Reclaiming Nick by Susan May Warren

Nick Noble has been away from his home The Silver Buckle for over 10 years. He left home an angry young man and never knew how to return and apologize to those he loved and hurt. Now his father has passed away and left part of The Silver Buckle property to Nick's childhood friend Cole. Nick swears one thing-he will never allow one piece of Silver Buckle property to fall into Cole's hands. He returns home to protect the land he was raised on and to hopefully make amends to those he hurt when he left, but not to Cole, no never to Cole.

Piper Sullivan is a journalist trying to clear her step-brothers name and prove that Nick Noble framed him. Determined to get the evidence she needs to provide justice for her brother Piper hires on to The Silver Buckle as a cook. One problem though, Piper cannot cook! Believing that all she needs is one week to gather her evidence Piper bluffs her way through her first big meal.

Maggy, Nick's sweetheart through high school and into college married Cole soon after Nick left. They have had a good life, but now Cole's health is deteriorating and he faces leaving their son and Maggy with more than they can handle. When Nick returns Cole knows that Maggy will go running back to him, after all Cole feels that he never really deserved a girl like Maggy.

Add in to all of that a suspense element and Reclaiming Nick grabs the reader and keeps them turning the pages through all of the twists and turns to the surprising and satisfying conclusion.

Reclaiming Nick had me from the beginning and now I am going to go order the next book Taming Rafe to continue on with the Noble family story. I liked the human-ness of the characters in Reclaiming Nick and their need to forgive, be forgiven and forgive themselves. I also liked the romance between Nick and Piper. I got a little frustrated with Cole and Maggy's relationship, the reader knows that Maggy loves him, but having felt like he was in Nick's shadow all of his life Cole is a man who cannot believe his good fortune in gaining the love of a woman like Maggy. A great story with lots of twists and turns to keep the readers interest!