HER SECOND CHANCE COWBOY

In Dean’s romance novel, a young woman must settle unfinished business with her high school sweetheart when she returns to her hometown.

Chastity Parker, a struggling actress, travels from New York back to the fictional Blackfish County in Montana to attend her father’s funeral. Chastity’s relationship with her parents had been strained because they didn’t support her acting aspirations, and she hasn’t been home in a number of years. She isn’t thrilled to be returning to her little town of Blanche Creek before she can do so triumphantly, but propriety trumps her pride. Racing back home, she hasn’t had time to consider how she will feel seeing Ben Miller, her first great love, all these years later. A wealthy rancher, Ben has never forgiven Chastity for the way she left him behind to pursue big city dreams, but he’s also never met another woman who can compare to her. When Chastity sees Ben at her dad’s funeral, their interaction is awkward, but as Ben comes to understand the extent of Chastity’s financial struggles and her mother’s poor health, he does everything he can to help. As they spend time together, they are reminded of how much they enjoy each other’s company. The only problem is that Ben’s livelihood is tied to his land in Blackfish County, and Chastity still dreams of making it on the big screen. The narrative alternates between Chastity and Ben’s perspectives. While the story could have benefited from additional details about the setting to help ground readers and bring Blanche Creek to life, the insular nature of the town and the long memories of its resident are evident in the obstacles Chastity encounters now that she’s an outsider. While certain elements of the story require some suspension of disbelief, like Ben being blindsided when he sees Chastity at her father’s funeral (“Dozens of feelings hit Ben at once. Revulsion, desire, heartbreak, shock”), the fun banter and the author’s exploration of the push and pull between personal aspirations and family obligations makes the story worthwhile.

A wholesome Western romance.