Trouble in Loveland

Charlee Jensen has had a major crush on her next door neighbor, Ryan Carter, since the age of fourteen. Eight years her senior, Ryan marries Victoria when Charlee is seventeen before circumstances dictate that Charlee move. She knows she is not Ryan’s type, but that does not stop her from comparing others she dates to him. When she finally returns, Ryan is divorced with a young child, and Charlee has grown up. As luck would have it, they both work for Charlee’s dad’s accounting firm.  Sparks fly but love is an uphill battle that isn’t always won.

Charlee is a book-smart, affectionate, driven individual and, as such, is a delightfully developed character in the story. While Victoria is the only true antagonist; Ryan’s perceptions of the situation does more to undermine he and Charlee’s relationship than anything Victoria throws at them. The direct conversational style the author incorporates is warm, easy to read and succeeds in telling the story but it doesn’t allow the reader to truly understand all sides. Without some insight behind Ryan’s actions, he becomes a very unsympathetic hero.  And, when the climax of the story comes, the actions of the characters are only partially understood by the reader.   Added interest comes in the form of the subplot involving Charlee’s best friend Krissy, which ties nicely into the main plot. This clean romance is less about the romantic element itself, focusing primarily on the journey toward that romance. The author writes a tight story full of emotion and understanding of the pitfalls and rewards of falling in love!

Heather R. Nielsen