There are a few authors that keep you coming back for more. Brenda Novak is certainly one of those. Her impressive and huge list of works is proof of that. Of course, I have favorites – doesn’t everyone? But each time I get the chance to delve into the creative mind of Brenda Novak, I take it. TALULAH’S BACK IN TOWN is the latest.

Getting married at eighteen is quite an enormous step. One that Talulah Barclay grappled with and ultimately ran from. In her hometown of Coyote Canyon, she is known as the runaway bride. In doing so she seemed to have irreverently broken the heart of Charlie Gerhart and now fourteen years later Talulah is going to have to face her ex-almost-groom, his entire family, and many in the community that harbors ill feelings. Talulah had to return to Coyote Canyon to plan for her Aunt Phoebe’s funeral and the business of what to do with Phoebe’s house.

Talulah has had commitment issues since running from Charlie. She ran from two following proposed weddings. But in the meantime, she has opened a successful bake shop in Seattle and with the help of her partner Paul, the business is thriving.

So Talulah is not really surprised by the cool almost angry reception. But she is pretty resolved to get the job done and then leave Canyon probably forever. After all, why stay in a place where you are obviously not welcome?

Well, that doesn’t really seem to be the truth. There are folk that have moved on and realize that everyone makes unpopular decisions. One of these is Brant Elway who happens to be best friends with Charlie. It surprised Talulah when Brant, who had his own reputation with ladies, seemed willing to get to know her a little better. Brant realized that they had much in common, both extremely reluctant to foster any relationship that needed a commitment.

Brenda Novak fills up the pages of TALULAH’S BACK IN TOWN with great dialogue between vastly different characters. The one commonality was their relationship with the Gerhart family. Talulah does an admirable job of keeping a safe distance from any of that family. No sense in making new friendships when you are leaving in a month. No sense at all. But life has a habit of handing out challenges. In the end Talulah is going to be facing some new choices and once again decide whether to face down her past or once again leave it in the dust.

Brenda Novak loves to write about complicated relationships. Absolutely her forte and she doesn’t miss a beat in TALULAH’S BACK IN TOWN. Her characters are well-scripted and developed. Be prepared to fall in love with some intriguing folk.