She couldn’t forget him, even if she tried…When Amelia Corbyn was a vulnerable teen, she found out she wasn’t a Corbyn by blood. Her biological father was a legendary country singer who wanted nothing to do with her. Hurt and confused, Amelia fled Last Stand Texas for a modeling career in New York. She left behind her high school boyfriend and family who had kept too many secrets. Years later … secrets. Years later Amelia’s back in Last Stand, retired from modeling and determined to care for her aging parents. She’s not expecting to see the one man she loved and couldn’t forget. Even worse, the spark is still there just waiting to burst into a flame.
Former pro-football player Cal Delaney returns to Last Stand to raise his sister’s toddler after a car accident claims her life along with her husband. His feelings for Amelia seem stronger than ever, but he has secrets and responsibilities; and Amelia has already proved to him that when things get tough, she skips town.
Can Cal forgive their past so that he and his first love can have a future?
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I love reading about small towns and second chance at love relationships. This book is written with respect to the relationships before sex even enters the picture. Yes, there is a romantic connection, but none of the fall into bed nonsense. I enjoyed it for the homey atmosphere and the way the author pulled the story along.
Great plot and characters
I really enjoyed this book, second chance .
A quick relaxing read. Wonderful characters and a serious storyline. A memorable story.
Interesting story idea
A steamy romance,, some sadness, and a happy ending.
Sweet
Happy ending was extremely short but held all emotions
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tule Publishing via NetGalley and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
This book was a little different for me. Amelia was someone that I had a hard time identifying with. At sixteen she discovers a family secret that leaves her confused and devastated. She goes to New Year to become a model. Before she leaves, she sleeps with Cal her high school boyfriend. Cal is now confused and hurt. Why did Amelia ghost him after having sex? She comes back to town because her mother is ill and the doctors don’t have a diagnose.
Cal and Amelia have to work through so many issues. Compounded with their relationship, trust and abandonment issues, Cal’s younger sister Julie dies in an accident leaving her young son in the care of the Delaney brothers. Even though this book was written in my favorite dual POV format, I didn’t connect with Amelia. I did understand that she had trust issues and I could identify her struggle with them but I really thought she was childish and very selfish. I really wanted to slap her silly and then explain the concept of unconditional love. Cal on the other hand was a wonderful male protagonist that I could identify with. I really felt for this man and all that he struggled with.
I normally love this author’s work but I felt that Amelia fell a little flat for me. I am glad to have read this story though. There were several sexual scenes that I feel would be inappropriate for anyone under 18.
A second chance romance that will pull at your your heart strings. Lots of family drama! Amelia and Cal were high school sweethearts, both left Last Stand Texas for different reasons and now have returned for their families. They both can’t deny the chemistry is still there, but there are secrets and responsibilities with their families that they have to work through.
Thoroughly enjoyed these likeable characters and their families. Fair warning: have a few tissues close by. I’m loving this new town of Last Stand. Can’t wait to read more of the Delaney brothers, Highly recommend
So Good
Coming home to help and her answers. Amelia has to figure out if Last Stand is where she wants to be, but Cal may help with that decision.
I see I’m in the minority here with only a 3-star rating. While I enjoyed this book and the way the author dived right into the story, toward the end I felt that the story started to drag. The characters are great and the tension is just enough to not go over the top emotionally. Their pasts are difficult to face, but not tragic really. I can see where they are left with emotional scars, but really? There are a lot of people out there facing much worse issues. I don’t say that to minimize what Cal and Amelia are going through or to minimize their feelings. I did like how straightforward they both were. The supporting characters are great, too. As I said, the main flaw in this one is that Ms Garbera couldn’t seem to wrap it up as neatly as she has other stories. Nothing really changed much toward the end and the big revelation was more of a letdown, or maybe I should say a relief…”FINALLY, she lets it go!”
Good start to a new series, though!
There is a great deal of repetition of the two main characters thinking about their issues and whether they can handle them or not. I felt like I should skip several chapters and see if the plot had advanced. I didn’t and neither did the plot!
