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Welcome Back

(Smoky Mountain #9)

Lin Stepp (Goodreads Author)

4.23 · Rating details · 78 ratings · 25 reviews

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains, Lin Stepp's sweet and touching story follows one woman's journey back to the home--and the husband--she left behind…

When Lydia Cunningham left her husband and moved to Atlanta ten years ago, it was with equal parts sadness and certainty. She loved her home in North Carolina, with its lush green hills and c ...more

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Paperback, 352 pages

Published February 23rd 2016 by Kensington

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Feb 09, 2016 Judy D Collins rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2016-releases, books-read-in-2016, netgalley-arc, southern-fiction, womens-fiction

A special thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Southern storyteller, Lin Stepp delivers another charming tale in the Smoky Mountain Series, WELCOME BACK, a journey of second chances, forgiveness, family and some rekindled romance.

Lydia Cunningham moved on years ago, leaving her husband, John and daughter, Mary Beth behind in the mountains of North Carolina for a job opportunity at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. She still loved her husband, and her home; ...more

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Feb 09, 2016 Karen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Welcome Back by Lin Stepp (A Smoky Mountain Novel Book 9) is an amazing book about family, learning to forgive, and how to heal and move forward. This is such a beautifully written novel! I am hoping my review doesn't give too much away, as this is a book definitely worth reading!

Ten years earlier, Lydia Cunningham left her husband (John) and daughter (Mary Beth) to move to Atlanta for a job opportunity at Georgia Tech. However, there is more to that story because they were driven away by her m Welcome Back by Lin Stepp (A Smoky Mountain Novel Book 9) is an amazing book about family, learning to forgive, and how to heal and move forward. This is such a beautifully written novel! I am hoping my review doesn't give too much away, as this is a book definitely worth reading!

Ten years earlier, Lydia Cunningham left her husband (John) and daughter (Mary Beth) to move to Atlanta for a job opportunity at Georgia Tech. However, there is more to that story because they were driven away by her mother-in-law, Estelle. Lydia had tried so hard to win Estelle over, but nothing was ever good enough. Estelle was all about the farm, and she expected everyone else to live that way, too. So when Lydia's sons showed interest in pursuing other careers besides farming, Estelle started making their lives miserable as well. Her husband John never stood up to his mother, which caused problems in their marriage. As hard as it was to leave behind her husband and daughter, she knew this was what she needed to do for herself and her sons. Taking the job at Georgia Tech also allowed her sons to get their education tuition-free.

The book starts with Lydia saying goodbye to her grown sons...J.T and her twins, Parker and Billy Dale (Will). She has taken a job at Western Carolina University and is renting Hill House, which is located on Cunningham Farm, where her husband and daughter live. Her sons don't understand why she wants to go back, but suspect that since Estelle has passed away, she is going back to see if she can work things out with John. Lydia has explained that she's renting Hill House because John has had a lot of bills since his mother died, and might have to sell the house and some of the land to help out financially. Renting the house was to help her husband from having to sell it, and to also try to rebuild her relationship with Mary Beth and to get to know her twin grandsons. After a tearful goodbye, she heads to North Carolina, the one place she's always known was truly home! Lydia arrives to see a banner draped over the porch railing that read "Welcome Back" and her husband John greeting her at the door. Although she wasn't expecting to see him so soon, you can immediately sense that there is still chemistry between them. Obviously, her sons were correct in their suspicion of her real reason for wanting to go there, even if Lydia won't admit it. John wants to have a relationship again, but Lydia is hesitant because of the past...too many hurt feelings and too many things unresolved.

As the story progresses, you learn more about why Lydia left for Atlanta, and why her daughter chose to stay with her dad. You also get insight into why Estelle was so hard on everyone, and what happened in her life that caused her to end up that way. Through John's sister Holly, Lydia is given a new perspective as to why her husband dealt with his mother the way he did. Through it all, you get a better understanding of all of the characters, and why they made the choices they did.

I literally could write so much more, but I don't want to give away too much. This is such a wonderful story about understanding, as well as forgiveness. This is a family that has been hurt, but yet find a way to heal and move forward. The author does such a beautiful job in portraying every side of the story...why each character made the choices they did, as well as what they need to do to become a family once again. I loved the dynamics of this family and thoroughly enjoyed reading their story!
I would highly recommend reading this beautifully written book about family. At the end of the day, isn't family what really matters the most?

I was given an advanced copy of this book from Kensington Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Feb 18, 2016 JudyAnn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Extremely Pleasant Reading!

With Welcome Back, Lin Stepp has let us peek into the lives of some pretty typical people. Families are hard. There isn't a huge amount of drama in this story, the twist is just a little softer than usual, but believable because of that softness.

When a women falls in love, she anticipates some protection and support from their new husband. When she is a well-behaved, 'respect your elders' youthful woman, andher mother-in-law pulls the strings while hubby has chosen 'b ...more

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May 09, 2016 Jeanie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

Cowardice can never step free of the past, only bravery can.

