Carla Laureano moves from the city to the Colorado mountains in Provenance with a story that drew me and held me captive until the end.

Kendall’s career drives her, but her past keeps her from thriving in other areas of her life. When she inherits five homes in small-town Colorado, Kendall sees it as the way to save her business. But there is so much more than she expected in Jasper Lake. Determined to save the town, Gabe’s mission is to sway Kendall from selling the homes and the land.

This beautiful story of discovering God’s enduring love, home, and family is beautifully written against stunning settings. Laureano once again pens a captivating masterpiece that weaves romance, a little mystery, and truth throughout. ( )

The first line grabbed me, “It was good to be home. Or at least it would be if she had the faintest idea what home meant.”

I was intrigued and wanted to know more about Kendall Green and how she became a successful historical interior designer. I was sympathetic to Kendall as the story evolves and reveals what her childhood was like, and why she felt abandoned.

Kendal knew how to hide her past, and let people see the successful her. She quickly learned how to shove down her feelings and hide them in a compartment of her heart; closed to everyone. This helped to not deal with any of the pain. Kendall was doing great about leaving her past behind, until she receives an unexpected letter from the estate of Mrs. Constance Green. She had never heard of the woman, even though they shared the same last name. The legal document said she had two weeks to claim her inheritance, an inheritance. The woman had passed away 5 years ago, why did she just hear about this now? Curiosity and her financial situation had her driving to Provenance, Colorado to stake out her claim. Maybe this would be what she needed to help with cash flow.

I thought this might be a sweet romance and I would learn about how Kendall went about creating her design magic, and experience the beautiful hills of Colorado. Oh, this book was that and so much more. I was emotionally invested in this character driven story where the author masterfully shows an internal growth and development of the characters that pleasantly surprised me. The depth the author takes readers, made the book a page-turner, a richer experience and one I will not soon forget.

I liked that this novel had a strong sense of place in how readers see the locales come alive in this small town of Provenance, showing off what makes this town so special and worth fighting for. I appreciated seeing the historic houses through Kendall’s eyes as she inventories each house and identifies its historical architect.

Kendall begins to come undone as she learns more about her mother and grandmother, it’s not what she expected. I enjoyed the authors’ candor, even when discussing potentially sensitive or uncomfortable subjects arise. Kendall comes unglued when feelings she never knew she had start to undo her resolve as she discovers gritty details of her past. This is an enjoyable, thought-provoking read you don’t want to miss. It is one that would work well for your next book club pick. If you haven’t read a book by this author, I recommend this one.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org ( )

Carla Laureano, whether she's creating fantasy worlds or contemporary romance worlds, never fails to captivate my heart, mind, and soul with her beautiful words, setting, and characters. This newest novel brings us back to Colorado, to a little dying town of Jasper Lake where past and present collide for both Kendall and Gabe as they work together to save her inheritance and his town. Their past is as broken as it gets and both are fearful of rejection and abandonment. But working together slowly allows them to get past that fear and to recognize and accept the love extended by those around them, especially by their family. There is great banter and dialogue and the characters are witty and pure fun, even in the midst of their battles. I loved that there is a bit of mystery and intrigue regarding Kendall's family and how she came to inherit the houses in town. Gabe's quirky, corny, and endearing sense of humor is quite delightful and his town of Jasper Lake is easy to fall in love with.

If you enjoy contemporary romance, you will totally love this book. Kudos to Carla Laureano!
I received the book from Tyndale House Publishers via Edelweiss/Above the Tree Line and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are solely my own. ( )