Following his divorce, Noah gave up his dream job, settling at a remote horse ranch in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia, putting much-needed distance between himself and the former love of his life. But then Noah gets a letter from the IRS claiming he and Josephine are still married. When he confronts Josephine for the first time in months, they discover that she missed the final step in filing the paperwork and they are, in fact, still married.

Josephine is no happier about the news than Noah. Maybe the failed marriage—and okay, the botched divorce—was her fault, but her heart was shattered right alongside his, more than he would ever believe. The sooner they put this marriage behind them, the better for both of their sakes.

But when Josephine delivers the final paperwork to his ranch, the two become stranded in his cottage during the worst spring snowstorm in a decade. Being trapped with Josephine is a test of Noah’s endurance. He wrestles with resentment and an unmistakable pull to his wife—still beautiful, still brave, and still more intriguing than any woman he’s ever known.

As they find themselves confronted with each other and their shared past, old wounds surface and tempers flare. But when they are forced out into the storm, they must rely on each other in a way they never have before. Josephine finally opens up about her tragic past, and Noah realizes she’s never been loved unconditionally by anyone—including him. Will Noah accept the challenge to pursue Josephine’s heart? And can she finally find the courage to trust Noah?

I’m a relatively new fan of Denise Hunter, so I was thrilled to have the chance to read another of her contemporary romances. True to form, Hunter’s book includes rich settings, realistically deep issues, and characters you want to root for (though sometimes you also want to whack them on the head).

For starters, I appreciate the complexity of the characters. While it’s nice to read a story with a perfect hero who knows exactly what to say and do at just the right time, it’s also fun to see a man who has a bit of a temper that sometimes gets him into trouble. While some of Noah’s and Josephine’s character flaws frustrated me, it’s a testament to Hunter’s writing talent that I could care enough about two fictional people that I wanted to sit them down and set them straight.

Overall I really enjoyed the characters and plot, but I have to be honest – I’m not a fan of the time jumping. This novel starts in present day, then goes back to when Noah and Josephine met. Then we’re in present day, then we’re in the past. Yes, this format let Hunter show some key moments in the couple’s lives, but it’s not a style that I particularly enjoy. It’s a personal preference.

If you enjoy romance novels with a little meat on their bones, I recommend Denise Hunter, and I recommend this book. Another happily-ever-after for two characters I really wanted to see together.

*I received a free copy of this book. This is an honest review; the opinions are my own.