Simple Man

Whisky River Road #9

by Kelly Moore

She ran away hard and fast to escape a reality she couldn’t face. He was forced to live life without her. Can the rift between them ever be mended? Can he learn to trust her again?

Jane took off without a word, disappearing into the night. She left behind the one man she truly loved. Her misguided thoughts wanted him to move on without her. If she couldn’t give him a child, someone else could. She left town before she knew the truth…and she’ll regret her choice when she finds out.

Ethan is a Simple Man. He knows what he wants and needs. Jane is his heart’s desire and the only woman for him. When she runaways out of the blue, he’s lost and finds himself a single father. What option does he have other than learning to live without his wife?

He searched for her for months before he finally gave up. A year later, after he’d finally figured out how to live on his own as a single dad, he sees her standing in the background during a television interview. Should he go after her or leave well enough alone?

Genres: Romance

330 pages, Paperback

Published November 7, 2021

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Armed with books in the crook of my elbow, I can go anywhere. That’s my philosophy! Better yet, I’ll write the books that will take me on an adventure.

My heroes are a bit broken but will make you swoon. My heroines are their own kick-ass characters armed with humor and a plethora of sarcasm.

If I’m not tucked away in my writing den, with coffee firmly gripped in hand, you can find me with a book propped on my pillow, a pit bull lying across my legs, a Lab on the floor next to me, and two kittens running amuck.

My current adventure has me living in Idaho with my own gray-bearded hero, who’s put up with my shenanigans for over thirty years, and he doesn’t mind all my book boyfriends.
If you love romance, suspense, military men, lots of action and adventure infused with emotion, tear-worthy moments, and laugh-out-loud humor, dive into my books and let the world fall away at your feet.
I love to hear from readers.
Join me at my website
www.kellymooreauthor.com

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Reviews

[Becky Claxon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting for this book. It was so good like the rest of Ms. Moore’s book. If you remember, in the last book Jane ran away because the baby her friend was carrying died. She was so rash and didn’t think clearly before taking off and hearing the whole story. There were twins, and one lived. I loved what Ethan named her, Mercy. My heart went out to Ethan so many times, and I was so proud of him wanting to raise Mercy on his own. The Calhouns are never alone as that whole family was always there for each other. Ethen was so heartbroken I didn’t know if he would make it at times. I was mad at Jane too, but I was happy that she ended up in a town where Gerty and Harold took good care of her. This book has everything you would want in a book—laughter, heartbreak, love, support, and forgiveness. I can’t urge you strongly enough to read this book. I was given a copy and voluntarily wrote a review.

[Jennie Fortna · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC for honest review with no compensation

Simple Man is book 9 in the Whiskey River series by Kelly Moore, we pick up the story of Jane and Ethan (Magnolia Mill) after Jane takes off and disappears for over a year. OMG..Ms. Moore draws you in right from page one and holds you hostage til the very last page!

Will Ethan ever find Jane and bring her back into the family fold and the miracle she has missed out on for the last year..only time will tell…

Can’t wait for more Whiskey River books!

[Treasa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ain't So SIMPLE!
Simple Man ain't so simple. It's Emotional and had me needy with every page that i had a Hard time putting it down. You get redemption for the past and hopes for so much more. It's another outstanding story in this high on emotions and insatiable series that always gives me more that i could hope and still has me needing more.

[Gina Burkart · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a sweet country read that will have you seeing the light of this amazing story. This story will pull you in from the very start to the last page.

[Nicole ReadingBetweenTheSheets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Kelly Moore has my heart on a skewer. Simple Man, the 9th book of Ms. Moore’s Whiskey River Road series was PERFECTION! Everything about it was emotional and had me on a roller coaster ride!

This series needs to be read in order…and at the end of book 8, Jane had taken off after unfound fearing of a repeat of devastation. Ethan, a simple man, was the one who was left with devastation... and a broken heart…and a baby to care for. He doesn’t want to give up his search for her, but doesn’t understand how she could leave him when they had already been through so much and he thought she knew he was his world.

