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Pine River #3
The Perfect Homecoming
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia London delivers another stand-alone, heartwarming love story in her Pine River series.
Emma Tyler’s cool exterior and penchant for sarcasm keep most people from getting too close…and an unusual compulsion drives her to steal from the few men who do. When her trophy-collecting habit goes too far, she quits her ritzy event-planning job in Los Angeles and runs away to Pine River, hiding with her estranged half-sisters at Homecoming Ranch and caring for Leo Kendrick, her ailing friend.
Thrillseekers Anonymous founder Cooper Jessup has his hands full with work and his brother’s looming prison release date. But when a client asks him to track down Emma Tyler to retrieve a stolen memento, Cooper can’t turn down the money…or the chance to see the beautiful Emma again.
When Cooper comes to collect the item, Emma refuses to admit the horrible truth. This handsome man may see right through her steely veneer, but can he get close enough to show her how love and honesty can heal a troubled heart?
Emma Tyler’s cool exterior and penchant for sarcasm keep most people from getting too close…and an unusual compulsion drives her to steal from the few men who do. When her trophy-collecting habit goes too far, she quits her ritzy event-planning job in Los Angeles and runs away to Pine River, hiding with her estranged half-sisters at Homecoming Ranch and caring for Leo Kendrick, her ailing friend.
Thrillseekers Anonymous founder Cooper Jessup has his hands full with work and his brother’s looming prison release date. But when a client asks him to track down Emma Tyler to retrieve a stolen memento, Cooper can’t turn down the money…or the chance to see the beautiful Emma again.
When Cooper comes to collect the item, Emma refuses to admit the horrible truth. This handsome man may see right through her steely veneer, but can he get close enough to show her how love and honesty can heal a troubled heart?
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2015
331 people are currently reading
1188 people want to read
About the author
Julia London
190 books3,138 followersJulia London is the New York Times and USA Today best selling author of more than two dozen romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch, and The Perfect Homecoming.
Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon
Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. To keep up with all the Julia London news, please visit http://www.julialondon.com. Follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/julialondon
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August 11, 2017
הספר השלישי בסידרה סוגר את הטרילוגיה עם אמה טיילור היפיפיה.
אמה טיילור היא אחותן של ליבי ומדליין מהספרים הקודמים. היא טיפוס אדיש וישיר והיא חייה בלוס אנגלס , מארגנת מסיבות לעשירים והיפים.
לאחר קבלת הירושה היא מיד חוזר ללוס אנג'לס כי היא לא מעוניינת בדבר מאביה. באחת הבת מצוות שהיא מארגנת, היא פוגשת את קופר. הם מפלרטטים והיא עוזבת עם גבר אחר.
אבל גנבה של מדלייה מכריחה את אמה טיילור לברוח לחווה שירשה ועתה היא מטפלת בליאו בחינם בזמן שמרי סול נמצאת בחופשת לידה.
הסיפור של אמה מאתגר כי יש בו יותר בשר מבחינת תוכן והוא גם יותר מעניין מבחינת מערכת היחסים שלה עם אביה. יחד עם זאת, התפתחות היחסים בינה ובין קופר לא כל כך אמינה, במיוחד לנוכח ההתעקשות של קופר שיש בה יותר ממה שהוא רואה, אבל הקוראים לא רואים את היותר הזה.
עוד בעיה שחוזרת היא שאין העמקה בדמויות מהספרים הקודמים וחבל.
סהכ זה ספר קולח אבל ביחס לספר השני הוא קצת פחות טוב.
אמה טיילור היא אחותן של ליבי ומדליין מהספרים הקודמים. היא טיפוס אדיש וישיר והיא חייה בלוס אנגלס , מארגנת מסיבות לעשירים והיפים.
לאחר קבלת הירושה היא מיד חוזר ללוס אנג'לס כי היא לא מעוניינת בדבר מאביה. באחת הבת מצוות שהיא מארגנת, היא פוגשת את קופר. הם מפלרטטים והיא עוזבת עם גבר אחר.
אבל גנבה של מדלייה מכריחה את אמה טיילור לברוח לחווה שירשה ועתה היא מטפלת בליאו בחינם בזמן שמרי סול נמצאת בחופשת לידה.
הסיפור של אמה מאתגר כי יש בו יותר בשר מבחינת תוכן והוא גם יותר מעניין מבחינת מערכת היחסים שלה עם אביה. יחד עם זאת, התפתחות היחסים בינה ובין קופר לא כל כך אמינה, במיוחד לנוכח ההתעקשות של קופר שיש בה יותר ממה שהוא רואה, אבל הקוראים לא רואים את היותר הזה.
עוד בעיה שחוזרת היא שאין העמקה בדמויות מהספרים הקודמים וחבל.
סהכ זה ספר קולח אבל ביחס לספר השני הוא קצת פחות טוב.
February 2, 2015
Why haven't I read anything by Julia London before? I honestly can't answer that, but I'll let you know I'll be reading more by her.
Oh, Emma Tyler. What a heroine. She has so many issues, but under all her "hard and flinty" persona, she's just a vulnerable woman looking for someone to love her. I really would like to have hurt her mother (and her father) for the way they treated her. She was really a loving person and it broke my heart that she thought she was unlovable.
And then there is Cooper Jessup. I loved that he looked past the image Emma showed the world and saw the real her. He didn't understand everything she did, but he accepted it because it was part of her.
And lastly, there was Leo Kendrick. For me, he made the book. I cried when he gave Emma his compass and at the end (I won't spoil it for you....read it and find out).
