Finding Love Under a Rock

Kalista Bristow and Leandra Lehigh have decided they are getting out of their nerdy shells and into a world of adventure and hobbies. After reading about it, they decided to try out the sport of “noodling”, an odd way of fishing, because really: who DOES noodling? Apparently, some smart, handsome guys do, as Kalista is glad to find out when she meets the enchanting, rugged Caleb. But soon a legendary, impossible being may break their newfound bond, as they are forced to seek out what they never guessed they would…

The one thing truly admirable in this story is the idea of “noodling”. It’s so fun and bubbly, not to mention a completely unexpected way to find love. Sadly, that’s where it went downhill. Even though this is a novella and a first in a series, a reader always needs characters that are deep and feel REAL, and not one of them are in “Finding Love Under a Rock”.  They just felt flat. Also there was a certain imbalance to the plot with the majority of the story moving at a slow pace, with lots of texting and talking, seemingly with no underlying plot at all, and at the end a huge explosive surprise is revealed just before the ending and the “To be continued” note. Frankly, the glimpses are not tantalizing, it all felt strange and unsatisfying, with a lot of room for improvement.   

Mimi Smith