Shelley Shepard Gray has written an engaging story in her women's fiction story, Coming Home. It is a story of a second chance at love, family, adventure, firefighter heroes, and little boys who sometimes steal the show and definitely steal one's heart. I enjoy small-town community settings and stories with characters that are realistic and relatable. Coming Home is a story that readers who enjoy contemporary romance and stories of family relationships will not want to miss. I love this author's books and am looking forward to reading more of her works. I was given a complimentary copy of the ebook through NetGalley and also listened to a library copy of the audiobook. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions are my own.

A sweet small town romance of second chances. A sweet read. Love that it is a series. There is a great community of characters.

Having only read a few Amish stories by Shelley Shepard Gray, I was pleasantly surprised to see this contemporary romance. Even better, it’s the start of a new series. Coming Home, the first book in the Woodland Park Firefighters Romance series, held my interest from the first page to the last as we get to know the many characters a little at a time. There is a depth to both the story and the characters that had me turning the pages to see what they would be up to next.

This is a second chance romance between previous high school sweethearts, Anderson and Chelsea, who stopped dating when they went their separate ways—he enlisted in the Army, and she went off to college. Fast forward years later when he returns to their small town as a firefighter. Their paths cross, he meets her son, and things take off from there, or do they?

There was some reminiscing between them, but since both are bad at communicating, they don’t know what they’re doing or what it means. They decide to be friends, but that confuses them even more. They both get information on the other from others who can see their feelings even if they can’t.

We get immersed in their lives and those of neighbors and friends. Many stories are told, and they are woven together nicely. I liked the camaraderie of Anderson with the other firefighters and Chelsea’s relationship with her son and her older, widowed neighbor, Camille. Chelsea’s son, Jack, is involved in all aspects of the story, and it was nice to see some of the events through his eyes.

There are family, friends, accidents, injuries, small-town and everyday life, jobs, dates, arguments, anger, romance, and love in various forms. There is a good flow to this heartwarming story, along with some heartache.

Many descriptive details enable us to know the characters and not just on the surface. There is lovely closure with a happily-ever-after beautifully portrayed six months later. The cover and title fit the story well. In the back of the book was a preview of the next book in the series, Moving Forward. It won’t be long before I’ll be reading it!

Coming Home is a delightful small town, clean contemporary second-chance romance with attention to detail and solid characters whom I kept rooting for.

I rated the book 4.5 stars but rounded to 5 stars here and on other sites.

I have always enjoyed books by Shelley Shepard Gray. This one was a slow start, but once the story line got rolling, I could not put it down. Definitely a recommendation for anyone.

I just love Shelley Shepard Gray's books. She is a very talented author, writing equally well in many genres. This is a wonderful book to spend several hours relaxing and reading.
Woodland Park, Colorado is a small-town family-oriented town where you're likely to find a little league game most every summer night. Family holds each other tightly here. Anderson Kelly and Chelsea Davis were once high school sweethearts but then he enlisted. This Army vet is back in town and Chelsea is still there, if he could avoid her it'd be perfect. He's so embarrassed by the way he left her. Chelsea now has a young son and despite himself he finds enjoying time spent with her and her son. Two hearts adrift that have never stopped loving each other deep down. Can this Army vet turned firefighter and his rediscovered flame learn to trust again and let it all fall back into place again? Beautiful writing. I'll be looking forward to more books by this author soon.

29 Nov 2022 publication date.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Coming Home by Shelley Shepard Gray is a sweet romance about second chances. Set in a small town, this reunion of a lost love really fulfills all the best of a good, clean romance. There aren’t a lot of surprises along the way, which is great sometimes. This is the perfect book for you if you’re looking for escape into a safe world. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

This book will appeal to so many readers! It has memories of a first love, a second chance to set things right, and the reminder that going home again can be possible. Chelsea Davis returns home to Woodland Park with her 9-year-old son and finds that her high-school sweetheart has come back home also. She and Anderson Kelly once thought they would have forever but forever wasn't possible then. Is this a déjà vu in the making?

