Emma Prescott, determined and selfless, flees from wealth and her murderous father, seeking the love and forgiveness of poor cotton farmer, Kyle Lonnigan.
Although Kyle refuses to forgive her for her part in his father’s death, Emma stays and works her own farm. Over the next several months, Emma proves to Kyle she is not the spoiled girl he remembers.
Emma’s sudden re-entrance into Kyle’s life only conjures long-buried painful memories. Kyle does his best to avoid her, needing to keep the pain at bay, and stopping her from reminding him of their last moments together before bullets shattered their world. But, he is unsuccessful. The love he denies is too strong, and soon Emma and Kyle are tumbling headlong into the past and passion.
Kara O'Neal was born and raised in Texas. She loves reading, writing, and spending time with her family. (She also spends way too much time on her Netflix account!)
FOR ME, THIS BOOK WAS A WELCOME HOME TO READING! I am a writer, and regrettably, have given up most of my reading time to write. I have had Kara O'Neal's book on my Kindle since it first came out. With each new release of hers I caught, I always read the blurb and thought, "Ooh! I want to read that!" Thus, I have a number of Kara O'Neal books waiting for me. With her latest release I thought, "Dang nabbit, I'm gonna read one of these suckers!" I'm so glad I did!
Kara has a gift for creating realistic conflict that keeps you turning the pages! Even though I am in the final stages of my personal edits for my next release, I finished Kara's book in less than a week! (For me, that's amazing!) There were times when I was really worried that Kyle and Emma would not get their happily-ever-after and I couldn't read fast enough to see what happened. I was so tense I was literally biting my nails and bouncing my knee as I read. Now that's the mark of a good writer!
Kara's characters are well-defined and you feel like you know them. Emma and Kyle both have their weaknesses, they're not flat, stock characters. But, despite that, I was rooting for them from the get-go. (And yes, I got a little teary at the end.) I also loved all of the other people of Pike's Run and can't wait to see what Kara has planned for them! (I saw Conner is in the next one and I am excited because I loved him!)
Kara O'Neal's writing and descriptions are vivid and often times beautiful. For example, I liked this image: "She hadn't expected the humidity. It was like breathing through a wet towel." And thought this passage was particularly well-written: "Still, Emma understood he would never forgive her and sadly...she loved him. Still." Loved the little details that made the story more real and helped you to visualize and feel what was happening, such as: "The way his father had looked, lying on the cold ground, bullets in his chest, his blood seeping into the grass between the stones in the walkway." And: "Held on to his pride as a starving man held onto his last morsel of bread." I could list more I underlined, but this review would turn into its own book!
Her plotting is intricately designed and, even though I've read a lot of romances, I could rarely predict what would happen next and was therefore pleasantly surprised time and again. In addition, those surprises never seemed out of left field and made complete sense with the story line and characterization. Nothing seemed forced or contrived.
I had high expectations for WELCOME HOME, and it didn't let me down. And, even though I have twenty or so books under my belt, I feel like I learned a lot from Ms. O'Neal's book and am glad she has gotten me on the reading road again. I look forward to reading more about the people of Pike's Run!
This is a wonderful story, and a true look into the heart of a woman. Emma endures so much for her love of Kyle. She is the perfect heroine as every trial builds her and makes her stronger. Kyle, the hunky farmer, doesn't have an easy time either, and it's enjoyable to watch his emotions unfold. All the characters you meet are fascinating, and I'm thrilled to see this series revolves around the town so we can see more of these lovable people. I definitely recommend this book!
I absolutely loved this book, and can't wait for Conner's story. I love that it includes a family with a strong bond. Emma and Kyle are the main characters, but I came to enjoy the rest of the family as well as everyone else in Pikes Run. The author does a great job of making sure the reader feels every emotion that the characters are feeling. Once I started reading it I didn't want to put it down, and when I had to stop reading I picked it back up as soon as possible.
I enjoyed Kara O'Neal's debut novel. The story was compelling, but the strongest part of the story was the characterization. Kyle, especially, drew me into the story. The tie between his emotions and his perceptions was expertly weaved, making his dilemma over Emma all the more convincing. I couldn't give it 5 starts, because Emma was just a little too nice and forgiving. While I understand that without those attributes the story would not have progressed, I just couldn't like her as a person. I constantly wanted to shake her until she stopped being so nice, but that feeling that she needed to be shaken is a compliment to Kara O'Neal's ability to create complex characters. Overall, I really liked the novel, and I am looking forward to reading more from Kara O'Neal in the future.
I really enjoyed this sweet love story, and Kara Oneal created an outstanding first novel. I loved the characters and the confidence of Emma as she tries to discover herself. It was a very pleasant read over a couple of days. Can't wait for the next one!
This started as a really sad story with a number of discouraging moments. It took a while, but everyone finally go the truth and straightened out their relationships. The hero was a stubborn one, but his heroine's tenacity was more than a match. There was an unexpected twist and a surprise villain to finish off the story.
The author really had me engaged and I felt happiness and sadness right alongside the characters. I can't wait to read more in this series.
Kyle, the very handsome hero, is running from his past and the love he feels for Emma- but a very determined young woman sets out to prove to everyone, including herself she is strong and worth loving. A wonderful story deep in the hear of Texas- from stagecoach to a tornado to bad guys this book has it all. Especially a wonderful ending.
Good book! I love historical romance. I can't wait to read more in this series to see how the lives of the main characters progress and to learn more about others in the town.