While this was the last book in this series, it can easily be read as a stand alone. I didn't feel like I'd missed anything by not reading the first two books.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
Oh, Emma Tyler. What a heroine. She has so many issues, but under all her "hard and flinty" persona, she's just a vulnerable woman looking for someone to love her. I really would like to have hurt her mother (and her father) for the way they treated her. She was really a loving person and it broke my heart that she thought she was unlovable.
And then there is Cooper Jessup. I loved that he looked past the image Emma showed the world and saw the real her. He didn't understand everything she did, but he accepted it because it was part of her.
And lastly, there was Leo Kendrick. For me, he made the book. I cried when he gave Emma his compass and at the end (I won't spoil it for you....read it and find out).
While this was the last book in this series, it can easily be read as a stand alone. I didn't feel like I'd missed anything by not reading the first two books.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
January 2, 2015
The Perfect Homecoming demonstrates Julia London's maturity as a writer. The third in her Pine River series, it is every bit as gripping as the first two books. While it can easily be read as a stand alone novel, it really works best if you've read the other two books first.
A theme throughout this series has been dysfunction and in A Perfect Homecoming we see perhaps one of the most complex types of dysfunction portrayed in the character of Emma Tyler. You see, Emma is suffering from a longstanding need to be noticed and loved, particularly by those who matter most to her.
Her father Grant has floated in and out of her life at will, never showing her that he cares, but until his final betrayal when she was seventeen she has carried the hope that he really does love her.
Her mother has been telling her she's unloveable, hard and flinty since she was a little girl, and that she should be more like her stepsister Laura who, it appears, can do no wrong. Meanwhile Laura, whom Emma has worshipped through her early teens, has also betrayed her. It's no wonder Emma finds it hard to love, nor that she does despicable things to people so she can hurt them first, thus saving herself from the pain of more rejection.
Cooper Jessup has grown up with a challenging brother and when he meets Emma he sees right through her charade. Despite her maddening behaviour it doesn't take Cooper long to fall in love, but convincing Emma and helping her to accept herself is an uphill battle.
Meanwhile in the background there is the ongoing story of Leo Kendrick and his battle with motor neurone disease. Mind you, Leo would be the first to deny being in the background of anything. He knows he's dying but ye's not going to let a little thing like death get in his way. His strength of character is inspirational!
Throughout this series Julia London has tackled difficult and at times socially taboo topics. Yes all three books can be classified as romance, but they are also thought provoking commentaries on life, relationships and people's perceptions. If you are looking for a book that is impossible to put down from the very first page then The Perfect Homecoming should work well for you but my recommendation is to buy the series and start at the beginning. You won't be disappointed!
A theme throughout this series has been dysfunction and in A Perfect Homecoming we see perhaps one of the most complex types of dysfunction portrayed in the character of Emma Tyler. You see, Emma is suffering from a longstanding need to be noticed and loved, particularly by those who matter most to her.
Her father Grant has floated in and out of her life at will, never showing her that he cares, but until his final betrayal when she was seventeen she has carried the hope that he really does love her.
Her mother has been telling her she's unloveable, hard and flinty since she was a little girl, and that she should be more like her stepsister Laura who, it appears, can do no wrong. Meanwhile Laura, whom Emma has worshipped through her early teens, has also betrayed her. It's no wonder Emma finds it hard to love, nor that she does despicable things to people so she can hurt them first, thus saving herself from the pain of more rejection.
Cooper Jessup has grown up with a challenging brother and when he meets Emma he sees right through her charade. Despite her maddening behaviour it doesn't take Cooper long to fall in love, but convincing Emma and helping her to accept herself is an uphill battle.
Meanwhile in the background there is the ongoing story of Leo Kendrick and his battle with motor neurone disease. Mind you, Leo would be the first to deny being in the background of anything. He knows he's dying but ye's not going to let a little thing like death get in his way. His strength of character is inspirational!
Throughout this series Julia London has tackled difficult and at times socially taboo topics. Yes all three books can be classified as romance, but they are also thought provoking commentaries on life, relationships and people's perceptions. If you are looking for a book that is impossible to put down from the very first page then The Perfect Homecoming should work well for you but my recommendation is to buy the series and start at the beginning. You won't be disappointed!
January 16, 2016
Well here we are with the third half-sister from the series, Emma. She's a tough cookie, say's what's on her mind with out thinking, with an acid tongue. She's an event planner, but she has a secret, she has a compulsion to steal something from the few men who happen to get close to her. When one encounter goes a little too far she decides to leave town and visit her half-sisters at Homecoming Ranch and takes on the job of caring for ailing Leo Kendrick.
Cooper Jessup, is the founder of Thrillseekers Anonymous. He is asked by a client to hunt Emma down and retrieve a stolen item.
Emma really had a lot of issues. She really needed somebody to care for and I think needed to be loved. Cooper was really at a loss at first with Emma, she was so starchy and hard, but then he realized that was just her usual reflex response.
I enjoyed this book immensely, I laughed, I cheered and I cried. This is a stand alone novel, but I recommend reading the complete series, you won't be disappointed. 5/5
Cooper Jessup, is the founder of Thrillseekers Anonymous. He is asked by a client to hunt Emma down and retrieve a stolen item.
Emma really had a lot of issues. She really needed somebody to care for and I think needed to be loved. Cooper was really at a loss at first with Emma, she was so starchy and hard, but then he realized that was just her usual reflex response.