The little side stories brought the book together flawlessly. The characters are some of my VERY favorite characters of any romance novels. I love the multiple POV in this series. I couldn't wait to get my hands and eyes on this book! The author had taken such a huge leap with this story line and the ending of Lucky Man (book 8), and I was SO mad at Jane! Is it possible she could redeem herself?

The whole book was SO wonderfully written…and that ending!!! Oh. My. Gosh. I cannot express how strongly you all need to read this series! Please take my advice and read them in order as it gives you a background on the lovely (Calhoun) family dynamic!

[Rebmay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was emotional, raw and so good! Ethan is the kind of guy any woman would feel lucky to have by her side. Alpha, protective sexy as all get out and possessing a giant, soft heart that he shows to those he loves. Jane, well she tends to be selfish, needy and way too impulsive. Instead of sticking near her husband when a shared tragedy occurs, she flees. She doesn’t tell Ethan where she is going and doesn’t communicate with him at all. I get that she felt her husband would be better off without her in his life because she can’t bear children, but she wasn’t the only one feeling grief, and her actions meant she didn’t know that there was a silver lining in that tragic situation. Is Ethan’s love for Jane strong enough for him to forgive her unintended cruelty, the months spent searching for her only to find she has made a new life for herself?

This book is also a testament to the unconditional love and support of a family. The Calhoun’s rallied around Ethan to help him after Jane disappeared. Their family dynamic is wonderfully inspiring. I love this book and all the others in this series. I don’t want this series to end. Give me more Calhoun stories please!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tara Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another emotional, fantastic read in the series. Ethan will have your heart breaking. I found Jane beyond annoying for a lot of the book. I understood deep down why she ran, but I still find it irritating that she ran instead of talking to her husband. True love never dies and that is what they have, she just has to find her way back home and beg forgiveness and he needs to find her and a way to forgive her.
I liked seeing the rest of the Calhouns, but the mayor is kind of disgusting (I only hope we find out why she is the way she is in more detail). The final book in the series is looking to be fantastic and I am sure will answer all the questions that remain.
I am not sure I could have forgiven my signing other if he did what Jane did, but their journey was so heartfelt, that I couldn’t help but root for them. I wish there would have been a few chapters where we saw her interactions with Mercy and the rest of the family. I love this series and will hate to see the end of it.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection! I don’t think I have ever given this author less then 5 stars and I can only think of one other author I can say that for. This was Perfection!! I loved this book, I love this series. Kelly always takes the extra time and effort to blow her readers away and she did. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. In the previous book, Jane ran away because the baby her friend was carrying died. Jane was so upset, she didn’t stop or wait to hear everything. The babies were twins and one baby twin died. The baby was named Mercy and if Ethan doesn’t squeeze your heart nothing will. He is one of my fav book boyfriends. He just epitomizes what an amazing father is and a good human being. He attracts because of his hear6t and because I was so taken with his goodness I was angry with Jane for running. I’m already looking forward to the next book. I was glad the author gave us some happy lighter moments as well. Well done! I voluntarily received an arc copy of this book from the author.

[Elaine Coghlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Man ~ Whiskey River Road#9 by Kelly Moore.
Kelly is one of my go-to authors because I can always count on her books to go above and beyond. I'm always entertained and encouraged by her amazingly real characters facing real-life kinds of struggles. There's depth to her books and I always feel hope when I finish the story.
The Calhauns,well,they are family, when reading their stories I feel like I'm there and at home. I believe this is one of the most important aspects of Kelly's writing as she draws the reader in from beginning to end.
I loved this book and you will too! Highly recommend!
Kelly, thank you, so much for this amazing story and of course the whole series.I know for a fact that I'm going to be at a lost when the series ends on the next book.im sure I wont be the only one,if only they could continue;)

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Man is simply fantastic! Ethan and Jane are deeply in love but Jane can't give him a child. He repeatedly tells her that he is a simple man who only wants her, that children don't matter. But Jane wants him to have his own child. Their good friend Molly agrees to carry Ethan's child but miscarries once and then again when carrying twins. Jane is devastated and runs away. A year passes without a word from her. Unbeknownst to her Molly only lost one of the twins and delivers a healthy girl. The story is so beautiful and full of angst, with Jane punishing herself and Ethan unable to move forward. Adding to the story is Tally, unabashedly lusting after all the Calhoun men. This has been a fabulous series and I hate to see it end, but the next book is reportedly the last. I'm sure Ms Moore will come up with more to enthrall her readers.

