Sierra's Homecoming

McKettricks #5

by Linda Lael Miller

When she moved to her family's ancestral ranch, single mom Sierra McKettrick was disconcerted by the Triple M's handsome caretaker, Travis Reid. But when her son claimed to see a mysterious boy in the house, and an heirloom teapot started popping up in unexpected places, Sierra wondered if the attraction between herself and Travis might be the least of her worries. In 1919, widowed Hannah McKettrick lived at the ranch with her son and her brother-in-law, Doss. Her confused feelings for Doss and her son's health problems occupied all her thoughts…until the family teapot started disappearing. Could Sierra and her ancestor, Hannah, be living parallel lives?

Genres: Romance, Westerns, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, Western Romance, Contemporary, Fiction

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 21, 2006

About the author

The daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West. Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a spacious property outside Spokane.
Linda traces the birth of her writing career to the day when a Northport teacher told her that the stories she was writing were good, that she just might have a future in writing. Later, when she decided to write novels, she endured her share of rejection before she sold Fletcher’s Woman in 1983 to Pocket Books. Since then, Linda has successfully published historicals, contemporaries, paranormals, mysteries and thrillers before coming home, in a literal sense, and concentrating on novels with a Western flavor. For her devotion to her craft, the Romance Writers of America awarded her their prestigious Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.
Long a passionate Civil War buff, Linda has studied the era avidly for almost thirty years. She has read literally hundreds of books on the subject, explored numerous battlegrounds and made many visits to her favorite, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where she has witnessed re-enactments of the legendary clash between North and South. Linda explores that turbulent time in The Yankee Widow, a May 7, 2019 MIRA Books hardcover, also available in digital and audiobook formats.
Dedicated to helping others, “The First Lady of the West” personally financed fifteen years of her Linda Lael Miller Scholarships for Women, which she awarded to women 25 years and older who were seeking to improve their lot in life through education. She anticipates that her next charitable endeavors will benefit four-legged critters.
More information about Linda and her novels is available at www.lindalaelmiller.com, on Facebook and from Nancy Berland Public Relations, nancy@nancyberland.com, 405-206-4748.

Reviews

[Sandra Hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two McKettrick women - past and present - each in their own time period - and yet their paths cross as does the paths of their sons. How is that possible? A touching story told by alternating past & present including the struggles & hardships of both generations. As always, the men are bigger than life & the women strong & sassy, just the way I like them! Great story and transition from the past McKettricks to the present.

[Andrea Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I loved how Linda interwove the two families together: Sierra, Travis and Liam from 2007 and Hannah, Doss and Tobias from 1919. It has just a hint of paranormal to make it more interesting.

These two sets of McKettrick women really are the women that feel they don't belong. Sierra because her father snatched her away from the family at a young age and Hannah who is the widow of Gabe McKettrick. Through love and trust they find that they are just as strong as the rest of the family and that love is what makes them put down roots.

As a fan of historical fiction, I liked Hannah and Doss' story the best, but both were excellent. You saw from two time periods how mother's would do anything for their children. The heroes, Doss and Travis were both likable and loving men who really loved their heroines.

The only thing that bugged me was that there was really no explanation for how the two families saw each other through the years, but in the grand scheme of things the story was strong enough to hold its own without the explanation.

If you haven't read this book, put it on your must read list!

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The McKettrick family of the Triple M Ranch are a fascinating bunch. After the first four books, each one focusing on one of the original four sons, I was ready for a full-fledged family history. A bit of time-travelling seems like an ideal way to transition from the original McKettrick four of the 1880s to the descendants living in contemporary times, doesn’t it? I thought so too, but this novel falls short in fleshing out the family history.

A very promising photo album and a remembrance book (a journal of sorts) might have filled in the blanks very nicely, had they been utilized earlier in the story. Unfortunately, these items serve only to list the children of Holt and Lorelei (the eldest son, and the last one to be married) near the end of this particular story. Add to this a brief mention at the beginning of the novel of Jesse, a descendant of the youngest brother Jeb, and the reader is left with a huge vacuum — and lots of questions!