I enjoyed this book immensely, I laughed, I cheered and I cried. This is a stand alone novel, but I recommend reading the complete series, you won't be disappointed. 5/5
March 6, 2015
I knew that Emma's book was going to be a difficult one--in part because she's the most difficult of the sisters who inherited Homecoming Ranch. Often plainspoken to the point of rudeness, Emma, unlike Madeline and Libby, wanted no part of running the ranch, but when circumstances in LA make it impossible for her to stay in California the ranch is where she runs. And sexy man-on-a-mission Cooper Jessup isn't far behind. I didn't expect to like Emma as much as I did, but once I got a glimpse inside her head, the worst of her behavior was explained and made her much more sympathetic. I would have liked a bit more romance, but this is more women's fiction than romance, and in the end it works. Emma's journey, and her surprising flaws, make for a poignant story. And I love the fact that this book--indeed this whole trilogy--declares that love is possible, even for people with mental illness. It's not something you see a lot in the genre, but the past few years' examples have given me hope for the future.
July 18, 2017
My Musings
Loved the characters and the unique story line. Loved, loved Leo. While I was expecting the ending it did make me cry. Happy ☺reading 📚!
Loved the characters and the unique story line. Loved, loved Leo. While I was expecting the ending it did make me cry. Happy ☺reading 📚!
July 3, 2015
3 STARS
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review).
"Emma Tyler’s cool exterior and penchant for sarcasm keep most people from getting too close…and an unusual compulsion drives her to steal from the few men who do. When her trophy-collecting habit goes too far, she quits her ritzy event-planning job in Los Angeles and runs away to Pine River, hiding with her estranged half-sisters at Homecoming Ranch and caring for Leo Kendrick, her ailing friend.
Thrillseekers Anonymous founder Cooper Jessup has his hands full with work and his brother’s looming prison release date. But when a client asks him to track down Emma Tyler to retrieve a stolen memento, Cooper can’t turn down the money…or the chance to see the beautiful Emma again.
When Cooper comes to collect the item, Emma refuses to admit the horrible truth. This handsome man may see right through her steely veneer, but can he get close enough to show her how love and honesty can heal a troubled heart?" (From Amazon)
Please note that this hero in the novel is associated with another series by Julia London (Thrillseekers Anonymous).
I knew from the beginning that I would either love or hate Emma as she is annoying character throughout the first two books so either she will continue this way or redeem herself. Instead of redeeming the character it seemed like there was to many excuses to explain Emma but nothing that really felt genuine. I also did not like Emma and Cooper together as a couple as they didn't have that chemistry for me. The novel did end well though it seemed rushed at moments. I will continue to read London's novels as I see potential and have liked a few of her books.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review).
"Emma Tyler’s cool exterior and penchant for sarcasm keep most people from getting too close…and an unusual compulsion drives her to steal from the few men who do. When her trophy-collecting habit goes too far, she quits her ritzy event-planning job in Los Angeles and runs away to Pine River, hiding with her estranged half-sisters at Homecoming Ranch and caring for Leo Kendrick, her ailing friend.
Thrillseekers Anonymous founder Cooper Jessup has his hands full with work and his brother’s looming prison release date. But when a client asks him to track down Emma Tyler to retrieve a stolen memento, Cooper can’t turn down the money…or the chance to see the beautiful Emma again.
When Cooper comes to collect the item, Emma refuses to admit the horrible truth. This handsome man may see right through her steely veneer, but can he get close enough to show her how love and honesty can heal a troubled heart?" (From Amazon)
Please note that this hero in the novel is associated with another series by Julia London (Thrillseekers Anonymous).
I knew from the beginning that I would either love or hate Emma as she is annoying character throughout the first two books so either she will continue this way or redeem herself. Instead of redeeming the character it seemed like there was to many excuses to explain Emma but nothing that really felt genuine. I also did not like Emma and Cooper together as a couple as they didn't have that chemistry for me. The novel did end well though it seemed rushed at moments. I will continue to read London's novels as I see potential and have liked a few of her books.
February 16, 2015
Absolutely adored this amazing book even if it did take me a box of tissues to get through the end. No worries though, you definitely get a great HEA. Finally we get Emma's story and I loved how Ms London combined characters from her other series (Thrill Seekers). I always wanted Cooper's story and now we have it. Emma has returned to Homecoming Ranch but hasn't really told anyone why. When Cooper Jessup shows up looking for her all sorts of small town talk starts. But no one really knows Emma or the issues she has so carefully hidden away. Cooper may be the one to help her though.
If you haven't started this series do. Although you could read this as a stand alone and not have any problem following along, but reading the first two books makes the entire journey so much more meaningful. I highly recommend this one and the series.
If you haven't started this series do. Although you could read this as a stand alone and not have any problem following along, but reading the first two books makes the entire journey so much more meaningful. I highly recommend this one and the series.
May 11, 2015
Emma needed therapy, seriously. Not just a hot boyfriend to be "strong" for her. So she has daddy issues...cool, so do 80% of the population; but that is not a good excuse for her behavior. And her behavior was frankly disturbing... I didn't get it... I couldn't muster up any sympathy for her plight. But this hot 38 year old Hollywood socialite apparently could and he could see thru to her "TRUE" self and fall in love in a week with her...even if she is crazy! I mean, not crazy...just needed some help...someone to work thru some issues with. (Which she never did!!!) Still loved Leo in this book...almost shed a tear in the epilogue.
September 4, 2015
Loved Emma! Well to be honest I loved to hate her at first but wow does she have her reason for being so closed off ! Leo, fantasticly outspoken and snarky! Cooper, perfect match for Emma! Great conclusion to the Pine River trilogy!
