Finding love lost is coming home. Love ended abruptly 10 years ago for Chelsea and her high school sweetheart Anderson Kelly. He was going into the military and Chelsea was going to college. Being young always leads to misunderstanding, life changing choices, and regret. Back in Winterpark, Colorado, these two meet up again. However, things are different, they are different but what they feel for each other is raw until they both take a chance.

I have read Shelley Gray books before but usually the Amish genre and I have always enjoyed her light-heartiness towards her characters. Being a character driven writer, the characters drive the plot more seamlessly. It was a thoughtful read in that Chelsea was a single mother by choice. Why she was and how she approached it. With Anderson back in her life, how careful she was to open her heart to him. They both had been hurt from the past but for different reasons and how their maturity healed their heart that they were open to love again. Coming Home was named correctly because I think love represents being home. Being vulnerable, being accepted and sharing life.

A feel good read about love, relationships, community and never giving up.

A special thank you to Berkley Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Coming Home by Shelley Shepard Gray is a second chance romance. Chelsea Davis and Anderson Kelly were high school sweethearts, but their relationship soured just after graduation. Anderson was nervous about boot camp after signing up for the military which impacted his decision to break up with Chelsea. Chelsea reacted poorly and made a big mistake in college. For me this was a heartwarming second chance romance story. The characters in the book were all quite likable. I really like Chelsea's son Jack. This is a well-written book and I plan to explore this author's backlist.

.

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Coming Home by Shelley Shepard Gray is an emotional, second-chance romance about forgiveness, and moving forward.

Story Recap:
Chelsea Davis has a good life working at the senior center as an activities director and raising her nine-year-old son. She grew up in Woodland Park, a small town at the base of Colorado’s Pike’s Peak. But, when her old high school boyfriend comes to town, she manages to avoid him, until they have to work together on the fire inspection at the senior center.

Anderson Kelly has returned to Woodland Park after many tours in Afghanistan in the Army. He’s now a firefighter with the local fire department. His time in the Army left him with many scars, both emotional and physical. But, he’s determined to make a difference back in his hometown. But when he runs into his old girlfriend, he knows she’ll never be able to look past his scars or forgive him for leaving her and chasing her into the arms of another man.

My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this second chance romance very much. I loved the setting in the Colorado Rockies and the fictional small town of Woodland Park. The characters are very realistic and both enjoy serving their community. Their reason for breaking up all those years ago seemed realistic to me, and they were very young at the time. Both characters have to learn to forgive each other and decide to move on with their lives.

There was a fair amount of action in the book, which kept me engaged and moved the story along at a good pace. The side characters in the book were all realistic and added to the story.

Recommendation:
I highly recommend Coming Home to anyone who enjoys romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Beautiful Love Story

Anderson Kelley and Chelsea Davis have history. Some of it is sweet, and some of it is painful. The painful parts have left each of them scarred and sadly, neither knows how to move forward from the painful parts in order to make amends. However, as they spend more time together, Anderson and Chelsea are able to start looking back at the past and realizing that the pain they suffered was not one sided. They each played a role in their past hurts. Coming to that realization is the beginning of what turns their relationship from past hurts to a second chance at love.

Author Shelley Shepard Gray once again flawlessly draws you into the story and makes you feel a connection to the characters. They are realistic and their conversations are insightful and help you get to know them more. The story takes you from feeling hopeless to hopeful, from guilt ridden to guilt free, and from unforgiven to forgiven. As Anderson and Chelsea navigate through their past, they are able to move forward and work toward a second chance at love. The result is a beautiful and moving love story that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are strictly my own.

This is a sweet story of forgiveness and second chances. Anderson and Chelsea must figure out how to be friends living in the same small town after mistakes and heartbreak took them in different directions 10 years ago. And they learn that their choices in the past do not have to rule over their choices and happiness in the present and future.
I greatly enjoyed this quick, easy read. While not a distinctly Christian message, and different from the author’s Amish books, it is a clean, contemporary love story, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Coming Home, set in Colorado is a second chance story in many ways. Anderson and Chelsea after a ten year separation will have to work past many issues to find a second chance. For Anderson the wounds of war are both physical and mental. Camilla's children are ready to send her to a retirement home in Florida against her wishes. All the struggles in this book are very relatable, PTSD, teenage pregnancy and early dementia. Very encouraging book. Recommended!

I always love reading Shelley Shepard Gray's Amish romances but lately I've really been getting into her contemporary romances. I thoroughly enjoyed the small-town setting of Woodland Park, Colorado, where everyone knows everyone else and are there to help when needed. Chelsea and Anderson have met up again after 10 years of being apart and have a lot of hard feelings to overcome. This is such a sweet romance, and they are respectful of each other's needs as they navigate towards building a new relationship and as Anderson gets to know Chelsea's son Jack.

I read Coming Home on one of my days off while I sat outside, and it was a most enjoyable day! I'm looking forward to the next book, Moving Forward, and seeing more of the firefighters that Anderson worked with.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Published 23 August 2022.

Coming Home is a beautiful second chance romance with damaged characters I couldn't help but fall in love with. Anderson and Chelsea were not only high school sweethearts, but on the cusp of a lifetime commitment when he announced he was entering the army upon graduation, and they should break up. Devastated by what she thought was a harsh brush off, Chelsea went away to college where an event changed her life forever. Their paths cross again ten years later as they both find themselves back in their small hometown and unable to avoid one another. Anderson now works at the fire department as a paramedic, and Chelsea loves her work at the local senior center. Both of them are completely different people whose lives apart have profoundly changed them and yet when they meet again, the spark's still there. Can they set aside their pain over lost dreams and give love a second chance?

Coming Home is a sweet, second chance contemporary romance that showcases two characters, each carrying regret and guilt from the past. Gray does a great job exploring the hurt and pain while allowing both characters to come to terms with their past before committing to moving forward as a couple. I enjoyed the secondary plot line involving two senior citizens who's circumstances ring true as they seek solutions to issues faced by thousands of seniors every year. These characters are believable and easy to like and their dialogue is realistic. Highly recommended to fans of second chance contemporary romance.

A great sweet romance! What a surprise to find another sweet romance author. There was conflict, a great subplot and best of all a believable romance!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I love Shelley Shepard Gray books. Not only is she a local author, I really enjoy her work. Normally she writes Amish stories which are nice, but I really enjoy her other books as well. This book was no exception. Coming Home was a really nice second chance romance. I will definitely keep looking for new books by her. I am looking to purchase this one when it comes out.

Coming Home is a lovely second chance contemporary romance. Anderson and Chelsea were very much in love as high school students but went their separate ways after graduation – his path to the Army and hers to college. Ten years later they are back living in their hometown where their paths cross once again. Anderson now works at the fire department as a paramedic and Chelsea works at the local senior center. Both were profoundly changed by the experiences in their time apart. Will they give themselves the chance to know each other again?

I loved how author Shelley Shepard Gray’s story played out and especially appreciated the subplot involving older characters. It was nice to see them play more of a role than simply background filler. I look forward to seeing where Gray’s series goes in the second book (due out in 2023).

This is a good book. The two main characters are Chelsea and Anderson. Chelsea works at a retirement center and Anderson is a paramedic and firefighter. They have known each other all their lives. They were a couple until they graduated from high school. Anderson broke up with Chelsea to enter the Army and Chelsea could go to college. They meet 9 years later, had some issues they both needed to work out and fell in love.

I enjoyed this book. It was interesting to see the past of the two main characters and how that played in to the present I will be reading more from this author.

I was surprised by this book as this author normally writes inspirational romances and a lot of Amish stories. This book was a sweet contemporary romance