Sunrise Canyon (The New Americana Series Book 1)

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.This is a well written story with interesting characters, albeit some are complicated. Jake is a former veteran who has PTSD and is struggling to be live a normal life. Persuaded to return to the ranch where his daughter, late wife's grandfather and cousin live, can he heal?With beautifully described surroundings, this is more than just a romance as there are a lot of emotions and feelings explored in a very empathetic and real way.I liked reading this.

Sunrise Canyon by Janet Dailey is a love story set on a horse ranch in the Arizona Desert. Here you meet Jake O’ Reilly who appeared to have everything he could ever want, a beautiful wife and a baby on the way. On his return from Afghanistan his wife is dead and he is suffering from PTSD that forces him to shut himself away from everyone and everything he knows. Then there is Kira who blames herself for the death of Jake’s wife and has taken on the responsibility of bringing up Jakes daughter Paige.When Kira’s grandfather tracks Jake down he has been arrested for fighting. He persuades him to return with him to the Flying Cloud ranch where he comes face to face with the past he has been avoiding in the form of his young daughter, and his wife’s cousin who resents his presence and what it could mean for the life she has made.Kira’s grandfather is taken ill shortly after his arrival and they are forced to work together to keep the business going, something neither of them is too happy about.Jake comes across as your typical alpha male… someone who refuses help and would rather shut himself away from the world than try to face his problems head on and rely on the help of others. As the story progresses you do see traces of the man he once was as he starts to bond with some of the troubled teens staying at the ranch, finding that his army training can come in handy. You also learn that he may not be such a tough guy with his reaction to snakes and horses.Kira is a trained psychologist who uses the horses on the ranch to try to help the teenagers and despite her initial feelings about Jake she manages to use some of that training to get through to him during one of his PTSD episodes. From this moment on there is a spark between them that they try to fight. As with all love stories they eventually give in to their feelings and when Paige goes missing they realise that they belong together.It has been about 15 years since I have read one of Janet Dailey’s books and so the opportunity to pick up Sunrise Canyon was one I could not pass on. Whilst my reading preferences have expanded in that time I wanted to see if I would enjoy the stories as much as I used to. And for the most part I did. The setting of the Arizona Desert gives you a longing to be there and experience life on a ranch and the wide open spaces. Janet Dailey has a way of describing places, people and situations that has you wanting to be a part of it. The only downside for me was that so much time was invested in explaining the back story of the main characters and showing their struggles in the present that Jake and Kira coming together seemed a little bit rushed. One minute they seemed to distrust and dislike each other and the next they were fighting their feelings and deciding to make a life together. This is the only problem with love stories in books and I guess it is also a sign that as I have gotten older that maybe I am a little more cynical than I used to be. That being said I would still recommend this and any of her other books for those who like a bit of romance, rugged men and rugged scenery in their life.I would like to thank Netgalley and Kensington Books for copy of this book in return for my review

I am a big fan of Janet Dailey. She never disappoints.

Janet Dailey infuses her stories with depth and compassion, bringing her characters to life as they face various challenges. The hero of this story (Jake) is a former Army Ranger who suffers from severe PTSD after serving three tours in Afghanistan. I learned a great deal about PTSD through Jake: his episodes of fear and panic, nightmares and flashbacks of combat experiences, emotional and sometimes violent outbursts, overwhelming guilt, and suicidal thoughts.Jake returns from the war a broken man, working at menial jobs, getting into fights, and unable to maintain close relationships. When his late wife's grandfather (Dusty) bails him out of jail, Jake agrees to work as a maintenance man on Dusty's Arizona ranch to repay him for the bail money. Sounds simple, right? But there's a problem. Two, in fact. Our heroine (Kira), the cousin of Jake's dead wife, lives at the ranch, where she runs a horse therapy program for troubled teens. And she's raising Jake's five-year-old daughter (Paige), a child who's never known her father.Determined to leave after he pays his debt, Jake refuses to tell Paige that he's her father, fearing she'll be hurt when he goes. And he resists falling in love with Kira, afraid his problems will doom their relationship. "To be here, with his little girl and a woman to love, would be his idea of heaven. But could he make that heaven last? Could he find the strength to control the horrors in his head--the nightmares, the rages and the awful black bouts of depression?" He decides to try. Will he succeed? Read this book to find out.I loved the characters in this novel: Dusty, an old cowboy with a deep understanding of human nature; Kira, a strong, self-confident woman who opens her heart to a broken man; little Paige, a child who's wise beyond her years; the troubled teens, who gradually form healing bonds with their horses and each other; and Jake, who struggles to reach beyond his pain to find healing and happiness with the woman he loves.This novel has everything I've come to expect from Janet Dailey: immersive scenery, memorable characters, a gripping plot, tension that builds to a dramatic conclusion, and a satisfying HEA. As always, kudos for professional proofreading, no explicit sex scenes, and limited profanity. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I've been a Janet Dailey fan since the late '70s, so reading this book was like coming home to an old friend. This was more than a love story, it was an inspirational tale that addressed very real issues in our modern-day society. Kira's character owns her tough, no-nonsense role as she runs a horse therapy program and Jake is a broken soldier with PTSD. How these two heal each other and the children they work with is a true reflection of Ms Dailey's expertise authorship and will have you falling head-over-heels in love. Add a wonderfully cranky old cowboy and Jake's adorable young daughter, and this is a winning read.

I almost gave up on this story and rounded up from 3.5 stars, but it has merit and is worth a read. I’m not an expert on PTSD or psychological problems, but I think this story went into depth about both. At times I almost decided it was going too slowly and then I went back and read some more and I think my trudge was worth it in the end. If you are looking for a light read or a full HEA this isn’t the book for you, but if you don’t mind serious issues that feel real, you could do worse.

This book brings several social issues into the light. Mental health issues exist somewhere in most families and yet are often not talked about. We need to be kinder to each other in so many ways.