Brant's Return

As always, Mia Sheridan doesn’t disappoint. Brant’s Return was not light per se – it dealt with some pretty weighty issues in the characters’ pasts – but there was a tender quality about the entire story that made it feel lighter than it was. I felt like Brant’s Return was the reward for all the pain and suffering the characters had gone through. We had to touch on those horrific experiences to understand how the characters had come to that point in their lives, but we got to revel in the afterglow of hope and healing. The prologue of Brant’s Return gutted me; I was so sure this book was going to destroy me I was almost afraid to continue. My trust in Ms. Sheridan and her powerful, beautiful words made me persevere. Thankfully, I was right to put my faith in her. Brant’s Return was a wonderful story of surviving, healing, growing into your full potential – and realizing those things don’t always look the way you assume. Mia Sheridan writing was superb in this book. I often found myself stopping and rereading passages because the prose was so moving. I’m continually impressed by the way she takes all the words I know and love and gently coaxes them into art so poignant I feel it move through me and make me reconsider their power. Some authors are uniquely capable of weaving an intricate and exquisite tapestry with their words, and Ms. Sheridan is at the leading edge of that elite group. The only wish I have for Brant’s Return would be to get the answer to Brant’s question of why Isabelle looked so familiar to him. He mentions it several times in the opening chapters of the book; then it’s never touched on again. It seemed so vital when he was asking, so I was on tenterhooks with anticipation for that reveal, then it never happened. Brant’s Return is part of Mia Sheridan’s Signs of Love series. These books are all complete standalones and can be read in any order, without reading any of the other novels. Brant’s Return is written in dual first-person perspective, narrated by Isabelle and Brant.

Brant Talbot’s life in NYC is the opposite of what he left behind in Kentucky. He goes back to see his dying father after being estranged for over a decade due a phone call from Isabelle Farris, the secretary for Brant’s father. Assumptions are immediately made and Brant is none too happy that Isabelle could be the one to inherit Graystone Hill. Brant comes off cold, suspicious and all business. He doesn’t have room in his life for emotions or love, but he’s starting to see that perhaps he still might have something to offer to Isabelle. Belle hasn’t had it easy after a devastating tragedy 3 years ago and Brant’s father gave her a job and place to stay to let her heal and recover. She’s still coming to terms with her losses and doesn’t want anyone else to endure the lack of closure that she had. She’s very independent, thoughtful and compassionate. She’s also lonely and looking for someone to offer unconditional love and acceptance. Both Brant and Belle have deep scars from the past that make it hard to move on. Yet they have a palpable connection and share an understanding with one another. I felt like Brant transformed rather quickly out of his NYC persona once he met Belle, and maybe it was the familiarity of his childhood home, but it seemed a little abrupt. Regardless, they have to confront the past to determine if they have a future. There is a slight mystery and touch of suspense, too, and I was really curious to discover the answer behind those questions, knowing it would offer closure. As usual, Mia Sheridan weaves a story with complex characters who bring a lot of tension and emotions to the surface.

Following a prologue that shows the aftermath of a heinous crime, Brant's Return opens with Isabelle Farris working on a horse ranch, Graystone Hill, and finding out that her employer of the past few years, Harrison Talbot, has a son. A son who's been estranged from his father for some thirteen years. Being familiar with grief, loss, and not having the opportunity to say goodbye, she takes it upon herself to overstep the bounds of her role as secretary, and reach out to Brant, to let him know that his father has cancer, and that the doctors have estimated that he only has months left. Brant, a successful nightclub owner in New York City, thanks in part to the reasons he's been quite happy to maintain the divide between his father and himself, promptly makes several unflattering assumptions about Ms. Farris, but for purely mercenary reasons, having to do with the small batch, collectors bourbon distillery sitting abandoned on the fringes of the family property, chooses to return home one last time to see if he can tolerate his father long enough to come to some kind of understanding. Thus begins an unlikely romance that involves ponzi schemes and Amish morals, high society femme fatales and gritty detectives, the glitz and glamour of New York and the rolling hills of Kentucky, and the remnants of childhood dreams of magic portals. One aspect that I found particularly fascinating, was how Brant, who'd obviously undergone a significant personality change as he reinvented himself after his move to New York, seems to vacillate between the vibrant young man he'd once been while in Kentucky, and the cold ruthless businessman he'd become in New York, almost as if, as the story shifts from one locale to the next, his persona is drawn to conform to who he has been in each location. Filled with twist and turns, revelations and long forgotten recollections, Mia Sheridan has crafted a delicate and sensitive love story wrapped up in layers of pretension, misunderstanding, greed, murder, and so, so much heartache. I found myself captivated from start to finish and found myself second guessing time and again which characters were what they seemed to be and which had agendas yet to be revealed. Absolutely marvelous.

Mia Sheridan's words are magic, plain and simple. I've been a fan since Archer's Voice and she's never disappointed me. And while Brant's Return was released before as an audiobook, I rather read the book first and then listen to the audio. Isabelle's life fell apart hard and fast, not in a million years could I imagine going through and surviving what she did. Her heart has healed somewhat thanks to the joy of working around horses, but there are parts of it that still remain hurting and longing for something she hasn't figured out yet what it is. Brant left the place he grew up thirteen years ago leaving his family and life as he knew it behind, but bringing all the ghost from his past with him to his new life. One unexpected phone call from one of his dad's helpers, brings back memories and the need and curiosity to go back to a place he never thought he will ever visit again. At the time Brant left he did so with misconceptions about situations and people in his life, I feel like we all go through this at one point or another in our lives and that's part of the message the author wanted to communicate through him. Isabelle is without a doubt a survivor, she's strong, and after all she's been through her heart remains pure and hopeful. I really liked her and the faith she had in people. As always, Mia's writing is superb. She's a very skilled storyteller who makes the reader FEEL every single emotion her characters are going through. As a reader, I admire authors who can accomplished this and enjoy it in a story. Brant's return is full of twist and turns, mystery, healing, and a love that emerges from the ashes storage in the heart.

