Homeward Bound (Pine Cove #3) by H.J. Welch

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Blurb

After Micha Perkins finds himself wrongly implicated in a crime, the last person he wants coming to his rescue is his secret crush Swift; his older brother’s best friend. But when Micha returns to the town that never felt like home, he discovers Swift’s young daughter is in trouble as well. If Micha can help them both in any way, he knows he will.

Self-defense coach Swift Coal never realized he was a father until he gets custody of five-year-old Imogen and her cranky cat. His neat and tidy life is about to come crashing down, but to his surprise, Micha Perkins is there to save the day. He’s so damn good with kids, and just as cute as Swift remembers. When Micha moves in to help look after Imogen, Swift struggles to repress the feelings he’s kept hidden.

Micha’s always been a misfit and Swift’s life was always orderly. Micha may have taken the fall to protect those more vulnerable than him, but who will save him when his past comes back to haunt him? Was Swift a fool to risk the safety of his daughter around a bad element like Micha? When their chaotic worlds collide, perhaps love and family are the middle ground they both need to become stronger together.

Homeward Bound is a steamy, standalone MM romance novel with a guaranteed HEA and absolutely no cliffhanger.

Review 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

I can't praise Homeward Bound enough. This HJ Welch story, the third in her Pine Cove series, is sweet, tender, and full of promise. It's a inspiring tale of love and family, and I loved every single second of it.

It gets off to a riveting start, and then it just gets better. Micah and Swift are two men who have known one another for years. When Swift ends up having his 4 year old dropped into his life without notice, Micah is the one who's there to help him.

Micah's an extremely sympathetic, broken character. He's always felt unwanted and that he didn't belong. But, in Swift he finds someone who makes him feel special.

I absolutely love this book. Every single moment of these men, the little girl, and their story. 

Their first time together is super sweet. I often enjoy when a character has sex with a male for the first time, and this one was just wonderful.

Their story also includes some danger and threats, some desperation and self loathing. It ranges all the emotions, as it's full of highs and lows for these men. 

And, omg, the ending is just beautiful and perfect!

It's a wonderful story of learning to forgive oneself and protecting the ones you love.

I love Imogen and even Butter. Seriously, Butter is a fantastic character. Imogen is a marvelous character, leading the plot, and absolutely adorable. The way she and Micah take to one another is superb. And, if you're wondering why there's a character named Butter, you seriously need to read this book. The reason for the name had me completely charmed when it was revealed.

The writing is fantastic, which is no surprise, as I love all of HJ Welch's books. She knows how to write small town romances as well as anyone. 

And Kamran makes an appearance!!! If you've been reading the series, you'll definitely remember Kamran.

As for my favorite quote, well, there are several that resonate with me. 

'"That's the thing about home..." "It's always there waiting for you to come back."'

"... I have mess and chaos and love, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

And as for family, "it's who you share your heart with."

Homeward Bound is riveting and compelling. It's one of those special books where you just need to curl up in a blanket and read in one sitting. It's super sweet and you won't regret one minute of your time. I, for one, am definitely adding it to my re-read list.