Lance McCulloch’s debut novel “The Colors of Blue” tells a story of loss, discovery and of course, love. A romance novel through and through, McCulloch depicts the struggles of his two main characters, Sara Field and Rick Wheeler, and their path to finding one another.

The novel has every aspect of a romance that one might expect: boy and girl meet, unexpected and instant attraction, an unfortunate misunderstanding takes place, and eventually they reconcile their differences. Despite this cookie-cutter set up, McCulloch weaves his story in way that makes it both fresh and exciting to a point where it’s nearly impossible to put the book down.

The story is set in the beautiful San Juan Mountains and Tres Piedras River, located in Colorado. Sara and Rick meet at a ranch in the area during a week-long wedding party get away and the sparks are instantaneous.

While McCulloch’s description of the beautiful scenery in the area can make anyone want to take a spontaneous trip to Colorado just to enjoy some of the peace there, it’s his character development that makes the story worth reading.

Sara Field is a remarkable heroine that the reader longs to root for. She’s independent enough to stick up for herself where it counts, but not so independent as to annoy with stubbornness. She makes her own path throughout the story, and that path not only brings her to Rick, but reminds her who she was before life became too busy: a reminder we could all use every once in a while.

Rick Wheeler is the strong, silent type. Not only is he struggling with his own demons from the past, but he is struggling to make sense of his sudden feelings for Sara. McCulloch expertly brings out emotion in the reader by recounting Rick’s past, easily showing how much he cares for those closest to him through his actions and making it easy for the reader to fall in love with him.

Furthermore, the subordinating characters of the story really bring out a strong element woven tightly into the fabric of the story: the importance of family. “The Colors of Blue” doesn’t depict family as simply blood relatives, but as those people who you want to be with you when it counts the most. The bonds forged between the characters make the reader long for small town USA – where everyone knows everyone else, and you look out for those around you knowing they’ll return the favor in a heartbeat.

All in all, “The Colors of Blue” is perfect for just about anyone. The story isn’t just a romance; it’s an inspirational reminder of what’s really important in life: love, family and one’s self. It’s easy to fall in love with life along the Tres Piedras River, and it provides the perfect escape for those of us who can’t just hop a plane out to Colorado for a peaceful break.

If “The Colors of Blue” is any indication of his work to come, Lance McCulloch promises to have a successful career as a novelist. His next work is slated for release in spring 2014.