Along the Broken Road (The Roads to River Rock Book 1)

A touching story. The reader is deluged with all the emotions that a story can throw at you.We have the soldier returning home from war. A young woman hiding from the world. A group of aging artists hiding their own problems and hurts.Ian, the soldier, though released from duty has one mission left that he has promised to complete.Situations unfold and the conclusion comes together in a tidy bundle. A good read.

The feel of the story at the opening grabbed me and wouldn't let go. There was so much love and "family" going on between the characters. Ian was perfectly cast as the wake-up call Charlee needed in her life.The emotional connection between them was as beautiful to watch grow on the page as the imagery of the surrounding woods and the artist compound. The journal entries were so touching and so believable because I don't think her father could have said them to her face to face and she really needed to hear them in order to heal and grow. Their shared pain over the loss of her mother would have made them keep those emotional truths locked away forever.But his words in the journal and her special place in the woods were strong connections that allowed them to reach each other despite the war or even death.And Ian was broken and trying to find where he belonged in the world after all the fighting and the deep loss of his mentor, Charlee's dad, that Charlee couldn't help herself in wanting to 'save' him like she does everyone else. But Ian saw the pain she kept hidden and wanted to help her break free from it.The descriptions of their surroundings were so vivid and clear, it was as if I was sitting on the stump at her favorite place seeing the bright blue of the water and the majesty of the mountains just beyond.Beautifully written and very heartfelt. +warning+ you may need a few tissues at about halfway in and all the way to the end. But it's so rich and powerful, you won't be able to not tear up.I received an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. AND I LOVED THE STORY SO MUCH, I BOUGHT MY OWN SO I'D HAVE ONE WITH THE RELEASE COVER. Brava Ms. Burch, brava.

Forgiveness is key in our lives! To forgive others & ourselves is a gift. This book made me think of my late Daddy I lost last August. None of us knows how many days we have on this earth. We have to live as if today were our last!

I really enjoyed reading this book. She kept me guessing as Charlee struggled with her life and past hurts. Like many of us do.

Setting: Ozarks of Missouri, USAContent: soldier killed in action, alcoholismThere were some good lessons learned through Along the Broken Road. It was well written and the characters were well developed."Whatever obstacles may be in your path, you have the power to destroy them. I met a man this morning with regrets. But I closed my eyes and the image in the mirror disappeared."

No real depth here. Couldn't finish. A former soldier fresh from Afghanistan goes to the Ozarks to seek out his dead commander's daughter. She runs an artist's retreat, set up like a combo motel, woodsy community. I got the sense that Burch lacked knowledge about Afganistan, the military, art and the Ozarks. The book was not convincing and seemed juvenile.

The main characters in this book were so well developed that I fell in love with both Charlee and Ian. I also fell in love with the quirky cast and characters of this artist's colony. Ian Carlisle was one hunky leading man, though complex with many surprising layers. The only reason I'm giving this four stars instead of five is because I felt like the reconciliation between Ian and his father was rushed, especially in comparison of the journey Charlee has been on getting to know her father through his journal. But other than that, every character and every relationship felt nuanced and real. I am looking forward to reading the rest in this series!

Emotional and a HEA. Great storyline which is easy to follow. Believable characters and interesting dialogue. The letters for Charlee from her father are beautiful.Given the small town everybody knows your business atmosphere one would expect Charlee to hear about the bar fight. Maybe the fact it was three against one (Ian) had folks keeping quiet.I wish the author had included links from her research for help with alcoholism and PTSD.I may re-read this story and loom forward to other works by this author.

I loved this book. I laughed I anticipated I cried (a lot) and lived with Charlee and Ian through it all. I was so moved by the book I yelled it on Facebook and knew this was a keeper. Well done Heather your Celtic roots shine through!

This story follows two main characters who have a past to deal with, and how they progress together to a satisfying ending. The plot runs smoothly, and all the characters are strongly portrayed. Very enjoyable.

quite good,nothing more to say

worth reading

Very enjoyable.