WELCOME TO FOREVER - Annie Rains

#1 in the Hero's Welcome romance series

Plot - 4 stars - Kat is the principal of an elementary school, devoting herself to her work after losing her Marine fiancé when he was deployed. She is struggling to succeed at her school despite some mysterious vandalism. Micah, also a Marine, is single-dad to a special needs third-grader in a wheelchair. He's easing out of his military career by doing lawn work at Kat's school. Their attraction to each other is immediate, but both are wary.

Writing - 4 stars - Rains caught my attention right from the beginning. She wove such good back stories that I was immediately drawn into the characters' lives. They are appealing and attractive, and I was rooting for their success.

Characters - 4 stars - This is where the story particularly shone for me. Kat is strong and independent, but she is having a hard time dealing with her fiancé's death. Although it's been 2 years, she still hasn't moved on. Which is why she feels almost guilty about being attracted to Micah. When she finds out he's also a Marine, she immediately shuts down. But she's a great principal--very positive and inspiring, which makes her so approachable. Micah, though, is the perfect hero. He's the decent, caring father of his young son, trying to make things easier for Ben while not doing too much for him. Ben's mother is being voluntarily deployed again, so Micah has all of the responsibility for his son. He's immediately attracted to Kat, but he's trying to keep his distance since she's Ben's principal and because he doesn't want another woman to disappoint his son..

Title - 3 stars - The title is a little unclear. I guess it refers to the fact that both main characters are a little worried about the future and not sure about how they can "welcome" the thought of forever into their lives.

Cover - 4 stars - Lovely cover of a loving couple. Fairly typical of this genre, but it definitely sets the mood of a sweet and loving story rather than erotic romance.

Overview - 4 stars - Overall a very nice romance. It had a warm and friendly feel to it, with great characters who have a lot more depth than many romance characters do. I liked the story of their initial attraction, then their understandable wariness about each other. Although they both have baggage, it's not depressing, just something you just know they'll work through. Neither expects special attention, they both are willing to work hard to succeed, not only at their jobs but in their relationships. Secondary characters of Kat's sister Julie and Micah's friend Lawson and son Ben add great interest to the story.

Great story of Micah and Kat and their touching romance. The two have a rocky start, but soon start to develop feelings for one another. They are both great characters, and the storyline kept my interest. I liked the backdrop of the town and school where Kat was principal.