Blind since birth, Carly Adams and her roommate Bess are celebrating the miracle of her recent eyesight, brought about by a new surgery for lattice dystrophy, the rare eye disease responsible for Carly’s blindness. As she watches people dancing for the very first time, Carly notices a handsome cowboy with a dynamite smile and can’t help staring at him. Seeing what guys actually look like is very new too, but surely this man looks better than most. When he catches her staring at him, he really looks at her and thinks she is one gorgeous, angelic-looking babe. Hank Coulter saunters over to introduce himself, and soon Carly is drinking with him - against her doctor’s advice, since she is still on medication. The dangerous combination, combined with the Hank’s killer smile, lead Carly to the parking lot where she has sex with Hank, only to discover that her first time was horrible. Hank realizes that Carly’s a virgin too late, just before he passes out.
Carly ends up pregnant, threatening her recent eye surgery, and her doctor tells her she will most likely be blind once again. Carly wants nothing to do with Hank Coulter, but he feels terrible about seducing her the way he did and he does want the baby. He offers her a marriage of convenience to help her out financially and because he is so remorseful about her losing her eyesight again because of him. As they get to know each other better, Hank realizes what a strong person Carly is and how hard her life has been. Carly discovers that Hank is a hard worker who, in partnership with his brother, has made a success of his working ranch. As they are drawn more and more to each other, life is good — until Carly starts losing her sight and one day ends up in the lake, terrified for her life.
Carly and Hank have so many ups and down in their relationship, they could end up together or apart. But it’s a journey that Catherine Anderson makes it worthwhile to take. Anderson is excellent at writing warm, believable people who have to deal with real-life problems without being destroyed by them. And Hank’s extensive family adds a lot of love and laughter, as does Carly’s father. Blue Skies is number four in the Kendrick/Coulter series.