Book Description:
She ran away years ago. He never truly let her go. Will their renewed romance survive her shameful secret?
Lauren Carter can’t seem to catch a break. Suddenly jobless and blindsided by her grandmother’s rapidly declining health, she decides to finally return home after a lengthy self-imposed exile. But nothing could have prepared her for the pain of running into her old sweetheart.
Blake Tully has tried and failed to forget the woman who left him behind. So when she shows up back in town without warning, he can’t repress his raw flood of feelings. But after he sees her family crumbling under massive emotional and financial strain, he vows to step up and support her.
Burdened by the skeletons of her scandalous past, Lauren tries to resist falling all over again. And though Blake is ready for anything, he fears Lauren’s hesitance has already doomed any hope for their future.
Can Lauren and Blake find the path to forgiveness and finally settle down together?
Unraveled is the first book in the Emerald Cove Christian romance series. If you like second-chance loves, heartfelt suspense, and touching redemption, then you’ll adore Heidi McCahan’s inspirational story.
Narelle’s Thoughts:
Unraveled is the first book in Heidi McCahan’s Emerald Cove series. We meet Lauren in Portland, Oregon, when her life is in chaos. She needs to find a new job, her car is falling apart, the girl who shares her townhouse may be addicted to prescription painkillers, and her fiance bails on the vacation they’ve planned to visit her family in Alaska.
Lauren is very concerned about the future of her relationship with her fiance, who is a surgeon and supposedly a good catch. When she arrives in Emerald Cove, Alaska, she’s perplexed to discover her attraction to childhood sweetheart, Blake, hasn’t gone away. She ran from Blake and her family to start a new life in Oregon. She has hidden a big secret from everyone in Emerald Cove. A secret that still haunts her eight years later.
Blake was devastated when Lauren left him, and he struggled to get his life back on track. He now owns a successful whitewater rafting and kayaking business with his brother, and he’s intrigued by Lauren’s reappearance in his life. His faith is strong and he has forgiven Lauren for walking out on their relationship. He’s a lovable hero who is very different in character to her self-absorbed fiance.
Lauren’s beloved granny is struggling with health issues and she is admitted to the hospital. Lauren’s parents want her to stay longer in Emerald Cove to help out at the family owned inn. When Lauren’s engagement is called off, she has no compelling reason to return to Portland. The Emerald Cove setting is stunning – who wouldn’t want to take an extended vacation in a gorgeous location in Alaska?
We journey with Lauren as she reconnects with family and old friends, and questions the direction of her life. A long held secret in Lauren’s family is exposed, and Lauren’s growing relationship with Blake is threatened by her inability to communicate and talk with him about why she left Emerald Cove. When all of Lauren’s past secrets are exposed, her lukewarm faith is challenged and she risks losing what she values the most – a future with Blake.
Unraveled is an emotion-charged and powerful story that delves into some big issues that can confront families. The characters make mistakes and have to deal with the consequences of their decisions, often many years later. I loved the small town setting of Emerald Cove, and the well developed minor characters added to the authenticity of the story. I highly recommend Unraveled to contemporary romance readers who enjoy small town reunion romance stories.