Catherine Bybee writes Interesting stories with well rounded characters that you root for throughout. This one touches on an important issue for me, the California wildfires and I love how she can tackle interesting, atypical, tough topics and blend them with romance.

Glorious

This book is half based on reality, centred around the events of the Californian wildfires of 2016, which the author personally lived through. From an outsider’s point of view, it is impossible to imagine, even when viewing the photos of the event, as it doesn’t give you even a small idea of the heat and ash, or the crazy mudslides afterwards. I haven’t even a clue of what the Californian countryside is like, either. But the author gives such vivid descriptions, that it pulls you in and puts you there at the scene.

Amongst all this craziness and disaster is a young woman, just 25, forced to grow up early after tragically losing her parents and as a result becoming responsible for her younger siblings, and a chance encounter with a Public Works supervisor, who is determined to save her home from impending floods and mudslides. Yes there is a little bit of insta-attraction here, but it takes time for a relationship to slowly develop as Parker slowly eases up on her control and gives in to Colin.

Parker has gotten so used to doing everything on her own, Colin nicknames her “Annie Oakley” as a homage to her gun-wielding independence and steadfastness. Parker quite happily shows herself all woman by nicknaming him in turn “TDH” (aka, “Tall, Dark, and Handsome”). But just because she finds him attractive, doesn’t mean that she’s giving him a single inch of her hard-won control.

Two very independent characters, set amongst a deluge of disasters.

Alongside them all are Parker’s siblings, who are surprisingly well behaved considering their respective ages. Although that is a lot down to Parker, giving up her sibling responsibility in exchange for a parenting one. Then there’s Erin, a frightened young woman who starts to settle and shine as the story moves on. Plus Colin’s ever-loving family, who play a strong side roll.

But despite all the good, there were a couple of disappoints for me. Firstly, it took a while before we learnt about what happened to Parker’s parents, and even that wasn’t a true answer. Then there was Erin, always looking over her shoulder, but nothing ever came of that thread. I was also expecting something more to happen with the strange man who suddenly appeared in their yard.

A story filled with grit and determination that, despite my minor niggles, I really enjoyed.

Final rating: ★★★★☆ – Really liked

*I received a free digital ARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

My Way to You by Catherine Bybee is an incredible story with hope and perseverance.  I love the characters the author writes.  She has them face realistic situations and struggles.  The performance by Alicia Crow was flawless.  She gave the characters distinguishable voices and inflected the right emotions.  I loved the sweet romance of Parker and Collin in the story.  I had read the ebook from Net Galley before listening to this audio.  I loved both formats! I will definitely listen to more books by this author.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

I love Catherine Bybee books.  This one included.  My Way to You features a sister raising her brother and sister after their parents were killed in an accident. Parker has tried her best to do all she can to raise her siblings the way she thought her parents would have raised them.  Giving them the shirt off her back basically and keeping their family home afloat. 

Which is especially difficult in California dry seasons. Forest fires can be so scary especially when they're almost on top of your property.  What Parker didn't expect was to meet Colin - a guy who works for the county that wants to make it harder for the fires to come her way and then flooding when the rains to come.

This was such a great love story.  Colin is so careful with Parker.  Not that she needs hand holding.  She's just forgotten how to live for herself. Taking the time to get to know her is the key to her heart. It really is worth it in the end.

Wow! Talk about an emotional roller ride that was Parker & Colin’s story.  I teared up more than once while reading! I highly recommend and I’m excited to see what else is coming in this series. 

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

A  good and slow love story, interspersed with excitement. It starts out with a wildfire in one of California's many canyons.  Parker Sinclair and her teen-aged siblings Mallory and Austin survive as does their house, but the hill above their home is left very unstable as all has burned away, leaving bare ground. The county Public Works supervisor, Colin Hudson, is charged with trying to protect Parker's property and the rest of the neighborhood; the Sinclair house is at the top of the hill and therefore most of the  preventative work has to be done there. Parker and Colin rub each other the wrong way at first; she's been raising her siblings since her parents' untimely deaths two years earlier and is a bit of a control freak, to say the least, not easily willing to let someone else come in and take over. That, strangely, is the part of her that attracts him the most. Together they find common ground and a HEA.

