Thank you for the opportunities to read this book. I have attempted it on a number of occasions but unfortunately I haven’t been able to get into it.

Homecoming by TL Haddix writing as Alex Collins.
Olman County Book One.
Two girls, best friends torn apart as teenagers by a sick and twisted sexual assault. Two women, strangers now, both with...
A slow read. I only liked Lauren character. Slow but readable. 3*.

Lauren Grant is a single divorced mom who owns a café in a small town Leroy in Indiana. She lives a quiet peaceful life near her parents and is best friends with her ex-husband and his wife . Due to a horrifying incident in her teenage years that left an impression on her she is unable to form a long lasting relationship in her life but then comes along her parents good looking ex-marine neighbor Charlie Clark and his cat Rumble. He is sweet, gentle, patient and finally Lauren believes that she might be able to have a happy ending but all that comes crashing down when somebody from her past returns and is seeking revenge

This is the first in the romantic suspense series with a lot of interesting characters introduced in the book . It’s not much of a suspense story as you know the suspect at the start itself but is a nice slow moving romance with a predictable end. Overall 3 ½ stars and am looking forward to reading about other characters in this series.

I would like to thank Streetlight Graphics Publishing& NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

Where can I get a Charlie Clark with a side of Rumble?

Ahhh... Leroy, Indiana, the fictional little town that comes to life right off the page. The town that's so close to my own home town that I wish I had a Charlie Clark and Rumble living right next door. This was a fast paced read with a strong character development, with a somewhat convoluted storyline. At the heart of the novel is a blossoming romance that is so juvenile, but yet so mature that you can't help but gush.

Lauren Grant and Margie Vernon are cousins by marriage and are so close they might as well be sisters. Only Lauren soon learns that they weren't as close as they thought as Margie was keeping secrets from Lauren, secrets she never thought imaginable. One evening at the age of 16, Lauren wakes up to find her uncle Carl, Margie's father on top of her trying to take her clothes off. Lauren doesn't understand what is happening. The last thing she can remember was the milkshakes... the milkshakes that Margie had made for them. She remembers it tasted funny and only drinking a few sips and pouring the rest out without Margie looking, not wanting to hurt her feelings. Margie had drugged her, but why? Luckily, Margie's younger brother Rob has come to her rescue, and Lauren nearly escapes being sexually assaulted. Carl, his wife, and their youngest son flee in a panic from the law. Rob is sent to live with is oldest brother, Jacob and his wife. As for Margie, Lauren learns that in the middle of the night that Margie had stolen her car and her money and took off, never to be heard from again. Lauren is hurt and furious, how could Margie do this to her? As Lauren begins to learn more about Margie and her family, she begins to sympathize with Margie, she was a victim of sexual assault from her own father. All those years, and Lauren never knew, never suspected. In a way, Lauren blamed herself. If only she knew, she could have helped, she could have done something.

Fast forward eleven years, and Margie is now Charity Vaughn. She has changed her identity and her appearance and returned to Leroy, Indiana. She's come to keep an eye on Lauren. She needs to know that her and her daughter Ava are okay. Only, Charity is not the only one who has returned to Leroy, so have the Vernon's. Charity and Lauren are both at risk. When Lauren learns that the Vernon's are back in town she's concerned. She hires Charlie Clark, a private investigator, and her parent's next door neighbor to look into the Vernon's. This doesn't come as an easy decision for Lauren as she's come to fall for the man next door. Letting him in on her past... well... that might just send him running. Only this couldn't have been further from the truth.

"I'm not scared by what you've told me. I'm a little concerned that I'm as clumsy as a bull in a china shop and I'll make things awkward with my efforts to get things right, but nothing you've said makes me want to run away. If you're as curious about me as I am about you, why not see what we've got here? We can take it as slow as you want, or we can just be friends. That's entirely up to you. Please though, don't give up without giving us a chance."

Ugh! That Charlie Clark, that patience of a Saint, and a heart of gold. He had me gushing I tell you. I was falling for the man too!

"He was utterly adorable in his uncertainty and his sentiment, and she couldn't stand it."

I know what you mean Lauren! And let me also point out the man talks to his cat! That sucked me right in. I can trust a man that talks to his cat! That's a man after my own heart.

"When he'd first gotten the cat, he worried that if anyone overheard him talking to Rumble, they'd think he was nuts. Now, he no longer cared. Talking to the cat was part of what it meant to be Rumble's human."

Yes, if Charlie Clark were real I would be Facebook stalking him right now and checking out pictures of Rumble. I've been in the same relationship for 12 years now, and I've got to say, I've forgotten what's it's like, in the beginning, that shyness, the "firsts". I was living vicariously through Lauren in this novel on her blossoming romance. It was so genuine to me, it left me wishing and waiting as if I was the one in the romance.

