The story felt like its running so fast for me. but it's pleasant enough to finish. i started reading but felt like i found no motivation to continue so i kept going back to it between my other reads, so took me longer than usual honestly to get to the end. what kept me reading was the author, she deserves to be heard until the end.

After her divorce Sarah returns to the small town with her daughter that she left 17 years ago. She moved in with her aunt and uncle in order to save money so she could move to a bigger city where work options would be more lucrative. When she meets the Town sheriff, Natalie both she and Natalie realize that the kiss they shared 17 years ago was still there and that attraction did not die down.The fun part of this is how both Sarah’s aunt and Natalie’s mother conspire to get the two of them together. Then thrown into the mix is a dog who is on the loose in town that Natalie is desperate to catch before someone shoots it. As the two of them get closer Sarah holds back because she doesn’t want to hurt Natalie again by leaving and she clearly does not want to live in a small town and have her daughter raised in a small town. Until a plot twist comes in turns everything upside down. The power of a dogs spirit prevails in this whole story.
This book is so well written with an interesting plot and two characters that the more that is revealed about them the more you get to love both of them. It’s a book that is on my to read again pile because it is just so well done.

The story takes place in a small town where everyone knows everyone. In high school, Sarah kisses Natalie at a party just before graduation and then leaves town. Sarah has always been on Natalie's mind. Enter Sarah and her daughter 17 years later, to lick her wounds after a divorce.
The book starts out with Sheriff Natalie chasing after this dog that she has named Ghost Dog. Now you see him now you don't. The dog whose name ends up being Henry becomes the most fantastic secondary character. Natalie and Sarah Mom and Aunt decided to get the girls together and then the fun starts.
The characters are well developed, the story moves along well and the sex is hot which I've come to expect from Kris. It was a feel good book. I cried a lot while reading but not from being sad. It touched my heart. Thank you Kris. I loved it.

This book was adorable! It's an honest to goodness lost love romance. The kid and dog added so much. The search near the end was gut wrenching for me as a mother. So well written... The "chapter" after the epilogue was heartbreaking and a miracle. I unreservedly recommend this book! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5 stars

Home is about a small town sheriff named Natalie who's reunited with the one that got away, Sarah, when she moves back to the town she grew up in after her divorce. The town, Spruce Mountain, is the kind of close knit community you would find in a Hallmark or Lifetime movie. The chemistry between the two main characters was sweet, if a little insta-lovey, but I liked seeing how Natalie was so ready to accept Sarah and her young daughter. My biggest problem with this book was the dialogue in the first half. It read stilted and robotic, so it was hard for me to grow attached to the characters. After the climax of the story, it felt more natural, but the issues I had with the first half made it so I wasn't able to enjoy the rest of the story the way I would have wanted to.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review!

3.5 Stars for this pleasant romance by Kris Bryant

If you are in the mood for a sweet romance with two likable main characters, a kid and a special dog – this book is for you!

Sheriff Natalie Strand works in her small hometown, Spruce Mountain, Oregon which is a few hours away from Portland. She is surprised when her High School crush, Sarah Eastman has returned to Spruce Mountain with her five year old daughter. The two shared a single unforgettable kiss about 17 years ago. At least it was unforgettable to Natalie who would always compare her trysts and/or her girlfriends to Sarah but they all fell short. Sarah left for college soon after never returning until now. Recently divorced, Sarah and her daughter, Harley have temporarily moved in with her Aunt and Uncle, to regroup and figure out what to do next. It turns out Sarah hadn’t forgotten “The Kiss” either.

Another main character in this story is a stray golden retriever. Natalie nicknamed him Ghost Dog, because he was spotted by her and others out and about the town but he would always disappear soon after he was spotted. She wants to give him a safe and warm place to stay until she finds his owner.

Overall this is a nice small town romance but that’s not to say it is without any angst or wringing of hands. It’s a pleasant way to escape 2020 events for a little while.

