this is the second book in a series but enjoyable as a standalone. 
 Naomi Sullivan is a single mother who never got over her first love, Lucas Cortez. They had a high school romance that was severed when Lucas was incarcerated for arson, supposedly burning a rodeo stadium that devastated their small-town Colorado community. She never learned if the baby she carried was Lucas' daughter, or that of her husband, Mark, who took off while Gracie was just an infant. 
 So, ten years pass and Naomi's saved a lot of money working for and living on the Cortez Ranch, but she's ready to spread her wings and build a Bed and Breakfast business in one of the Victorian houses that line the Main Street. Lucas returned to their town several months ago, and Naomi's been careful to keep her distance. She still find him attractive and doesn't want her heart broken again whenever he decides to move one. Thing is, Lucas has been pining for Naomi many a long year. That she's single is a boon, but he's not sure he should remain in the town-he's had a lot of shade thrown his way from residents still bitter over the fire. When Mark comes to town, claiming to want a relationship with Gracie, Naomi drops her paternity bomb, and it blows Lucas away. Could he have sacrificed all those years and missed his daughter growing up? 
 So, there's a bit of drama here, and I felt the timelines were all a little sketchy. Goodness knows, if I'd loved Lucas as hard as Naomi claimed, I wouldn't have been intimate with his friend Mark within enough days of Lucas' arrest to make a possibility of pregnancy by Mark a remote possibility. For me that was baffling and added unnecessary melodrama. That said, all the other parts felt very real, and the connection that Naomi has with her daughter-us against the world-is sweet. Also, both Mark and Lucas are decent guys, for the most part, if you can forgive their horrible choices. Lucas is easier to forgive-his were self-less; Mark was a Grade-A horse pa-toot, but we forgive much based on age and maturity, and he lacked both when he coasted off. 
 Expect a lot of thwarted sexytimes, as Naomi juggles motherhood and romance when she and Lucas finally connect. Also, expect some heartfelt struggles for Naomi, who experiences the very real fear of loss as her daughter begins to build a relationship with her father. I thought that was handled realistically well, and I liked how those plotlines unfolded. I mention "redemption" in my blog title because both Lucas and Mark experience it in their dealings with Naomi, but Lucas' experience is more global and has more impact on Naomi's life. I liked the story, and connected with the characters, so I'd recommend it for readers who like a bit of a slow burn and cowboys who not only make good on long-made promises, but who also poke bulls for fun. 
 I received a review copy via NetGalley.