Review: Long Way Home by Nicola Marsh

Title: Long Way Home

Published: September 23rd 2019, MIRA Australia

Status: Read September 2019, courtesy Harlequin/Netgalley

++++++

My Thoughts:

Long Way Home is the first book of a new rural romance series set in the fictional town of Brockenridge from Nicola Marsh.

After the sudden death of her mother, Ruby Aston reluctantly returns to the small country town of Brockenridge she had fled eleven years earlier. Planning to go back to Melbourne after the funeral, Ruby is stunned to learn that she’s inherited the roadhouse and motel she assumed her mother had simply managed, and when a local developer, Connor Delaney, reveals his plan to tear the place down, Ruby realises she can’t let go of her legacy.

In this (kinda) second-chance romance, Ruby and Connor, who were on the verge of a relationship as teenagers, find that their attraction to one another has endured, but Connor’s plan to acquire and raze The Watering Hole to make way for a resort complicates any thoughts of a reunion. I thought the conflict was realistic, and Marsh handled it well. I enjoyed the flirting between the pair and the eventual resolution.

Long Way Home also features a second romance. With Clara’s death, The Watering Hole’s hostess Alisha, and chef, Harry, begin to consider their plans for the future, and Alisha is contemplating leaving Brockenridge to travel, just as Harry finally seems to express an interest in her. I liked that the author chose to make Alisha a person of colour, which is rare in rural romance, but Alisha’s race is mentioned often enough, that it becomes a little gratuitous.

While I thought it was possibly a bit of a stretch that all of Ruby’s high school nemeses had not fared well during her absence (though it was pretty satisfying), the author ably captured the dynamics of a small country town. I’d guess that single mum Tash, The Watering Hole’s waitress, will be one of the character’s featured next.

Long Way Home is a pleasant and engaging read, sure to satisfy fans of the rural romance genre.

++++++

Available from HarperCollins AU

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