HOLIDAY IN YOUR HEART – Susan Fox
A Perfect 10
A Caribou Crossing Romance , Book 8
Zebra
ISBN: 978-1420140286
October 2016
Contemporary Romance

Caribou Crossing, British Columbia – Present Day

The holidays are fast approaching and shop owner Maribeth Scott is looking forward to them, especially now that she has made the decision to get pregnant via artificial insemination. She's decided on this course of action because she hasn't yet met the man she wants to spend the rest of her life with, and now nearing forty, she thinks this is the only way. But one day into her life walks Mo Kincaid, and the attraction between them has Maribeth wondering if he isn't Mr. Right. However, Mo is only in town to confront the past he left behind years ago.

Mo walked out on his now ex-wife, Brooke, and their son, Evan, twenty years ago after feeling like a failure. He wants to make amends and hopes for their forgiveness, but isn't sure how he'll be received. Mo immediately gets a job, and one of the first people he meets is Maribeth. The two strike up a friendship, which soon turns sexual. Both know he may only be in town for a short time, but the passion between them is strong. Meanwhile, Mo works on mending fences with Brooke and Evan, and makes friends in Caribou Crossing. Can a man who has spent most of his life on the move finally settle down? Has Maribeth found the man she's been seeking most of her life to be her “happily-ever-after”?

HOLIDAY IN YOUR HEART is the final tale in the Caribou Crossing series by Susan Fox. During this time, readers have been introduced to numerous characters whose lives all interconnect one way or another. While HOLIDAY IN YOUR HEART can be read as a standalone, new readers might not understand the connection (and pasts) of the minor characters involved. Even Mo has been in the background of at least a couple, beginning with Evan's tale, HOME ON THE RANGE, the first one in the series.

Mo has had a tough life, and he thought running away was the best way to escape his problems. His parents had a mixed marriage and his adulthood didn't change much. After deserting the US Army, he and Brooke arrived in Caribou Crossing with their young son to start a new life in Canada. However, drinking and fighting soon led to Mo running away again. He's now older and wiser and feels he needs forgiveness from Brooke and his now adult son. He's also made peace with other aspects of his life, and Maribeth admires him for the strides he's made to heal the pain of his past. Mo is a simple man but is grateful for what he has. But meeting Maribeth has him embarking on new experiences, and he's learning that he enjoys being with her.

Maribeth tragically lost her parents when she was nineteen. She was left well off, but has used the money to open a store to feed her passion for selling reusable clothing. She has yet to find a man who makes her happy enough to want to share a future with him, so she has started the proceedings for artificial insemination. The entrance of Mo in her life, a man she begins to think of as her soulmate, has her pausing in her plans. But does a fifty-year-old man want to take on the responsibilities of a family again, especially if he might run away again? Maribeth and Mo are going to have to do a lot of soul searching before they can get on the same page.

A beautiful and emotional tale that is a fit ending to the Caribou Crossing series, HOLIDAY IN YOUR HEART is one that I highly recommend. I love the way Ms. Fox shows the changes in the characters and how it has made each of them a better person. It's early in the holiday season as I write this review, but I'd have to say it's one of the best Christmas themed stories so far this year and is one readers need to put at the top of their to-buy list. Snuggle up with HOLIDAY IN YOUR HEART and you'll find yourself with a feel good romance that well deserves a Perfect 10 from Romance Reviews Today. Don't miss this great holiday romance.

Patti Fischer