"Return to Buckhorn"

A Love Never Forgotten..... Even separated for many years, Casey Hudson and Emma Clark found their way back to each other.

A little history.............. Casey and Emma grew up together in Buckhorn County. They were friends but their feelings for each other ran much deeper. Emma wore her feelings on her sleeve and tempted Casey at every opportunity. Casey found it difficult to resist Emma, but he felt he had to because she was in need of so much love and he didn't feel that he would be the best person to love her. Emma was a very troubled teen, coming from an abusive home. She felt unloved and thought she would find it in Casey Hudson's arms. Casey has made plans and doesn't feel that Emma will be a part of them, and so he keeps his feelings for her to himself. At the age of seventeen, Emma had it with her home life and after telling a few lies makes the decision to leave Buckhorn and Casey for good.

Eight years later.......... Emma returns to Buckhorn because her father has had a stroke. She is sure that she will only be in Buckhorn for a few days and isn't too sure about seeing Casey while she is there, she knows she owes him a lot of explanations about the night she left town for good. Casey, however, is the first person that she meets when she reaches Buckhorn. She still feels the breathlessness, the tingling in her spine, and the love that she has only ever felt for him. She doesn't realize that Casey still feels a lot of resentment and anger towards her for leaving town, and begins demanding answers. Emma is slow to give Casey any explanations, and Casey decides that he will stick close by her, let her be comfortable with him again and maybe they will find their way back to each other. Casey is determined not to let Emma walk out of his life again. With much hesitation, Emma agrees to spend time with Casey when she isn't dealing with her father, and they begin their journey back to each other and realize that even with the years apart, they have always been together.

In CASEY, I enthusiastically revisited Buckhorn County and old characters, as well as new characters near and dear to Emma and Casey, who find love themselves. It was wonderful to visit Casey again, along with his father, Sawyer, and his uncles: Gabe, Morgan and Jordan and their lady loves. During their books, I watched them raise Casey and watched them all fall in love themselves with heroines who were feisty, courageous, beautiful and intelligent. We all knew that Casey would grow up much like his father and his uncles, the type of man that any woman would love to have in their lives. Emma is the perfect match for Casey. Casey feels he has to take care of Emma, always had, but after many years of being on her own, Emma finally realizes that she is made of some strong stuff and can take care of herself.

CASEY was a pleasure to read, a definite keeper. The intensity of this book will make you cry, but you will also laugh a lot when Buckhorn's favorite family come together and rally around Casey and Emma. A romantic story, with a heck of a hero and a very strong heroine.

Reviewed by Tracey West
Posted January 27, 2003