Special Forces medic Rey Cruz needs to find a fiancée, fast, or he’ll end up in a marriage orchestrated by an Afghan warlord. Finding a picture online of a girl he barely knew back home, he fakes an engagement photo, thinking no one else will see it. But when Rey loses both legs and the ability to speak while rescuing a local boy, the image goes viral.

Seattle marine biologist Grace Kim is shocked to find out she’s engaged. When she’s offered a plane ticket to visit her “fiancé,” she takes it, looking for the answer to one question: Why did he lie? Touched by Rey’s funny texts and the determination she sees in him, Grace offers her friendship—a big step for someone who prefers whales to most company.

And when Rey is finally sent home, Grace agrees to help him drive his classic car cross-country over Thanksgiving—a once-in-a-lifetime road trip that leads to what feels like real love. In front of his friends and family, she plays the caring fiancée, but what place will Grace have in Rey’s new life once he’s ready to be on his own again?

I didn’t read First to Burn, which I understand precedes this one in the same world but from what I’m getting online they are completely different books.  First to Burn is a paranormal military romance but His Road Home doesn’t have any of the paranormal elements to it.  Rey is in the first one, as being part of that hero’s unit in Afghanistan, but his story is totally a contemporary tale … a humorous, touching, sweet and sexy contemporary tale.

Rey and Grace meet under quite implausible circumstances but Richland totally makes it work for her.  And their first interactions are rough but so appealing that I couldn’t stop turning the pages.  And then once they get past that and move into the falling in love stage (long distance, at that), it just gets sweeter.  I do wish that we’d seen more of those interactions because they are super cute and funny, which sets up their attraction and affection for each other wonderfully.

Since I haven’t read the first book, my only understanding of pre-injury Rey comes from the little bits at the beginning of this story, but I must say I absolutely LOVE post-injury Rey.  He’s dealing with a lot (this is also something I wish we’d seen more of in the months between his injury and when he gets released) but he does it with a lot of style.  He’s got a wonderful sense of humor and a great self-confidence, even without legs, and his good graces just shine through.  Although most of the focus is on him so we don’t get as much about Grace, they make an absolutely adorable pair … and a very sexy one so be prepared for a little steam on that road trip home.

Able to stand on its own, His Road Home is a total page-turner about two strangers falling in love.  It’s believable, touching, hot and addictive.  Richland has a wonderful writing style that makes it easy to get lost in her characters and lose large chunks of time.