After years away in the military, Kyle is on his way home to Granite Falls, Texas. But before that, he must keep his promise to his best friend, who died while they were deployed. Chad made Kyle promise to take his dog, Jet, who he rescued over there, to live with his family. Kyle also pledged to make sure Chad's family was okay. What he finds when he gets there disturbs him greatly.

When Kyle arrives, Skylar is in a desperate situation. Struggling to make ends meet thanks to the unscrupulous relative that took them in when her daughter Mya was sick, there's no way she can take care of Chad's beloved dog. It's all Skylar can do to take care of her three daughters and try to save for the surgery one of them needs. But she tries to put a brave face on it for Kyle.

I loved the first meeting between Kyle and Skylar. Skylar is wary until she connects him with his nickname in Chad's letters and then feels she knows him. Skylar bowls over Kyle as he discovers that Chad's letters and pictures didn't do her justice. Equally affected, Skylar buries her reaction and tries to make everything look normal. I loved seeing Kyle connect with the little girls; he was so sweet and easy with them. At the same time, his observant gaze didn't miss anything about their living conditions.

Driven by his promise to Chad and his guilty feelings over Chad's death, Kyle quickly comes up with a solution. He knows where Skylar can find a job, and there's room for them to live on the family ranch. Overwhelmed by the idea, Skylar isn't sure what to do. Getting out is so tempting, but thanks to the insidious comments by her uncle, she also doesn't want to come across as needy. Fortunately, common sense overcomes her fears, and she accepts Kyle's offer.

I loved watching Kyle and Skylar together as she began her new life. The sparks of attraction between them continue to grow, but both of them fight it. Kyle's guilt weighs him down, and he's certain that she'd want nothing to do with him if she knew the circumstances of Chad's death. Skylar's feelings for Kyle grow, but she is convinced his feelings are only friendship and the need to keep his promise. I enjoyed how everyone around them could see that Kyle and Skylar belonged together. Some sound advice from his brother Hayden, and an emotional scene under the stars with his memories of his friend, helped Kyle release his guilt. All he can do now is tell Skylar how he feels and hope she feels the same. I had to laugh at all the "help" he had along the way. I loved how Kyle didn't wait for the perfect moment but grabbed the opportunity when it came.

I enjoyed watching Kyle with Skylar's daughters. He related to them so easily, even learning sign language so he could talk to Mya. Seeing him with her daughters was one of the things that contributed to her love for him. Brynn, Mya, and Greer all accepted him into their lives right away. There were so many adorable scenes of them together, but one of my favorites was the French toast breakfast. I loved how he included them in his big moment with Skylar.

I liked the secondary characters of the various townspeople, all of whom play a part in getting Kyle and Skylar together. I especially enjoyed Kyle's reactions to the men who showed an interest in Skylar. I also liked seeing Hayden and Lizzie again. After seeing Hayden's regrets over his estrangement from his brothers in The Rancher's Forever Family, I wasn't surprised by Kyle's nervousness about seeing Hayden again. It was great to see that Kyle also had regrets and was ready to mend fences. ( )

Romance with adorable children and adult that need to be better at expressing themselves. Guaranteed HEA. ( )