily contact with the very closed off, stoic, silent and untouchable Jake. It's a perfect arrangement for Jenna and Lily,who get along famously, but will emotionally damaged Lily be able to also heal herself, and how will these two PTSD sufferers handle each other's issues and limitations, as well as their attraction to one another? Will their close association help them heal each other? Add one very pregnant, abandoned, border collie that Lily rescues at the roadside, 7 puppies, a lot of character development, soul searching, serious dialogue, self-realizations and understanding, and I think this novel will be one you'll remember fondly for years.

My only issue with this novel, and the reason I gave it 4.5 stars rather than 5, is that some of the dialogue and inner reflections of both main characters became somewhat redundant, and for that reason, the pacing of this novel was just a tad too slow. Otherwise, I found it an informative and deeply moving story about what the horrors of war do to those who are serving our country, with wonderful characters and a deep understanding of PTSD and those who have to live with it and heal from it.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

I love Lindsay McKenna, and her military books are one of my favorites that I have re-visited many times.

Unfortunately, "Home To Wind River" just did not enthrall me like her previous stories. I missed the chemistry between Lily Thompson and Jake Murdoch. Somehow Lindsay's magic was missing in this book,

The initial books in the series were definitely Lindsay's forte, but the last two three books in the series did not give me the thrill of reading Lindsay McKenna.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington books for a free copy. This is an honest review.

Home to Wind River is a slow burn love story between two veterans on a farm.

Three stars because this was a fine book. There was nothing spectacular about it. The writing got a little repetitive at times. I questioned if I had turn the page or not. I liked the veterans perspective and dealing with PTSD.

In Lindsay McKenna's Home to Wind River, the 7th installment in the Wind River contemporary romance series, this wonderfully written romance novel would move you to tears. For Lily Thompson, she was a volunteer at a dog's shelter and a Army Nurse veteran from the war in Afghanistan. When she was offered a job as a caregiver for Jake Murdoch's mother who had broken her lip, she took on the two-month job and helped Jenna Murdoch out. From there, she had developed a kind friendship with Jake, the foreman of the Wind River ranch, and a Marine Corps vet who had PTSD. For Lily, they had beautiful music together as she took care of Jake's mother and dealt with the flashbacks she had on night along with nightmares, and bad PTSD episodes. He helped her gradually overcome them and then let it out. And within time, he showed her how healing and cathartic it was to ride a horse at the ranch as they reached out for each other. And when Lily rescued a pregnant dog, she cared for it and let it open Jake's heart as they watched the puppies grow together. After her two months were up and when Jenna returned to Casper, Lily explored new career options as Jake and Lily let their feeling grow to something magical and beautiful into love and a future.

Home to Wind River is the 7th book in the Wind River Valley series. The book is a romance, but it doesn't have many steamy scenes if you are wondering. For the first time, both main characters are suffering from PTSD and they help each other heal as much as a person with PTSD can heal. At least they can understand what the other is going through and that was the best thing that could happen to them. The book is mostly about them healing from the wounds of the past and finding their happily ever after and it was good. That the story. Two people who are trying to find their footing again in life. Add the cute puppies you can see on the cover and I was a goner.

I had great hopes for this book, especially because my heart goes out to anyone who suffers from PTSD or any other mental disease that keeps them from leading a full and rewarding life, most especially our brave and selfless military men and women. Unfortunately, this book read more like a medical journal that just kept repeating and repeating symptoms. While the author wrote all the correct dialogue to support the subject theme of this book, she failed miserably at writing an emotionally compelling book that could even begin to engage my tender and empathetic heart. It’s a nice story but I’ve read this author’s work before and this book was a real disappointment. I read a complimentary copy of this book provided by Kensington Books through NetGalley and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

This was very powerful, based around two vets with PTSD, finding themselves again. It took us on a journey of hope, healing and finally love. Add in puppies and healing horses, who could ask for more?

This story was a good book for the soul, a perfect romance with a fantastic story line. The pace of the story was perfect showing us the difficulties of returning home after serving your country, Facing life moving forward, after your have seen and dealt with so much when you were away. This story brings the hardships facing our Vets front and center in this heartfelt romance. Extremely well written!

ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

She's a recently discharged military nurse who's life was turned upside one night on a mission. All she wants is for her life to go back to normal. Hoping that she'll find peace in the Wind River Valley. He's a former Marine who now is the foreman of the largest ranch in the valley. He's got a problem that he hopes she can help him with. Will there PTSD get in the way of their lives separately or together? What happens when two ex soldiers need the support of the other. Can their lives have some normalcy? Return to the Wind River Valley to find out if they can Come Home to Wind River.

Lily is looking for peace and lands in Wind River working at the animal shelter. Jake is the foreman on the biggest ranch in the valley. He needs help with his mother who broke her hip. His boss comes up with a solution a live in nurse. A call to the local cafe gives them a name. Lily receives a call from the owner of the shelter. An interview is agreed to. They meet and Lily is honest about her PTSD. Jake gives her the job and she moves into his house along with his mother. He's kept busy on the ranch but tries to make it home to be with Lily because she makes him feel things he hasn't felt before and helps with his PTSD. As they get to know each other and realize their symptoms are similar. They open up to each other but don't know if the feelings are real or just imagined for themselves. Lily slowly tells about her experience and Jake gives her the patience and support she needs. Jake's mother gets well and is able to move about more and that gives Lily a chance to spend some time on the ranch with Jake. Growing up on a potato farm she's familiar with ranch living. She still finds time to work at the animal shelter. As her time starts to wind down working for Jake she wonders what she'll do for a job and living space. Jake comes up with a plan. He wants Lily to stay and help take care of the stray dog and her puppies that she found coming home from the shelter one day. Their feelings are revealed for each other and they discuss how the PTSD will affect them in the future and how being together helps them with their own PTSD. Plans are made for the puppies. A job is offered to Lily on the ranch. When everyone comes to get their puppies a proposal is made and accepted. Plans are made for a trip to deliver a puppy and to visit her parents.

Lindsay McKenna takes us back to the Wind River Valley and into the lives of former military men and woman dealing with the life altering PTSD that they suffer. She shows how they can over come their symptoms and fears to find love and the support of a fellow sufferer. That when friendships are strong they can survive and thrive with support and love from people like them. A book that shows that you can deal with your problems with help from some one who knows what you're going through.

I have read most of the Wind River series and all are standalone reads, with PTSD being the theme for at least one of the characters. That being said, Lily and Jake's story was good reading with a continuity of characters making an appearance from previous books. A beautiful story of life and finding love after coming home from combat, it is a warm hearted read that leads to a HEA for Lily and Jake. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for gifting me "Home to Wind River". My opinion is my own. 4.25 Stars!

Lindsey McKenna brings us the story of Jake and Lily. Lily works as a nurse and comes to help Jake's mom who cannot be left alone after an accident. As they all learn to live together, they start imagining life as a family and start to heal from their experiences during the war. Will they heal enough to open themselves to each other or will they be too wrapped up in the effects and miss each other completely?

Lindsey brings the true effects of war to life with these two characters. As a great writer, she uses knowledge through her characters to bring to life the devastation PTSD can truly be and how differently it affects all the people it touches from the person going through it to those around them.

I look forward to the next story from Lindsey McKenna. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for this privilege.

Jake Murdoch is foreman and a former Marine recon who has been home for three years and still suffers from PTSD but his employer is wonderful about hiring veterans, most of which suffer from PTSD, and gives them the opportunity to build something lasting so they have time to recover and rebuild their lives.

Lily Thompson is a former Army nurse who lived through a horrible, devastating event during her tour in Afghanistan. She is suffering from nightmares and flashbacks that are debilitating. She lands at Wind River hoping for a fresh start. She has been hired to be the nurse to Jake Murdoch's mother, Jenna, while she recovers from a broken hip (femur) for two months. She will be living with Jenna and Jake in Jake's house. The time she spends with Jake and Jenna help to begin to heal her heart and mind. She doesn't know if she will ever be whole again but she is hoping that Jake can help her while she helps him.

This was a wonderful story about the battle scars that our veterans bring home after their tours of duty in war-torn areas of the world and the difficulties they face in settling back into civilian life. Their fears and nightmares are real and life-changing. Jake is patient and kind and, even though he has a gruff side, he shows his softer side to Lily, as he also begins to heal. The story is well-written and awe-inspiring.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my review.

Wind River Valley, Wyoming is an awesome place! This area of Wyoming is filled with many large ranches that are operated by veterans of the US Armed Forces. Wind River Ranch is owned by a lovely couple who are proud of their outstanding record to hire vets with PTSD. Their foreman, Jake, must move his mother to the ranch for rehabilitation and healing following hip surgery. The word is put out for a nurse to be found for the short term job of being his mother’s caregiver. A newly detached nurse, Lily, who has a terrible case of PTSD is picked for the job. The story is about Jake and Lily’s relationship. I have read all of Ms. McKenna’s Wind River series. This one is number seven and I think that it’s one of my favorites. The author’s insight and dedication to presenting PTSD to the reader is admirable and successful. She spends time with meticulous descriptions of emotions and physical trauma that bring the reader to an in-depth understanding and realization of this disorder. This story had characters that were realistic and captivating who allowed this reader to actually “feel their pain” and their love! Kudos to Ms. McKenna for her beautifully written story that touched my heart!

Home to Wind River by Lindsay McKenna is available from Zebra, an imprint of Kensington Books. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Home to Wind River is the latest in Lindsay McKenna's Wind River series but is a standalone story on it's own.

Lily was a nurse and was stationed in Afghanistan. She loved her job as a nurse and loved caring for the Afghani citizens until a night that would change her life forever. Jake spent much more time overseas and saw the many horrors of war. As Lily and many others, he suffers from PTSD.


Jake is a foreman at a ranch in Wind City. He has about 100 people under him. It's a good job for him because he is out in the open most of the time. He still has the nightmares and issues from the PTSD but they have become less frequent. When it does happen, they are as vivid and horrifying as ever.

Lily is working part time at a animal rescue but she really needs a full time job as she cannot survive on this job. Because of her PTSD she can't handle regular nursing which upsets her because of her love of nursing.

Jake and Lily meet when she is asked to come and care for his mother for a couple of months at his home. Jake's mother Jenna fell and broke her hip. Lily feels optimistic about the job since it is very varied; some nursing, transporting Jenna to appointments, helping her at home and cooking.

Jake a Lily are attracted to one another but don't act on it as it may be crossing the line. Jake also knows that Lily isn't ready, that she is still so raw inside from her experiences. Jenna, Jake's mom, loves Lily and they all get along great.

Will Jake and Lily ever be in the place to have a relationship?

I have read most of the books in this series and enjoyed this one just as much! I loved that Jake let Lily meet the man behind the gruff exterior, the kind and sensitive man. I loved Jake's need to take care of Lily, to help her get through her episodes and anxiety. He could explain issues she was experiencing because he had gone through them himself. He also let Lily decide if and when they would go further than the attraction, which she needed.

Pregnant Sage and her puppies? You have to read the story to see how rescuing Sage brought together everyone! Adorable and heartwarming.

Wind River is one of those small towns where everyone knows one another and cares about as well. I love how these people take care of one another! I'd live there!!

this was an enjoyable novel with great characters. I found myself so engrossed in the story that I stayed up way past my bed time to finish.

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I look forward to the Wind River books and was glad to see this book. While this is not at Shay and Reese's ranch, they are part of the book. This is not your typical sweet romance as both Jake and Lily served in the armed forces and ended up damaged from their experiences and have PTSD.

Much of the book is about Lily and her struggle to overcome her flashbacks and nightmares as she has only been out of the service for six months and is still pretty damaged. Jake has been out for three years and a bit farther down the road in his recovery so he can offer Lily the advice and perspective that she needs.

I enjoy the indepth character traits of the two and to watch as they struggle and as they grow to really like then love each other. It really gives you a respect for those that serve in our military and the toll it can take on their lives.

Looking forward to the next book in the series, and hope that we get to hear the names that were chosen for the puppies!