"Andra Lawler has hardly left her family's ranch in years, imprisoned by the trauma of her sexual assault. LJ Delisle hasn't made it out of New Orleans until now, stuck in a cycle of poverty and grief following Hurricane Katrina. When the black Creole cowboy leaves his home to train horses on the whitewashed ranches of Montana, the last thing he expects is to form a personal connection with Andra. Through LJ's gentle attention to her during their cooking lessons and his boisterous love of life, Andra tiptoes out of her isolation. But the entire town--including Andra's father--are suspicious of LJ. And every time Andra and LJ get close to the bedroom, she freezes. Before they can work through Andra's fears and her dad's objections, LJ's mother falls ill, and he has to return to New Orleans to care for her. Desperate to prove she can heal from her traumas, Andra strikes out to pursue him. When Andra reaches Louisiana, she finds herself embraced by Hurricane Katrina survivors who live with an intensely personal understanding of post-traumatic stress. But not even the vibrant charm of New Orleans is enough to smother the ever-present issues of racism that impact LJ on a daily basis. Against the backdrop of empty lots and hastily repaired houses, Andra and LJ long to make their romance into a life together. But LJ's family still needs him, and Andra's ranch is calling her back to Montana" --
adult
Michelle Hazen.