Author Shelley Shepard Gray offers readers a peek into the adventure and danger that firefighters face each day and she also shares the issues associated with being a single parent. Chelsea and Anderson are perfect together, and her precious son Jack absolutely needs a father! Coming Home is a heartwarming contemporary romance filled with hope, forgiveness, and second chances. I look forward to returning to this small Colorado community!

I received a complimentary copy from the author and publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

4.5 stars

A new Shelley Shepard Gray book? About a swoony army vet turned firefighter? Who’s come back home to the small town where running into his high school sweetheart is inevitable? And her little boy worms a place into said firefighter’s heart? Yes please!!!

This book hit me in all the feels. One minute I’m melting at something sweet or swoony… the next, my heart is in my throat as the characters battle for survival from one form of danger or another. Then I’m chuckling at something Chelsea’s son Jack says… or wanting to jerk a knot in Camille’s children… or grinning at Frank … and then I’m back to swooning again because – hello – firefighters! From the blossoming second-chance romance between Anderson & Chelsea to some edge-of-your-seat action scenes, a subplot involving adult parent-child relationships, a sweet secondary romance, FIREFIGHTERS (ahem), and a few thoughts on what truly makes a hero, there is plenty (in just the right amounts) to keep every reader entertained.

These characters are so well-layered and relatable (flaws and all!), and I’m actually hard-pressed to tell you my favorite from this particular cast. It might be Chelsea’s charming little boy, Jack. But honestly I can’t pick because I loved them all – and I saw a bit of myself in each of them. Life teaches us a lot of lessons, some of them learned the hard way, and Anderson & Chelsea’s story is a perfect example. They aren’t the same people they were just after graduating high school, and the scars (internal and external) they’ve earned along the way deserve a chance to rewrite their future and heal the deep heart wounds they caused each other so long ago. Also, Anderson and his rescue cat are all kinds of adorable together and kept me grinning in every scene they shared.

Bottom Line: Coming Home by Shelley Shepard Gray has a little bit of everything wrapped up in one engaging package, allowing it to appeal to a wide variety of readers. It’s a delightful blend of small-town contemporary romance with a dose of adventure and a taste of women’s fiction – and it’s full of fabulous characters that you’ll easily fall in love with. The setting is perfect for this series, and I can’t wait to spend more time in this community & catch up with the characters again.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

I love when these little surprise gift books show up in my email! I wasn't expecting this at all, it wasn't on my radar, and when an offer to read it arrived in my email, I thought, well why not?!

I am so glad I thought that, and that I gave this novel a try! It is cute, the characters are great, I loved the banter and the spice while a little more than I typically like was so well done!

Highly recommend this one and the author by default! Will definitely read another one, thank you so much for my copy!

"The time had come. Time to address the hurt between them. Anderson had been thinking about it nonstop ever since he'd returned home. Imagining what he would say, how he would repair the terrible rift. he knew it wouldn't be easy, but he had to try. There were a dozen things he could tell Chelsea, but only one that really mattered: I'm sorry."

When I was approached about reading this book, I was a bit skeptical. A widow reconnects with her long-lost boyfriend who happens to be a firefighter. Plus she has a son who needs a father figure. That sounded a bit cliche. But it really wasn't. Instead, the book was filled with wonderful characters who were not cookie cutters and with interesting elements that were unexpected.

Jack is definitely a typical nine-year-old. Chelsea is a hard-working mom who may have some regrets but never about having a son. Camille's side story added another perspective. And I appreciated the emphasis on supporting returning veterans. Anderson is definitely an admirable, honest hero, and so is General. Part of the book also does happen at the fire station. I definitely want to read the next book in the series!

I appreciated the lessons about how to support those that you care about as well as thoughts on faith. Starting over is not easy. But redemption can happen.