April 14, 2019
This book was difficult to get through. I thought the plot was slow going and it didn’t hold my interest. However, I liked the last quarter of the book. I also liked that the author included an epilogue. Unfortunately, I will not be reading any other books from this specific series. I may decide to read another book by this author with hopes that I like it better than this one.
September 13, 2019
This is the 3rd and final book in the author’s Pine River series. It contains so much as she attempts to wrap up the many storylines and themes of this short series that I’m not really certain how to begin a review of this book. Guess I’ll start by saying that while I believe London made a sincere attempt to make this book enjoyable as a standalone, you are really doing yourself a disservice if you don’t read the first two books Homecoming Ranch and Return to Homecoming Ranch first. You just won’t get the full emotional impact of so many of the secondary stories if you just read this book.
In the interest of brevity I’ll try to sum up the storylines in this book.
1. The romance between Cooper and Emma
2. The relationship between Emma and her two estranged sisters
3. Emma’s serious psychological issues that lead to her self-destructive behavior and self-loathing.
4. Leo Kendrick’s hastening demise
5. Madeline and Luke’s wedding
6. A big surprise for Libby and Sam
7. The future of the struggling Homecoming Ranch
The Perfect Homecoming is essentially the story of Emma Tyler, half-sister of Madeline (Homecoming Ranch) and Libby (Return to Homecoming Ranch). In each of the books in this contemporary romance series it often feels like the romance story takes a back seat to the story of how a bad relationship with a father can impact a woman’s relationships with all men. Grant Tyler, father of the three twenty-somethings this series is based upon was not a good man. Madeline our first heroine and the oldest of the three, never knew him as he was completely absent in her life. Ironically because of that he may have ultimately done her the least amount of harm. He occasionally flitted in and out of the lives of the other two sisters Libby and Emma, teasing them with the dream of having a relationship with their father only to disappoint them both and leave them feeling rejected. Emma is easily the most damaged by her father’s neglect combined with the constant negative feedback she receives from her mother and stepfather and the betrayal of her stepsister Laura. We’re told that Emma is the most beautiful woman in Hollywood. More beautiful even than any of the stars who call Hollywood home. We’re also told that Emma is an ice queen with a reputation for sleeping around. Emma is caught in a cycle of self-destructive behavior. She knows its wrong, she knows why she does what she does, but she feels powerless to break the cycle. In this instance I thought the author did a great job of describing the despair that all addicts (and Emma’s addiction isn’t substance abuse) suffer. My only issue with this story is how Emma eventually overcomes her addiction to her self-destructive behavior. More on that later. Hitting what she feels is rock bottom, feeling completely out of control, a desperate Emma leaves her job as a vice president of one of Hollywood’s most prestigious event planning companies and heads to Pine River Colorado and Homecoming Ranch, the property her late father left her and her two sisters in his will. There in the Rocky Mountains Emma feels a peacefulness come over her even though she still feels rudderless, without direction and remains full of self-loathing. She has grown to care deeply for Leo Kendrick, brother of Luke Kendrick who is engaged to her sister Madeline. Leo has a disease similar to Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) and at this point the disease is rapidly progressing to its inevitable conclusion. Leo has been the one character in all of these books that has chapters where he speaks directly to the readers. Emma feels a kindred spirit with Leo who is not only brilliant but always tells it like it is.
Our hero in this story is Cooper Jessup. Cooper who with his childhood friends runs a business that trains stuntmen and offers adventure weekends to wealthy men. I suspect there may have been a previous series about Cooper's partners and how they fell in love with their wives. Somehow this business has also morphed into doing some security work for some of the Hollywood studios among other things. Cooper is not happy with these changes to their business and he feels out of sync with his business partners who were his childhood friends as they're now all married with children while he remains single and unable to have a long term relationship. One of the few weak links in this story is how Cooper ends up taking the job of finding Emma and getting the item she stole from a studio head after their one night stand back to him. Cooper had met Emma a couple of times in the past when they were both involved with the same event. He is as intrigued by and attracted to her as much as she is to him. But Emma almost never allows herself to have a relationship with a man she might feel an actual attraction to so she keeps him at arms-length the few times they’ve met. Cooper is of course as handsome as any Hollywood leading man and a really, really good guy who doesn’t understand his deep attraction to Emma beyond her physical beauty. He knows she’s got more baggage than a passenger train. He knows she’s got a reputation for sleeping around with older, powerful men, yet he can’t help himself from wanting to be close to her.
*** Spoiler Alert****
Now here’s my big issue with not only this book but this series. Of all the sisters IMHO Libby’s emotional issues were the least concerning. Yes, her desire to be loved and accepted and have a real family sometime drove her to see things as she wanted them to be and not as they were. And yes she had a momentary violent episode when she took a golf club to the truck of her ex who after living with him for four years and raising his two children as her own kicks her out of his life to get back with the mother of his children. Libby ends up seeing a therapist for her issues and taking a daily medication. Madeline had extreme OCD control issues because she felt she had so little control over her life between the absentee father she never knew and longed for to rescue her, who left her with a completely irresponsible self-indulgent mother to raise her. Although Madeline’s control issues are sort of a running joke between the sisters in this book, without ever receiving therapy, mostly driven by her desire to be worthy of Luke’s love she has somehow healed herself enough to live a normal life. Now we have Emma who due to her non-supportive mother and step-father, the betrayal of her step-sister whom she adored and her father whom she longed to have a relationship with, is more of a hot mess than either of her sisters. She seduces and often sleeps with older men because she wants them to chose her because her father never did. She steals meaningless inexpensive trinkets from them as trophies, a way of revenge for them wanting her just for her beauty. She hates herself for this. She feels unlovable because of this and because since childhood she has never had a filter and blurts out her honest opinion not understanding why it upsets people when she tells them what she believes is the truth. Like if someone said, “do these jeans make me look fat?” she’d immediately respond “yes.” It sounds like a mild form of Asperger’s. but we’re never really told what the cause of her inability to filter her thoughts is. But Emma like Madeline never gets professional help for her many issues. All it takes is the love and acceptance of Cooper for her to get over her need to be desirable to older men. The no filter issue we’re told she’s getting better at. The author implies that all she needs to do is make a choice to leave her hurtful past and all the issues in it that caused her downward spiral into self-destructive behavior and self-loathing to heal herself. And wanting Cooper’s love and acceptance allows her to do that. Really? Libby has to go into therapy and take a maintenance drug to live a normal life but all her much more damaged sisters have to do is fall in love with the right man? That’s my big issue with an otherwise wonderful series and book that does a great job of dotting all the I’s and crossing the t’s to bring the series to a conclusion.