Then there's Erin Fleming, who comes to rent the Sinclair's guesthouse.  She's hiding something and from someone -- an abusive ex -- and is basically afraid of her own shadow, let alone Colin's fireman brother Matt. Hopefully we'll find out more about them soon.

The book was good, almost too detailed about mudslides and wildfires -- some of the terminology could've been described a bit better.  But I thoroughly enjoyed the story.  

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

A great showing from Catherine Bybee.  I always find her work to be solid and well-written and this is no exception.

A brilliant start to another series by Catherine Bybee,

Colin works as a supervisor for LA County Public Works Department, an interesting job to say the least. His next challenge is to convince a gun carrying fire storm that he is there to help her family.

Parker’s life has been one trial after another. After loosing her parents she was left to raise her siblings to keep them together, in hind sight she let her future go. No that things are changing just maybe Parker can find her own happiness, but first she needs too save her family home.

Colin and Parker are very enjoyable from beginning till the last chapter. I enjoyed the patience Colin showed Parker in everything she did. Parker has tons on her plate, she needs to learn to delegate things to others, but being the parent, sister and the one in charge it is hard to let go of the reins.

The supporting Characters Colin’s parents Emmett and Nora, Austin, Mallory, Matt, Erin, Grace and Jase all kept the plot moving as well as some real special moments that had my heart full. I can’t wait to see what’s next for these characters.

My Way to You is a intense romantic read with amazing characters that I can see me revisiting. Colin & Parker have an unusual connection and plenty of heat what they don’t have is time. Rain season is coming. What I did not expect was a good dose of mystery, Erin story is interesting to have me wanting her story.

Rated 4 Stilettos by Deb!

For Parker Sinclair having her family home nearly destroyed in a wildfire is just one more added stress in a life that is just barely holding together. Raising her teen siblings and caring for their family ranch takes all her time. When public works supervisor Colin Hudson needs to use her property to shore up the damaged area to mitigate mudslides, sparks fly between them. With another disaster looming can love find a way in?

This was a slow moving romance as the wildfire and its aftermath take center stage. Parker was hard-working though perhaps a bit too independent. Colin was a good family guy. I enjoyed the supporting characters. I didn't like the underage drinking especially as it was mentioned several times that Parker's guardianship of her brother was being monitored. Overall this was a nice romance that sets the stage for the next books. The second book in the series, Home To Me, comes out July 14th. Thank you to Montlake Romance and Netgalley for an e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Ripped from the headlines!!  Fiction imitates life!!

The first book in the Canyon Creek series, My Way to You, is the fictionalized tale of the events the author went through after her home was almost destroyed by fire and then by flood!  It's just so good!

Weaving many different 'acts of God', the fire and the terror Parker felt thinking she lost the only home she'd ever known, the flood after the fire that again almost took out her home, her parent's deaths in an accident a few year earlier, there is so much bad happening, she has little room for anything good.

Meeting the public works supervisor, Colin, and finding out there are people who can help keep her home safe for her younger siblings helps, but Parker is really an independent woman.  Accepting help doesn't come easy for her.

As her small sphere of 'family' expands to include Colin's family, Erin, the woman who rents her guest house, and even the men working on the project, she comes to understand that taking help that's given freely does not make you dependent on those people, they just want to help lighten your burden.

Great read!  I can't wait for the second book in the series.

Parker's life changed when her parents died in an accident. She stepped up and put her life on hold, left school, and became the caregiver to her younger siblings. Life is not easy for her, however she perseveres  through it all and does not let anything stand in her way. 

This is a book that reminds me of how life is for other people, and it makes me step back and appreciate what I have. Life is strange and different people have different problems, however a book like this makes you realize we all work through them. In the end we have to remember what is important.


** I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review**

I was very surprised by this story. It was pretty good but lacked the action and fire I'm used to by this author.

My first book by Catherine Bybee and I was pleasantly surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed My Way To You and would very much like to read more from her.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
I am a big fan of Catherine Bybee's books and was delighted to get a chance to read this book, the first in a new series. It was beautifully written and having read the author comments at the end, I learned that the weather events were based on her own experiences. I am not surprised, as the emotions were so real, and the explanation and descriptions were exceptional. It brought to life the dangers, the determination, and the camaraderie of people who face such challenges to their homes and livelihood.

