Vikki’s Musings
Rating 4.5 stars
What a great addition to the Sweetwater County series! I liked Judy Gaylord's character a great deal in the first book and was pleased to see that this second book was about her and her lost love, James Benjamin. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I am a new fan of Ciara Knight. Her writing style is smooth and flowing and the pacing is fast, especially for a sweet romance.
Judy had been engaged to James Benjamin, but before he was due to come home from Vietnam, she receives the terrible news that he was missing in action, presumed dead. Crushed, she turns to James' cousin for comfort, which turned into a bit too much comfort. When Judy discovers she's pregnant, she marries Michael.
While she grows to love Michael, it is never the heart pounding, breath taking kind of love she felt for James. Now Judy is a widow, her son Eric is grown and getting married. Her business with Lisa is taking off, and she's content with her life.
All that chances when James shows up in town to find papers, proving he did return from Vietnam after all. When she meets him again all the same old feelings return. Suddenly Judy has the opportunity to realize her long lost dream, but so much time has passed. Is it too late for them? Can they re-ignite their love and fulfill their dreams from all those years before, or will the nightmares that kept James from returning to her drive them apart?
While this story is shorter, more of a novella than a full length book, it is a fully fleshed out story with wonderful characters. I enjoyed reading about Eric and Lisa’s continuing romance. That is one of the things I like most about series is getting to see glimpses of favorite characters from previous books.
I do want to mention the narration. Lisa Baarns does an excellent job, bringing each character to life. I could easily distinguish between the characters through her change in voice tone and speech patterns. For Judy, she would speed up, allowing me to hear the vibrant personality of her character. At other times, she speaks slower, such as with Lisa, giving me the chance to hear the calm demeanor of her character. That is a great technique, one that I have not noticed before.
Spring in Sweetwater County is the best kind of reunion story. It shows that love can endure, even when time and distance keeps this couple apart. The feelings are real and painful for Judy and James. This is a story of finding lost love for a couple approaching their golden years. That is a story line rarely explored. Ms. Knight does it in this charming and emotionally –charged love story. I highly recommend this wonderful, sweet romance. I am confident that you will enjoy James and Judy’s story as much as I did. Happy reading!