Los Angeles, California and Finnegan Cove, Michigan – Present Day

Nate Shelton is shocked when his father, Harley, decides to go home to Finnegan Cove after spending twenty years in prison for killing Joe Malloy. Nate never planned to return to the small town, but when his writing career in the film industry went south, he decided to return to Michigan with Harley and help him settle in. He didn’t expect the welcome mat to be out for his father when they bought the Cove lighthouse, but he hoped that his father could find some peace and quiet in the remote area on Lake Michigan. Nate has been estranged from his brother, Mike, for years, and although Mike lives near Finnegan Cove, he wants nothing to do with his father.

Jenna Malloy’s great-grandfather had been the last keeper of the lighthouse, and she loved it, peeling paint and all, until her father was killed there. She has been planning to buy the old place, tear it down, and make a park in memory of her father. Working with her mother, Marion, in the family bakery and taking nursing classes on the side, Jenna is dating George, but hasn’t been able to commit to marriage. Her mother is keeping some secrets from her daughter that are sure to cause more anger and problems, but Marion feels twenty years is long enough to harbor so much anger and hatred. Nate, who is attracted to Jenna, doesn’t want to cause her more heartache, and as hard as she tries to stay away from him, her heart says something different.

Another appealing story from Cynthia Thomason, RETURN OF THE WILD SON is a heartwarming story of two likeable people who are trying to deal with their problems. Nate loves his dad and wants to see him happy; Jenna doesn’t want to see Harley get out of prison and live in the lighthouse, the scene of her father’s death. Her mother’s secrets are even a harder pill to swallow. Will Jenna be able to forgive Harley, and will she be able to forgive Nate for being Harley’s son? The lighthouse is a wonderful backdrop to the story as Nate works on the old building and reminisces about his younger days.

With good pacing, an intriguing storyline, RETURN OF THE WILD SON is a page turner and a touching, feel-good story.

Marilyn Heyman