OstensiblyA

3.5 stars. Good little story about a world renowned musician, Vanessa Sexton, who returns home after her father's death to the mother she hasn't seen or heard from in 12 years. Not only does she have to deal with understanding why her mother let her go and didn't go after her, she has to deal with her high school love, Brady, who she thought unceremoniously dumped her the night of his senior prom. I'm glad there was time spent on Vanessa's relationship with her mother. I just didn't like her mother much. I really liked her relationship with Brady. The pacing was somewhat fast but for the most part the way they came together, got to know each other again, and reignited their love was well done and sweet. Vanessa's internal conflict was understandable and not overdrawn. Although I did kind of want to smack her around every time she denied her health issues. I ended up buying this twice, once in ebook form for twenty-five cents and also in a compilation of three reissued Nora Roberts books and I enjoyed the story enough that doesn't bother me (not that $1.25 truly would, haha.)