Good wrapup to this subset of the Montana Mavericks series. Since the first book in the Brothers and Broncos series, the residents of Bronco have been faced with the question of what happened to Bobby Stone. He was a resident who disappeared while hiking - his backpack was found, along with signs he'd fallen down the side of the mountain, but no body was found. However, in each book, someone thought they saw Bobby - or his ghost. At the end of the previous book, Thankful for the Maverick, a man who looked like Bobby appeared in Sadie's holiday store, startling her into fainting.

Sullivan Grainger spent his whole life believing he was an only child until he learned he was adopted. Devasted by what he saw as his parents' betrayal, he headed for Bronco to find out the truth. Sadie, who was Bobby's sister-in-law, is determined to help him. Neither she nor Sullivan expected the feelings that grew between them.

I ached for Sullivan. In addition to his feelings of betrayal, he no longer feels like he knows who he is. He's spent the last few months on the edges of Bronco life, attempting to learn more about his twin brother. He finally realizes that his best bet is to talk to Sadie, who seems to be the person who knew him best. They got off to a rough start, but Sadie was a very empathetic woman who could understand his turmoil. I liked her willingness to talk to him about Bobby and to help him find out more.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Sullivan and Sadie develop. They begin as friends, despite the sparks that are evident between them. Sadie has been burned before by men who didn't stay around, and Sullivan has not indicated that he'll stick around once his curiosity about Bobby has been satisfied. Sullivan is drawn to Sadie, but his life is in too much turmoil for him to feel comfortable pursuing a relationship.

I loved seeing these two people together. Sadie is sweet, understanding of his confusion, and always willing to listen to his worries or fears. I liked how she helped him resolve his feelings about his adoptive parents by reminding him that they chose him and raised him with all the love they had to give. Sullivan was adorable in how he looked after Sadie, cooking for her and worrying about her during the storm. It wasn't long before each realized they were in love, but their fears and insecurities prevented them from saying anything.

There is potential heartbreak at Christmas when Sullivan and Sadie make a discovery at Bobby's last known location, furthering Sullivan's turmoil. When he disappears to deal with those feelings, Sadie doesn't know if she'll ever see him again. A discussion between Sullivan and his parents gave me hope, furthered when he showed up at Sadie's home. I liked how he showed Sadie how he felt by sharing his plans for the future. The last chapter was terrific. I loved Sullivan's big moment, though there were a few amusingly tense moments and an ending I hoped for, but it still took me by surprise. ( )