There is nothing sweeter than the family you pick yourself . . .
After detective Alex Walker’s last case in Portland is skewered by a tough-as-nails attorney, he decides to finish out his career on a quiet note in the Willamette Valley. Dedicated to his job and committed to his family, he’s fine letting his brusque exterior keep even the thought of a relationship at bay—especially once he realizes his new hometown is the old hometown of the attorney who ruined his last case . . .
Single mom and attorney Kerry O’Hearn is just as wary as Alex is, thanks to her disastrous first marriage. But she isn’t fooled by Alex’s tough-guy image. When he asks for her assistance in gaining custody of two little boys from an abusive foster home, she sees what he desperately tries to hide: a giant-sized heart. Between them they have five kids and a whole barrel of bad experience. And yet, Kerry can’t shake the feeling that she and the crusty cop were meant to be . . .
Titles in the Willamette Valley series include: The Sweet Spot – First Comes Love – Right All Along –
Title: First Comes Love
Series: Willamette Valley #2
Author: Heather Heyford
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 29, 2018
Publisher: Kensington Books
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Sometimes you find a romance that is so realistic and true to life that you simply fall into it without any hesitation. First Comes Love has two people, in their mid-life, that are somewhat jaded and put off by the big city. They’ve come to this small town to redirect their lives, one with family nearby, the other looking only for solitude. The interesting twists, or one of them, is that Kerry and Alex have run into each other back in that big city life — and it left Alex with a very bad taste and the desire to leave behind his detective shield for a small town police officer position. Kerry has had unsuccessful relationships so that now all she’s focusing on is her family of three girls. She never expected to like or want a relationship with Alex, another cop, but beneath the brisk and unwelcoming exterior of this man lies a heart worth knowing… and maybe loving eventually.
I had such fun with this story and the small town cast of characters. Kerry and Alex have issues to be faced. And there is an emotional situation that Alex needs Kerry’s help with – yet, their differences of the past aren’t insurmountable as they begin to see each other for real, not their perceptions. You will find some touching and tender moment, certainly some laugh out loud ones as well. First Comes Love feels like good friends welcoming you in for a chat, it’s realistic, touching, and simply a fun read. If you love small town romances, seemingly opposites attract, and the chaos and love that a big family brings then you’d enjoy First Comes Love and this series. Now I cannot wait to get my hands on the next story in this series.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
Available in paperback and for the Kindle
