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| Painted Pony Creek, Montana – Present Day Madison Bettencourt planned the perfect life as one marriage ended, and she wanted a baby. She agreed to marry a man despite her reservations about his attachment to his mother. It came to a head on her wedding day when she learned that her mother-in-law would be going on the honeymoon with them. She walked out and retreated to her grandmother’s mansion. Her grandmother is currently in a nursing home, where dementia has slowly taken her away from Madison. As she spends time in the mansion, memories resurface of a little girl who befriended her years ago—and then disappeared. What happened to Bliss Morgan? While on Madison’s escape from her wedding, she went into a local bar and met the bartender, Liam McKettrick, a local rancher, and single father of two children who lost their mother a year ago. Liam and Madison click, but both feel they are not ready for a relationship. Besides, Madison will probably leave once her grandmother dies, while Liam has to deal with the tension he has with his children. But they seem perfect for each other. Is there a way they can find a future together? Madison lost her parents when she was young, and she came to live with her grandmother. But after Madison started asking questions about Bliss, her grandmother sent her away to boarding school, with only an occasional visit home. As she grapples with sadness over her grandmother’s medical condition, she decides to occupy herself with finding out what happened to Bliss. No one seems to know what happened to her. Liam’s children have been living with their maternal grandparents, but they are getting up in age and are not well, so the children are currently with their aunt. But now it’s time for the children to move to Montana, a place that his daughter is not happy about. Liam gets to know Madison better in the meantime, but they have to stop whatever is brewing between them when his kids arrive. Things are not easy as the reunited family adjusts. Will therapy and time heal this family? While most of the points of view are Madison and Liam, we also get to see a third one in WHERE THE CREEK BENDS. It’s Bliss Morgan. Turns out that down by the river which runs behind Bettencourt Place is a secret place that sucks people into the past. Bliss finds herself in a time period she doesn’t recognize but is taken in by a kindly widow with a young son, Jack. Readers get the first hint that maybe the past and present are tied together. You will have to read this tale to see why. WHERE THE CREEK BENDS is a mix of contemporary romance with a side of suspense. What happened to Bliss? Will Madison be able to talk to her grandmother to find out if she knows what happened to the child? Will Liam mend fences with his children? The story sizzles with on-the-edge storytelling and the reason I am giving it a Perfect 10. Once you start reading, you won’t want to stop. Pick up WHERE THE CREEK BENDS and plan to spend lots of time immersed as you find out what happens to everyone. Patti Fischer |
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WHERE THE CREEK BENDS – Linda Lael Miller