The Comforts of Home

August 22, 2011
In her third Harmony novel, Thomas (Welcome to Harmony) takes readers back to that Texas town where a number of romances come to a head after a tornado strikes. Funeral director Tyler Wright struggles to profess his love to Maj. Kate Cummings. Aspiring rodeo star Noah MacAllen keeps returning to Harmony and his best friend (and beloved) Reagan Truman. Reagan, whose “uncle” Jeremiah (he’s her foster father) is dying, wrestles with her feelings for Noah and local firefighter Brandon Biggs. Meanwhile, shy Ronelle Logan meets angry, lonely Martin Winslow, who helps her emerge from her shell. Despite their passion, Claire Matheson has trouble committing to Denver Sims. The tornado leaves each character wondering if loved ones have survived, and this uncertainty forces them to action. Even for readers new to the series, the intricate relationships between these affable men and eccentric women are easy to follow and even easier to love. Thomas skillfully juggles the many subplots, and the relationship between Ronelle and Marty, which inspires both to trust again, is especially touching.

September 15, 2011
Harmony, Texas, is a place for new beginnings, and four years after her arrival, Reagan Truman finally feels at home, although new challenges are always cropping up. Noah Preacher McAllen is still rodeoing, but when an injury threatens to sideline him, he calls Reagan, or Rea, rather than his family, for help. Town undertaker Tyler Wright, federal marshal Denver Sims, and Rea's Uncle Jeremiah all struggle to express their interest in three very special women. Postal clerk Ronelle Logan finally comes out of her shell, befriending both social outcast Border Biggs and gruff Marty Winslow, a reclusive, wheelchair-bound newcomer. And Autumn Smith, an outspoken, pregnant young woman escaping from abuse, finds a safe haven as Tyler's new housekeeper. This third installment of Thomas' contemporary small-town saga (Welcome to Harmonyand Somewhere along the Way, both 2010) introduces new characters and resolves previous subplots as Thomas once again demonstrates her mastery of Texas ranching culture and character-driven stories with elements of both romance and suspense.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)