2 stars. Sheriff Natalie Strand and Sarah Eastman shared a kiss when they were a senior in high school. Sarah was a popular kid in school and Natalie was an awkward kid. Sarah moves out of town and does not come back fro 15 years, when she gets divorced and comes back to see what to do next. Sarah now has a child as well. Natalie sees Sarah and cannot stay away. Nat has not forgotten about the kiss in all the years since high school. When a mysterious dog is also found and Nat has to find its owner, even if Sarah's child is getting attached to it.

This book is okay. Their chemistry was based on their previous relationship. It also seemed to build way too fast, especially since Sarah had a child. Nat and Sarah's relationship developed immediately and they both seemed very serious about each other, even though they have not seen each other in 15 years. Saran originally does not plan to stay in town, and that does not seem like a big drama point in the book. The characters do not have a big drama part with their relationship, like I expected. There is nothing really about this book that I found memorable or made me want to continue to read, I do not recommend.

Natalie Strand is the sheriff of tiny Spruce Mountain (pop. 1,880).

Sarah Eastman has come back to Spruce Mountain with her seven year old daughter Harley, after being away for seventeen years.

Natalie and Sarah kissed once, way back then, and both went on with their lives - Sarah in Texas and Natalie in Denver. Both women eventually move back to Spruce Mountain. Natalie wonders if negative sparks will fly or positive ones be re-ignited.

Both women are tentative at first, approaching each other and moving away in a dance that shows that both women are unsure of what will happen.

Henry the dog enters the picture, and he seems to be the glue that binds Natalie, Sarah and Harley. Henry's story is, in my opinion, as important and interesting as the rest of the characters' stories.

This is a sweet romance and a quick read. Highly recommended.

I was given an ARC of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hello Hallmark Movie and Crown Media Executives. Now that you have vowed to feature LGBTQ stories in your holiday movie lineup, this book is the perfect one to translate to a movie script. I’d like to share why.

Sarah Eastman has returned to Spruce Mountain, Oregon, following her marriage and subsequent divorce from Francine. Sarah has her seven year old daughter, Harley, in tow. Francine never really wanted children.

Sarah plans to stay with her Aunt Judy and Uncle Bob while she regroups and then maybe moved to a larger city. Meanwhile, she just wants some stability for her and Harley.

Natalie Strand is the Sheriff in Spruce Mountain and is shocked to see Natalie back in town. Natalie and Sarah went to high school together, but ran in different social circles. One night at a party Sarah kissed Natalie and it was a kiss that neither of them ever forgot, even after seventeen years. Natalie’s mother, Linda, and Aunt Judy plan drinks at the local bar where Natalie and Sarah are reintroduced to one another. The chemistry and attraction is immediate. In between seeing Sarah again, Natalie is distracted trying to capture a ghost dog that a few people have reported to the Sheriff’s office.

I loved this book for many reasons. First, it was a sweet story reinforcing that you can go home again. I enjoyed both main characters, Harley, and the supporting family members. Ghost Dog (aka Henry) touched my heart and the ending put a nice bow on this holiday story. Finally, the chemistry between Natalie and Sarah hit on all cylinders and picked up from their unforgettable kiss in high school. 5 stars

P.S. I finished reading this book one day after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In one of the latter chapters of Home, Sarah and Aunt Judy are talking about what Harley could grow up to do for her career. Judy said probably a Supreme Court Justice. Shoot for the moon girls!

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Bboks and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4*
Sarah returns home to Spruce Mountain, Oregon, when her marriage falls apart, to live with her Aunt and Uncle . She just wants to be happy and set up a good home for her daughter Harley, one which as stability. Natalie Strand is the towns sheriff who once kissed Sarah at a party many moons ago. Between Sarah and a mystery dog, Natalie world is turned upside down.

Home is about second chances and what if's. It's got hallmark written all over it, so if you're into Hallmark films this is probably going to a be the book for you. For me, this book was a little on the short side but as enough detail in the story line to make a decent read , even tho some of it did feel a little rushed. Both Characters are very likable, theirs instant attraction again between the pair.
If you're into books where a main character goes back to their childhood home, this one is differently a book for you. All in all, it's a sweet story.