With her daughter's plea to come back home, Lydia is comes back with no expectations to the daughter and husband she left behind. Because of the manipulation and emotional abuse of her mother-in-law, Lydia took her two sons and moved from the clutches of her mother-in-law. Her daughter is now grown up with twin boys of her own and her husband is continuing the family business of farming. Her son's do not support the ideal of Lydia com ...more

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Jan 04, 2016 Kathy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Welcome Back is the fourth book in the Smoky Mountain series by author Lin Stepp. I love this series. The novels are heartwarming and you know there is going to be a happy ending.

Lydia Cunningham had very good reasons for leaving her home in the Maggie Valley in the beautiful North Carolina mountains. Maggie Valley is near the charming town of Waynesville in western North Carolina near Smoky Mountain National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

But now Lydia is back after ten years away. The cruel m ...more

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Feb 23, 2016 Diane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Inspirational fiction fans

This is the first book I have read by this author and I'm happy to say that it won't be the last. The beautifully written storyline resonated with me because I had some similar difficulties with my own mother-in-law for years and I really identified with Lydia's pain and her sense of betrayal by her husband. Lin Stepp has written a complicated character study of the dynamics between generations and the delicate road to forgiveness and reconciliation that occurs between this broken family. I espe ...more

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Dec 31, 2019 Kirby Manning rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I can't add anything to the book review. I can only say that I enjoy the characters, their life story, present circumstances . Life changes and with those changes there are new decisions. As with her other stories In familiar with the areas. I loved in Atlanta, Ga. and Tennessee near the Mountains.
I genuinely love the people who live in the communities and her description of the landscape and the people reminds me of those I have known.
I highly recommend any story written by Lin Stepp. I read ...more

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Oct 09, 2017 Karen Layus rated it really liked it · review of another edition

great mountain family storyof life that is all about family and happiness. I recommend the entire series. Ih what a joy for Ll kids to grow up in that wonderful laid back life style.

great mountain family storyof life that is all about family and happiness. I recommend the entire series. Ih what a joy for Ll kids to grow up in that wonderful laid back life style.

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Oct 17, 2020 Alice LaJuett rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I love this book

Once again a riveting story. I started and didn't stop until I finished. A couple, separated for ten years that still love each other, try to find their way again. Set in the Smoky Mountains, along with a ghost, grown children and grandchildren, this book will keep you reading!
...more

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Jul 02, 2018 JoAnn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Great book

Welcome Back is a wonderful book. I loved the plot and the characters. I love Maggie, NC and I could revisit it once again through the author's eyes. I higher recommend this book. ...more

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Nov 25, 2017 Lynn Sykes rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really enjoy Mrs. Stepp’s books. She captures the feeling and character of the Smoky Mountains.

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Mar 08, 2020 Kathie D rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Hoopla Ebook/Audio

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Mar 02, 2016 Debbie Lester rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Lin Stepp continues the Smoky Mountain series with the ninth book, Welcome Back. Readers who love the amazing landscape of the Smoky Mountains will appreciate Stepp's attention to even the smallest details in setting and in the customs and temperament of the area. This is a story about second chances and love that lasts even across the distance. With complex characters and even more complex family dynamics this is a book that won't soon be forgotten by any reader.

What I liked:

I live in Kentucky Lin Stepp continues the Smoky Mountain series with the ninth book, Welcome Back. Readers who love the amazing landscape of the Smoky Mountains will appreciate Stepp's attention to even the smallest details in setting and in the customs and temperament of the area. This is a story about second chances and love that lasts even across the distance. With complex characters and even more complex family dynamics this is a book that won't soon be forgotten by any reader.

What I liked:

I live in Kentucky which happens to not be that far from the Smoky Mountains. When I found this series I was pretty sure I would love it, because I love the area. It's absolutely one of the most majestic and beautiful places I've ever been. Lin Stepp does the setting justice in this series. Description is a powerful tool in the hands of good writer and Stepp proves that if you can do it well, your setting writes itself. Not only do the mountains come alive, but so do the people. It might be easy to write about the colors and physical landscape of a place, but to write about the essence of those who inhabit it with such candor and openness is not easy. Stepp does it well.

When reading a book like this one readers have to have something to latch onto. The characters are extremely important because they usually provide that something. When I read the premise and synopsis of Welcome Back, I wasn't too sure I was going to be able to get behind Lydia and John in the way I had with previous couples in the series. Lydia struggled with her relationship with her mother-in-law and it eventually drove a wedge between her and her husband John. Lydia eventually leaves John with her daughter and takes her twin sons and moves away. I felt like from the git go, that I would not be able to support Lydia's character because she did not stay and fight for those she loved. I also wasn't sure I could support John's character because he didn't go after her. I was fully expecting to not like the book. Lin Stepp however had other ideas.

Once I started reading the book and figured out a lot of things from each of the characters point of view, it made a lot more sense to me and the second chance love story started to take shape in my mind. I could feel Lydia's misery as she dealt with the constant sabotage of John's mother. I was able to see the struggle he went through trying to choose between two people he loved dearly. What a mess! Stepp made me realize that though I might not like a particular action or point of view of character, that still doesn't mean I can't understand it and love them for seeing past it and making changes.

