The Prodigal's Christmas Reunion

Rocky Mountain Heirs #6

by Kathryn Springer

With his entire family depending on him, Lucas Clayton reluctantly comes home just weeks before Christmas. Branded "town troublemaker" as a teen, Lucas left tiny Clayton, Colorado, and vowed never to return. But now he's back--with a child in tow. No one is more stunned than Erin Fields, the hometown sweetheart he left behind. Commitment-shy Lucas is someone's daddy? Before he can convince Erin he's changed, he has to prove it to himself. And to a pint-size cowboy, who needs the Claytons--and the entire town--to make this a very special Christmas.

Rocky Mountain Heirs: When the greatest fortune of all is love.

Genres: Love Inspired, Christmas, Romance, Christian Fiction, Christian, Christian Romance, Contemporary Romance

224 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 15, 2011

About the author

Kathryn Springer grew up in a small town in Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child, she spent many hours sitting at her mother’s typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books – which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own.

After a number of busy years, when she married her college sweetheart and became a stay-at-home mom, Kathryn rediscovered her love for writing. An unexpected snow day from school became the inspiration for a short story, which she submitted to Brio magazine. She went on to publish over a dozen more short stories for Brio, but it wasn’t until her youngest child started school that she decided to pursue her dream to write a book. In August 2004, her Love Inspired® debut novel, Tested by Fire, was published.

Fast forward to today and Kathryn has written over thirty novels. She lives on a lake in northern Wisconsin where she enjoys long walks in the woods and the change of seasons (although sometimes she wishes the "change" between winter and spring didn't last quite so long!) When she isn’t at the computer, you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, paging through cooking magazines or sitting in the sun. A really, really good day includes all three! If you want to know more, follow her blog Table Grace. . .thoughts and musings on living a life with nothing artificial added.

Reviews

[Patriciaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this end to the Rocky Mountain Heirs series. All of the storylines save one were wrapped up nice and neat. Lucas and Erin make a lovely couple. Sometimes as a reader, I want a series to continue, but in this case, I was pleasantly sated. The crux of this series is that these cousins inherit after one year as long as everyone returned by December. Everyone came home and found more than they bargained for, especially love. What happens when they inherit? But that wouldn't be a romance series since all five have found their match already. Maybe the cousins from the other side of the family could straighten up and find love too? Just saying...

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.45 stars - pg13 - 224 pages

Notes made while reading:
~~ Chapter 1 - I'm kind of getting lost in the weeds with all the cousin's names? uncles? grandfather? who dated who? who left who? who spread rumors about who? who's now dating the other cousin? ???? There must be other books that I've missed. - - - Oops! I missed the reviewer who suggested reading the other FIVE books first since character's tend to jump from book to book. - - - Oh well....

~~ "...he caught a whiff of her shampoo, a light floral scent that reminded him of mountain lilies." Seriously??!! Every romance author has some hokey line like this. (I think my favorite was "sunlight and marigolds" in another story. Ewwww. I would not want to smell like a marigold.) Where do these heroines buy all these exotic shampoos?? I think most women buy their shampoo at the drugstore or salon and the scents are all fairly similar. And how do these rugged manly men know what freesia or rosemary or mountain lily smells like?? I worked in the floral/horticulture industry for many years (many years ago!) and I don't think I have a clue what a mountain lily smells like. {Okay. I looked it up in one of my horticulture books and mountain lilies are native to the Rocky Mountain area and have a lovely scent. So in this case I suppose the Hero would probably know what this flower smelled like. But I'm still going with my premise that guys don't usually have a clue.}

~~ Chapter 4 - I can't figure out why his mother is so cold to him. Same thing with his deceased father who was a medical missionary. (His mother's issues were never completely resolved at end of story. I'm hoping things improve and they all find healing.)

~~ Chapters 15/16 - I'm so confused. In the middle of this tense scene, and I can't enjoy it because the pieces of the puzzle don't match from what they were several pages ago. ??? ......... Oh! Okay. Finally explained and Hero starts trusting God. Yay!! (I was a bit frustrated for a minute.)

~~ Love little boy, Max. Soooo cute and so resilient and loving and trusting after he's been through such trauma.