I really enjoyed this novel, but in the end I decided to go with 4 stars instead of 5 because I was not overall pleased with the fate of the protagonist. He did not portray the villain I had conjured up in my mind. He's resentful and full of revenge, and for that, I was expecting much more than what the author gave the reader. I would say that this was more of a romance novel than a suspenseful romance novel as I had hoped. That said, the romance was very well done, and I enjoyed it.

I want to thank NetGalley, Streetlight Graphics Publishing, and T.L. Haddix (aka Alex Collins) for allowing me the chance to read this novel in exchange for my review.

So this book is listed under Romance Suspense. Yes this book does have romance but I really didn't find it suspenseful. You know who the bad guy is early on in the book and you pretty much wait to see what he does. I am not saying the book is bad, I did enjoy it. I just didn't find it suspenseful. I was intrigued by the all the characters in the book and do wonder what happens with everyone else you meet. I believe there is another book after this one that I will be reading.

I found this book quite upsetting and don't think I would read the follow-on

The title of the book sums up the story really well. For Lauren and Charity it is a homecoming. They are likeable and believable characters and what happened to them is harrowing and hard to read in places. Overall though, this book is a good read.

This was a gripping story albeit a dark one. It’s about physical and emotional abuse so I wouldn’t recommend it to people who are easily upset or offended. The characters were likeable but towards the end I thought the story was a bit flat and felt the end was rushed.

3.5 Stars

“Homecoming” was previously released as “Secrets in the Shadows” by T.L. Haddix.

Lauren was traumatized by her best friend's father when she was 16 years old. Lauren went on to marry and have a daughter, but she was never comfortable around me, her husband included. They divorced after a few years, but have remained good friends. Their daughter is growing up in two loving homes.

Charlie Clark has had his own share of issues that need to be resolved... and to his credit, he is trying. Charlie is a private investigator and he's happy with that, but he wants more out of life. He wants a home, a loving wife, a family. Rumble the cat helps, but it's not enough.

When he meets Lauren, it's love at first sight. Not quite first sight for Lauren, but she definitely feels a pull. She's scared and excited, usually both at the same time. But Charlie is willing to be patient for as long as it takes for her to come to trust her.

When Lauren's past rears its ugly head, she has no choice but to turn to Charlie for professional help... even if it means telling him the entire truth about what happened years ago.

Someone has targeted Lauren and her bakery story and Charity Vaughn, an art galley owner. What is their connection and who would want to hurt ... or kill ... both of them?

This is the first of a series, and I confess .... I started with Book 2. I would highly recommend reading these books in order .. will make much more sense without any spoilers.

This is billed as a Romantic Suspense, but it reads more like a romance. The suspense is very low key, the suspect is identified early own, as well as the connection between Lauren and Charity. Most of the characters are very likable.

Many thanks to the author / Streetlight Graphics Publishing / Netgalley for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unsolicited, unbiased, and entirely my own.

This is, I presume the first of a series. I enjoyed being introduced to all the characters and would be interested in their stories.
This story was based on the romance between Lauren Grant, a single Mum, and Charlie Clark a newcomer. You also have Charity Vaughn who is somehow linked to Lauren.
Someone is coming after Charity and Lauren who is linked to their shared past. Can Charlie keep Lauren safe?
I liked the characters and how this was written but the conclusion was a let down nd appeared rushed as if the author had reached their word limit.
I would read another book by this author but it would definately not be on the top of the pile.

*I received this book from NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

This book flat blew me away! It was a little hard to keep track of the characters/ time period at the beginning, but after the first few chapters I couldn't put it down! The romance aspect is very reminiscent of a Nicholas Sparks book. The mystery and suspense aspect keeps you on your toes and begging for more. Collins (whose real name is T.L. Haddix) crafts a beautiful story that draws you in from the very beginning and keeps your attention with action that is always timed perfectly. The way the romance and the suspense are woven together to create this beautiful story about friends, survivors, potential lovers, demons from the past, and family is just extraordinary! I make a point to never give a book a 5, because what if one comes along that's better, but this book comes as close as I've ever read!

Note for Readers: This book does deal with the issues of incest and sexual abuse, more with the effects on the victims than the abuse itself. Reader Discretion Advised. (note taken from the author's amazon page)

As you read this book you learn the importance of forgiveness, family, and love. Charity and Lauren are at different points in their lives, both searching for closure and family; what happens when everything that you once believed changed in a blink of an eye? This was a book that kept the reading at the edge of their seat until the last page. If you could be anyone you wanted to be would it really help erase the past? Thank you NetGalley and T.L.Haddix for allowing me to read this ARC and write a honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for a copy of this book.

I was looking forward to this book and whilst it was a good story it was annoying reading about the main character's talking to themselves. I don't know anyone who dialogues that way out loud!

The characters just didn't pop for me and I found them boring and unengaging.