Currant Creek Valley (Hope's Crossing)
Alexandra McKnight is about to realize her dream of being a chef when Brodie Thorne, a wealthy resident of Hope’s Crossing, decides to build an upscale restaurant. Sam Delgado, a widowed carpenter, is brought in from Denver to finish the building. Alex likes short romances; she doesn’t want a long-term commitment and always checks to make sure the men she dates are not married or already in a relationship. So her plan to have a fling with the handsome carpenter runs into complications when it turns out that Sam has a six-year-old son and will be making Hope’s Crossing his permanent home. Characters encountered in Thayne’s (Woodrose Mountain, 2012) earlier books make appearances that enhance the pleasure for fans but won’t detract from the experience of readers new to the series. As always, the denizens of this small, authentic Colorado town work their way right into the hearts of readers in Thayne’s latest feel-good read. --Diana Tixier Herald