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The Roads to River Rock #2

Down the Hidden Path

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Jeremiah McKinley is the first of his enlisted brothers to return home to River Rock, Missouri—their sleepy but charming hometown in the Ozarks—in the wake of their father’s death in combat. While he’s grateful to be home with his sister nearby, his grief over losing the man known as Major Mack proves almost overwhelming, especially without his brothers around.

After years of guilt and tireless effort, Mary Grace “Gray” Smith finally has her life on track. The last person she wants to see is Jeremiah: her former best friend, former crush, and the man who could easily destroy the one thing she holds most dear. But after one of Jeremiah’s brothers returns home with a head injury, Gray becomes his therapist—and a long-kept secret threatens to reveal itself and alter the course of several lives forever. Could this secret also give Jeremiah and Gray the chance to finally have the future together they always longed for?

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2015

471 people are currently reading
665 people want to read

About the author

Heather Burch

35 books1,050 followers
Heather Burch is a #1 Amazon bestselling author whose books have been translated around the world.

She writes upmarket women's fiction novels that explore what it means to be a family. Her books have sold over half a million copies worldwide.

Heather also writes edge of your seat paranormal YA novels about swoon-worthy angels. Her Halflings series is a #1 New Release.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...





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5 stars
969 (58%)
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499 (29%)
3 stars
159 (9%)
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28 (1%)
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10 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
Profile Image for Maria11.
2,000 reviews44 followers
March 14, 2017
More tissues needed

Gee and I thought the first book made me cry. Listening to it in the way home almost had me driving off the road because I was crying so hard. I think the people passing me thought I was crazy!

Miah well I didn't love him as much as Ian. Miah had a huge ego and he always thought he was right. Hard headed jerk at times. He never really liked to look at someone else's point of view. Now he did get it together, so that was good.

Gray was an interesting woman who lived through a great deal. She was strong and I liked the concept of I can live without you but I choose to be with you. Some may think her a doormat for Miah but I really didn't get that vibe.

Now I loved Caleb and I hope he gets his own story. I want him to get a HEA!!

Great heart touching story. I really like this author.
884 reviews127 followers
February 25, 2017
I really like all of Heather Burchs characters, they are all people that I can relate to and feel with.
Profile Image for Jeanne Miller.
120 reviews2 followers
February 25, 2025
I've love this book and have listened to the audiobook at least 1/2 dozen times so I finally bought it. It's a great redemption story. So sorry the author passed.
Profile Image for Il confine dei libri.
4,859 reviews150 followers
September 17, 2018
Salve lettrici.
È sempre un piacere per me recensire per voi le serie e i libri che più mi hanno colpita, e la serie di Heather Burch è senz’altro una di queste.
“In fondo al sentiero l’amore” è il secondo volume della serie River Rock, iniziata con “La strada più difficile”, e racconta ancora una volta le vicende della famiglia McKinley, questa volta concentrandosi interamente su Jeremiah.
Miah è, come tutti i suoi fratelli, un soldato. La loro è una scelta di famiglia: loro padre lo era e tutti i suoi fratelli lo sono. Essere un Mckinley ed essere un soldato è la stessa cosa, e la loro sorellina Charlee, conosciuta nel volume precedente, lo sa bene. Ma essere un soldato è facile se si è in missione o in qualsiasi altro posto, non lo è se si è a casa.
Miah, tornato a River Rock, non sa cosa fare, il suo unico obbiettivo è quello di ristrutturare lo chalet lasciatogli dalla madre, ma le cose cambiano velocemente e il passato torna a bussare alla sua porta. Gray, la sua migliore amica del liceo, è tornata a casa e non sembra per niente contenta di vedere il suo migliore amico.
Miah, invece, appena posa gli occhi su di lei capisce che quello che ha provato anni prima, stringendola tra le braccia, è la stessa sensazione che prova ora vedendola dopo anni.
Miah è innamorato di lei e non vede l’ora di rimediare agli errori del passato. Peccato che tra gli sbagli di Miah, ce n’è uno di cui non era a conoscenza. Uno sbaglio bellissimo, intelligente e saputello. Uno sbaglio di cui ne Miah né Gray si pentiranno mai.