I did read an advanced copy of this book. I wanted to read and review it. All opinions are my own.

Coming Home is the latest release by the talented Shelley Shepard Gray. It is the first in a brand new series called Woodland Park Firefighters series. I absolutely loved reading Chelsea and Anderson’s story and getting to know all the residents of their small town of Woodland Park and can’t wait to visit again soon. This is a well crafted second chance at love kind of romance and I highly encourage others to read Chelsea and Anderson’s sweet story. If you are looking for a sweet and clean romance then look no further than Coming Home, a gem of a of a story about a former couple who find their way back to one another. I can’t wait to read the next one in this series.

Anderson and Chelsea were high school sweethearts, but broke up, each going their separate ways with Anderson enlisting in the army and Chelsea going to college. Brokenhearted, Chelsea has a one-night stand and ends up pregnant. Although Chelsea regrets the one-night stand, she doesn’t regret having her son, Jack, now nine-years-old. Chelsea loved Anderson, he was everything to her, sweet, attentive, and when they parted ways it broke her heart, but his reaction to finding out she was pregnant isn’t something she’ll forget.

Anderson is back in his hometown of Woodland Park after fighting in Afghanistan. Left with physical and emotional scars, he’s happy to be home, helping people as a paramedic/firefighter, a job he loves. The one big regret he has is how he handled things with Chelsea. He’s never forgotten her and kicks himself over ruining things. It’s been a while since he’s been back, and they have yet to properly cross paths but then he’s assigned for and in-person service for the senior living home Chelsea works at. Meeting again inspires him to try to mend things as he’s never loved anyone like Chelsea.

Oh, I do love a second chance romance and Coming Home was lovely! The regret and longing between these two were palpable so I was fully invested on seeing them get their HEA. I loved the bond that formed between Anderson and Chelsea’s son, Jack too. Jack was so eager for a father figure and Anderson felt privileged to be there for him.

There was another side story with Chelsea’s elderly neighbor, Camille. Her kids were exerting unwanted pressure to move from Woodland Park to Florida to a senior center close by them, but Camille wanted her independence and to stay in her hometown. A little romance there, too. I’m happy Camille had support and understanding from Chelsea and Frank, her fledging beau. I enjoyed it!

Coming Home was just the kind of low-drama, heartwarming second chance romance I love! The small-town setting sounded beautiful, and I enjoyed the supportive secondary characters, too. Lots of potential for future romances.

Ummm, yes! Absolutely.

This sweet second chance romance packed such a fun punch. It was emotional, and utterly captivating.

Thank you for the gifted copy Berkley! I can't wait to read more of this series.

Small town, second chance, firefighter, single mom, army vet, even a bit of forced proximity as Chelsea and Anderson have to spend time together at the senior center. I love small town romance, especially when the story is set in a town as charming as Woodland Park. The writing is descriptive and made it easy to picture this little town in my mind as I read. Then there are the characters, who feel so real they practically leap off the page. I can easily imagine running into these people at the grocery store or coffee shop or even Granger's Last Stand. It's a clean romance with a focus on forgiveness and moving forward. The whole story is engaging and yes, sometimes quite emotional. The more I learned about these characters, the more I wanted them to get their second chance. Coming Home is a great way to start a series, and I'll be on the lookout for the next couple to find love in Woodland Park. This is my first time reading Shelley Shepard Gray's work, but it certainly won't be my last. The book is very well-written, the pacing is good, and the people of Woodland Park made for great company a couple of evenings this week.

Coming Home is an emotional foray into regrets, the sometimes misguided choices we make because of love, and realizing home is not a physical place, but the people that make life worth living.

Anderson and Chelsea were high school sweethearts. They thought their young love could withstand anything, until Anderson enlisted and broke up with her. Chelsea’s heartbreak was compounded when she became pregnant in college and Anderson reacted terribly to the news. Now, they are both back in their hometown and running into each other everywhere. Can they rekindle the love that was lost?

