Almost Home is a slower-paced romantic tale about two outsiders who find love and acceptance in each other’s arms. It’s a good choice for those of you needing a break from the non-stop adventure and/or mystery-filled reads so commonly found in the romance aisle.

Katherine Whitfield never knew her real father and lost her mother at the age of twelve. Raised without love by her stepfather, Katherine longs for family and blood ties. When she discovers an old trunk that belonged to her mother containing a letter to her father and items hinting that he may have come from Kentucky, she drops everything and sets out on the slim chance that she may track him down.

The first person Katherine meets in Kentucky is the gorgeous and conveniently single Zachary Tyler, manager of Stanton’s stud farm (as in horses, not men, my fellow dirty-minded readers). Their initial meeting, however, is anything but friendly. While searching for a map, Katherine nearly collides with Zach’s trailer. He is furious, and has every right to be, since his trailer contains his most prized possession: his horse, Midnight Rogue, who he believes will win the Kentucky Derby in a few weeks. Zach rants and raves at Katherine’s reckless behavior, but he sticks around until a tow truck arrives, listening as Katherine reveals her plans to find her birth father. Zach adamantly warns her against it and tells her to leave town. She’ll only get hurt and stir up a hornet’s nest of trouble for no good reason.

Zach knows all about trouble. He’s learned the hard way that reputations and bloodlines are the only important things to his fellow townsfolk. The son of a prostitute and a con man, Zach is from “bad stock.” He longs to put his past behind him but it has a nasty way of coming back to bite him on his cute behind. After being left at the altar by a woman he loved, he’s determined to avoid getting emotionally wrapped up with another woman – ever again! (Try not to groan too loudly). He wants only to win the Kentucky Derby, have his own stud farm, and live out his life scandal-free. Katherine is the last thing he needs in his life.

Katherine, of course, becomes hopelessly entangled in his life and the two develop a nice, believable love story, one that begins with an initial lusty attraction and develops into much more. Their friendship gradually grows throughout the course of the novel as they learn to trust in each other. Despite a few interesting glimpses into the lives of Zach’s neighbors, whose marriages are shaken up by Katherine’s search, their relationship remains the main concern of the novel. Yes, folks, this should be a given in a romance novel, but all too often it is not the case.

The characters aren’t untouchable or larger than life. They’re like people you know (or would like to know). I must admit that I did wail in protest when Zach admits to being left at the altar and vows never – never, I tell you – to fall in love with another woman again. And although he does carry on his little protest against all of womankind a tad too long for my tastes, he gains a lot of points in the last quarter of the book and turns out to be a fine hero. Katherine begins the story as a little bit of a weenie but develops into a capable heroine. Before the book starts, she’s sacrificed her dreams of owning a floral shop in order to please her stepfather and instead has taken a boring job in his company that she hates (and endearingly admits to doing badly). During the course of the story she gains the strength to grab what she wants out of life and makes all of her sweet, normal, everyday dreams come true. I rooted for her all the way.

The story within the pages of Almost Home is refreshingly simple, compelling, and beautifully told. I turned the last page with a great big “Awww, that was so sweet” sigh. Any book that leaves me feeling that good is an easy one to recommend.