Book Review: Kentucky Home

Author: Sarah Title
Title: Kentucky Home
Publisher: eKensington
Publish Date: April 18, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley & the publisher

Book Blurb: 

In this warm and witty new series, author Sarah Title introduces readers to the down home Kentucky hospitality of the Carson family and their Wild Rose Farm and Stables. It’s a place where love is always possible—and sweeter than ever the second time around…

Mallory Thompson and Keith Carson are far from impressed with each other when she arrives at his family’s horse farm, fleeing an abusive marriage. Mallory sees nothing but a gruff man who’s as patronizing as her soon-to-be ex-husband, and Keith has no time for a city girl who’s afraid of dogs. But the struggling Wild Rose is too small to allow anyone to keep their distance…

As one by one, Mallory wins the hearts of his family, from his cranky father to his headstrong younger sister and three-legged dog, Keith finds himself more than a little attracted to her stubborn charm. And the longer Mallory stays, the more she realizes Keith is nothing like the overbearing bully she married—and the more she fantasizes about being in his strong, loving arms. Maybe some folks get a second chance to make a first impression after all…

Review: I wanted to like Kentucky Home so much more than I actually did. I found it difficult to connect with Mallory, in fact, at the beginning of the story, I wasn't sure who she was or what part she was going to play in the story.

I really thought Luke was going to be more of character here, since the prologue is told from his point of view, so when it changes to Mal's and Keith's, I have to say I was a little confused.

The Carson family is really dysfunctional, but in an almost good/lovable way. It was easy to like Keith and Katie. I wish I could say the same for Mallory. She was very, meh.

I understand how women in abusive relationships get pulled back in to them, but Mallory just seemed so unbelievably stupid, especially when it came to leaving her husband, Michael, who was a total jerk. (to keep things clean)

Why does she not have an attorney?

And then there was her relationship with Keith. I liked how they came together, but I really found myself shaking my head after they had sex shortly after Keith's father had a heart attack.

Their romance was sweet as it developed, but it would have been nice to see some growth in Mallory. She had no strength at all, even at the end when she has more gumption, there's still no strength to her character and with the situations she was put in, some strength would have been a good thing.

Kentucky Home is the first book in a new series, and I'm not sure if this book leaves me feeling infested enough in the characters to try another book, maybe if Katie or Luke get stories, I may have a go at continuing this one.

Rating: 3 flowers