Title:  Leaving Yesterday
Series:  Laurel Falls #1
Author:  Zoe Dawson
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  February 9, 2016
Publisher:  Random House – Loveswept
My Rating:  4.5 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

Laurel Falls, Montana, features spectacular mountain scenery—but it takes a rugged cowboy to convince one woman to slow down and enjoy the view.

Rafferty Hamilton doesn’t plan on putting down roots anytime soon. With her divorce final, the hotel heiress has left Manhattan behind to scout new locations for her family’s chain of resorts. Which is why it’s so frustrating to be stranded in Laurel Falls while a good-looking, slow-talking, Stetson-wearing mechanic takes his sweet time with her overheated coupe.

A decorated vet who paid his dues in Afghanistan, Trace Black can fix anything with an engine and get it revving—even Rafferty’s ridiculous sports car. He couldn’t say the same for the knockout driver, who looks like she’s never gripped a gear shaft in her life. Women like Rafferty don’t usually stick around in Laurel Falls, but Trace finds himself showing her everything his hometown has to offer before she cruises on down the road.

As the days pass, Rafferty finds herself charmed by the pace of life and the openhearted warmth of the residents. She’s even tempted to trust again—and it’s all thanks to Trace. He’s not the kind of guy she’s used to falling for, but he just might be the man she needs.

Read on for my thoughts on Leaving Yesterday.  No true spoilers, promise.

The last thing Rafferty expected when her car broke down outside of Laurel Falls, Montana was to have her life changed by such a mundane thing.  Cars break down all the time, but this time she would have to stay in this sleepy, almost dead, small town for weeks until the part arrived.  It gave her the chance to slow down, recover a bit from her recent divorce from that cheating jerk and just maybe allow her to find a way to help both her family business and this small town to come alive again.  Maybe it was wishful thinking, but there were possibilities here in Laurel Falls – and maybe exactly what she needed most of all.

Now it’s true that Trace might have laid on the country bumpkin cowboy just a bit thick for this city slicker.  Anyone who drove a custom car like that probably expected it.  But day-um she was a beauty – and the lady wasn’t bad either.  Trace possessed that rare quality – a good heart.  He knew the trouble Rafferty would have trying to find a place to stay and hang out here for weeks until the parts came in.  So he found her a place to stay with a local, showed her the charm of his small town home and the unique people who lived there.  If he was slowly falling for her charm, well, he knew she wouldn’t stay but still he couldn’t seem to care too much about tomorrow when today spent with this amazing woman was everything he ever wanted.

As Rafferty spent time with Trace and the townsfolk the charm and beauty of the area grew on her.  She had ideas on ways to improve the economy of Laurel Falls and solve one part of this road trip’s original purpose.  Too bad she wasn’t as forthcoming with all her information as Trace has been an open book to her.  She’s falling for the man, his family and his town – and if everything works out just right she’ll have everything she needs for her own happiness.  But those pesky best laid plans…

I loved Leaving Yesterday, and I feel it’s an excellent start to the series.  Now, I’ll also be honest with you – there is a lot going on in this story.  You’re going to meet a lot of people, Trace’s family and the people who call Laurel Falls home.  They all have their own stories, with a couple threads woven through the story of things that may continue throughout the series… we’ll have to see on that thought.  I, personally, enjoy a finely detailed first story in a series.  The world building matters to me if I’m going to believe in the people who will live in this series.  Secondary characters can make or break a story for me – and we have some lively, interesting and really nice  people in this town – and many will have their own stories come to light within the length of this series.

Trace is amazing.  I want to call him the best of the good ol’ boys but he is so much more and deeper than that.  He is one of those truly good guys that loves his family, his town and takes on responsibilities without a chip on his shoulder.  Besides, he’s as hot as a July sidewalk.  Rafferty comes alive the more time she spends with Trace and this town.  She’s a strong, caring woman who has depths to her that not even she realized.  I liked them both individually and as a couple.

I’m definitely looking forward to where this series takes us.  The next story is due out in the Fall of 2016.  I can’t wait to revisit Laurel Falls once again.

*I received an e-ARC of Leaving Yesterday from the publisher, Random House – Loveswept and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  That does not change what I think of this novel.*

Available for the Kindle