Insomma lettrici, mi sono lasciata sfuggire anche troppe informazioni, ma vi giuro che anche se vi raccontassi per filo e per segno tutta la storia, vi consiglierei comunque di leggerla.
Non è la trama ad essere bella o la storia ad essere perfetta, ma sono le emozioni che regala a rendere questa storia un vero capolavoro.
I protagonisti di cui andiamo a leggere questa volta sono entrambi pieni di difetti, sono entrambi veri. Tutti e due hanno commesso molti sbagli e finalmente, dopo tanto tempo, tutti e due sono pronti a rimediare, a combattere per il loro amore.
Ma, care lettrici, non vi consiglio di leggere questo libro solo per la storia d’amore. Ogni personaggio di cui andiamo a leggere è davvero speciale e io non vedo l’ora di conoscere tutte le storie di questa famiglia, in particolare quella di Caleb, che ha un posto speciale in questo libro.
Spero davvero che la prossima storia sia su di lui, perché la sua è davvero una storia che merita di essere raccontata. Abbiamo letto di Ian nel primo volume, e di Miah in questo, e ogni volta mi si spezza il cuore sapendo che, da qualche parte, mentre io sto leggendo, c’è un soldato che sta soffrendo. Da qualche parte, mentre io sto scrivendo questa recensione, c’è un soldato che è passato dall’essere un eroe ad essere un paziente.
Dunque, care amiche del Confine, non posso che consigliarvi questa lettura. È una storia molto romantica, intensa e davvero dolce. Si legge che è una meraviglia e regala tantissime emozioni.
L’autrice, secondo me, ha talento da vendere, perché ogni sua storia mi ha davvero colpito. Anche questo volume non manca di dettagli, è scritto davvero molto bene ed esprime magnificamente le emozioni dei protagonisti.
Insomma, mi è piaciuto tantissimo... si vede?
Buona lettura!
Profile Image for Karen.
524 reviews19 followers
July 4, 2018
3.5 Stars

I enjoyed Jeremiah’s story of returning to civilian life after his military release and reconnecting with Gray, his best friend growing up. It’s been 12 years since they’ve seen each other and both their lives are about to be upended! Too much has been buried in the past, that once unearthed, will change everything. Heartfelt story with real characters you can connect to.
Profile Image for Pam.
4,625 reviews67 followers
September 22, 2019
Down the Hidden Path: The Road to River Rock Book Two is by Heather Burch. This book takes place in River Rock, Missouri on Table Rock Lake. From the descriptions, you get a true feeling for the countryside of this area of the Ozark Mountains. From the forest to the lake to the humid weather, she gets the description down pat. The characters are very realistic and you feel they are right beside you as you read. This book deals with the plight of soldiers coming back from the war zone with brain injuries and their acceptance by their families. Adoption is also a key theme with open adoption being the type discussed.
Jeremiah or Miah was finally home from the military and anxious to blend in with the community. However, at this time, he knew he was far from that point in his life and was grateful to his Mother for having the foresight to purchase a large plot of land in the Ozarks and divide it up between the four children. Charlee, the only girl, was married and settled on the artist’s retreat she built. Although they were quite different, he found himself liking the four artists who made the retreat their home. He was very glad Charlee was happily married. As for himself, he was busy remodeling the lodge on his property into a hunting lodge. It would take time since he was doing it mainly by himself. Then, he ran into his former best friend, Mary Grace also known as Gray. Instead of being glad to see him, she seemed afraid and rushed off at the first chance she got. He knew they hadn’t left on very good terms, but he thought she should be over it by now. What happened?
Gray was glad to see Miah but at the same time wished she hadn’t run into him. Although they had been best friends, she had also been in love with him and was clearly upset over the way they had parted. She had made a life for herself as an occupational therapist and had lived in nearby Laver near her friends, Bill and Angie and their son, David. She had been pregnant (after a one-time incident) when Miah left town to go to Hollywood with a famous actress. She had moved with her Grandmother to live with an aunt about the time Miah came home and then left for the military. Although she had known at the time, she didn’t tell Miah about her pregnancy. Knowing she couldn’t care for her son, she had given him to Bill and Angie because they could provide a good home for him but especially as they agreed to an open adoption. So, Gray was able to see her son grow up although with a different Mother, he still knew she was his birth mother.
Meanwhile, Miah got news that his youngest brother, Caleb, had been in an accident and was near death. When he finally got to a military hospital, they knew he would live but would have some brain damage. After a three month stay in Tampa’s hospital, Miah had prepared to take Caleb into his home and care for him. He managed to hire the only occupational therapist available to work with Caleb at home. Gray had reluctantly accepted the position only because it was Caleb and she needed the money to remodel her Gran’s house for David to be able to stay in River Rock for school if he wished. She and Miah were working their way towards a truce.
Then the unimaginable happens, Bill and Angie are killed in a car accident, leaving David with Angie who had custody papers. However, then it came time for the will to be read, she felt betrayed when she learned that they had given permanent custody to Miah. Angie knew he was the birth father and that through his Mother, he was the grandson of Mr. Havinger, a wealthy man. David would lack for nothing especially as they put in the custody papers that Gray would have access to David as usual. However, Miah and Gray had to try to get along to make a life for David even though it begins with lies. Can they come to an agreement?
Profile Image for Shari Ring Wolf.
562 reviews
December 16, 2019
Possible spoilers