This is a very good second chance love story and readers will definitely be able to get behind Lydia and John if they give them a chance. I was interested in Lydia's relationship with her daughter as well and seeing how all that played out. Her sons did not want her to move back to area. They were dead set against it and I found that whole dynamic interesting as well.

What I didn't like:

To start with I didn't think I'd like it, but Stepp proved me wrong. I still have a little bit of issue with the whole running away from your problems idea. But that's not really what this book focuses on. It's more about what you do when you realize you made a mistake. It's about the fact that love doesn't just disappear when things get bad. As I continued in the book the love story took form and bloomed.

Bottom Line:

I like it when an author proves me wrong. Stepp did that. I thought her characters would be one way, and they were not. I kind of wanted to dislike them, but I didn't. I wanted to think they were running from their problems and hiding their heads in the sand, but that wasn't the case. A great job by the author, to change my view of the premise. The setting was amazing. I love the Smoky Mountains. The descriptions and attitudes of the area were very well done. A very good book. Looking forward to the next one in the series. ...more

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Apr 18, 2016 Becky Mushko rated it really liked it

In "Welcome Back," 48-year-old Lydia Cunningham returns to the family orchard in Maggie, North Carolina, after living and working for the past decade in Atlanta. She'd left her family because she could no longer tolerate living in the same house as her overbearing and abusive mother-in-law. Lydia's husband John—who had promised his dying father he'd look after his mother—seemingly did nothing to stop the verbal abuse of Lydia and their four children. Lydia found a job she loved working at a coll ...more

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Mar 06, 2016 Book Addict rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Interesting book about separation, second chances and how one woman moved forward once she decided to return to a previous life and relationship. Lydia left her husband John 10 years ago, taking her twin sons along while her daughter chose to stay with John. They weren't young children so it's not as bad of a choice as it seems, but were it me, I might have insisted my daughter come also.

I came to care about Lydia very quickly and was dismayed at her choice even though she'd really missed her hu ...more

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Feb 03, 2016 Cathleen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I received an ARC of "Welcome Back" from the Publlishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

"Welcome Back" is a love story about a woman and a man, though they have been apart for many years, still love each other. Lydia Cunningham left her husband John many years ago taking their twin sons with her. Their daughter, Mary Beth, stayed behind with John. Lydia has spent the years away from her husband missing and wanting him. The decision to return to the Smoky Mountains and her husband ...more

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Feb 02, 2016 Virginia Lloyd rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Review of Welcome Back by Lin Stepp

Lydia knew heartaches, she knew angst, but as she faced the wall of sons hoping to change her mind and detour her journey she had to pull from within her own wall of reserve and determination. Secretly excited about her next sojourn, she fought back tears as she hugged each young man goodbye. For you see, this was more than a new job, more than lending a helping hand, she was going home.

As she traveled and the miles sped away, anxiety began to build. What did s ...more

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Apr 07, 2016 Linda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I love the Smoky Mountain series. The heartfelt stories contain inspiration for everyone's daily life. The characters are normal human beings who we can all relate to.

After ten years living in Atlanta, Lydia Cunningham has decided to return to her home in Maggie Valley, North Carolina and to her husband and daughter. Lydia and her three sons left to avoid the verbal abuse heaped on them daily by her mother-in-law. Now that she’s passed away, Lydia hopes to renew her relationship with her daughte ...more

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Jan 13, 2016 William rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Thomas Wolfe wrote You Can’t Go Home Again, and that usually proves true. However, sometimes in life, with effort, and perseverance, and love, and forgiveness… something very similar can be rebuilt. Lydia Cunningham, and her husband John, have worked and lived 200 miles apart. It has not been a loving long-distance relationship. Can Lydia and John rebuild their marriage? Can Lydia connect again with her daughter, Mary Beth, and with her grandsons? Lin Stepp’s Welcome Back unfolds this complicate ...more

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Feb 26, 2016 Kathleen Gray rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Pleasant story of family reunion. The writing is awkward at times but there's a positive message and some nice touches, such as the calico cats. I also liked learning a bit about apple orchards. I was wondering why in 2016 the sons would want their mother to carry maps of two states in her new car- no gps? no cell phone? In any event, you'll like this if you like the region and enjoy low key romances. Thanks to NETGALLEY for the ARC. ...more

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May 21, 2016 Terri rated it liked it · review of another edition

Welcome Back

Not my favorite from Lin Stepp. Without giving any of the plot away, I'll just say the part with the six year old twins finding their way home was pretty unbelievable. ...more

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Apr 04, 2016 Ruth rated it really liked it · review of another edition

As always, Lin ' s book makes me want to live near these nice people. ...more

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Mar 04, 2016 Mary Moore rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Lin again captures the magic of the Smoky Mountains, this time set in North Carolina. Lydia, her main character, has to navigate some troubled waters when she returns home. Well told.

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