In the interest of brevity I’ll try to sum up the storylines in this book.
1. The romance between Cooper and Emma
2. The relationship between Emma and her two estranged sisters
3. Emma’s serious psychological issues that lead to her self-destructive behavior and self-loathing.
4. Leo Kendrick’s hastening demise
5. Madeline and Luke’s wedding
6. A big surprise for Libby and Sam
7. The future of the struggling Homecoming Ranch
The Perfect Homecoming is essentially the story of Emma Tyler, half-sister of Madeline (Homecoming Ranch) and Libby (Return to Homecoming Ranch). In each of the books in this contemporary romance series it often feels like the romance story takes a back seat to the story of how a bad relationship with a father can impact a woman’s relationships with all men. Grant Tyler, father of the three twenty-somethings this series is based upon was not a good man. Madeline our first heroine and the oldest of the three, never knew him as he was completely absent in her life. Ironically because of that he may have ultimately done her the least amount of harm. He occasionally flitted in and out of the lives of the other two sisters Libby and Emma, teasing them with the dream of having a relationship with their father only to disappoint them both and leave them feeling rejected. Emma is easily the most damaged by her father’s neglect combined with the constant negative feedback she receives from her mother and stepfather and the betrayal of her stepsister Laura. We’re told that Emma is the most beautiful woman in Hollywood. More beautiful even than any of the stars who call Hollywood home. We’re also told that Emma is an ice queen with a reputation for sleeping around. Emma is caught in a cycle of self-destructive behavior. She knows its wrong, she knows why she does what she does, but she feels powerless to break the cycle. In this instance I thought the author did a great job of describing the despair that all addicts (and Emma’s addiction isn’t substance abuse) suffer. My only issue with this story is how Emma eventually overcomes her addiction to her self-destructive behavior. More on that later. Hitting what she feels is rock bottom, feeling completely out of control, a desperate Emma leaves her job as a vice president of one of Hollywood’s most prestigious event planning companies and heads to Pine River Colorado and Homecoming Ranch, the property her late father left her and her two sisters in his will. There in the Rocky Mountains Emma feels a peacefulness come over her even though she still feels rudderless, without direction and remains full of self-loathing. She has grown to care deeply for Leo Kendrick, brother of Luke Kendrick who is engaged to her sister Madeline. Leo has a disease similar to Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) and at this point the disease is rapidly progressing to its inevitable conclusion. Leo has been the one character in all of these books that has chapters where he speaks directly to the readers. Emma feels a kindred spirit with Leo who is not only brilliant but always tells it like it is.
Our hero in this story is Cooper Jessup. Cooper who with his childhood friends runs a business that trains stuntmen and offers adventure weekends to wealthy men. I suspect there may have been a previous series about Cooper's partners and how they fell in love with their wives. Somehow this business has also morphed into doing some security work for some of the Hollywood studios among other things. Cooper is not happy with these changes to their business and he feels out of sync with his business partners who were his childhood friends as they're now all married with children while he remains single and unable to have a long term relationship. One of the few weak links in this story is how Cooper ends up taking the job of finding Emma and getting the item she stole from a studio head after their one night stand back to him. Cooper had met Emma a couple of times in the past when they were both involved with the same event. He is as intrigued by and attracted to her as much as she is to him. But Emma almost never allows herself to have a relationship with a man she might feel an actual attraction to so she keeps him at arms-length the few times they’ve met. Cooper is of course as handsome as any Hollywood leading man and a really, really good guy who doesn’t understand his deep attraction to Emma beyond her physical beauty. He knows she’s got more baggage than a passenger train. He knows she’s got a reputation for sleeping around with older, powerful men, yet he can’t help himself from wanting to be close to her.
