This Wandering Heart by Janine Rosche

 

This Wandering Heart by Janine Rosche

Madison River Romance series: Book One

A fellow reader recommended this book to me. So glad my library had it in e-book format.

Let’s begin with the summary:

In the first entry in the Madison River Romance series, Keira Knudsen gets the traveling opportunity of a lifetime, but when she reunites with her first love, Robbie, she learns that even a wandering heart needs a home....

No one in the quaint town of West Yellowstone, Montana, knows that unassuming geography teacher Keira Knudsen moonlights as sensational travel blogger Kat Wanderfull. No one, that is, except for her first love, Robbie Matthews, who has just discovered the woman he is falling for online is the same one that broke his heart five years ago.

But Robbie has another problem: the mother of his daughter, Anabelle, has resurfaced after a three-year absence determined to rip Anabelle away from him. Robbie needs a steady paycheck for a chance at custody, and now, on the eve of a grand adventure that could give Keira a chance to flee her old, troubled life once and for all, she is in need of assistance.

With so much broken trust between them, Keira and Robbie must keep an arms-length away to make this partnership work. But the more time they spend together, exploring majestic places and sharing new experiences, the closer they get—until their secrets and dreams threaten to cost them everything.

And now, my review:

Oh, I loved this book! I haven’t read this author before (that I recall). We have a travel blogger who serves as a product influencer. A very interesting, trendy career. Loved that. She’s nomadic and troubled by her past. But she's also looking for a good relationship.

The hero is a great single father to his young daughter. This aspect was so well written. He sacrificed and protected, and their interactions were adorable. 

I loved that this was a reunion romance. These two were once in love. They share a pen pal relationship, which I really enjoyed. 

The author’s prose and descriptions helped immersed me in the story. I felt I was in the locations Kat Wanderfull visited. 

Here’s an example of the author's prose: “…before finding his eyes, which still lingered on her mouth. A dreamy expression flickered across his face. If she had to guess, he found his way to the same memory, but he set up a picnic there.” (page 43)

Or this: “Just like that, a portion of her fortress crumbled. And Keira had no immediate plans to rebuild.” (page 84)

These two had fun banter! Their jobs force them together, leading to some great romantic tension. From what I could find this isn’t a Christian publisher, but the story is “clean” or wholesome. (You won’t find nudity, profanity, or sex scenes.)

My favorite part of this book, on top of all the other things I loved about it, was the way the author included God in the story. She added a touch here and there. Two-way dialogue, God directing the imperfect characters. So good! 

The book deals with some heavier material, but it’s not overly so. I found a ton to love about it and looked forward to reading opportunities throughout the day. I could barely put it down to tackle life stuff.

The overall feel is that of hope as light comes into the circumstances. A great story. A great romance. Imperfect characters who grow and find hope. Excellent prose. I loved it. 

Looking forward to checking out the next books in this series.

Highly recommended!