Justified

Justified: A Novel 

Mended Hearts Series #2 

Paperback, ebook 

June 1, 2015

by Varina Denman

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: David C. Cook 
• ISBN-13: 978-0781412162

Award winning author, Varina Denman, returns with a new story of love and second chances for a young mother and the small town's beloved football coach.

In a small Texas town ruled by gossip, Fawn Blaylock believes others are justified in condemning her untimely pregnancy. Stifled by guilt, she yearns for grace while the local football coach treats her with gentle respect.

Justified perfectly captures the rhythm and romance of life in a small town, telling the unforgettable story of a woman searching for renewal, a man looking beyond what others see, and a community torn between judgment and love. It is the unforgettable story of broken dreams, second chances, and relentless hope.

My thoughts: JUSTIFIED is book two in Ms. Denman's series set in Trapp, Texas, but it easily stands alone. Fans will want to read Jaded though, to read the story of Dodd and Ruthie and how they got together. I fell in love with JohnScott in Jaded, so I was glad to have him get his own story. Fawn had a definite time of growing up. Pregnant and kicked out, living off the kindness of strangers, ones she would've had nothing to do with in her former life. And the secrets - 

I pretty much guessed how the story would play out since I'm a writer, too, and know how it works, but seeing this character driven story work itself out through each of the tangled messes they found themselves in... Spellbinding. And even though I had plenty of things to do today I sat and read. I think Ms. Denman is well on the way to becoming a favorite author and I'm glad to have Jilted in my stack of books to read--next week. I can't wait. 

JUSTIFIED, like Jaded, is written in part first person (heroine's point of view) and part third person (hero's point of view) 

5 stars for another awesome contemporary romance with plenty of twists and turns.