[Nicki - The Overflowing Bookcase · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a year since Jane walked away from Ethan and her family when tragedy struck, but even though she left a day has not gone by without his heart breaking more and more. But when he finally finds her and discovers that she has made a new life for herself without him will he be the one to walk away this time? Or wil he fight for the woman he has given his heart too? Not only does the reader get a heart wrenching story about love lost they also get the rest of the Calhoun clan. With a story filled with love, lust, heartache and second chances Kelly Moore has once again given the reader an addition to the series that will instantly become a favorite. I cannot wait to see where she will go with the family next.

[Mary Mutisya-Astin · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is just a simple man!

Ethan is not coping after Jane disappeared a year ago and left him holding the baby, literally. Albeit she didn’t know about the baby at the time as she was so full of grief she didn’t stick around to find out there was still a heartbeat.

A year later and he needs to move on but is still seeking answers for everything. So when a chance sighting of her shows up he decides to take chance to see for himself what she has been doing.

I have been waiting for this story to be told and it was definitely worth the wait. I’m too excited to see what could possibly be in store for the next and final instalment of this family saga. Bring it on!

I read this book voluntarily for an honest review.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I opened this book knowing that it was going to take a miracle for the author to get me to the point where I could forgive Jane for her actions at the end of the previous one. I fought it long and hard the whole way through. It took a lot of angst, tension, and drama to get me there, but it happened. I was made a believer, that Ethan and Jane could come out of this situation stronger, better people. My heart bled for what Ethan was going through. And there was a vindictive part of me that rejoiced every time someone told it to Jane straight. There are plenty of other things going on while all that was taking place and some of those threads aren’t completely tied off yet. I’m anxious to see how it will all wrap up.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.

[Charmaine Nouwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Man by Kelly Moore is a heartwarming,emotional and enjoyable romance story of Jane and Ethan..a woman who left the man she love for him to find a new love that she can give to him the one thing she cannot give to him,a FAMILY..A Man who love and adore his wife is devastated when she left him without a trace like a thief in the night..he search for her but after a while he decided to stop it for the sake of their daughter,the daughter she didnt know about..And now a year later he saw her in the news and finally found her..can he bring her back and finally to be a complete family? read it to find out!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ethan is a simple man. A man who loves his job, his daughter, his family, and most of all his wife but he doesn’t know if he can ever move on from her. Jane fled from her dream perfect life when the pain of not being able to give Ethan a baby got to be too much. She still loves and misses him dearly but thinks he deserves to have a woman that can give him children. Besides she’s been gone too long for Ethan and her family to forgive her selfishness. Ellie unexpectedly finds out where Jane is and the Calhouns encourage Ethan to go find her. Will he be enough to bring her back? This book only strengthens my love for the Calhouns and I’m sad to find out the next book will be their last.

[Cathy Tremblay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't felt that torned between two characters in a long time !
I ached for both of them , felt their pain and sadness carrying guilt and heartache every single chapter. Ethan and his undeniable love for his missing wife, his tiredness from working so much and caring for Mercy, meanwhile dying slowly deep inside.

Jane and her newfound "home" trying to live a new life but carrying her sadness like a beacon. I wanted to kick them both at the same time ! Thought it would be an easy predictable HEA but as usual Kelly found a few ways to throw us out of the loop. Loved Ethan and Jane's story but oh my! Did I ever wanted to make Tally disappear ! She's no match for the Calhoun women !

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Man is the ninth book in the Whiskey River Road series and the continuation of Ethan and Jane's story. After everything they have been through Jane has left Ethan because she thinks he needs to find someone who can give him children. Now a year later Ethan knows where she is and he's determined to prove to her that they belong together. This is a small town romance that pulled at my heartstrings and is filled with family drama, angst, heartache, secrets, love, second chances, and a happily ever after. Ethan and Jane's story is a great addition to the Whiskey River Road series and I can't wait to read the next book by this amazing author. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane has alot to overcome with the burdens of the past. Jane ran away one year ago from everyone and everything that was good in her life. She turned her back on her husband thinking he is better off to move on because she cannot give him children. She felt unworthy of Ethan's love. This is how she lived when she left, has she healed and what does it take to have her return. I cannot wait to read the final book in this awesome series.

