How can a book be so heartbreaking and romantic at the same time? The opening scenes, when we find out what led to Mesa and her daughter moving to Wyoming to begin with, were almost too much for me to read and go on. Even knowing in my head that it was fiction, I had to stop and come to terms with the harsh reality of what had happened. Eliciting that kind of an emotional response takes an amazingly brilliant writer, and this author continues that level of excellence as she tells a beautiful story of a new family forming itself from the ashes of tragedy. Mesa had my heart right from the start as she bravely sets forth to rebuild her life and safeguard her daughter from as much of the trauma as she can. Noble is gentle and charming, exactly what both mother and daughter need, even when he’s not perfect. His heart is big enough to take on all challenges, even those from Mesa herself. Theirs is, by necessity, a slow journey of building trust and nurturing each other’s vulnerability, establishing a just-strong-enough foundation together before they meet a heartbreaking obstacle that will test everything they’ve built thus far. Keep your tissues handy because this book goes beyond deep into the emotional cost of love and family before delivering a beautifully compassionate HEA that will make you want to hug everyone you love as soon as you can. Outstanding storytelling, riveting characters, and a story that you won’t soon forget. Highly recommended for all readers of contemporary romance.

Untie My Heart, the third book in the Family Ties series, Jansen Schmidt tells the story of Mesa Adler and her young daughter, Merrick. They leave their home in Idaho behind and start over in a remote Wyoming cabin after a devastating loss. Mesa purchases a fixer-upper surrounded by forests and a nearby river in hopes of leaving the past behind. Her daughter has been through a traumatic experience and misses her old life. They meet local contractor Noble Jabeaux on the day they arrive. He’s immediately taken with both of them, especially Merrick, whom he nicknames Jellybean. He offers to help them fix everything up, and their lives start looking up. As Mesa settles into her new community, she must decide whether she can move forward while carrying the weight of her past.
While I didn’t read the first two parts in the series, I really enjoyed Untie My Heart by Jansen Schmidt. The characters were easy to connect with, especially Mesa and Merrick. I immediately felt for them and wanted things to work out in their favor. Noble quickly became my favorite character. Since he was kind, patient, and had a ton of charisma, I’d call him swoon-worthy for sure. He’s the type of hero romance readers love to discover. He had great chemistry with Mesa. Their relationship developed in a natural way. Merrick added several sweet moments, too. She and Noble were like two peas in a pod. The writing kept me turning pages, and I never felt lost despite starting with the third installment. Plus, there were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming. The saying “Not all heroes wear capes” came to mind more than once while reading this book. Sometimes the people who make the biggest difference show up with kindness, patience, and a willingness to help. Anyone looking for a contemporary western romance that has a bit of an emotional family storyline will want to pick this one up.