Annie Hennessey views the charred ruins of her family's
inn, destroyed by a wildfire which raged through
Sweetheart, Nevada. Luckily she's since been able to find
work with the Division of Forestry. Sam Wyler surprises
Annie by arriving back in town after living in California,
a widower with a daughter, intending to buy a local ranch
and start a hospitality business. They'd once been close,
but she had thought she'd seen the last of him. And if
Annie had the money, she'd have bought the Gold Nugget
ranch herself.
THE RANCHER'S HOMECOMING is not all plain sailing as there
are no horses, the house is long abandoned and Sam's
daughter Lyndsey insists on adopting two abandoned baby
possums. But with many in the town needing work since the
fire, pretty soon Sam's bought up a livery stable's stock
and hired a hand, and a local lady is thrilled with the job
of housekeeper. Annie meanwhile is coping with insurance
forms, a remarried ex-husband who wants to take custody of
their daughter, a depressed mother and a grandmother whose
wits are wandering from the stress of losing her home.
Since her ex runs the general store, she can't escape the
situation and Sam's offer of friendship has to be met with
caution because of the plentiful town gossips.
Animals wander in and out of this tale, from goats and
ponies to an injured goshawk, adding to the realism and
liveliness. The ranch used to be the setting for a Western
TV show long ago and again this adds depth to the
location. The slowed economy means construction firms
charge less and workers are keen, so the reconstruction
that occurs around Sweetheart is believable and very
positive. Annie's dilemmas give her yet more to handle
while she is trying to hold down a job, be a good mother
and restore her family's business, making her a diversely
capable woman and an example to us all.
Cathy McDavid has written a straightforward modern western
with very human dilemmas and while the romance is
foreseeable she keeps enough tension to make it
interesting. THE RANCHER'S HOMECOMING is a good summer
read and an inspiration to all of us in trying to restart
the economy.
It's gone—everything Annie Hennessey, and two generations of
Hennesseys before her, had worked so hard to build. The
devastating forest fire didn't just claim her family's
Sweetheart Inn—it also burned half a town whose livelihood
is wedding tourism. Now the struggle to rebuild is just
beginning, and Sam Wyler's sudden reappearance isn't going
to make things any easier on Annie.
Nine years ago, Annie and Sam were deeply in love. When he
left to seek his fortune, Annie couldn't forgive him. Now
Sam, widowed with a young daughter, is back and eager to
help the town recover. But Annie needs more than bricks and
builders to heal her proud and wounded heart. Could the love
they once shared hold the key
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