The Road to Cardinal Valley
Hoping to remove her troubled, alcoholic brother, Nash, from the temptations of Nashville, widowed Ruby returns with him to friendly, small-town Cardinal, California, hoping for a new start. She soon settles in, with the help of her former husband Cole’s relatives, especially Cole’s aunt and his brother, Lucas, who has developed romantic feelings for Ruby. Nash doesn’t feel comfortable in Cardinal, however, and begins drinking again. Ruby has been bitter since she and Nash were abandoned as children by their mother, Etta, but when Nash gets into deep trouble, Ruby reunites with Etta to help him. Ultimately, Ruby finds acceptance, love, and forgiveness as well as the importance of friends and family. Like The Saddlemaker’s Wife (2006), this sequel, populated by a cast of well-developed, sympathetic characters, is less about mystery and suspense and more about the details of life in a small-town ranching community. --Sue OBrien