GRR Reviews Where The Heart Is (A Mother's Heart) by Patricia Keelyn

Where the Heart Is is a contemporary romance about a pregnant woman who had to flee her life only to encounter the man who broke her heart years ago. This particular series deals with fathers and mothers and children in intricate family drama, and this book is no exception, but not quite as heart-wrenching as the previous volume.

To recap, Maddie Adams went home, away from big city. Her beau, despite years of relationship, was not man enough to marry her when she got pregnant, quite by accident. She was surprised to see the man who broke her heart 16 years ago, Nick Ryan, is the doctor in town, trying to raise his 15-year-old son alone. Diane, whom Nick chose 16 years ago instead of Maddie, had died 2 years prior in an automobile crash, something Nick's son still blames him for. Nick had even expressed his desire to go back to the city, to get away from this place of sadness. Maddie cannot allow herself to rekindle the feelings to Nick because Nick destroyed her once, esp. when he may not even stay around, but she cannot deny they had a thing together. Nick grew up on the wrong side of the tracks, and the only one who believed him was Maddie... But he screwed up and in order to do the right thing, he had to let Maddie go. But now that Maddie's back, he knew that this is his chance to build a family based on love, rather than obligation...

The family drama was intricate, with multiple roles and obligations binding each of the characters. Nick had to balance his role as a doctor, as a son (to his father, the reason he moved back), as a husband (when Diane was alive), as a father, and as an ex-lover. Maddie had to balance her role as the dutiful daughter, the ex-lover of two men, and more. The only reason this didn't get 5/5 is I wish for more karma upon that irresponsible beau.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Expecting mother had to move home after being dumped AND pregnant; encountered the man who broke her heart 16 years ago, now a single father...

Tropes: pregnancy, reunion, return, docto/patient, scars, single parent, family pressure

Overall Rating:  4/5