This is the second book by Heather Burch that I've tried to read. I did finish this one, but I skimmed through it from about the 65% mark. The other book by Ms. Birch that I started reading I abandoned at the halfway mark. Both of the books started out good. Then I just got bored. Character development starts out strong, but then the characters start to come off as phony: too perfect, in situations that bear not even slight resemblance to life as I've known it.
Admittedly, I am not a big fan of Romance genre. I like contemporary fiction, and I thought this book was in that category. If I were focused on the romance aspect of the story...? I don't know. Maybe it's a decent story for those who like romance escape reading?
The leading characters in this book, like in Burch's other book, are both very good looking people. They don't worry much about money. They are kind hearted people with perfect integrity. Their problems are luxury problems. They are zzz zzz BORING. I knew they'd get together in the end. I should have wondered how that would come about, but I didn't really care. DEFINITE SPOILER: By the time I skimmed to the end, I didn't even want them together. The guy dumps the good, sweet girl next door...for the second time in her life! I thought he was a first class jerk. I thought she was masochistic to take him back. In real life he would have broken her heart and soul after they got married, but as readers, we were to believe that wouldn't happen.
I'm all for real love. But I don't like most romance novels because they are full of fairy tale notions about happily ever after. And gorgeous people with perfect bodies. And how they became the Brady Bunch!!
Snoozefest.
Profile Image for PhyllisRBooks.
315 reviews42 followers
July 31, 2020
read the first book in this series and so, wanted to continue with the second book. I found this story to be better than Along the Broken Road, although it is a sweet story too.

A character from the first book becomes the primary character in this book; however, you could read this book independently of the first.

If you like stories that develop relationships between characters, are believable storylines and have a romantic thread without nasty intimate scenes then you will enjoy this book. You truly feel along with the characters without the scenes being overly descriptive. I think that writing this way actually takes more literary talent. I felt the emotions right along with each of the characters.

Thank you for a beautiful story writing within a higher moral standard.
345 reviews5 followers
July 10, 2019
A heartwarming story...

...that you won't be able to put down. I've found a new best author! One with heart, wisdom and a great editor and proof reader! That's important to some of you.
Her characters are well thought out and fleshed out. Her romance is also fleshed out nicely and ends just in time for your own imagination and dreams to fill in. I've already recommended her to my friends and daughter. Give her a try and you won't be disappointed. (Unless you are into "porn' romances). This is true to life story telling, not just fiction.
2 reviews
July 30, 2018
Wonderful series!