~~ Chapter 18 - Suspense. They're trying to trap a bad guy. WHY did she just do that??! Hellooo??!?! ..... Oh! Phew! My frustration has been foiled again. Everything worked out. (Oh my poor nerves!)

~~ Loved this story! Sweet romance with touch of suspense. Forgiveness and second chances. Faith in God woven throughout the story. Hero reconciles with his family and heroine, as well as with God. Yay! Loved Christmas Eve and their HEA. Loved the last line of the epilogue; it's so true and typical for a big competitive family!

~~ Looking forward to reading more books by Kathryn Springer and have already purchased two more.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prodigal's Christmas Reunion by Kathryn Springer
Rocky Mountain Heirs Series Book 6
A great finale to a the series. Kathryn pulls everything together and ties up all the loose ends for the Clayton clan. We find out who is behind trying to get the grandchildren of George Clayton Sr. to fail so they don't get the inheritance, who Macy's father is, if Jasmine and Cade survive all the naysayers and marry or not. And best of all, we get to learn about the last and final grandson, Lucas.

Lucas had left Clayton, Colorado seven years ago. He left his secret love behind as well. A girl he dated but never let anyone know since he was afraid his reputation would hurt her.
Instead he hurt her by leaving town and never looking back. He has returned but just long enough to meet the requirements for the will and he has not returned alone. Four year old Max Cahill was orphaned after his father was murdered, Scott had lived long enough to ask Lucas to take care of Max. Lucas felt inadequate for the job of a father and everything else. He could never live up to his own dad's standards. How could he be a father to Max?

Erin Fields had promised she would wait for Lucas that night seven years ago, and she had kept her promise. Now that he returned she still has feelings for him but he was just wanting to leave town again. Erin is the owner of the Cafe and she also has a horse rescue at her home on the outskirts of town. It seems that every time she turns around, Lucas and Max are there and now they are renting the home right next to hers! She has been through as much as Lucas with losing a parent and other trials but her faith has pulled her through whereas Lucas left his behind. I really enjoyed this series.
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best non-suspense Love Inspired books I have read. Loved the characters, especially Lucas as he tries to be a dad to a little 4 year old boy he took on. Great read

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prodigal Returns

Once again the Clayton clan are trying to fulfill the wishes of their Grandfather's will. Will they make it? They are still having problems with the other side of the clan, the one that will receive nothing unless Grandfather's grandchildren does not meet all the requirements. Lucas was the last to return to Clayton and he brought a surprise with him, a son. How will this affect, his relationship The Prodigal with Erin, the girl he left behind? Will they find out who is trying to sabbatage the whole family, will there be marriages, will these cousins learn, with God's help the real lesson the Grandfather was trying to leave them with. Read, read, read.

[Dixie-Lee Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed Erin Fields and Lucas Clayton's story during the winter and Christmas time season ... Kept my interest from the first page to the last page.
I loved Max Cahill .... Lucas the veterinarian and Erin Fields the Diner owner and horse rescuer.

Although Rocky Mountain Heirs, #6 in the series... it was like a stand alone book to read.

[Beanie Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

a pleasant surprise to find a mystery in the middle of my Christmas romance. Although I read these because they are a mindless distraction, I found myself caught up in the who-done-it and can see myself seeking out more of this series to find out more of how these fully developed characters connect and maybe get another surprise mystery.

[Wanda Mcguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice story of a scattered family brought back to their hometown in order to meet the qualifications of a grandfather's will. Lucas was the last to return to his hometown and he brought a small child in tow. Who is the child and will Lucas bolt as soon as his residency requirements are met? Will he allow his feelings for his high school sweetheart to resurface?

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet romance. There were many characters and it was hard to remember who was who. This is a "Christian" book and at times was "preachy."

[Christine Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read.

[Ginny Rodenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I had read of this series. At times I felt a little lost but it was still a great story and everything made sense in the end.

[Library Queen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so adorably sweet. I loved the little kid and Lucas learning to be a dad. I recommend this to everyone!

[Amandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this series so much

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

A suspenseful read

[Laurie Sibley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm on a quest to read all of Kathryn Springer's books now.

[Vikki Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Prodigal’s Christmas Reunion” is the last book in the Rocky Mountain Heirs series, which focuses on a disparate group of cousins who are forced to live in small Clayton, Colorado, in order to get their inheritances. This ploy is designed to bring a fractured family back together again, but most of them see it as manipulative and odd.

