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The Return
When worlds collide…
Two years ago death drove Aiden Taylor from UK shores and now death has drawn him back. Mourning the loss of his wife, he is returning to bury his father-in-law and support the remaining members of her family – her mother, Lily and sister, Leo.
Coming home on the same plane is Isabella, enthusiastic and with a zest for life, she is in many ways the opposite of him. Realising his history, she tries to fight the instant attraction she feels but her thoughts linger long after they’ve landed.
Leo is distraught – she’s lost her sister and her beloved father too. Her boyfriend Damien should be a comfort but he is far from it. Instead, it is Aiden she increasingly comes to rely on. In grief they understand each other.
Unable to forget her encounter with the ‘perfect stranger’, Isabella heads to Cornwall to track him down but, as three worlds collide, tragedy threatens to strike again…
Set in North Cornwall and featuring members from the popular Runaway series – Joseph, Layla, Hannah, Jim and Mick – The Return can be read as a standalone novel or as the third and final book in the trilogy.
Two years ago death drove Aiden Taylor from UK shores and now death has drawn him back. Mourning the loss of his wife, he is returning to bury his father-in-law and support the remaining members of her family – her mother, Lily and sister, Leo.
Coming home on the same plane is Isabella, enthusiastic and with a zest for life, she is in many ways the opposite of him. Realising his history, she tries to fight the instant attraction she feels but her thoughts linger long after they’ve landed.
Leo is distraught – she’s lost her sister and her beloved father too. Her boyfriend Damien should be a comfort but he is far from it. Instead, it is Aiden she increasingly comes to rely on. In grief they understand each other.
Unable to forget her encounter with the ‘perfect stranger’, Isabella heads to Cornwall to track him down but, as three worlds collide, tragedy threatens to strike again…
Set in North Cornwall and featuring members from the popular Runaway series – Joseph, Layla, Hannah, Jim and Mick – The Return can be read as a standalone novel or as the third and final book in the trilogy.
- GenresContemporary Romance
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 18, 2015
4 people are currently reading
106 people want to read
About the author
Shani Struthers
48 books508 followersIt's all about the ghosts...
Here's the order my books come in:
Psychic Surveys Series:
Psychic Surveys Book One: The Haunting of Highdown Hall
Psychic Surveys Book Two: Rise to Me
Psychic Surveys Book Three: 44 Gilmore Street
Psychic Surveys Book Four: Old Cross Cottage
Psychic Surveys Book Five: Descension
Psychic Surveys Book Six: Legion
Psychic Surveys Book Seven: Promises to Keep
Psychic Surveys Book Eight: The Weight of the Soul
Psychic Surveys Book Nine: The Devil's Liar
Psychic Surveys Companion Novels:
Eve: A Psychic Surveys Prequel
Blakemort (Corinna's story)
Thirteen (Ness's story)
Rosamund (Rosamund Davis - Ruby's great-grandmother's story)
Jed (the story of one of Psychic Surveys' most treasured and mysterious characters)
This Haunted World Series:
This Haunted World Book One: The Venetian
This Haunted World Book Two: The Eleventh Floor
This Haunted World Book Three: Highgate
This Haunted World Book Four: Rohaise
Reach for the Dead Series:
Reach for the Dead Book One: Mandy
Reach for the Dead Book Two: Cades Home Farm
Reach for the Dead Book Three: Walker
Jessamine Series:
Jessamine
Comraich
Carfax House - A Christmas Ghost Story (standalone novella)
The Damned Season - A Christmas Ghost Story (standalone novella)
Wildacre - A Christmas Ghost Story (standalone novella)
Summer of Grace - A standalone psychological thriller
Catch up with me via Facebook or on my website www.shanistruthers.com where you can sign up to my newsletter for all the latest information, offers and giveaways.
Here's the order my books come in:
Psychic Surveys Series:
Psychic Surveys Book One: The Haunting of Highdown Hall
Psychic Surveys Book Two: Rise to Me
Psychic Surveys Book Three: 44 Gilmore Street
Psychic Surveys Book Four: Old Cross Cottage
Psychic Surveys Book Five: Descension
Psychic Surveys Book Six: Legion
Psychic Surveys Book Seven: Promises to Keep
Psychic Surveys Book Eight: The Weight of the Soul
Psychic Surveys Book Nine: The Devil's Liar
Psychic Surveys Companion Novels:
Eve: A Psychic Surveys Prequel
Blakemort (Corinna's story)
Thirteen (Ness's story)
Rosamund (Rosamund Davis - Ruby's great-grandmother's story)
Jed (the story of one of Psychic Surveys' most treasured and mysterious characters)
This Haunted World Series:
This Haunted World Book One: The Venetian
This Haunted World Book Two: The Eleventh Floor
This Haunted World Book Three: Highgate
This Haunted World Book Four: Rohaise
Reach for the Dead Series:
Reach for the Dead Book One: Mandy
Reach for the Dead Book Two: Cades Home Farm
Reach for the Dead Book Three: Walker
Jessamine Series:
Jessamine
Comraich
Carfax House - A Christmas Ghost Story (standalone novella)
The Damned Season - A Christmas Ghost Story (standalone novella)
Wildacre - A Christmas Ghost Story (standalone novella)
Summer of Grace - A standalone psychological thriller
Catch up with me via Facebook or on my website www.shanistruthers.com where you can sign up to my newsletter for all the latest information, offers and giveaways.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 25, 2015
I was looking forward to this book, having thoroughly read her previous 2 romance novels. I was not disappointed. It has a fantastic story line which kept me guessing till the end , it touches on so many different emotions we go through in our lives and it refreshingly has a down to earth realistic, no nonsense heroine. Excellent and i highly recommend it.