I loved the story line on this book and all the extra work that went into it to make it a true life story. This book and the one before it definitely held my attention and I had to make myself put it down at night to go to sleep. I hope there will be more books written for this series. Heather Burch, keep on writing!!!
14 reviews
July 31, 2018
I kept wanting to read ahead to find out what was going to happen next, then going back to read each page slower so I didn't miss something else. Great look into the way returning veteran's have so much to handle that people who have never had to deal with that stuff could not begin to understand. Both books about the McKinley clan were excellent, absorbing stories.
Profile Image for Kim Defusco.
13 reviews3 followers
July 11, 2018
Sweet story

I’m shocked this was written 3 years ago and still no new addition in the series for the other 3 brothers. This is another of those books that keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next.
112 reviews
August 1, 2018
FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!

Heather, you have a wonderful gift! You can take this old curmudgeon and bring smiles, laughs and tears with your words. I have strongly urged my wife to read this book especially and to read the others also.
Profile Image for Andrea Buckley.
7 reviews
November 26, 2018
Emotional ride

I enjoyed this book as much as the first. Added more characters to the family and expanded from the first book.
Emotion in such detail, it pulled on my heart as I read along.
9 reviews
February 16, 2019
Now we need Caleb's story...

A well written story about a family finding their way to each other... and I really hope the author continues the series. Their's is a family with a lot left to be explored.
9 reviews1 follower
March 8, 2019
New favorite author!

I love a good, clean love story. But she's done more than that. So many feelings...so many emotions!!! Seriously, my new favorite author! I will be reading more of Mrs. Burch for sure!
104 reviews
December 13, 2019
Riveting story

Very surprised that this was not as predictable as I expected after reading the first book in this series. I was quite pleased with how it held your attention and it was a bit of a surprise. I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Profile Image for Diana Scoville.
39 reviews2 followers
January 31, 2020
A truly beautiful story

Thank you, Heather Burch, for another beautiful, though heart wrenching, story of how life gets in the way sometimes. Or perhaps we inadvertently get in the way of life. It’s an awesome read.
11 reviews
March 30, 2020
Gripping

I loved the first book in this series, but this one was even better. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen another twist came. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great love story with enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.
54 reviews
April 25, 2020
Beautiful love

I love this amazing story about two people in love with each other. I get travel though their love story.I love the ending of beautiful love story. I think that I like the second book of this series.
Profile Image for Angel Robinson.
16 reviews
August 13, 2020
This lady knows how to write a story!

Heather Burch is always a good read with wonderful characters. It warms my heart that she brings you to a Veteran's story that goes beyond the battlefield.
Profile Image for Melanie Melancon.
100 reviews4 followers
December 29, 2020
Waiting for Number 3

Please write the third book in this series. I want to know what happens to this family. So please don't stop because this is an excellent family story that needs to be completed.
37 reviews
July 18, 2018
Awwwwmazing

Another book by Heather that I tried to make last but had to read till it was done. Great story teller and her ability to pull you in is wonderful. Well done.
Profile Image for Carrie.
15 reviews
October 27, 2018
Addicting read

Very well written and hard to out down. It's a great follow up to the first book, which is also a great read!
Profile Image for Estella.
26 reviews3 followers
January 8, 2019
Loved this book too.

A special Thank you to all veterans that are here and all who lost their lives.. Rest in peace and thank you for serving our country.
Profile Image for Diane Brennan.
256 reviews1 follower
January 29, 2019
Sweet read

Not terribly challenging or deep, but a lovely read I did not want to put down. I wanted that happy ending to be awesome and it was.
Profile Image for Connie Crawford-Koonce.
29 reviews1 follower
February 8, 2019
Interesting

I really enjoyed this sensitive subject and the way the characters were explored. Will definitely recommend to my reading friends.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews

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