I was given a ARC copy for a honest review.

Natalie waited for her mother and linked arms with her. “Nah. Let’s just have a nice mother-daughter night.”
“You mean mother-daughter-and-the-girl-who-got-away night?”

Set in a small town, this is a short book about a second chance romance. Back in town 17 years later with a daughter in tow, Sarah needed to get her life back in order. When she met Natalie, the girl she kissed in high school again, will she be a distraction or what she needed?

It was an easy, relatively angst free book with some sweet moments between all the main characters. 3.5 stars for me. Out of all the characters in the book, the dog Henry was the highlight and will have dog readers fawning over him.

I just reviewed Home by Kris Bryant. #NetGalley

As I was reading this book, it had the feel of a Hallmark movie and all the elements that made it entertaining...and a bit magical.

There was the divorced mom Sarah looking after her 6 year old intelligent daughter, Harley. She was trying to get her life back on track after divorcing her wife, Francine, who was the not so likable character created to add a little tension and jealousy to the story. After the divorce, Sarah moved back home to Oregon to live with her very loving and supportive aunt and uncle. Her love interest, Natalie, was the shy awkward often bullied teenager she kissed at a high school party. Adult Natalie also happened to be this town’s sheriff. After seventeen years, the attraction was still there between them. Added to this mix of characters were the aunt and mom scheming to get both women together since they knew about the kiss and how they never got over each other. But the glue that made this a perfect holiday and magical story was the ghost dog that ran all over their small town hiding and then searching for a new family that would take care of him. He was not only smart and lovable but also heroic.
Besides the romance, there was a very dramatic even that took place and showcased the tremendous support of the residents in this small community.

I enjoyed these characters and their interactions with each other. They had a playfulness about them that made you smile, especially when the aunt and mom wanted to know how the romance was progressing. I also loved how the author described this small town and its annual holiday traditions. She created a place that invited warmth and a sense of belonging.

There was one part of the story, however, that I would have liked a little more information not only because it piqued my curiosity, but it clearly shaped Harley perception of a family unit and Sarah’s role in this perception. It had to do with Harley calling Francine by her given name, not mama or mom, even though they were married when they decided to have a baby and divorced when she was six. Francine was living with them and having meals together since Sarah mentioned Harley got her good eating habits from Francine. I would have liked to see how Sarah explained this and why Harley considered Francine a family friend and not her other mom.

Overall, as usual with a Kris Bryant story, the writing was engaging with an entertaining storyline

An ARC was given for an honest review.

I have read many Kris Bryant's romances and I can say that I have connected with all of them except for this one. Before starting this one I read the Acknowledgments and Bryant mentioned this one started as a novella that turned into short book. I really wish that this was a novella instead because there really wasn't much special going on with this one. From what I gather after reading Home, it seemed to try to get across many of the bigger things in life but the details were still that of a novella. Not sure if I am explaining that well enough. I guess what I really want to express again is that this would have been better as a novella. I liked the mains and supporting characters well enough, I just needed more of everything a typical full length romance gives us. I did appreciate that the angst in this one is minimal and of course Bryant does a good job with the sex scenes. I think we all know that Bryant is a talented writer. Again this would have stayed better as a novella (have I mentioned that before :) ).

3 stars.

This arc was provided by the publisher for an honest review.

This was a very quick, but enjoyable read. I really liked Natalie as a character and was rooting for her and Sarah. I would have liked for the book to be a little longer and to know more about the build up to the leads’ first kiss in high school and about what happened after. I liked the supporting characters a lot, including Ghost Dog. Overall, it was a well written book with good chemistry between the leads.

A sweet second chance romance about Nathalie, the sherrif in a small town, who bumps into Sara. The girl she shared a first kiss with in her teenage years. Sara has moved back home with her 6 year old daughter after a divorce and is trying to get her life on track.
I got a good feeling from this book, it has 2 main characters who are finding eachother, not a lot of problems just 2 regular people who meet again and find the love that's meant for them. There is also a dog (yay) and a cute child involved so basically if you are looking for a not too complicated feelgood romance you should definitely pick this one up!