Parker Sinclair is such a fabulous woman; I absolutely admired her, her strength, her patience, her resilience, and most of all, her capacity to love, to live, and to be so positive in the face of great stresses. She absolutely deserved to find the love of someone who could appreciate her in all her guises, and who would foster her independence but also provide a safe place to find support. Colin was clearly a special man, and recognised how carefully he needed to consider how to enjoy her company and not stifle her feistiness.

I was fascinated by the background story of the fires and far worse, the floods and landslides. It provided such a perfect reason for the two of them to meet, for them to see each other under great pressure, and to accept that they each had their strengths and their needs. It was not all plain sailing, but they did not hide their thoughts or behave in any way disingenuously. I loved it, all of it!

Excellent start to a new series, and I do hope that we will see more of this lovely couple and family. Delicious!

Parker's parents died when she was in her last year of college. She took on the responsibility of her sister (now in college) and her brother (now in high school). She takes care of the family home and all that goes along with that including California wildfires and floods.
Parker struggles and hopes to one day have a life of her own, but has more than enough determination to save the family farm so to speak and take care of her siblings.
In comes Colin with the Public Works Department and sparks fly between them from the start. But with the damage from the wildfires and impending floods and all the work needed on Parker's family property there is lots to get in the way of a brewing relationship.
Parker also rents the guest house for extra cash to mysterious and likeable Erin. I anxiously waited to find out Erin's story.
The relationships in the book are interesting. Not having any knowledge of the California land, wildfires, floods and what was needed taught me a few lessons and sometimes had me stopping to think.
I look forward to the next installment of the Canyon Creek Series.

My Way to You is the first in a new series by Catherine Bybee. This book grabbed me from the beginning and held me the entire way through. I did not want to put this book down. 

Parker tragically lost her parents and had to return home from college to care for her younger brother and sister in their family home. A wildfire breaks out in the canyon near the home and then poses an even bigger threat of mud slides. The public works department plans to work on Parker's property to prevent future mud slides for her property, and the neighborhood. Colin, the supervisor of the project, takes a liking to Parker. The story follows the their unlikely romance, while telling the story of Mother Nature.

Parker has had a lot to take on in the two years since her parents passing. She had to quit college and take a low paying job as a teacher aide which she keeps getting in trouble because she has to take off or is late. She also has to take care of her brother and sister.  When a wildfire nearly destroys their house in California.  Colin Hudson’s job as a public works supervisor is to protect her property and her neighbors. Parker and Colin become close when dealing with trying to save the property.  I thoroughly enjoyed this story.  If you love a romance with a strong woman heroine- this book is for you.
Thank you Montlake and NetGalley for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

If you are looking for a strong leading lady, this is the book for you.  Parker is one of the strongest women.  She leaves her life, after her parents die, and steps up to be guardian for her two siblings.  She's brains and beauty so it's no surprise when Colin comes in and is completely taken with her.  This book has laughter, tears, suspense, and so much more.  This is a fantastic read!

another swing and a home run for this author.  This whole book was like insane. I have never read a book where the main character has SOOOO much bad thrown at them and I didnt end up hating the character. Every hit to the main character was so devastating to the reader and i was just screaming COME ON GIVE HER A BREAK! I like that the "bad guy" here was actually weather and not a person that was refreshing! I loved all the characters and would love a book by the roommate!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for allowing me to preview this book ahead of the publishing date in exchange for my honest review.

Parker and Colin were a good and slow love story but by chapter 14 I was ready to throw in the towel.  There was so much information, some technical, about the wash, the fire, saving the house and saving the neighborhood that the book was more about that than the romance between Colin and Parker.
 
Parker is a college-kid who had to become mom and dad to her younger siblings when their parents were killed in a car accident.  As life goes, one thing after another begins to pile up on Parker including a wild fire that nearly destroys their house and brings Colin into their lives.  I’ve read Catherine Bybee’s First Wives series and loved it.  This new series was just too mired down in how to survive the devastation of a wild fire and how to combat it along with mother nature that could wash your life away any minute to be an escapism book.
 
The note from author does explain why the book focused so heavily on the wild fire, the wash and the men and women that help California more specifically southern California combat their fires.  For me it was too much.  I actually read two books in between reading this book because I was that bored with it.  There is an HEA and it’s the beginning to a new series so two other books are coming I can only hope they are more focused on the characters, first and secondary, and a lot less on the natural disaster that brought them together.