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Pages: 77
Goes Well With: Barley soup, turkey sandwich, and salad.
Emilee wants only the best for her unborn child: a father for the baby and a husband who truly loves both infant and mother. For months, she’s dreamed that Dalton might return from the bull-riding circuit and be that man, but it’s loss—not love—that eventually brings him home. With a wounded hand ending his bull-riding dreams, Dalton’s life seems devoid of meaning. With a wounded heart, Emilee devotes her life to preparations for birth, wondering sadly if baby Colton will grow up level-headed like her or turn into a wandering spirit like his father.
The Lone Creek Ranch welcomes readers with comfortable descriptions, seasons hinted at in shades of light and temperature, and scenery waiting to be explored. Sparsely written back-stories grow from easy chunks of the characters’ memories before the story returns to a present that’s characterized by natural conversation and blossoming love. Secrets are haltingly revealed, brushed away like a curtain from a window. But love hides deeper.
I’ve never ridden a horse, but I was able to hear the pounding of hooves as Dalton tries to flee from examining his feelings. I’ve certainly never ridden a bull, but when Dalton justifies his actions, remembering “Bulls could break a body but not a heart,” I could see the attraction. Love is dangerous. Secrets hurt. And broken hearts are harder to patch than fingers.
The dialogue is very natural. The scenery’s great. The horses are filled with life. And this story’s as good a place to start in Lone Creek as any other. It’s the second book in the series, and if you’ve not read the first, Lost in Lone Creek, you’ll want to find a copy when you’ve finished. But there’s certainly no need to read these tales in order.
The characters will linger like real people in the mind after you’ve turned the pages. Readers will easily relate to Emilee’s desire to be perfect, the years of effort given to striving for her goals, and the leaps of joy followed by sloughs of misunderstanding. Readers of faith will recognize that feeling of having let God down, a moment’s mistake whose consequences ride over human plans.
The roller-coaster of emotions in this story matches the land’s wild hills and the running of a horse, making Lullaby in Lone Creek a thoroughly enjoyable lunchtime read that will send you back to work with a smile on your face and a spring in your step.
