Light At Winter's End by Julia London - Review

A Light at Winter's End

Author: Julia London

Holly Fisher opens her door one day and finds her estranged sister Hannah standing there with a glassy look and her nine-month old baby on her hip. Before Holly knows what is happening, Hannah has left her baby with Holly and disappeared. Three months later, fresh out of rehab for addiction to painkillers, Hannah shows up sober, contrite, and wanting her son back. But Holly is in love with the baby and not willing to give him up to the mother who abandoned him.

What I Can Tell You:
Have there ever been two sisters more different? Hannah has always been her mother's favorite, especially at the end. She took her mother to her doctor appointments, made funeral arrangements and always did the right thing according to mom. Then there is Holly who plays guitar, never had time to visit mom, struggles as a song writer and works part time to pay the rent.  So it was quite a surprise when Holly was given the "homestead" in her mother's will.

Holly's life is suddenly altered when Hannah knocks on Holly's door, hands her son Mason over to her and says she has to leave but will be back. Holly finds herself instant mom to her nephew and unsure where her sister is or how to take care of a baby.

She heads home to the homestead and meets cowboy Wyatt Clark a weekened father of a little girl. Can Holly be an instant mother? Will Hannah come back? What of Mason's father? Can Holly and Wyatt find their way to each other in the midst of family conflict? All will be revealed my friend.

What I loved about this book is how real the sister's relationship is. As a sister of two I know how very different siblings can be. Do we really know our family as well as we think we do? I also appreciated how Holly handled the "add water instant mother" spin of the book.

The story moves nicely and other than one character, I liked them all. I walked away with two thoughts; What would you do for family? AND You can love children with your whole heart even if you didn't give birth to them.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy from Simon and Schuster for my honest opinion. There was no monetary compensation.