Lucas Clayton was the bad boy of Clayton during his adolescence. Rumors abounded that he’d fathered a child with a local girl and broke the heart of Erin Fields, his high school sweetheart. Lucas left Clayton, asking Erin to go with him, but she rebuffed him. There’s a scene where Lucas pointedly tells Erin that he was proposing marriage to her. She’s dumbfounded at this, but he was 18—what did she expect? Rose petals and wine?

Lucas brings a small boy, Max, home with him. He’s the boy’s de facto guardian now—the boy’s parents are dead, the father from a drug deal gone wrong. Lucas has been in hiding in Florida for some time. When Lucas returns, however, he finds more trouble from the other side of the family—the Claytons who will inherit if the cousins don’t all stay in Colorado for a year.

Mysterious problems plague the family—Erin, who runs a diner, is suspected of food poisoning and a fire in the alleyway nearly torches her building to the ground. Little Macy is becoming beloved by all the Claytons, but the history of her parentage surprises all of them. In a couple of good subplots, Lucas and his cousins work together to find the Claytons who are causing all the trouble and bring them to justice.

Reading the books in order is recommended, as the characters drift from one novel to the next. All in all, a very engaging (pun intended) storyline involving family, faithfulness, and forgiveness.

[Sarah Wade · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute. I didn't realize it was the last in the series because reading the others would have made some things make sense, like *all* the characters. I found myself getting confused on who was what.

The other issue I had was probably more of a formatting issue. I read an e copy. Anytime the story changed points of view, normally the book has a separate paragraph, some spacing, something like that. This e copy didnt, so I'd be reading and all of a sudden be like, "What????" Then I'd realize the issue. That was frustrating, but again, I'm sure it was just an ecopy formatting issue.

Back to the book, it was a good, cute love story. Not too cheesy but with enough depth in the characters. I loved Max, his storyline was a great twist on the usual characters you read.

[Breath of Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I will have to admit I should have read the first Five of this series, but when I had started reading this one I will have to also admit that I didn't even look to see that it was in a series. I just wanted to read because it was a Christmas book.

Now with that being said, This book can and did:

To read the rest of my review please check out my post on Christmas in July.. Breath of Life

[Darlene Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

With his family depending on him, Lucas Clayton reluctantly comes home just weeks before Christmas. Lucas left tiny Clayton, Colorado,as a teen - and vowed never to return. But now he's back--with a child in tow. No one is more stunned than Erin Fields, the hometown sweetheart he left behind. Commitment-shy Lucas is someone's daddy? Before he can convince Erin he's changed, he has to prove it to himself. And to a pint-size cowboy, who needs the Claytons--and the entire town--to make this a very special Christmas.

[April Suter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short peek into Clayton, CO. where all the cousins are coming home because of their grandfather's will which stated they had to life in Clayton before they could inherit. Lucas, a vet with a new young son, finds himself really wanting to stay for another reason, his cute neighbor and owner of the Cowboy Cafe, Erin. A good Christmas in July read.

216 pages

[The Reading Panda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute read. The protagonists and little Max were so cute together. Max was definitely my favorite. I love it when they give the children a main role in novels. Children make up a huge part in our lives, so it is only natural. [SPOILER ALERT] The proposal at the end was a little too fast for my liking. All in all, a good, clean read to put you in the Christmas spirit.

[Natalie Lewis · Rating 1 out of 5]

A part if the series but this was the only one I read or will read. I didn't care for the characters and found them annoying.

Town troublemaker left town years ago and comes back to his ex-girlfriend he left behind.

[Cindy Verschay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kathryn's tight and witty writing make this a sparkling jewel in the Rocky Mountain Heirs series!

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Rocky Mountain Heirs

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Rocky Mountain Heirs

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the third book I read in the miniseries, It is actually the last book in the miniseries, but as with the other 2 I have read I loved it.

[Joanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great end to the series. Answered all the questions left after each book in series. And they all lived happily ever after:)

[Phyllis Swain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucas claytonis the final cousin to come home so the conditions of his grandfather's will are met. he reconnects with his old girlfriend Erin Fields.

[Clareece Lewelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

GREAT Book!! I love LoveInspired Books.