*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. ***

I downloaded this novella knowing it was written by a reliable veteran BSB author, but I didn’t realize how much I needed this book until I got to the glorious end. Sorry, no spoiler and you’ll have to get your own to find out just how good it is. The whole story is good, and what I mean is good feelings. This story is about second chances at love for many different reasons, and each character is given that chance because of one word - hope. Like I said, I didn’t realize how much I needed this book with the world full of negative headlines and our nation in such turmoil. I got my own second chance to step out of the cesspool and remember what we’re doing here in the first place - love each other. For that, I am grateful. I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

'ARC provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher in exchange for a honest review'

**'Few books, even those that may be adequately written, are cliche's of form which conforms to cliche's of expectation..Understand while you as a writer may be talented, you may not be quite as good yet...'

What's a narrative with no valid context, distal emotions, meh chemistry and average execution? Well, I think it's consider as just a simple story because that's how 'HOME' turned out to be from my standpoint. Okay, that statement might come across a bit too critical but having being such an avid fan of most of Ms.Bryant's books, the storytelling does not compare to her other books -- so to her fan base and interested readers, be enthused then share your own perspective.
As to what i think the storyline really hit on --- I do come away with Ms.Bryant trying her best to show that there are many sides to being in any relationship once it's healthy, each have good communication skills, trust etc. because it does eventually involves two understanding parties. Like having one of the main characters along with her young daughter, try to navigate her subjective lifestyle from an unhealthy married to a much better loving relationship -- reacquainting with her childhood girlfriend. There are obstacles to overcome, but readers will notice that they both got whatever help and advise needed in order to move forward.
This book was a brisky read for me only because i could not connect with either the characters or storyline, that said, interested readers should not let my somewhat short interpretation be this holy grail of negativeness. Snatch it and enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an early review copy of Home. According to the acknowledgements, this story was intended to be a novella, a Thanksgiving story following on the heels of Kris Bryant's Tinsel from 2019. (Tinsel certainly set a trend, as I notice lots of my favorite authors have Christmas novellas this year.)

It seems as if every new book of Kris Bryant's I read becomes my favorite, in some way. This was on the shorter side, about 4 hours to read, and honestly I could've gone a couple of hours more and not been sorry. The small town settings and the two leads, Natalie and Sarah, really set this book apart. Natalie is the sheriff of the town, while Sarah spent a few years in high school there but moved away for college. They shared one kiss in high school and it certainly changed Natalie. When Sarah moves back to town with a 6-year-old daughter after a divorce to regroup with her aunt and uncle, sparks fly. But because Sarah isn't sure if she wants to make her home in Spruce Mountain permanently, she tries to move slowly with Natalie, rather than hurt her when she inevitably leaves.

There's another special character, Ghost Dog, a stray whom Natalie finds and takes in while she looks for the owner. Then all of a sudden you find yourself in the second half of the book and the action really starts. I refuse to be "that Karen" who spoils the absolutely brilliant ending, but suffice it to say it's a huge wow moment.

For something that could have been a throwaway, this book is a game changer, one that will stay in my mind for quite some time.

Sheriff Natalie is happy with her life in small town Spruce Mountain Oregon she has a great relationship with her mom. She is shock to see Sarah the one girl who gave her an amazing kiss at the party back in town she never thought she see her again.

Sarah moves back to town with her six year old daughter Harley to live with her Aunt Judy and Uncle Bob as she figure out getting her life together. Sarah never thought she sees the girl she share a amazing kiss with turn out to be even more beautiful an amazing.

Sarah and Natalie weren’t really friends but they share an amazing kiss that neither had forgotten as they build a friendship they can’t deny the chemistry between them and wonder if they can be something more.

Cute romance with little to no angst I love how the dog which Natalie calls him Ghost Dog seems to there one minute and then not I like how it’s seems he chose Natalie even though he is skittish around others. This would make a great Hallmark movie.


I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.