*** Spoiler Alert****
Now here’s my big issue with not only this book but this series. Of all the sisters IMHO Libby’s emotional issues were the least concerning. Yes, her desire to be loved and accepted and have a real family sometime drove her to see things as she wanted them to be and not as they were. And yes she had a momentary violent episode when she took a golf club to the truck of her ex who after living with him for four years and raising his two children as her own kicks her out of his life to get back with the mother of his children. Libby ends up seeing a therapist for her issues and taking a daily medication. Madeline had extreme OCD control issues because she felt she had so little control over her life between the absentee father she never knew and longed for to rescue her, who left her with a completely irresponsible self-indulgent mother to raise her. Although Madeline’s control issues are sort of a running joke between the sisters in this book, without ever receiving therapy, mostly driven by her desire to be worthy of Luke’s love she has somehow healed herself enough to live a normal life. Now we have Emma who due to her non-supportive mother and step-father, the betrayal of her step-sister whom she adored and her father whom she longed to have a relationship with, is more of a hot mess than either of her sisters. She seduces and often sleeps with older men because she wants them to chose her because her father never did. She steals meaningless inexpensive trinkets from them as trophies, a way of revenge for them wanting her just for her beauty. She hates herself for this. She feels unlovable because of this and because since childhood she has never had a filter and blurts out her honest opinion not understanding why it upsets people when she tells them what she believes is the truth. Like if someone said, “do these jeans make me look fat?” she’d immediately respond “yes.” It sounds like a mild form of Asperger’s. but we’re never really told what the cause of her inability to filter her thoughts is. But Emma like Madeline never gets professional help for her many issues. All it takes is the love and acceptance of Cooper for her to get over her need to be desirable to older men. The no filter issue we’re told she’s getting better at. The author implies that all she needs to do is make a choice to leave her hurtful past and all the issues in it that caused her downward spiral into self-destructive behavior and self-loathing to heal herself. And wanting Cooper’s love and acceptance allows her to do that. Really? Libby has to go into therapy and take a maintenance drug to live a normal life but all her much more damaged sisters have to do is fall in love with the right man? That’s my big issue with an otherwise wonderful series and book that does a great job of dotting all the I’s and crossing the t’s to bring the series to a conclusion.
February 27, 2015
The things we do when we are trying to make a connection. We will give or some may say sell a piece of our souls just to feel a sense of warmth, connection, or belonging. Emma Tyler just took it one step further. She figured she gave you a piece of herself so it was only right she took a piece of you. Like a cuff link, a silk tie, engraved pen, a marathon medal, a military medal, or a tie clip.
It was one of those items that was going to make Emma take an extremely hard look at the reason at why she does it. Not to mention the men she took them from. She’s missing something she knows it. People over and over keep telling her how beautiful she is but that she has no tack or good graces with people.
The thing is she never means to hurt anyone’s feelings at all. She just doesn’t have an edit button. Never ask what she thinks unless you really want to know. The thing is she has the rep in Hollywood as the girl that sleeps around. Especially, with married men. So when she once again runs into Cooper Jessup at a bat mitzvah that CEM party planning is putting on she got nervous. He more or less asked her out for a drink after the event. She is not use to men who are available, attainable, or close to her age.
From that night on an uneasiness comes over her and she quits her job. Goes to Colorado to stay at the ranch she owns a third of with her two stepsisters, Madeline and Libby.
She’s there about two weeks when Cooper shows up on her door step as she is leaving for work. She panics because she has not seen him in a year. She knows him being at the ranch can’t be good. When he wants to talk about an item that a client says that she has she says she can’t, she is on her way to work. Then leaves him standing on the front porch with her sisters.
Why can’t she just hand it over? What causes her to hold back? Cooper shows up at where she volunteering her time caring for Leo Kendrick’s a young man who has no use of his limbs. She likes it because Leo is a lot like her no nonsense, it is what it is. His dad Bob doesn’t like or trust her. She’s okay with that because her whole like no one ever has. And most of all because they both need her.
I think Leo’s character steals your heart right off the bat. He is just too funny in an obnoxious kind of way. This had to be one of the most poignant, genuine, and dignified stories of a person with a fatal disease. I do have to say it does feel like there should be another book to finish off some loose ends. So worth the read. I give this 5 stars. Provided by Net Galley. Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com
It was one of those items that was going to make Emma take an extremely hard look at the reason at why she does it. Not to mention the men she took them from. She’s missing something she knows it. People over and over keep telling her how beautiful she is but that she has no tack or good graces with people.
The thing is she never means to hurt anyone’s feelings at all. She just doesn’t have an edit button. Never ask what she thinks unless you really want to know. The thing is she has the rep in Hollywood as the girl that sleeps around. Especially, with married men. So when she once again runs into Cooper Jessup at a bat mitzvah that CEM party planning is putting on she got nervous. He more or less asked her out for a drink after the event. She is not use to men who are available, attainable, or close to her age.
From that night on an uneasiness comes over her and she quits her job. Goes to Colorado to stay at the ranch she owns a third of with her two stepsisters, Madeline and Libby.
She’s there about two weeks when Cooper shows up on her door step as she is leaving for work. She panics because she has not seen him in a year. She knows him being at the ranch can’t be good. When he wants to talk about an item that a client says that she has she says she can’t, she is on her way to work. Then leaves him standing on the front porch with her sisters.
Why can’t she just hand it over? What causes her to hold back? Cooper shows up at where she volunteering her time caring for Leo Kendrick’s a young man who has no use of his limbs. She likes it because Leo is a lot like her no nonsense, it is what it is. His dad Bob doesn’t like or trust her. She’s okay with that because her whole like no one ever has. And most of all because they both need her.
I think Leo’s character steals your heart right off the bat. He is just too funny in an obnoxious kind of way. This had to be one of the most poignant, genuine, and dignified stories of a person with a fatal disease. I do have to say it does feel like there should be another book to finish off some loose ends. So worth the read. I give this 5 stars. Provided by Net Galley. Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com
February 10, 2015
THE PERFECT HOMECOMING
Julia London
Montlake
March 2015
After losing her job with Cypress Events Management in Beverly Hills over a misunderstanding about some candlesticks, Emma Tyler returns to the Homecoming Ranch. She is still moody, and the three sisters don’t get along very well, but all of that will change with the arrival of Cooper Jessup, an acquaintance of Emma’s and one of the owners of Thrillseekers Anonymous.
