A Reunion to Remember: Heartwarming Reunion in a Small Town

by Kathy Douglass

Coming home to the man she never stopped loving…

And the daughter she never knew.

A visit to her old hometown—and an accidental reunion—could be Dr. Andrea Taylor’s prescription for happiness. Now living in Aspen Creek, Colorado, her high school sweetheart, Cole Richards, still makes her heart race. But Cole never got over the way she left him—and their daughter—sixteen years ago. And Andrea never got over the heartbreak of not saying goodbye—or explaining her reasons.

Now, after reconnecting with Cole and getting to know her daughter, she can’t walk away—again. As she and Cole bond over shared memories and starlit evenings on the porch, Andrea longs for a second chance. Could love and forgiveness earn her way back into the family she left behind?

From Harlequin Special Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

Aspen Creek Bachelors

Book 1: Valentines for the Rancher
Book 2: The Rancher's Baby
Book 3: Wrangling a Family
Book 4: The Cowboy Who Came Home
Book 5: A Reunion to Remember

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 26, 2025

About the author

Kathy is a born reader who as a child always had her nose in a book. That love of reading grew with her. She often would finish one book and immediately pick up another. She went from reading Bobbsey Twins to long, lush romance novels. One day she stumbled upon the Shining by Stephen King and was hooked. She turned her back on romance and became a serious Stephen King fan, reading every word he wrote. When she caught herself checking under the bed and looking in the closet for monsters or worse, she knew it was time to put down the horror stories and pick up the romance novels.
Her return to romance novels was short lived. She’d started law school and soon her reading was limited to legal opinions. Then one happy day her younger sister handed her a Harlequin romance. They were just what the doctor ordered. The books were short enough to read in a week and still get her required reading done. Best of all she knew there would be a happy ending and she wouldn’t have to search her room before she went to bed each night.
When her first child was born, she stopped practicing law to become a stay at home mom. Her second child followed nineteen months later. With two little ones in the house, reading suddenly became limited to Dr. Seuss and other children’s books. Any free time was spent trying to catch up on sleep or laundry.
All too soon her kids were attending pre-school two hours a day. She spent those few precious renewing her relationship with romance novels. After a while she felt the urge to write a book of her own and she began writing the stories she wanted to read. She spent many years writing some really terrible books and learning her craft. In 2014, Kathy participated in Brenda Novak’s online auction to raise money for a cure for Diabetes. She was the highest bidder for a critique by editor, Charles Griemsman. He did not buy that book immediately, but requested another which became her first book in the Sweet Briar Sweethearts series.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author did a wonderful job of developing the characters and explaining all of their emotions. It was very wholesome yet realistic.

[Joyce M. H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrea and Cole were high school sweethearts. Andrea was always outgoing, never in the shadows and a high achiever. Cole and Andrea became parents at the age of 16. They both wanted their child. Andrea’s parents convinced her into giving up her newborn baby girl Crystal. They informed her that she had a prosperous future ahead of her becoming a pediatrician. Cole also wanted to become a doctor, and his parents did their level best to convince him to give up baby Crystal. Andrea in turn signed away her parental rights. Cole did not give up baby Crystal he decided to raise her on his own. Cole’s family disowned him leaving him all alone. Fast forward 16 years later and Andrea has become a pediatrician, and Cole is the proud owner of a store in Aspen Creek. Andrea hires a PI to find out where Crystal and Cole and she take off in search of them. When Cole and Andrea see each other what they once felt for each other is still ever present. The people of Aspen Creek are a close-knit family, and they protect each other. What started out as a deception to Crystal after meeting Andrea and spending time with her and match making Andrea with her dad Cole seem to work out well. That is until Crystal overhears Andrea saying that she was her daughter and she just wanted to get to know her.

This is an awesome read as parents seem to think they know best for their children and hearts are broken. There are twists, turns, tears shed, romance, good conversation, good advice, confessions and true feelings revealed.

I received an ARC via the author Kathy Douglass and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another in the Aspen Creek Bachelors series, in which physician Andrea Taylor comes to Aspen Creek to see for herself that the baby she gave up is doing well at age 16. There she is reacquainted with the boyfriend who got her pregnant, the baby's father who kept the child and has raised her on his own. Neither is willing to tell their daughter who Andrea really is, but that information gets out and they then have to contend with how the teen feels about the lies both of her parents have told her, if not by commission but rather by omission.

What are they going to do about it? And about their re-emerging feelings for each other?

[Harlequin Books]

Family Life Fiction, Western Romance, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Contemporary Romance, African American & Black Romance
Miniseries
Aspen Creek Bachelors (Book #5)

[Letha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy all of Kathy Douglass's stories!