Starred review from December 1, 2016
Tired of the constant traveling for his rodeo job, Ben Sterling comes to Mystic Creek, Oregon, to settle down. He's attracted to Sissy Sue Bentley, owner of the Cauldron, a local diner, and rescuer of animals no one else would want. Because of her lifelong history with vicious, abusive men, Sissy has major trust issues. Although she's attracted to Ben, she makes every effort not to become involved with him. Then, one frosty night, when Sissy's 80 chickens break out of their flimsy coop, not only does Ben help round them up, but he also builds another home for them. Little by little, Sissy begins to trust and even love Ben. But just as she begins to blossom from her newfound romance, a brutal visit from the person who hurt her the most reminds her that she needs to keep her distance from the male sex. As in her earlier Mystic Creek novels, including Silver Thaw (2015) and New Leaf (2016), Anderson grapples with abuse, taking a skilled approach to this issue that engages readers' emotions and pulls them deep into the story, right up to the heartfelt sigh of relief at the end.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)