But wait! Maybe the big gaps left by this book in the McKettrick family story serve the author’s purpose very well. Readers who are curious are more likely to continue to invest in the series — both emotionally and financially. Having leaped a generation from a very complete picture of the four brothers of the 1880s to (some of ?) the grandchildren of the eldest brother, perhaps we can look forward to some very interesting reading ahead — and a series which goes on and on and on . . .

I haven’t decided yet whether or not I’m going to be following this family into the 21st century.

[Juliewheatcox.Net · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did not segue well in the series. It read like a previous story was missing. Too many characters were introduced making it even more confusing.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

my copy has 275 pages and has a novella by B.J. Daniels in it

[Crysa James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating! Provocative. Engrossing. I was expecting a sweetly sizzling contemporary romance. What I got was a deep read that enthralled me with two parallel stories about extraordinarily strong, but flawed, characters. There were times I just wanted to shake some sense in to them. Yes, this book drags you in that deep. As much as I loved the characters, it is the story that compels, haunting you with riveting appeal. The way the individual stories mirror the other, but yet aren't was fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Bette Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story and a nice way to blend the historical and contemporary stories in this series. Recommended

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!

[Erica Chaillot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun continuation of a great family and series.

[Viviana Izzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever read a book from one author that you picked out of nowhere or it was given to you to review and you fall for the story and then you start searching and start reading the series? This was one of those! I read Linda Lael Miller for the first time because of a Netgalley Review I was approved for. Then found out she had a bunch of books in this series and thus began my "ohhh I have to read more" and this has officially become my "for me" reading.

"Sierra's Homecoming (McKettricks, #5)" had an element of paranormal but yet, with the history, and deep family connection, it's more of a possibility than a paranormal underlining. I do love this about the series! There's a deep family connection and even pride. YET, they learn from their past and the mistakes made.

"Sierra's Homecoming (McKettricks, #5)" is the first book I've read in the McKettricks series and I will definitely be reading more of it!! This was a great read that allowed me the necessary break from reading PNR and other genre that were on my "I NEED TO REVIEW" books! This was all about "me"!

The narrator (yeah, I 'read' this via audio book) does a great job which adds to the enjoyment!

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorites of the McKettrick series. After reading the stories of Holt, Rafe, Kade & Jeb and their respective wives (Loralei,Emmeline, Mandy,& Chloe) it gave me chills to read Sierra's description of their grave markers when she walked through the family cemetary. I thoroughly enjoyed the parallel story of Hannah & Doss and their falling in love back in 1919 in the same house (and Hannah's struggle with guilt since Doss was her late husband, Gabe, brother). Plus, the update of what the original McKettrick men/women were doing at that time (in 1919). The present day story of Sierra and Travis was just as good, in my opinion, but I will admit liking the story of Hannah & Doss better - I think because I had just finished reading the stories of the original McKettrick men. It was just such a sweet story and a quick read.

[July · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books where you start out slow and then you hooked. It has two stories going a past and a present. Both are set are the old Holt McKettrick Ranch. In the past story Hannah is widowed to the son Holt, Gabe McKettrick and his younger brother is taking after the care of her and her son Tobias.

In the present story single mom Sierra McKettrick move's to the McKettrick Ranch with her son Liam and mysterious things start happining in the house. The caretaker Travis Reid tells her that her sister has seen things pop up in unexpected places. But when her son tells her that he see's a boy in his room?

[Dani Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sierra Mc Kettrick is coming home....to a home she has never seen, to meet a Mother she has never known, with a Son who could die any day. Wow, what a way to start a story. Part of the McKettrick Women series, Sierra and her Son Liam will be connected to the McKettrick family in ways they could never have imagined! Haunted teapots and picture albums, struggles to stay alive and live with sorrow. Not to mention steaming encounters with Men that are all wrong for the McKetterick Women....or are they? You will be enthralled with Sierra and her 1919 ancestor Hannah, as their stories intertwine. This tasty book will make you want to splurge and devour it in one setting. I know I did!

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

These two stories were short and to the point but EXCELLENT. It was nice to read a story in this series that did not have a million things going on at the same time AND I only cried ONCE. That's a record for this series!
However, I am a bit nervous about the rest of the series only in that there seems to be a HUGE amount of generations that are going to be left untold about and I'm not sure how I feel about that. I know Lizzie has her story coming up soon, but what about John Henry or the rest of the firstborns to the McKettrick boys? .... I guess we shall see.

