Stretched to the breaking point by crushing personal disappointment and work-related stress, neurosurgeon Maggie Sullivan leaves Denver for a much-needed rest and heads to the Rockies and Sullivan's Crossing, her father's general store and family campground. Her hope is to decompress, heal, and get her life back on track. The last thing she wants is another relationship. Cal Jones isn't looking for one either; he's in the Rockies on another mission entirely. But when Maggie's father has a heart attack and Cal and Maggie both remain at the camp to help, they are hard-pressed to resist the attraction that flares between them. Descriptions so vivid the scent of pine and the rattle of wind in the aspens wafts from the pages and add depth and a strong feeling of place—a place that readers might like to revisit. Insightfully realized central figures, a strong supporting cast, family issues, and uncommon emotional complexity make this uplifting story a heart-grabber that won't let readers go until the very end. VERDICT A rewarding (happy) story that will appeal across the board and might require a hanky or two. Carr (Wildest Dreams) lives in Henderson, NV.

Carr takes a break from her Thunder Point series to explore the mountains of Colorado in this contemporary, which is filled with set pieces that ring true but largely fail to excite. Talented neurosurgeon Maggie Sullivan, reeling from personal and professional setbacks—most notably a wrongful death lawsuit and a miscarriage —retreats to her father's home, a campground called Sullivan's Crossing. She meets Cal Jones, who came to the Crossing with his own issues to sort out, and immediately finds him suspicious. When Maggie's father suffers a heart attack, Maggie commits to caring for him, and she and Cal grow close as they both try to determine how to be their best selves. For all that readers learn about Maggie and Cal, they still feel underdeveloped as characters, and though there are moments of commotion, including medical crises to a young woman's abduction, they serve more as opportunities for Maggie to demonstrate her capabilities than anything else. The plodding pace eventually overpowers the pleasant setting and spicy-sweet romance. (Apr.)