What if it’s true that you can never really go home? Returning from a soul-crushing war, Daniel Dragan is determined to put the past behind him.

But with his beloved uncle dead and the town’s economy in a slump, there may not be much to keep him in San Prospero, California.

That is, till he is startled by veterinarian Willow Dixon at the embankment overlooking their hometown and its new factory. A desperately needed job offer there may offer Daniel the chance he needs – but all is not as it seems at the factory and Willow, determined to save the inhabitants of her animal sanctuary, wants the factory’s operations stopped. Sometimes the road home is not what we expect. And not the one we left behind…

This novella was gifted to me by the author, Ben Starling, when I showed an interest. I loved the cover and was in the mood for a romantic mystery.
The main characters Daniel and Willow were charming and very real, and the way the author handled the romantic scenes was really impressive! There were strong messages about how man’s greed can threaten our planet, something I know is close to the authors heart.
I must confess to being a little confused by the mysterious hair dryer, and must have missed something there.
I am not a huge fan of short stories, as they are never quite long enough for me somehow. This story could have been so much longer, as I for one, wanted to know if disaster would be avoided and that Willow really would be okay. I get the feeling this story or its theme may continue somewhere else along the way, and I shall be looking forward to it!

Biography
Ben Starling is passionate about environmental conservation and sport, both central themes in his work. His interest in marine life has taken him across three continents over the past three decades.

He is Oxford’s only ever Quintuple Blue (varsity champion five years running), was Captain of the university boxing team, and coached and boxed competitively until about five years ago. He is 6’3″and 185 lbs.

Ben graduated from Oxford University with a Master of Arts and an M Phil. He was born in the USA but has lived in the UK since childhood.

http://ben-starling.com
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/b0167GZ4YC