Jaxton Anderson is on the fast track to success as an accountant in his father's Chicago accounting firm. The family as a whole is trying to place a value on Grandpa Snyder's farm, with little assistance from the old man. Jaxton draws the short straw, and is forced to go to Kansas to meet briefly with his grandfather and get his hands on the will. By Jax's account, the inconvenient task should take just a couple of days out of his busy schedule.
The trip starts off on a bad foot. Jax barely knows is grandfather and thinks they have little in common. He also manages to offend his Grandpa Snyder's closest neighbor. Young, independent Ami Martin has been a better family member than Snyder's own blood relatives.
The quick trip takes longer than expected. Jax comes to really know his grandfather. He lends a hand to Ami as well, helping her achieve her dream by transforming her family's farm into a bed and breakfast.
Naturally, the two develop feelings for each other. However, there are many hurdles in their path. Can Jax and Ami overcome their individual obstacles and discover that fate has brought them together? The answer can be found in The Long Way Home.
Stallings focuses on matters of the heart, proving one can write a love story without gratuitous sex scenes that plague many of today's romance novels. The bond between Jax and Ami is evident and readers will find themselves anticipating the couple's happiness.
However, The Long Way Home starts out cloudy. The extraneous family discord distracts from the heart of the matter: Jax at the crossroads of his life. Stallings's message of following one's dreams is stuck in the unnecessary decades-old family grudges that aren't well explained.
The rural Kansas setting is ideal for this tale of self-discovery and romance. Regrettably, Stallings opts for less description of the physical landscape. Painting a Kansas picture with words would greatly enhance the romantic quality of this tale and make readers fall in love with the state and these fictitious residents.
The characters of Jax and Grandpa Snyder are charming, though ambivalent. The real gem is Ami. Her stubborn determination and faith will win readers' hearts.
Though the novel has implied Christian themes, this is by no means a religious tale. The Long Way Home is a sweet story filled with hope and faith. Readers of all backgrounds will understand and take pleasure in discovering Stallings's inspirational messages within the novel.
