Series:
Family Ties (Foster) (Book 1)
She's more than the girl next door. She's the one who got
away.
When Callie McCallahan left for the big city, she had a
plan. Since then, she's had some bumps in the road, most recently her failed
business and engagement. When she inherits her uncle's Kentucky farm, it's the
perfect do-over. With her social media skills, she'll attract a whole new
following and refresh her career. The only thing is…she knows nothing about
farming.
For Tanner Patrick, Callie was the one who got away. He
crushed on her in high school, but she barely knew he existed. Ten years later,
she's moved back -- and now she lives next door. Tanner keeps his head down and
focuses on his family's tree farm. But when he sees Callie is afraid of
chickens and can't run a tractor -- and looking pretty down-to-earth and happy
-- Tanner finds her impossible to ignore.
Good slow-burn, small-town romance. Callie grew up in
Hoker, the small town's "princess" daughter of the town's wealthiest
family. She wasn't snobby or mean, just a bit unconscious of the people outside
her circle. Callie left for college and didn't return until she inherited her
uncle's farm. By then, she was looking for a new start. Her business had failed,
and she discovered her fiancé cheated on her. She hopes to reinvigorate her
video blog with luck and hard work and get new followers. The only hitch in her
plan is that she knows nothing about farming!
Tanner grew up in Hoker and never left. He works the tree
farm next to Callie's property and remembers her as the out-of-reach girl he
crushed on in high school. The last thing he expected was to find her wandering
through the woods between their properties.
I enjoyed watching Callie and Tanner's relationship
develop. I laughed at their first encounter as she and her cousin Glory got
lost in the woods and ended up on Tanner's property. He isn't happy about the
trespassers and purposely attempts to scare them away using his chainsaw. I
loved seeing Callie stand up to him and refuse to be intimidated. Tanner isn't
happy to learn about Callie's plans for her farm, as he had his own plans for the
property. He starts out believing, or hoping, that she will get bored with the work
needed and give up. But the longer she stays, the more he admires her
determination and resilience.
I loved Callie's determination. She refuses to give up
even though she is in way over her head. She knows nothing about farming or
taking care of the animals. She's scared of the chickens and the other
wildlife. Callie is independent and wants to stand on her own two feet, but
eventually realizes that accepting help doesn't mean she's weak.
The more time Callie and Tanner spend together, the closer
they grow. Callie is in no rush for another relationship, but she can't deny
the feelings that Tanner stirs in her. Tanner spends a lot of time fighting and
denying his feelings. Past trauma makes him reluctant to trust or risk his
heart, but Callie finds her way past his walls. One of my favorite things about
Tanner is how he sees and understands her. There is a terrific scene where her
ex-fiancé shows up, trying to win her back. She confronts him with all the ways
he failed her, while in the background, Tanner comes out with all the correct
answers. He also turns protective when Callie's parents and ex begin to
pressure her, and odd things happen around her house. The ending was intense,
as Callie's problems with her ex came to a head in an unexpected confrontation.
I loved the twists and surprises that came out of it.
The secondary characters were terrific. Callie's cousin,
Glory, is also her best friend and supporter. She seems a little flighty but finds
her place by the end of the book. I'd love to see her, and Tanner's brother Kam
get together. Kam is Tanner's brother-of-the-heart. Their love and support of
each other are important to the story. Their teasing is fun to watch as they
like giving each other a hard time, but don't try to mess with either of them.
Addie is the older woman who raised Tanner and Kam. Her care, compassion, and
practicality gave them the needed love and stability. I loved how she took to
Callie and Glory, including them in her circle of love. She was also a big
influence on Callie as she learned her way around her new life. Dirk and Lang
were Callie's neighbors on the other side of her house. Their reputations are
sketchy, but they turn out okay in the end. Liam and Nell are two teenagers who
Tanner mentors. Their love and respect for him are apparent, and I loved how
important they became to Callie.
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