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book & series!
I am so happy Jane was redeemed! I was very worried that I wouldn’t like this book. It made me angry the way Jane left and I wasn’t quite sure I would forgive her. I should know better & trust that Kelly Moore would write a compelling storyline that would allow forgiveness. I also appreciate the ongoing mystery & am excited that we have another Whiskey River Road book to look forward to reading.

[Jarylynn Schlegel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I read in the series and now want to go back and start from beginning. I really enjoyed the story. The emotions were truly felt through the whole book for both characters. Fetal loss is tough and working through the emotions is even harder. It can affect everyone around you. No one knows how you feel unless you have been through it and this was a great portrayal of the life event

[Indie · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it !!! love Ethan... and Jane ? this is their story... a fast paced drama...Jane left... she doesn't know the whole story...Ethan is heart broken ... he tried looking for her then, just stopped... he is raising his daughter alone... well, with the families help...what happens when he finds her ? will he go after her ? or just let it be ?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Erin OBrien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Man is no simple story. Jane and Ethan’s story is so complex and emotional, you “simply” won’t be able to put it down. And there’s a little loose end that could bleed into Rose’s story? In true Kelly Moore fashion, we’re left wanting “Moore”. Ok, enough play on words. Go get you some Whiskey River goodness! 5 stars!!

[Christine Jalili · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It’s an emotional journey that Jane had to go through. Hated that she ran away from Ethan and her family. Will they ever forgive her? Can Ethan give her another chance? She really broke his heart. Thankfully there’s a happy ever after. I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy and I recommend this book. It’s best to read these books in order.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a tough book to read.
To see Ethan that hurt and struggling with their daughter at the same time. Alone!
To understand Jane’s reason for leaving, when she should have stayed, both for Ethan and Molly’s sake. Then to like her again…
It made you think.. That is for me, the best you can get, when reading a book. That it makes you think.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a heartbreaking story with Ethan and Jane. Jane leaves Ethan because she can not give him children and thinks he will be better off finding someone who can. Ethan searches for her for a long time until he decides to live his life until she comes back. Jane was immature because she did not talk to Ethan about the situation and he was a great guy to take her back.

[Brandi Sartin lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series! I love that you see the whole family and not just a couple of them. Ethan became a single dad when his wife ran way. Ethan has searched snd searched for her. Can he find her? Will she come back? And of course there is always someone trying to cause trouble for the Calhouns.

[Cali Jewel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this edge of your seat, highly entertaining and emotional journey. This is a heart racing, action packed, emotionally thrilling adventure filled with engaging charters, witty dialog, exciting turns and undeniable passion.... was a great read.

[Crystal Wilke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh the tears!!!! Make sure you have a box of tissues. Simple Man was amazing!!! I absolutely love this series. Definitely recommend reading.

[Kathleen Bradbury (Bulfon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good second chance romance, small-town romance stories. This one gives you all that and more! Amazing characters you fall in love with and the story flows smoothly from cover to cover.

[Sheila Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple Man is the next book in this series and continues the story of Jane and Ethan. Jane has run from her loving husband because she can't give Ethan a child. She finds herself in Eureka Springs and is befriended by 2 unlikely people. Will she find her way back to Ethan and her old life? Hint: there is an HEA ending for these characters!
Kelly Moore has penned a wonderful book, touching this reader's heart as she helps her readers navigate the minefield surrounding Ethan and Jane's marriage. All the characters are multidimensional, making the storyline believable.
As a reader, I would not classify this book as a stand-alone novel and highly recommend reading Lucky Man, the previous book in this series, before tackling Simple Man. There is a lot of background on Ethan and Jane's relationship that the reading audience will need before understanding this book. With that caveat, I rate this book 5 stars.