Caleb Craig will do anything for his son, even ask his boss's enemy for help. Not only does Lilly Bell tend to his son's injured puppy, but she offers to rehabilitate little Teddy's leg. Caleb knows that getting Teddy to walk again is all that really matters, yet he wonders if maybe Lilly can heal his brooding heart, as well.
Precocious little Teddy -- and his devoted father -- steal Lilly's heart and make her long for a child and husband of her own. But Lilly learned long ago that trusting a man means risking heartbreak. Happiness lies within reach -- if she seizes the chance of love and motherhood she never expected…
Linda Ford grew up devouring books and making up stories in her head—often late at night when she couldn't sleep. But she hadn't planned to write. Instead, she dreamed of running an orphanage. In a way, that dream came true. She married, had four homemade children, adopted ten and lived (at times, endured) the dream.
Writing first took her to non-fiction human-interest articles for newspapers and eventually a non-fiction book about tuberculosis set in the 1930s and 1940s (Touched By The White Plague). But romance had always been her first love and she turned to writing love stories. She is multi-published in the CBA market.
She lives on a small ranch in Alberta, Canada, where she can see the mountains every day. She and her husband continue to enjoy their children and grandchildren.
Such a sweet historical romance with a lovely cast of characters. Caleb is a widower whose wife was murdered by gunmen. His 5-year-old son Teddy had his leg injured during the gunfire that killed his mother, and he now walks with crutches. Lilly Bell is a healer of animals and she gets close to Caleb and his son when Caleb brings a small dog that was left for dead on the side of the road to her for help. Lilly and her Ma also offer to see if they can help make Teddy’s leg better. This was a very enjoyable and heartwarming story. I especially loved the Bell family who welcomed Caleb and Teddy into their home, even though Caleb’s boss was the Bell’s enemy. Two adorable dogs, Blossom and Grub, rounded out a perfect cast and a wonderful story.
Caleb feels like he's let his son down. Now Teddy can't walk and Caleb is working for a rather unpleasant guy to try to earn the money for better doctors. Sow when they find a wounded dog, Caleb finds himself asking the "enemy" for help in healing both of them. What he doesn't expect is to find the family he's wanted from the very beginning.
I've enjoyed a few books by Ms. Ford before and I love historical fiction. This book did not disappoint. The flawed, but loving family that was portrayed really set the tone for the book. My favorite character was the little boy, but I enjoyed all of them. The little bit of suspense that was woven throughout the story was intriguing. The author set the book up to end well, but leave a bit of intrigue for the next book in the series. I wasn't able to get my hands on the first book before reading this one. Although it was clear that there was a previous story, this book could definitely work as a stand alone. But I made sure to purchase the other books in the series, since I didn't want to miss any more of the story.
Caleb Craig will do anything for his son, even ask his boss's enemy for help. Not only does Lilly Bell tend to his son's injured puppy, but she offers to rehabilitate little Teddy's leg. Caleb knows that getting Teddy to walk again is all that really matters, yet he wonders if maybe Lilly can heal his brooding heart, as well.
Sweet western, historical romance. Precocious Teddy was absolutely adorable and my favorite character. The romance between Caleb and Lilly was delightful to watch as it grew and bloomed. Lilly's rapport with Teddy was established so well through the delightful book they wrote and illustrated together and was a wonderful tool to help her understand his fears and concerns. The theme of self-forgiveness and releasing fears from the past was well developed and flowed through the story. This is book 2 in a 3 book series about 3 sisters who were abandoned on the western prairie and adopted by a local farmer and his wife. Overall an easy and entertaining read that I would recommend for those who like historical western fiction similar to Mary Connealy.
FAVORITE QUOTES: "The past is always a part of us. Guess we can only learn how to accept it."
"I don't think you can go back to a simple faith as much as a stronger faith. One that has been tested and tried and comes forth like pure gold."
"Someday you will find joy in your present life, hope in your future and forgiveness for your past. I pray the day will be soon."
Once again Linda Ford does an amazing job. I loved this story of Lilly Bell who helps heal people and animals, and Caleb Craig who has both an animal and a person for Lilly to heal. His small son has been injured and for some reason is not able to walk. His greatest wish is to get his son to a special doctor who can help him. He's working on the Caldwell ranch to earn the money he needs. Unfortunately, the Caldwell's and the Bells have a feud going on. Caleb is able to get Lilly to help him but her sister is skeptical of why he's there.
Lilly and Caleb both have to work through a lot of trust issues and Teddy is a wonderful little boy who helps them get it all figured out!
I really enjoyed this western Historical Romance. It had a lot of things going on to help it move along on a fast clip. Add a little boy on crutches and a puppy in the mix to spice it up. I loved how it ended and it left me feeling good. This is a clean romance and can be read by any age. Would love to read more of her work. I've given it a 5* rating.
I really loved this book. I enjoyed the character development and watching this love story unfold. Teddy was just adorable and stole my heart. This story is as sweet as it's cover. Can't wait for the next one! :)
Caleb's relationship with Teddy (his son) is beautifully drawn, and the pair totally make sense as a match for the kind-hearted Lilly. While most of their doubt and love story make sense, the ending felt a bit abrupt.