Title:  The Rebel’s Return
Series:  Red River #4
Author:  Victoria James
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  August 22, 2016
Publisher:  Entangled – Bliss
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

Natalia Puccini has spent her entire life playing by her overbearing but well-intentioned Italian family’s rules…except the one time she took a chance on a bad boy and fell hard. She’s worked to get her life back on track so when Aiden McCann comes sauntering back into town with his heart-stopping smile, Natalia vows not to fall for him again. There’s no way she’ll let him mess with her perfectly planned life…and there’s no way she’ll let him near her heart again…

Now reformed and a self-made success, Aiden is tormented by regrets and secrets. He left Red River years ago filled with anger and resentment and a promise to never come back. But when his ill father needs help, Aiden knows it’s time to face the mess he left behind, and face the one woman he never got over. It doesn’t matter how beautiful or intriguing she is, though, because he’ll never be able to give her what she needs. As soon as his father is healthy, Aiden is leaving Red River…for good.

Titles in this series (so far) include:  A Risk Worth Taking – The Best man’s Baby – The Doctor’s Fake Fiancee – The Rebel’s Return

I admit, I have not (yet) read the earlier books in the Red River series.  Yet that is an oversight that can easily be rectified – I just have to find the time to get to those earlier stories in a small town that I’d love to revisit from the beginning.  Even though this was my first trip to Red River I wasn’t the least bit lost or confused.  One of many things that I’ve always enjoyed about Victoria James’ stories is that I can fall right into the story of the current couple – going back to the earlier stories is always recommended, but it never takes away from what I’m reading right now.  I won’t call this a standalone, but as a romance it certainly can stand on its own quite easily.

There’s something about second chance romance that touches us all.  To be able to fix what went wrong with that one person who was the love of your life is a dream many people have had.  For Aiden and Natalia, that dream is about to come true… eventually.

Aiden lost the coin toss with his brother on who was returning home to care for their ill father.  The last place Aiden wanted to spend time was here.  So, he’d do his time, help out his father (whether he wanted the help or not) and then get outta town as quickly as humanly possible.  Or at least that was the plan right up until he ran into the one woman he’d thought about daily for the last decade was right there upon his arrival home.  Natalia.  Fate sure was messing with him today.

Ten years should have been long enough to get over him.  Then why was her heart filled with equal parts of rage and hope when she set eyes on him again.  Natalia wasn’t about to forgive and forget the pain Aiden had brought to her life, even to this very day.  She would not fall for him or his lies again.  She would deal with him as she needed to, but her heart was locked up tight.  Now who was telling lies?

The Rebel’s Return is an endearing and realistic second chance at love romance.  No one really knows the entire story of a loved one’s actions, and there are plenty of secrets and things left unsaid for Aiden and Natalia.  I enjoyed watching this couple unravel the past and settle into a future that they always should have had.  I’d definitely recommend this one and look forward to catching up on the rest of the town’s romances for myself.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this novel. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this story.*

Available for the Kindle