Brant Talbot left his home in his beloved farm in Kentucky 13 years ago and never looked back. Estranged from his father, whom he blames for the suicide of his mother, he's really not that interested when Isabelle Farris, his father's secretary, calls him to inform that his father is terminally ill. However, Brant decides to hop on a plane and see what's what, especially because there is something that belonged to his mother's family that he would very much like to keep. Isabelle is very devoted to the cantankerous Mr Talbot, which leads Brant to believe that she is more than just his "secretary" while Isabelle on her side thinks that Brant is a "button-up blowhard". When one stormy night they go out together to try to rescue a foal, events of their pasts come to the surface and a relationship starts to build. Their worlds are so far apart. Will they able to make them merge? And with a secret from Isabelle's past looming and about to put her in danger, will they ever be able to be together? I really like Mia Sheridan. One fo my favorite books ever is Archer's Voice. I can definitely see her talent here but this book had a few things that I particularly don't care for and they are intertwined. There are way to many plot lines and so many things happen that she has to resort to "tell not show" and that really doesn't work for me. It makes it harder to connect with the characters and root for them. This reminded me a lot of the Nora Roberts romantic suspenses, but the suspense sub-plot was really obvious for me (I am notorious for figuring these things out...). Also, having so many plot lines makes it hard to flesh them out. I would have loved to see more of Isabelle's Amish upbringing in her character, as it seems to be something so defining. It IS a good book, but just not my favorite. Audiobook saved the day. Narration: Virginia Rose brings the south to your ear and Jacob...oh Jacob... give him an emotional story to read and you are in for a ride! Superb, as always! Possible triggers: death of spouse and child by violent act, suicide of a parent, bi-polar disorder, estrangement from parents, grief, terminally ill character

It was an ok book, nothing more. The idea was nice, not very original but that is ok. But the execution wasn't the best. Brant's change of heart came too fast, and all the changes that came after that felt rushed. Something in the writing didn't work for me so I had to skip some pargraphs here and there. So, as I said the book was ok, passed the time when I needed it, but nothing more.

After you finish reading a book, is the best time to write a review. Don't wait! You will lose so much of what you are feeling. I just finished reading Brant's Return. Took me all evening but I couldn't put it down. I'm pretty much that way, when I start reading. Especially if it's a story I love. And man did I love this book!! I can't say what it was about this book, that was so wonderful. Maybe it was Mia's writing, because we all know she is totally awesome. Maybe the heart she put into the story, or how real it felt and how smoothe the writing was. I could see the characters faces. Hear their words and feel their emotions. Although, the story had depth and angst, sensual love, a mystery, It never felt like it stalled overly long, on any one subject. It just flowed so well. Over 400 words. But never did I want it to hurry and be over. It was never boring. Okay, I'm rambling!! Lol! I loved it. Read it and come to the same conclusion!

This is a wonderful book l read it in a day could not put it down. Mia Sheridan is a wonderful writer with a great story line. I am So glad l found this author.

I find it so easy to get drawn into Mia Sheridan's books, they are so easy it read you feel like you are there. Loved Brant and Isabella's story. Definitely recommend this book.

Really good. Mia never disappoints. It,s a light book, easy to read, even with all the tragic inside the characthers past.

Brant and Isabelle were soul mates! I loved watching their relationship develop from page to page. Their start was rocky and unpleasant, but luckily Brant soon realized that he totally misjudged her. It was beautiful to witness how these two broken people found comfort and strength in each other's arms. It's like they were two parts of a whole that only made sense together. There's so much more to this story, but I can't reveal any more, because there won't be a point for you to read it. All I'm asking of you is to give this amazing book a chance! Let Mia's story be a portal to another world for you like they're always for me. Thank you Mia for keep on writing such outstanding books. Every time I think you can't surprise me anymore, you prove me wrong. This is why you were and will always be a one-click author for me! I'm giving this heart-felt story about love, loss and redemption 5 well deserved stars and putting it straight on my favorites list.

Amazong story. Really loved imersing myself in this beautiful story of loss, love and hope. Loved the happy ending and the justice done to each character.

Mia Sheridan proves once again why she is such an accomplished writer and why one clicking any of her books is not just a great read but an emotional connection with characters like few others. ‘Brant’s Return’ solidifies the Sign of Love series as one of the greatest she has written. All standalones and all fantastic. I was captivated with this particular story from the start & read it one sitting despite it’s 400 odd pages... The prologue of ‘Brant’s Return’ gutted me; it begins with the horrible crime that was committed against the main character, Isabelle. Isabelle is recovering from this tragedy, living on a horse farm when the owners son Brant finds out his father is dying... From there we are taken on her journey of rebuilding herself while he is working through his pain... She was broken but yet still strong. Brant also lived a life with a painful past. ‘Be with me. Just be with me. We’ll figure out all the details later.’ Their love story is original keeps you reading with the twists and turns you will be taken on. I love a book with a strong female character and Isabelle did not disappoint. ‘Brant’s Return’ is written in dual first-person perspective, narrated by Isabelle and Brant, I absolutely adored it!