Blue Horizons (Horizons Valley Book 1)

Will Ashton has lost the feeling. The rush that comes from being on stage and performing his music ... its just gone, and with it has gone his desire to keep doing what he's been doing for years. Singing, playing, performing, all of it, and so he retreats from the world to his house hidden up in the mountains to be alone, relax, and work out what his next move will be.Slowly coming out of his funk, he ventures out to a nearby bar, the very place where he, and best friend got their start so many years ago, and of course, as these things go, that's where he first encounters ... her.After a ridiculously awkward beginning, it quickly becomes obvious that there's a mutual attraction, but equally obvious is the reality that she's not remotely ready to act on it.Not yet.I could go on all day about how wonderful this book is. Will is seemingly the perfect guy. For all that he's working through what he wants to do with his career going forward, he's got himself together. Financially independent and emotionally stable, with good looks and a winning personality, he's pretty much got it all together, and this new girl, clearly has no idea who he is, meaning that if she likes him, its for him.On the flip side, Ava is holding it all together, barely. Everything in her life is structured so that the gossamer thin strands holding her world together aren't tugged too hard lest everything start falling apart, yet life is rarely that accommodating, but this new guy seems to be chomping at the bit, begging for the opportunity to catch the pieces, and the best thing? He doesn't even realize who she is.Both knowing that the other is keeping secrets this engaging drama is beautifully sweet, sad and tragic, humbling and inspiring and incredibly poignant interspersed with some laugh out loud moments set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains.Secrets come out, people get hurt, and love may or may not conquer all. Loved it, loved it loved it.Looking forward to more books in this series from Kathryn Andrews​

Blue Horizons by Kathryn Andrews4.5 stars!!“Life isn’t about how many breaths we take, but how many moments take our breath away.”I have been a fan of Kathryn Andrews since her first book. Anyone who knows me knows that I am an emotional reader, I am all about character connection and I relish when an author can pull me so far into their story that I feel every emotion that the characters feel and Kathryn Andrews never fails to deliver.Will Ashton is a country music star, something that he has always aspired to be yet at the moment it isn’t proving to be all it is cracked up to be. Will is one of these artists that needs to feel his music, he loves to write his music, but fame comes with a price and that is endless appearances and a lack of time ultimately to them losing “their roots” and losing their integrity. After the culmination of years on the road and tirelessly working reach breaking point, Will escapes into hiding for a few months, he needs to regroup, he needs to sort out his head. He goes to the only place he can relax, the Blue Ridge Mountains, a place where he spent his youth with his grandfather and place he holds dear to his heart.“All I ever wanted was to be somebody. Somebody to someone and somebody to myself.”Ava Layne is a musician herself but is more classically trained. Ava and her two best friends are really successful in their own right and their contemporary edge on classical instruments has given them a niche in the market. Ava is escaping her past, a traumatic past and while the physical scars have healed the emotional ones have not. Ava is emotionally closed off and cannot even bare to be touched, her story is heart breaking and no matter how hard she tries she just cannot seem to move on. She keeps herself to herself preferring her own company to others but underneath that frosty façade is a broken soul who is letting her past dictate her future, but she has a heart of gold and desperately just wants to love and be loved but the scars of her past have made that virtually impossible.“All I want is to gather her in my arms and tell her that nothing bad will ever happen to her again…only I can’t.”Kathryn Andrews weaves a beautiful tale in her tell-tale magical way. Despite Ava’s past her flash backs are dealt with compassionately and really helps you to understand her and while those flash backs are not in the least bit pretty they are not over the top either. My heart broke for Ava so many times and to see the person she is today, even being broken, is a miracle in itself.When Will and Ava’s paths cross, they both keep their true identities secret and are both honest about it too, but the more time they spend together the more the little snippets of their realities spill out. These two are so well suited to each other, their connection is undeniable, the only ones in denial are themselves, more so Ava than Will. They have so much in common and Will seems to be able to break through those little fissures in Ava’s armour.“Never let yesterday use up too much of today.”Kathryn Andrews really brings these characters to life in this story, you cannot help but feel Ava’s pain and insecurities and Will’s desperation at trying to win the woman he has fallen in love with. This book was perfectly balanced with just enough angst but the emotions are tangible and reduced me to tears on several occasions. But these tears are a true sign that the author has done their job in evoking those deep seated emotions and bringing them to my trusty tear ducts. With each book that Kathryn Andrews publishes I can see the growth in her writing, it just gets better and better, the flow, the construction of so many touching and poignant sentences and paragraphs just really brought to the surface the pain and insecurities of both these characters.Once again another winner from Kathryn Andrews, I would really love to know Clay’s story, he is Will’s band mate but also his foster brother. His wit and mannerisms really brought some much needed humour to this story and really balanced this emotional story.

Will Ashton is a huge country music star with this best friend Clay, he hits the breaking point and escapes to his house in the mountains.Ava Layne is a musician but she is still suffering form her breakup with her last boyfriend.They meet in a small bar in a small town but neither recognizes the other, nor do they want to know about the other's real world.They spend an amazing few days together still not knowing who the other is. Incredible sweet story but some darkness is holding Ava back in life.Loved Ash and Ava together.

When music is your motivation, you depend on the love it brings, the intensity, the calling.For Will Ashton this seems to be gone.When you think you've had enough...have you really?Ava Layne has found herself, her place among her friends.Her piano and new life complete her...almost.Fear...it is an all encompassing feeling.Love is too, but once you've felt fear, it is harder to allow love.What will the Blue Ridge Mountains bring?What demons will surface?Kathryn Andrews has made me fall in love: with music again, with the mountains, with a simpler life, with love.Will Ashton is a book boyfriend for the "books"!Blue Horizons -5 Stars!(I received an ARC- Honest opinion!)

Another hit from Kathryn Andrews. Her books seem to always pack a good punch of emotion with a side of giddy anticipation. I adored the Hale Brother series and squealed loudly when I read Beau's small cameo. Man, I miss those boys!Anyways...This was fantastic and in an effort to leave as little spoilers as possible I will say, Mrs. Andrews seems to really understand and showed there should be no shame. Characters are lovable (as always) and I can't wait for more! Seriously, you should read her books. Hard to imagine you would regret it!

I enjoyed this book so much that once I had finished, I went back to the start and read it again! I fell in love with the characters and the story line. Just thinking about it makes me want to read it again.I am so happy I found this author. I've read all of her books, and loved them so much that I've reread them countless of times. I can't wait for this series!