Anderson and Chelsea each harbored some resentment from the fallout of her pregnancy. Neither knew how to bridge that gap and they needed a lot of introspection time to figure things out. It was clear from the start that the attraction between them was still as strong as ever. I loved every minute of their journey back to each other.

The set of supporting characters were also amazing. My heart ached for Camille and even her kids. I was really immersed in the lives of all these people and I just wanted to continue reading to find out how it all will come together.

The writing kept me engaged all throughout and it flowed beautifully at a good, steady pace. Coming Home will run you through a whole host of emotions.

I can recommend this for anyone who loves a second-chance romance.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Author Shelley Shepard Gray’s first book in her new Woodland Park Firefighters series starts off with a bang. The high school popular couple are now adults who are working through some tough life issues. Unexpected pregnancy and army tours have scarred both. Can they come together again?

I loved Chelsea’s son, Jack. Jack is spunky and dealing with life in his own way. But he looks past Anderson’s physical scars and becomes attached to it. What boy doesn’t love a real hero? Gray also has some great secondary characters who are older and facing life as senior citizens. I hope we see more of them!

A story of forgiveness and restoration, I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

Firefighters, small town, second chance…

There was so much that caught my attention about this book! The cover was the first and the blurb clinched it. I’m a sucker for a second chance romance and the friction between Anderson and Chelsea needed to be explored right away…

There was mystery around what happened between them and that set the stage for the drama of their reunion. I liked the characters. They were solid, low drama (despite their circumstances) with their past providing the starting point for all that followed. Another great twist was the secondary story (and romance) of Chelsea and Jack’s neighbour. Family trouble – and love – knows no age barriers and her trials brought another welcome element to the book.

All in all it was a sweet walk in a small town with all the emotion I wanted from a second chance love. This was a new to me author but I see she has quite the backlist – lucky for me!

I loved this new contemporary 2nd chance romance from Shelley Shepard Gray. She's done a remarkable job in bringing us a sweet story about love, family and friendship.
All wonderful ingredients to make a beautiful story.
I think my favorite thing about this book is the characters are realistic with their own fears, hopes and dreams.
The small town feel is a 2nd favorite since I'm from one myself. Easy to make friends while yet at the same time everyone knows everyone's business sometimes even before you do.
A fast paced novel from beginning to end. I didn't put it down until I was finished. Very satisfied.
Gray has proven more than once that she can write anything and not miss a beat.
I love Gray's books no matter what she writes!
I always look forward to seeing what she writes next.
5 stars for a beautiful cover and excellent writing that has well rounded out characters.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Every character in Shelley Shepard Gray’s Coming Home is a normal, everyday person. And I loved that about this second chance romance.

Chelsea and Anderson have regrets and fears, but when Anderson returns home to Colorado and runs into Chelsea again, the attraction between them flames to life. There is a lot these two need to work through, and they are adults about it. Anderson is direct and says what’s on his mind. And though doubts tend to invade Chelsea’s mind and heart, she can’t deny the magnetic pull between her and her high school sweetheart.

But Gray doesn’t stop there. Readers also get a taste of life with Chelsea’s elderly neighbor, and her kids insisting she move into a care home is no picnic.

Coming Home is a story that shows how forgiveness and letting go of the pain of the past can sometimes lead to a wonderful future. There are also several people in this book I hope to see get their own stories (definitely Mallory, and perhaps Beau).

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive or negative review. All opinions are my own.

Coming Home is contemporary romance is the first book in the new A Woodland Park Firefighters Romance series and it was such a sweet story!

Coming Home is a second chance romance where an army veteran turns fire fighter returns to his hometown and sees his high school sweetheart. Will they be able to rekindle their love?

First, I love any book set in Colorado! I liked the characters and it was the perfect small town romance. I am looking forward to reading the next books in this series.