Emma devotes hours daily helping care for Leo Kendrick even though Leo’s father, Bob, doesn’t want her there as he doesn’t like her. She is good for Leo who is dying of motor neuron disease (MND), and Leo is very good for her as he is a male that doesn’t want to take anything from Emma, and therefore she has so much to give him.
Emma and Cooper met briefly about a year ago at a Bat Mitzvah from hell. He liked the way Emma handled herself during several crises. There was a definite attraction between these two attractive people, but after the party Emma left with an older man. Today: Cooper has been hired by one of Emma’s older gentleman “friends” to find Emma and recover an antique military medal that went missing about the same time Emma left town. Cooper finds Emma in Colorado; tracks her down at the Kendrick’s, and he becomes friends with Bob and Leo, and this infuriates Emma. She denies knowing anything about the medal, and Cooper knows she is lying.
Julia London is a truly gifted wordsmith and a master at plucking at the reader’s heartstrings. THE PERFECT HOMECOMING is a touching story of an ingenuously flawed heroine with an excess of problems she has brought on herself. Emma definitely needs help as her self-esteem is so low she is unable to connect emotionally with anyone. Cooper is just what she needs, and he is willing to take a chance on Emma, if she will just let him come close. Ms. London has done a Blue Ribbon job with her characters, pacing, and narrative and gives the readers one of the best stories she has written to date. This has been a superb series, and THE PERFECT HOMECOMING brings closure for Madeline, Libby, and Emma and all the good friends in Pine River. You might want to have a box of tissues close by while reading this terrific book.
Betty Cox, ReaderToReader
March 11, 2015
This copy has been given free to me by First Reads. Thank you so much for the giveaway!
I was so excited to read this book and it did not disappoint.
I wanted to cry for Emma. She was let down by everyone she loved. I seriously wanted to slap her mother. Because of her parents, she thought of herself as unwanted and was really starved for some love and attention. This is where Cooper comes in and shows her that she is worthy and lovable. He saw past the facade she shows to the world and saw the real her. He falls hard for Emma but it will take a lot of convincing on his part for her to take a chance with him.
I really loved this book. The romance was sweet and their chemistry was hot. I plan on reading a lot more of Julia London's books.
I was so excited to read this book and it did not disappoint.
I wanted to cry for Emma. She was let down by everyone she loved. I seriously wanted to slap her mother. Because of her parents, she thought of herself as unwanted and was really starved for some love and attention. This is where Cooper comes in and shows her that she is worthy and lovable. He saw past the facade she shows to the world and saw the real her. He falls hard for Emma but it will take a lot of convincing on his part for her to take a chance with him.
I really loved this book. The romance was sweet and their chemistry was hot. I plan on reading a lot more of Julia London's books.
August 1, 2015
I liked Emma a lot and I liked this book. There was an inevitable sad part that was very well written and brought the series together. Good book, good series.
October 24, 2017
In this final book of the Pine River Saga, we learn more about Emma Tyler, and what has made her the way she is. We also get to read the rest of Leo's story. I absolutely love that the author brought in characters from other series of hers that I have read.
I actually didn't think Leo was going to make it to his big game, but, now that I have read the book, I understand why it was written that he did make it. Having had a family member die from a terminal illness, I can remember how, once a big date or event was reached, things went quickly from there. I like the description of Leo running though, that is how I picture it as well.
As for Emma, I had to laugh at her feeling that the men each owed her something. Especially given the recent news out of Hollywood, you almost agree with her, but you don't agree with her motives for being with them in the first place. I did like the climax of how Cooper found out just how deep the issue was. I also liked what happened with the St. Christopher Metal.
No big surprises in this book, but, definitely a good happy ending story, with a little bit of sad reality mixed in.
I actually didn't think Leo was going to make it to his big game, but, now that I have read the book, I understand why it was written that he did make it. Having had a family member die from a terminal illness, I can remember how, once a big date or event was reached, things went quickly from there. I like the description of Leo running though, that is how I picture it as well.
As for Emma, I had to laugh at her feeling that the men each owed her something. Especially given the recent news out of Hollywood, you almost agree with her, but you don't agree with her motives for being with them in the first place. I did like the climax of how Cooper found out just how deep the issue was. I also liked what happened with the St. Christopher Metal.
No big surprises in this book, but, definitely a good happy ending story, with a little bit of sad reality mixed in.
May 25, 2017
Ugh. I've enjoyed Julia London's books in the past, but the characters and plot of this one were super frustrating. Emma and Cooper meet, fight, and then are instantly attracted to one another. But why are these characters together? Neither are particularly likeable, and they don't seem to have any fun with each other except when they are not wearing clothes. And the the whole Leo/ALS subplot was horrible. Leo is merely a tool to show how wonderful and selfless Emma is. The passages of the book showing his inner voice suggest he is feeble-minded and just a plucky fellow. No anger or frustration about his disease. No description of his life before he became incapacitated. His living at home seems to have no impact on his family and caregivers, and there is no sadness or frustration about the challenges of taking care of someone like Leo.
June 2, 2020
All the feels and much, much more
I would have loved to have been one of the ones who hung out with Leo. He was such an amazing part of all three stories. It would not have been the same without him.
The details surrounding Emma's life growing up and the way she dealt with it in adulthood was very realistic and I mourned the loss of her *innocence*. This book made me very angry and frustrated with quite a few people and I wanted them to be punished and to see what they did was wrong. I wanted them to feel the guilt that she would feel even though she didn't deserve the feeling, they did.
