Welcome to Harmony [Mass Market Paperback]

Jodi Thomas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 3, 2012

Never-before-published-from the New York Times bestselling author of Rewriting Monday

Sixteen-year-old runaway Reagan has always wanted a place to belong. She's never had a real home of her own, but perhaps she could borrow someone else's. Under an assumed name and identity, she moves to Harmony, Texas, but keeps her distance from the welcoming townsfolk. Until prairie fires threaten Harmony-and Reagan learns the true meaning of family, friends, and home.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Thomas (The Lone Texan) sets her latest trilogy in a town founded by three families who are also bitter rivals: McAllen, Matheson, and Truman. Nothing much happens in Harmony, Tex., except on Saturday nights, when the town sheriff is brawling at the local bar. Unhappy teen Reagan worked in a nursing home and loved listening to old Beverly Truman's stories about Harmony. After Beverly's death, Reagan steals her last name and runs away to Beverly's hometown. Jeremiah Truman, Beverly's brother, quickly figures out that Reagan isn't actually a long-lost relative but lets her stay with him anyway. Meanwhile, sheriff Alexandra McAllen tangles with fire chief Hank Matheson, who keeps rescuing her from her Saturday night sprees. The characters are delightful, and a subplot about mysterious fires balances the sweet stories about being and becoming family. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

When young Reagan rides into Harmony, Texas, in the back of a pickup truck, she's in search of that elusive quality called “home,” and prepared with enough background on the small town's inhabitants and history to pass as one of the founding family's descendants. Grateful for irascible old Jeremiah Truman's unquestioning acceptance, she settles quickly into the rhythm of school and chores, but remains standoffish even when junior rodeo champion Noah McAllen tries to befriend her. Noah's older sister Alex is the town sheriff, and more than sexual sparks are flying between Alex and longtime family friend and volunteer fire chief Hank Matheson. Someone is setting fires around town, and with the long drought, vast expanses of natural grasslands, and summer heat, the danger quotient rapidly escalates. Thomas' newest character-driven romantic contemporary novel is set within the Texas ranching culture, a richly articulated, historically significant area complete with three feuding families and the junior rodeo circuit for added local color. This tale also introduces a trilogy fraught with interpersonal conflict and a suspenseful arson subplot. --Lynne Welch

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (April 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425235106
• ISBN-13: 978-0425235102
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jodi Thomas at her best, June 5, 2010

By 

P. Poynor "granmama" (Fort Worth, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Welcome to Harmony (Mass Market Paperback)

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.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved Reagan and Jeremiah!, June 16, 2010

By 

Amy Leemon (North Fond du Lac, WI) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Welcome to Harmony (Mass Market Paperback)

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!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get ready to be whisked away to the wonderful town of Harmony, June 3, 2010

By 

Crystal Fulcher (Beaufort, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Welcome to Harmony (Mass Market Paperback)

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.