Back home is the best place to start over in a heart-stirring Texas romance about friendship, second chances, and small-town scandals by New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown.

Riverbend, Texas, doesn’t look like the crossroads of anywhere. But for four high school besties reuniting after twenty years, it’s a place to unpack a lot of baggage.

Risa’s headed for divorce, Mary Nell’s been kicked to the curb by her leech of a boyfriend, and Haley was just blindsided by a shocking family secret. But restless army veteran Jessica Callaway, looking to plant roots, has an idea: corral her fellow former cheerleaders and renovate an abandoned church smack-dab in the middle of three dry counties into a bar. Throw in a grill and Wade Granger—a onetime nerd turned surprisingly crush-worthy investor—and their lives are on tap for a turnaround. Amen to that.

Except for one hitch: the white-clapboard dream is causing a ruckus. With a renewed bond, hard work, and the promise of romance, Jessica and her friends aren’t backing down. For Riverbend, this is going to be a homecoming—and a scandal—to remember.

This is the second book I have read of Carolyn Brown and is based in a small town called Riverbend in the heart of Texas.

Jessica is reuniting with her high school friends, Risa, Mary Nell, and Haley after twenty years. Jessica was an army veteran, Risa is heading for divorce, Haley is blinded by a shocking family secret and Mary Nell is thrown out by her boyfriend. When the friends decide to convert a church into a bar, many of the towns people were kind of against it. Jessica meets Wade and the two soon develop into a romantic relationship.

I thought the story was kind of quirky and cute. Though I felt like I was watching a Hallmark movie on TV, nevertheless, I do enjoy the book. The bond and friendship between the girls was really great, the southern accent was at times fascinating, making you feel like you are also the part of the southern community and I enjoyed the slow developing romance between Wade and Jessica.

If you like a good romance book based in a small town, then this book is one for you–worth four stars.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.