June 25, 2015
Though certainly romantic, witty, and whimsical enough for the beach this summer, this is not your typical "light" read. It starts a bit heavy, rather, with Aiden and Leo coping with their grief. The whole situation has a haunting Rebecca quality to it, actually, the way Tara (Aiden's wife and Leo's sister) is deceased yet still so present.
A new character in the series, though, balances out the sadness with her innocent energy--Isabella's honesty and self-deprecation are like a fresh breeze of cool, Cornish sea air. These characteristics warmed me up to her as an "outsider" when I was otherwise admittedly wary that the story wouldn't focus on the characters I'd grown used to in the first two books. I thought I would really miss them, but Aiden, Leo, and Isabella readily come into their own with intriguing new conflicts (and soon enough the original characters are woven back in beautifully, so I didn't have to miss them for long!). By now, after all, Layla and Joseph (the romantic leads of books two and three) have had their trials as a couple and deserve to settle into domestic peace--as do Hannah and Jim. But it's perfect how these past relationship conflicts are so smoothly tied in with the present ones, in a way that gives backstory and a nice nod to the previous books but also provides meaningful empathy and advice for the leads this time around. Those candid moments are so lovely.
I was also very pleased with how everything is ultimately resolved. There are very delicate emotions and dynamics to navigate here, so I honestly didn't know how Struthers would pull it together, but she does so with brilliant sensitivity, tact, and--very importantly--believability. The relationships are too complicated to tie up in a bow in one fell swoop, so I really appreciate the careful development that went into this, delivering an ending that satisfies without selling out.
This is the third book in The Runaway Series, but works well as a standalone. So you don't have to read The Runaway Year and The Runaway Ex to be up to speed for The Return--but you'll probably want to after enjoying this one so much! I definitely vouch for this series, start to finish. :)
A new character in the series, though, balances out the sadness with her innocent energy--Isabella's honesty and self-deprecation are like a fresh breeze of cool, Cornish sea air. These characteristics warmed me up to her as an "outsider" when I was otherwise admittedly wary that the story wouldn't focus on the characters I'd grown used to in the first two books. I thought I would really miss them, but Aiden, Leo, and Isabella readily come into their own with intriguing new conflicts (and soon enough the original characters are woven back in beautifully, so I didn't have to miss them for long!). By now, after all, Layla and Joseph (the romantic leads of books two and three) have had their trials as a couple and deserve to settle into domestic peace--as do Hannah and Jim. But it's perfect how these past relationship conflicts are so smoothly tied in with the present ones, in a way that gives backstory and a nice nod to the previous books but also provides meaningful empathy and advice for the leads this time around. Those candid moments are so lovely.
I was also very pleased with how everything is ultimately resolved. There are very delicate emotions and dynamics to navigate here, so I honestly didn't know how Struthers would pull it together, but she does so with brilliant sensitivity, tact, and--very importantly--believability. The relationships are too complicated to tie up in a bow in one fell swoop, so I really appreciate the careful development that went into this, delivering an ending that satisfies without selling out.
This is the third book in The Runaway Series, but works well as a standalone. So you don't have to read The Runaway Year and The Runaway Ex to be up to speed for The Return--but you'll probably want to after enjoying this one so much! I definitely vouch for this series, start to finish. :)
June 25, 2015
I was given this book for an honest review by A Kiss Down Under Book Blog.
This is the third book in the series but can be read as a stand alone quite easily.
The author certainly explores a deeper theme throughout th story which is a different approach in a romance novel. It works however it does become a little too much at times.
The characters are developed gradually throughout the book and the reader does feel great empathy at times. A touch of humour is woven throughout the book however the characters talking to themselves can be repetitive. The resolution at the end was quite realistic which was refreshing.
This was an easy to read book and I would enjoy reading more from this author.
This is the third book in the series but can be read as a stand alone quite easily.
The author certainly explores a deeper theme throughout th story which is a different approach in a romance novel. It works however it does become a little too much at times.
The characters are developed gradually throughout the book and the reader does feel great empathy at times. A touch of humour is woven throughout the book however the characters talking to themselves can be repetitive. The resolution at the end was quite realistic which was refreshing.
This was an easy to read book and I would enjoy reading more from this author.
June 25, 2015
If you like a good, emotional romance, this one's for you! I've read many of Shani Struther's other books, and she always writes emotional scenes so well. In this one, hunky Aiden is still grieving for the love of his life when he meets breath-of-fresh-air Isabella, and the time just isn't right for the spark between them to develop. Isabella somehow just can't accept that, but then she doesn't know about the other complications in Aiden's life. As Isabella, Aiden and his sister-in-law all head for beautiful Cornwall, the scene is set for emotional fireworks, and Shani delivers them with her usual skill. Thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you to the author for providing me with a review copy.
January 7, 2017
Another great love story
So this reminds me of the book I just read previous to this also by Shani, except insteAd of a woman's husband dying, a man lost his wife. Is it okay to love again once you have found your true love and they have tragically passed away? Maiden is going to find out. Just as Jessamin did in the previous book.
So this reminds me of the book I just read previous to this also by Shani, except insteAd of a woman's husband dying, a man lost his wife. Is it okay to love again once you have found your true love and they have tragically passed away? Maiden is going to find out. Just as Jessamin did in the previous book.
September 30, 2018
The Return
Final book of the trilogy and I loved it, I loved all 3 I feel like I know all the characters personally . Perfect holiday read !!!Well done Shani Struthers for another wonderful book 😀
Final book of the trilogy and I loved it, I loved all 3 I feel like I know all the characters personally . Perfect holiday read !!!Well done Shani Struthers for another wonderful book 😀
February 28, 2016
I enjoyed this book X
March 11, 2016
excellent , deeply moving read
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews