I enjoy magical realism and timeslips, so I picked up Where The Creek Bends by Linda Lael Miller. Madison Bettencourt’s life has turned upside down, and she wonders what happened to the Bliss, her childhood friend whom everyone suspected was her imaginary friend. Readers will discover a romance new begins and questions answered in this women’s fiction timeslip.
by Linda Lael Miller
Genres: Women's Fiction
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
From acclaimed #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller comes a beautifully rendered timeslip novel about the family we create for ourselves…
Madison Bettencourt has tried to assemble all the pieces of a perfect life, but nothing fits quite the way it should. She’s moved back home to Montana to care for her grandmother, who is slipping further and further away. And she’s called off her wedding, and worries her dreams of a family are fading with it.
As Madison rattles around her family home, childhood memories come flooding back. Bliss Morgan transformed eight-year-old Madison with her loyalty, and for a while, the two girls were as close as can be. But Madison never understood why Bliss suddenly vanished, leaving only a friendship bracelet and a message etched into a matchbook.
Before she can begin again, Madison must uncover what happened to Bliss, and Liam McKettrick—a widowed dad trying to repair his relationship with his two children—becomes her unlikely ally. He, too, understands the pang of regret. Yet there are mysteries that Madison hesitates to explore with anyone, and strange energies in Bettencourt Hall that blur the lines between past and present.
Poignant and utterly captivating, Where the Creek
It’s been a spell since I’ve read this author, but I always enjoy her books. Where The Creek Bends is ambitious. It’s about finding yourself, new beginnings, and goodbyes wrapped around a sweet small-town romance and a mystery that includes a timeslip.
The story opens in Bitter Gulch, Montana. A fake western town owned and managed by Liam McKettrick. He is waiting on his staff to arrive before tourists, when he spots a bride entering town straight from the chapel across the way. She enters the saloon, assumes Liam is the bartender, and orders a drink before confessing she left her own nuptials.
The story centers on Madison Bettencourt, the runaway bride and heir to Bettencourt Hall. Her grandmother is living in the local assisted living center, and Madison is staying Bettencourt, her childhood home, while reassessing her life choices. While there she remembers her childhood friend, Bliss Morgan, who left her a friendship bracelet when they were eight before leaving. She wonders what happened to her. Her grandmother believed Bliss was Madison’s imaginary friend, but Madison knows she was real and set out to find her. I loved this thread from the journals to the discoveries.
The romance between Liam and Madison was a slow-burn, filled with puppies and two children. While I struggled with the whole dumping a guy at the altar and stumbling on the “one” thread, to her credit, Miller did a good job of molding it into something that at the end felt genuine.
The story tackles a lot from Liam’s children to an ailing grandmother, but in true Miller fashion, the author pulled all the strings together and created a story that I enjoyed.
I enjoyed getting the answers to who and where Bliss Morgan is are revealed and we learn more about Bettencourt Hall and the grounds surrounding it. Fans of small-town romances, a little mystery and finding one’s self, will appreciate Where The Creek Bends.
About Linda Lael Miller
The daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West. Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a spacious property outside Spokane.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Mary Kirkland
I like the sound of this one. Happy New Year to you.
Ash
What a gorgeous cover! I love small town romances so I might have to check this one out.
Ash @ Essentially Ash
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