Author: Jen Gilroy
Release Date: December 5,
2017
Publisher: Forever –
Grand Central Publishing
Series: Firefly Lake
Print ISBN: 9781455569618
Digital
ISBN: 9781455566938
She has a million reasons to leave. Can
he give her the one she needs to stay?
Cat
McGuire’s return to Firefly Lake is turning into much more than she bargained
for. Sure, she missed the crisp pine-scented air and the comfort of having her
family around her. But being home makes her feel less like the successful
single mom she is–and more like the awkward teen who never fit in. It doesn’t
help that hockey-pro Luc Simard is back in town, too. Luc was her childhood
crush, the hometown hero who never noticed her, and yet somehow he still makes
her heart skip a beat.
Luc’s
homecoming has been bittersweet. He’s lost his wife and his career, but there’s
no better place to start over than Firefly Lake. Coaching the local kids’
hockey team makes him feel alive again, and he thinks his life is
complete–until Cat arrives. The shy girl he always wanted to protect is now the
gorgeous woman who’s stealing his heart and making him believe in second
chances. But how can he convince Cat that Firefly Lake is where she truly
belongs?
Back Home at Firefly Lake is the third book in this series. I was excited to see that it was Cat and Luc's story. Cat has come back home to give her daughter a chance at a fresh start. She is also at a crossroads in her career. Luc has moved back home to take over the family business after retiring from the NHL. This is a sweet friends to lovers story,
I enjoyed Luc and Cat's story. Both of them have major baggage from their past. Luc lost the love of his life suddenly and doesn't think he has room in his heart for love again. Cat has always been let down by men and is reluctant to lose her heart. They balanced out each other well. I also loved the relationship between Cat and her daughter Amy. As a parent, we want our children to succeed and be happy in whatever makes them shine. Even if it makes us worry. Watching Cat learn to let her daughter do what she loves the most (playing hockey) really resonated with me.
Characters from the previous books make an appearance in the story. It was nice to see Gabrielle and Wade's story wrapped up. They were on of my favorite couples from the previous book. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Enjoy this excerpt:
Luc’s heart squeezed. [Cat] was embarrassed to ask her
family for help, like he’d have been embarrassed asking his. Except, that would
never be an issue because he had more money than he could spend in one
lifetime. Money to finance the creamery expansion his dad had talked about for
years, and to send his folks on that cruise they’d hankered after but could
never afford because of the cost of raising four kids and putting most of them
through college. Money for everything except what mattered most—taking care of
his wife and their child like he’d planned.
“Pay for the hockey registration when your grant comes
through.” He tried to smile. “I know you’re good for it.”
“Thanks.” Cat’s voice cracked and she took one hand away
from her bag to rub it across her face. “Hockey means everything to Amy. I want
her to be able to play, but she’s growing so fast right now.”
“Hockey’s an expensive sport.” He slid an arm around her
shoulders and gave her a little squeeze. The same kind of friendly squeeze he’d
given her all those times back in high school when she’d saved his butt in
chemistry. Before today, however, his fingers had never tingled when he’d
touched Cat. His body had never heated, either.
Cat started and pulled away at the same instant he did.
“Hockey can be a dangerous sport too, and now Amy will be playing with boys.
She hasn’t played with boys since she was seven. She could get hurt.
Like he had, hurt so bad it had ended his career. “Amy’s
playing minor hockey. At her age, there is a rule about no body checking.” He
tried to make his tone reassuring. “I promise I’ll keep a close eye on her.” It
was his job as her coach, and he’d do the same for any kid. It had nothing to
do with the strange and unexpected attraction he all of a sudden had for this
woman he’d known his whole life, who he’d never really looked at until today.
A woman who wasn’t Maggie. Luc’s stomach clenched in a
tangled lump of guilt and grief, tied tight with a slippery ribbon of disloyalty.
Maggie was never coming back, but that didn’t mean Luc could forget her. Or
that he wanted to.
Copyright © Back Home at Firefly Lake 2017 by Jen Gilroy
Jen
is offering one (1) lucky Grand Prize winner a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a
paperback copy of Back Home at Firefly Lake. Five (5) runner-up winners will
receive a paperback copy of their choice from the Firefly Lake series! This
giveaway is open internationally. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter
below:
About the author:
Jen Gilroy lives
in a small town in eastern Ontario, Canada where her Irish ancestors settled in
the nineteenth century. She's worked in higher education and international
marketing but, after spending too much time in airports and away from her
family, traded the 9-5 to write romantic women’s fiction to bring readers'
hearts home.
Jen
likes ice cream, diners, vintage style and all things country. Her husband is
her real-life romance hero, and her teen daughter teaches her to cherish the
blessings in the everyday.
The
Cottage at Firefly Lake, the first book in her Firefly Lake series, was a
finalist for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart® award in 2015. It was
also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Joan Hessayon Award
2017.