It was a very difficult book to put down, a definite page turner!
I would have loved to have been one of the ones who hung out with Leo. He was such an amazing part of all three stories. It would not have been the same without him.
The details surrounding Emma's life growing up and the way she dealt with it in adulthood was very realistic and I mourned the loss of her *innocence*. This book made me very angry and frustrated with quite a few people and I wanted them to be punished and to see what they did was wrong. I wanted them to feel the guilt that she would feel even though she didn't deserve the feeling, they did.
It was a very difficult book to put down, a definite page turner!
March 30, 2019
Very heartwarming.
The Perfect Homecoming completes the story of the sisters who inherited Homecoming Ranch (and each other) at the death of a father who had abandoned them all. In this book the sisters finally discover the scars their father had left on each of them and how to leave the past behind so they could look to the future. I recommend this book to anyone who has flaws to overcome and certainly to everyone who has read either or both of the 1st two books in the series.
The Perfect Homecoming completes the story of the sisters who inherited Homecoming Ranch (and each other) at the death of a father who had abandoned them all. In this book the sisters finally discover the scars their father had left on each of them and how to leave the past behind so they could look to the future. I recommend this book to anyone who has flaws to overcome and certainly to everyone who has read either or both of the 1st two books in the series.
June 20, 2019
Oh my gosh... I have now finished the Pine River books and this was just the perfect end!
I don’t think a book ever had me in tears before. Leo - what a star. A truly wonderful, insightful person.
And Emma, at times I was exasperated by her no filter approach, but I warmed to her.
I’d love to have an update on the Tyler ladies... babies, husbands, how Homecoming Ranch is doing. How they have continued to bond. I just felt the characters and the storylines have all been relatable in one way or another and I just loved them.
Thank you Julia, these books have been superb!
I don’t think a book ever had me in tears before. Leo - what a star. A truly wonderful, insightful person.
And Emma, at times I was exasperated by her no filter approach, but I warmed to her.
I’d love to have an update on the Tyler ladies... babies, husbands, how Homecoming Ranch is doing. How they have continued to bond. I just felt the characters and the storylines have all been relatable in one way or another and I just loved them.
Thank you Julia, these books have been superb!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2017
Depressing
Overall I liked the series, but this book was just depressing. Emma was a heartbreaking character and Cooper was a mix of hero and cold blooded jerk. My favorite character was Leo. I feel like I am in morning for myself as well as Emma. Hard to recommend a series, good as it was, that I wish I had not read.
Overall I liked the series, but this book was just depressing. Emma was a heartbreaking character and Cooper was a mix of hero and cold blooded jerk. My favorite character was Leo. I feel like I am in morning for myself as well as Emma. Hard to recommend a series, good as it was, that I wish I had not read.
September 1, 2017
There were a few times that I wasn't sure how much I liked this book, but as I thought about it I realized that it was a hard story. A lot happens in a short time and the characters seem so real and are not always likable. However, stick through the uncomfortable parts because the ending is worth it.
December 23, 2017
This third book in the Pine River series is the hardest to read. Not because it is bad but because you see a something coming and know it will be a sad ending within the Happily Ever After. This is another story of a truly damaged and broken sister trying to find her way to wholeness. It takes the faith and love of a good man to get them to their Happily Ever After but well worth the trip.
August 31, 2018
Tears and laughter
I'm soooo in love with Leo. I loved this series and cried so many times over Leo. Love the ending of this book becuase it really was a home coming for him and them. I laughed as much as I cried. Emma really gets to explain herself and makes you love or appreciate her character.
I'm soooo in love with Leo. I loved this series and cried so many times over Leo. Love the ending of this book becuase it really was a home coming for him and them. I laughed as much as I cried. Emma really gets to explain herself and makes you love or appreciate her character.
February 6, 2019
I loved this series. Leo was a character I will never forget. He made me laugh and made me cry. Seeing the sister's come together and overcoming the hard beginnings was inspiring.
I loved this series. Loved Leo, he made me laugh and cry. The insight to the various deamons people face and overcome was inspiring. Seeing the sister's find each other was great.
I loved this series. Loved Leo, he made me laugh and cry. The insight to the various deamons people face and overcome was inspiring. Seeing the sister's find each other was great.
September 17, 2025
Definitely a different more realistic take on modern romance. The main character is deeply flawed and as the story come out, it's due to childhood trauma and verbal abuse. I give it 3 stars, although some of Julia London's contemporary romance books I would say are more like 4 stars. After I finished about a third of it, I really got hooked to see what would happen next.
March 3, 2017
The final sister...
Again, predictable, but touching. I thought it was going to be a stretch developing the character of sister number 3, but it all came together. Bit was nice seeing the sisters struggle to bond while Emma dealt with her own personal nightmare.
Again, predictable, but touching. I thought it was going to be a stretch developing the character of sister number 3, but it all came together. Bit was nice seeing the sisters struggle to bond while Emma dealt with her own personal nightmare.
July 31, 2017
Such a perfect story to end this series! I loved Emma's journey and Cooper and Leo's love for her and faith in her. Have your Kleenex ready. Julia London does a perfect job of giving you the perfect laugh to keep from ugly crying too hard!
August 25, 2017
Awesome read
The plot was great, the characters were unforgettable, especially Leo, and the story was awesome. It makes you laugh and cry at the same time. I couldn't put it down once I start reading.
The plot was great, the characters were unforgettable, especially Leo, and the story was awesome. It makes you laugh and cry at the same time. I couldn't put it down once I start reading.
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