[Mombo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read. I'm not normally a fan of the paranormal/time travel but I enjoyed this story. It combined the stories of Hannah and Doss along with Sierra and Travis so well I couldn't wait to find out what was happening in each storyline. The parallels between the hardships were serious and romances were sweet. It's weird but Hannah, living in 1919, felt more real to me than Sierra.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im actually reading The McKettrick Legend which has both Sierra's Homecoming and The McKettrick Way. I loved the first four stories of Holt,Rafe,Kade and Jeb and feel sad in a way that they are gone. I hope I enjoy the rest of the books as much as I did the beginning. :)

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful book. Reminds me of the movie The Lake House with Sierra in the present and Hannah in the past able to communicate through writing in a journal. I loved the past story the best with the widow Hannah falling for her brother-in-Law. great read.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 3 out of 5]

enjoyable romance set in a western state. good characters. nice story. ends happily.

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an entertaining contemporary romance combined with a historical romance about two women ninety years apart living in the same home, dealing with losses, and having fragile sons of similar ages.

Sierra McKettrick is newly a McKettrick. Her father kidnapped her when her parents divorced when she was two and took her to Mexico to raise. After her father's death, Sierra got involved with a man she didn't know was married and had his son just a few days after he died. She been raising her gifted and asthmatic son Liam alone and traveling from place to place.

Her mother - the woman she thought had abandoned her - found her and made her a deal: live on the McKettrick land in Arizona for a year and she'd take care that Liam had the best health care possible. That was a deal no loving mother could pass up, even if she wasn't sure she wanted anything to do with McKettricks.

Sierra moves into her mother's family home and finds that Travis Reid is taking care of the place. Travis is a lawyer who quit his job with the McKettricks when his younger brother blew himself up in an attempt to make meth. He is guilt-ridden and sure he could have saved his brother.

Travis and Sierra are immediately attracted to one another but his grief and her feeling that her current life is only temporary make it hard to build a relationship. It doesn't help her peace of mind that the house seems to be haunted.

In 1919, Hannah McKettrick is a recent widow and a mother of an 8-year-old son who almost died from pneumonia. She's living in the family home with her brother-in-law Doss who has secretly loved her since he met her after she married his brother Gabe. Doss wants a relationship with Hannah, but Hannah is convinced, for a while, that Gabe would be her only love.

A teapot that keeps moving around, a photo album that also moves around, and a journal that is written in by both women, show that their lives have very many parallels. They both find their loves and build their lives in this wonderful romance.

[Donna (Currently Busy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the book that follows "McKettrick's Choice" and is supposed to be the one that transitions the first four historical books to Ms. Miller's contemporary western series. So the reader is transferred from September 30, 1888 to January of 1919 AND January of 2007. (I mention September 1888 because it's the date shown in the epilogue of "McKettrick's Choice" when Lorelei tells Holt she's pregnant.)

I liked this story but I became obsessed with trying to find out who Sierra's grandfather was. This author does not provide the reader with the luxury of printing a family tree in the beginning of the book. Oh no, she definitely makes you work for it.

Based upon the information provided, it appears Tobias is Sierra's grandfather. In 1919, Tobias (son of Gabe and Hannah) is eight years old, so his birth year is estimated to be 1911. Eve tells Sierra in 2007 when asked about the two million dollar trust fund, that she could take it up with her grandfather except he's been dead for 15 years (since 1992).

I gave the book three stars because I'm not a believer in alternate universe concurrent time portals with ghosts making entries in journals, moving tea pots, or playing pianos. Also, if Angus was still alive when Gabe and Hannah were first married then he would have been very close to 100 years old, because Hannah tells the reader he attended her and Gabe's wedding. In "High Country Bride" (book 1), Angus was 75 years old in 1884. So I estimated his year of birth to be about 1809.

I enjoyed Hannah and Doss' story more than Sierra and Travis'. I had trouble buying into the whole Eve, Meg, and Sierra family dynamic. Maybe this will become clearer in a later book?