This is a soap opera in print.
Skip it!
Very good read!
Quick read. It was great
Loved Cal and Amelia and their dynamics!
I like the Last Stand, Texas stories. I struggled quite a bit with the basis of Amelia’s issues. Lane had his own superstitions impacting his family, with a twist supporting them that was a tear jerker. It kept me reading, so long as I was willing to accept the premises. Teaser on Lancey seemed more interesting.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet second chance romance, I have to say it was very sad. My heart hurt for most of the book. I won’t go into details but I can tell you there are some intensely heartbreaking moments.
Amelia and Cal had a brief relationship when they were in high school. And while they could have had an incredible relationship, Amelia left town for good reasons. While I understood her reason for running, I didn’t approve of the way she left. Of course, I have never had to be in her shoes so I can’t be too critical. I will also say while I absolutely loved the man Cal became, I did not care for Amelia. She was a hot and cold character and I found her selfish most of the time. Clearly, she had issues to deal with and I believe she should have handled them BEFORE starting anything with Cal. Cal had a hold of my heart throughout this whole book. He has suffered through unimaginable tragedies and still remained an amazing person. Cal was, selfless, loyal, protective and was capable of strong feelings. I found him to be a gentleman. A sexy, lovable gentleman.
I’m sorry to say it took nearly the whole book for Amelia to get her act together and that was a little disappointing to me because I felt that Cal deserved so much more. The enjoyment I experienced within this book had mostly to do with Cal and the secondary characters. I love romances that are set in small towns. You can be sure that at some point, everyone will have their own book.
As I am already a huge fan of Tule publishing authors and books and loved the Montana Born novels, I know I have a lot of great books to look forward too with the Texas Born series.
I am looking forward to the next book in the Delaney series. I believe that will feature Finn.
This is my honest and unbiased review. Thank you for taking the time to read it. 🙂
Last Stand, Texas another wonderful place created by the authors from Tule Publishing. It is located in the Texas Hill Country . Let me say when you read any & if you are like me all of these books, you will feel like you are walking along side the Texas bluebonnets and smelling the air that you can only smell in Texas. In this book author Katherine Garbera introduces us to Amelia Corbyn. She is a fashion model who is one of several sisters from Last Stand. She has been away from Last Stand since she made they discovery that her biological father was not the man who raised her but was the man who showed up looking for her to help out half brother who had cancer. Yep, heavy to find out at the age of 16 out of the blue right? She left right after for a life a high fashion modeling in NY City and rarely came home. Then we have the high school “sort of” boyfriend, who later became a NFL football player Cal Delaney who is back in Last Stand himself and oh my stars is he a sight to behold. Not only is he a sight himself when Amelia and Cal get around each other there the chemistry is noticeable to everyone around them for miles. This is the one book in the series that had me crying buckets of tears. If you are not familiar with how this book series is starting off right now it is based around a central event in Last Stand, Texas and then 5 different authors are giving us stories. This story happens to be the one that for me has the most impact and dept so far for the ones i have read. I don’t want to spoil the story line so I wont share to much about except have a box of tissue when you read it. This couple is one of those you remember from high school that met and dated, separated and then met later in life only to realize that they were suppose to be together… and yes they have to fight to get to that point. All is not easy. I love Last Stand it is quickly becoming the Marietta of the Southwest.
A broken heart, some shattered truths and a second chance are at the heart of Katherine Garbera’s, Her Texas Ex. Young love was not enough to endure a heartbreaking truth. Can unforeseen tragedy help heal two long broken hearts? Amelia was forced to find her voice far from home. Long withheld secrets gave her the courage to start anew. Now life has called her home to the heartache she left behind and the man she never forgot. Cal is about to get a crash course in parenting after a family tragedy leaves him guardian to his young niece. When the heartbreak of his past collides with the tragedy of his present, will his heart survive the drama? Garbera makes emotion her goal with a sentimental heartbreaker.