Welcome to Harmony

Another great book by Jodi Thomas. I could not put it down. It was fun to see my hometown , Amarillo, Texas mentioned so many times in the story. I enjoyed it very much and I am anxiously waiting for more books on Harmony.

It is becoming rarer to find a nice relaxing book to read where the characters are believable - with faults, yes, but with everyday problems or at least believable ones and then their search to overcome and go on and have a life to enjoy. Jodi Thomas is accomplishing that with the books she is writing. `Welcome to Harmony' is a story of a small Texas town, which in some ways could be anywhere else, with everyone knowing what is going on and who your family is. In this particular novel you have a run- away trying to find a home and family, a man and woman with a love/hate relationship trying to work that out and a lonesome bachelor longing for a companion. That would be adequate for most novels of this genre but this notches the quality and interest up a bit by adding the mystery of an arsonist and it is written well enough that it is not obvious until the end who it is. There are plenty of nice moments and people. Romances do not go smoothly, but there is always hope. The characters and plot draw you in. You want to know them and care about them...what more could you ask for in a pleasant companion of a book.

Jodi Thomas is becoming one of my favorite writers. Her books are easy to read with characters you enjoy spending time with. One of the best characters in recent memory is Reagan Truman. She's 16 and a runaway who comes to Harmony pretending to be Jeremiah Truman's niece. He's known to be a very difficult man of few words but from their first meeting, they form a very strong (unspoken) bond. Her friendship with Noah (Preacher) McAllen is fun to watch develop also. As if these three characters weren't enough, there's Sheriff Alex McAllen - Noah's sister. Her guilt from something that happened years ago is keeping her from finding happiness. And then there's Fire Chief Hank Matheson who loves Alex even tho she keeps him at a distance for reasons he doesn't understand. The addition of Hank's 4 year old niece Saralynn is an added bonus. She is adorable. There's also a mystery as someone is setting fires around Harmony which threaten to destroy the town. This forces Alex and Hank to join forces to find the arsonist. The 2nd book in this trilogy will be out this fall. If you read this first one, you will want to read them all. Jodi Thomas is REALLY good!

Jodi Thomas never fails to enthrall me in her unforgetable stories. This is one of her best. I was hooked from the first page! I can hardly wait to read the next enstallment...Somewhere Along the Way. The characaters in Welcome to Harmony came alive for me. (I did wonder about 4-year-old Saralynn talking so well. Perhaps being raised in a house full of adults contributes to her ability.) I'm hoping the next book will further the relationship between Tyler and Katherine and Reagan and Noah. Something to look forward to. Others have discussed the plot, so I won't waste your time. If you like stories about modern day Texas and small towns with believable characters, you'll enjoy this book.

I was so thrilled to pick this up on Sunday to read. I wasn't feeling very well (stomach-bug) and wanted something to enjoy reading, something that would transport me away from how I felt. Welcome to Harmony did just that. I left my quiet bedroom (the kids and husband were gone) and was transported to the town of Harmony. I got to know the inhabitants of Harmony and felt their joys and pain. Their hopes and fears. I was completely absorbed into the lives of the people of Harmony and the events that unfolded in the book. I'll start with the plot - it was a great set up for the series in this first book, but the book had a plot of it's own too. Sometimes there is too much of one or the other in a first book in the series, but Ms. Thomas has found a wonderful blend. There was enough background to absorb you as well as a plot line to keep this story moving (and you anxious for the next book in the series). I won't give anything away, but it can be a nail-biter at times. Lots of things go on in the book, but it's not too much to keep up with - it's just right to keep you enthralled and wanting to read more. As for the characters - there are a lot you get to know in this book, but most of them stand out well on their own. Reagan is the catalyst for the story. She shows up in town and claims to be Jeremiah's niece. Jeremiah is that perfect grumpy old man and I loved him as a character. There is also Noah who befriends Reagan when others seem unsure of her. And the main characters of this story, sheriff Alex and fire chief Hank Matheson. Through these main characters and a few others who I hope will have stories of their own, you learn about the town and the characters. The characters are well-written and varied and really make the story. I highly recommend you pick up this story if you enjoy relationship and character-driven novels with some romance. It all blends together so well to make a perfect story. It 's a perfect summer read.