Chance’s Return, a clean and wholesome romance by Lucy Naylor Kubash, is Book 1 of the “North Star Legacy” series. The contemporary western is set in Wyoming’s ranch country.

Casey Girard, a widowed single mom, and her young son Jamie drive from Michigan to Wyoming for the summer. Casey, a librarian, desperately needs a change of pace. Hopefully, different scenery and occupation will help them recover from the tragic loss of her husband. Her plan is to help her aunt, a cook at the North Star, a working cattle and guest ranch.

Chance McCord, an ex-rodeo champion, is returning to his family’s ranch, the North Star. He’s still nursing his wounds–both physical and mental. His family has been torn with tragedy and anger. Will his return make things even worse?

When Casey and Chance meet, their mutual attraction is immediate. But both have pasts that need to heal. Will they be able to overcome these tragedies, let go of the past, and make a life together?

Clean romance, or “clean and wholesome romance,” is a genre of romance novels that focus on family, relationships, and clean content. I found Chance’s Return fit that description perfectly. The love shown between Casey and Chance didn’t need graphic descriptions of sex scenes. The lovely prose said it all.

I enjoyed Chance’s Return. Besides the storyline, I savored the author’s vivid descriptions of Wyoming, of a ranch nestled in the shadow of the looming Grand Teton Mountains with its extreme weather changes, the miles of pastureland, the clicking of insects, and the trill of songbirds. Besides all that, the story is captivating and heart-warming.