I couldn’t finish this book, I like the author’s writing and have enjoyed many of their books before but this one wasn’t one I could get into. I will try again when the author’s next book is released as I am a fan of theirs.

How can you believe in romance, where you have been left by the important persons in your life? How can you believe in romance, when you have been hurt by the persons with the intense anger problem?

Marisa St. George was hurt enough by her absentive alcoholic father, who is MIA for 8 years now, and by all the hurt coming from being the town drunk' s daughter. And now she is back in her hometown as a result of the downsizing from her beloved workplace. Fortunately, the new job at the Rainbow's End can help with the money, at least. And there is one particular guest here, who might be the proof of the love at first sight theory. But Marisa has been hurt deeply and her hurt can transform into the anger, which is her coping and protective mechanism. How will she react when she realizes that Blake Kendall is THE Ken Blake, the author writing about the flawed hero, read smoking and drinking man, who triggers the memories of her own father? And then the unthinkable becomes true...and Marisa is to face her issues in the very clear and real light.

The second installment in the Texas Crossroads series brings us another interesting romance, this one dealing with the spectre of issues coming from abandonment and anger, resulting in problems with forgiveness and grace.
I get Marisa. She suffered a lot and now she should forgive the years of pain just because? It IS hard. Sure, Marisa doesn't deal with her pain as a proper Christian heroine, but the better, as we people are not ideal. The forgiveness IS hard.
I get Blake too. He has been confronted with an emotional abuse coming from anger and is afraid that the situation will repeat. But he knows that he is in love and he is here to stay.

And fingers crossed for Lauren and Drew! Even if their love story is a bit too sweet (in opposite to Marisa and Blake' s romance) and I generally don't get how the city is suddenly full of rich guys interested in the local women - but I like Lauren, so I don't care that much!

Amanda Cabot is a great writer. I like that she gets that the life is complicated and that she is not here for (over) sugar-coating. Her books deal with the real issues, which I like. I would go even deeper when dealing with the issues, but I understand that she is writing romances (and she is very good at that).
Read this.