Return to Emmett's Mill

Tasha Simmons's return to Emmet's Mill is anything but a happy occasion. She learned too late about her mother's battle with pancreatic cancer and has arrived home in time for the funeral. Dealing with her sisters' expectations and accusations on top of her own emotions is difficult at best. Tasha had her reasons for joining the Peace Corp. and leaving Emmett's Mill behind and she'd rather not revisit old memories. Returning to her post thousands of miles away in an underprivileged country sounds like heaven, but her family needs her. Staying brings up old memories and it doesn't help that the one man she's never been able to forget has chosen to move back to town. Josh Halvorsen's love for Tasha has never wavered but he hasn't spoken to her since the day they broke up. He went on with his life, married, had a child, and now newly divorced with a difficult teenager to raise. He'd been fond of Tasha's mother and attends her funeral out of respect but seeing Tasha again only reinforces the fact that he's never gotten over her. The funeral and wake are difficult for Tasha, not just because of her mother's death, but because of her sister Nora's hostile attitude and Tasha's own grief over not being there for her mom in the end. During the wake, Josh and Tasha talk about their lives since their break up and while they're comfortable with each other. Tasha's faced with the reality that she's still running from the events that happened so long ago that she fears nobody will believe - after all, her own father didn't. Any hope she has about returning to her post in Punta Gorda is quickly put to rest as Natalie points out to her that their father is going to need help to get through his grief. A series of circumstances brings Tasha and Josh together on several occasions and it's soon obvious that they aren't going to be able to remain indifferent to each other. Recapturing their love for each other may just be the easiest part of their coming together again. Tasha's still reeling from a sexual assault, the fact that her father chose not to believe her and the fear which still stems from that event. Josh is faced with a computer savvy teenager who gets himself in a lot of trouble. Will they be able to weather their individual storms without losing sight of the love they share? Kimberly Van Meter follows up her fun-filled book FATHER MATERIAL with a heart-touching story about another Simmons sister, Tasha, in RETURN TO EMMETT'S MILL. We never met Tasha in FATHER MATERIAL because of her involvement with the Peace Corps but we did learn about her through her letters home and conversations between Natalie and Nora. From the very first page, readers will be pulled into Tasha's story and live out every emotion filled situation right along with her. Ms. Van Meter delves into several heavy issues with such a caring and realistic outlook that I felt honored just to be allowed to read about such difficult aspects of these characters lives. Th