Shirlee Busbee,
the author of eleven novels, including seven New York Times bestsellers, is back with yet
another highly entertaining example of her impeccable writing and engrossing plots, in the
form of “Return to Oak Valley”.
Upon receiving the shocking news
of her brother’s suicide, Shelley Granger leaves behind the home and career she had
made for herself in New Orleans as a successful artist, to return to her hometown of Oak
Valley, seventeen years after she first left it. Coming back is a bittersweet experience
for her, more so because of the reasons she left and the circumstances in which she
returns. She decides to once again make Oak Valley her home and gradually begins to settle
in, visiting old friends and making new acquaintances. In due course, being the small town
that Oak Valley is, she meets up with the reason for her leaving Oak Valley – Sloan
Ballinger.
Seventeen years ago, Shelley and
Sloan had been madly, passionately in love. Going against the generations old
Granger-Ballinger feud, they’d fallen in love and were determined to marry. But then
Shelley discovered something that left her totally devastated and she fled to New Orleans.
Now Shelley discovers that the intervening years have not dampened the desire that once
burnt so scorchingly between Sloan and herself, and is more potent, if that’s
possible. But can she ever get over the past?
As the events unfold, Shelley
begins to see a new and disreputable facet of the much older brother Josh, whom she had so
adored and idolized. This in turn, leads to her to question quite a few facts about the
past including the misunderstanding between Sloan and herself. And then suspicion rears
its ugly head – was Josh’s death truly a suicide or was it murder? The animosity
between Josh and Sloan is well known. So could Sloan be involved in this?
Shirlee Busbee is to be highly
praised for the way she has presented this timeworn tale in its fantastic new garments.
The deep emotions she invokes, the way her simplest of words covey a wealth of
meaning, leave the reader feeling fulfilled. With ease she takes the readers along with
Shelley as she re-discovers the small town magic of Oak Valley where everybody knows
everybody, secrets are hard to keep and friends are always there for you. Each character
feels very real and the interaction between the characters, especially the childhood
friends, is warm and wonderful to read. It invokes a deep feeling of nostalgia for the
good old days! The everlasting feud between the Grangers and the Ballingers is also highly
entertaining and makes for a lot of highly charged and emotional scenes. The mystery is
also very good and is not resolved till the very exciting and revealing end!
I dearly hope that Ms. Busbee
soon gives all the numerous and wonderful characters in this book, a book and romance of
their own!
This is a definite keeper to be
read and re-read! A true delight!
Reviewed By Rashmi Srinivas for the Road to
Romance
December 20, 2002
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