Review: 5 amazing stars
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 15, 2013
**ARC**Brennan is running from her old life & her abusive husband Darrin. She doesn’t care where she goes as long as he never finds her. The train stops in Sterling, Wyoming and she knows that this is where she needs to be. The less people around to know what she looks like, the safer she will be, or so she thinks.She walks into a Diner and is greeted by Betty who is more than friendly and understands more than most, that everyone has a story. Bren asks Betty if there is anywhere in the small town to stay and she directs her towards Bailey’s Boarding House. Bren walks into Bailey’s and right away she meets the owner, Bailey who needs some help. Bren feels an instant pull towards the older woman needing some help. Bailey offers her a place to stay and she knows that she is close to finding her way home.Bailey has sent Hutchinson up to get Bren for dinner that night since she can't make the trek up the step to the 3rd floor herself. As soon as Bren opens the door, she feels this crazy pull towards Hutch, something that she feels she shouldn't be feeling since she has just left her abusive husband behind in Florida. What ever it is with him, she doesn’t care. He is more than willing to help her about and find her way around.Bailey starts working at Betty’s Cafe and is making a routine and starting to really like Sterling and everyone in the small town. She is really hoping that Darrin never finds her. For the first time since marrying him she can breathe and be herself. But she is still hiding her true identity from everyone and she is afraid that if they find out who she is, that they won't help hide her anymore. But Bailey keeps telling her, that when she is ready, she can tell her story and no one will judge her at all, because like most people drawn to Sterling, they are all hiding something from their past.Once Bren finally lets Hutch into her heart, it is like a romance unlike any she has ever dreamt could happen to her. She has opened her heart 100% to him and is genuinely happy for the first time in her life, but like everything, she knows he is hiding something from her. Hutch has always been more than vocal with why he landed in Sterling, but he hasn't found the right time to tell Bren. He knows she is very understanding, but will she open up to him finally?Bren has been keeping in touch with Simon who is her best friend and has helped her run from Darrin. Simon is starting to get worried and is coming to Sterling to see Bren and hopefully hide from Darrin himself. Simon comes to Sterling with his boyfriend Chris and they are right away taken aback by how close this small town is and how welcoming everyone is. They now understand why Bren is here.Bren’s true identity comes out and it is like all along they knew she was hiding. No one passes judgement on her and she is finally free when all learn that Zoey is Bren. She feels like she can be fixed and no longer broken. Hutch has given her so much love and Bailey has become like a grandmother to her and when something tragic happens and hits this town, everyone comes together and stands behind all that are affected.The story from this point on, moves and becomes intense and is way more than a page turner. My heart was beating the whole time I was finishing this book. This is the first book by Vicki Green that I have read and I am now on a task to finish her library. She has written this book with such intensity and love that you can not help but want to keep reading instead of doing daily house work.