UPDATE:
I stand corrected. Tobias is NOT Sierra's grandfather according to what Jesse tells Cheyenne in book #6 (which I'm currently reading). A McKettrick family tree chart would be greatly appreciated by this reader. 😊

[Katt Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complicated little story about a McKetrrick woman who has no idea she's a McKettrick woman and learns about her heritage by moving into the family homestead with her little boy. There, she connects through time with another McKettrick woman who also has a little boy and needs to make some difficult choices. With lots of parallels between stories and some weird interactions which give a ghostly vibe to the whole thing, this book pulls together two unexpected love stories in one place.

My main complaint is that I came into the series here, so I kept feeling like I was trying to catch up. There's too many family members to keep straight and storylines which come off sounding like a soap opera when you get the condensed version of the family history. I guess this is somewhat inevitable given how far we are into the series, but it still put me off a bit from what was probably a fairly likable story. If you want to read this book, I would advise hunting down the others in the series to read first if you haven't already.

[L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was interesting, quite different from most plots today. Two women living in different centuries, both going through stressful times in their lives, find they can communicate with each other. One married into the McKettrick's family, is now a widow, and the other is the daughter of a McKettrick, taken by her father at a very young age. Their sons sense each other and eventually see each other and talk about life in their separate times. When the mothers see each other they realize everything they have been seeing and sensing is actually occurring.
At times the story is sad and at others its funny but it was very enjoyable. A quick holiday read.

[Bunga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aku suka ide ceritanya. Memadukan dua tema favorit saya, time travel & cowboy. Ceritanya tentang dua wanita yang hidup di dua waktu yg berbeda tapi bisa bersinggungan karena mereka tinggal di rumah yang sama. Pada awalnya mereka nganggap rumah mereka berhantu, karena sering ada benda yg pindah sendiri dan suara piano tanpa ada yg memainkannya. Tapi pada akhirnya mereka sadar kalau mereka hidup berdampingan meski berbeda dimensi waktu. Seru banget utk diikuti. Sempet saya keinget filmnya Nicole Kidman yg judulnya The Others.

[Garth Mailman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book follows two parallel storylines, a young mother and her son returning home in the absence of the son’s father who died in South America, and a WW#1 widow living in the same house with her son and her brother-in-law. Both boys have health issues. The house is haunted with poltergeists. The plot becomes two romances separated by nearly a century.

My Kindle version frequently splits words by their syllables for no good reason.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book bounces back and forth between about 2007 and 1919, so there were times that I got confused about which century I was in and what was happening in each. I also felt there was much more to both Hannah's and Sierra's story than I was getting, which left me vaguely unsatisfied at the end of the book. On the other hand, I loved the concept of "The Lady", and Liam was very believable as a gifted child of seven, not an easy thing to get across to the reader, but well-done by Ms. Miller.

[Jeanne (love2cook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading another book in the McKettrick series. This one is about 2 different women, from 2 different generations. The present-day woman is Sierra McKettrick and the 1919 woman is Hannah McKettrick. Through some unexplained happenings, their sons can see and talk with each other. Also, Sierra is attracted to the caretaker Travis Reid, her love interest in this story. Hannah McKettrick has a love interest in Doss McKettrick her dead husband's brother. A good read.

[Niki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always love cowboy stories. Who doesn't? I started this series and read all five books in about five days. They all were fun, sometimes a little to far fetched but still kept me entertained the entire series. This last book was the story of two women living in the same McKettrick's house over 100 years apart and how their sons could see each other and communicate. How will it play out?

[Roy Mims · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sierra home coming

The Mckettrick Sierra, story for me was little challenging to fully dive into. Going back and forth to past and presented appear confusing with characters. Never clearly understood why Eve McKettrick with her power and money didn't get her daughter early, despite her problems early on.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. It jumped back and forth from 1919 to 2007. It seemed like a ghost but was really was a time portal. The boys met each other first. Then the mothers. Just a wonderful love story. Loved it.

[Marian Tustison O'Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just couldn't get into this book....maybe it was bouncing back and forth between 1919 and 2007. Maybe it was because both women were wimpy. Both men were too passive. Oh well