Firefly Island by Lisa Wingate

This romance is a bit different. Girl gets guy at the very beginning and what happens after that is the story.

Mallory is on staff with a congressman and is a busy woman. When she spills her papers she is struck by the handsome man who helps her gather them up. She falls hopelessly in love with him and his three year old son, Nick. Marriage is certain.

But Daniel is in a dead end job with the USDA. When he receives a job offer from a mysterious business man in Texas, Daniel is ready to go.

Mallory, a city girl, going to a ranch by Moses Lake in Texas? She takes a leap of love. She, Daniel, Nick begin to make a life together in a strange and hostile land.

Daniel's boss is a mystery man. He is a recluse. He needs Daniel to work his biochemistry magic and develop better crops for the dry Texan soil. But there is something else going on. There is a small island, Firefly Island, in Moses Lake that is off limits. Yet, there are lights on the island sometimes. What is Jack trying to hide? Rumors surface about Jack's wife and child who went missing years ago. What happened to them? Why were they never found? Are they hidden on the island?

And who is the crazy neighbor, the odd woman who is sometimes so helpful but others times so harsh? She knows something about Jack and why is she hiding it? And who are all the other strange people in this alien area? Who can she trust?

This is a different romance since the romance and marriage happens in the first few pages. The plot of the novel centers around Mallory trying to make the serious adjustment from being a city gal to one who must milk a cow! She is confronted with all kinds of people she would never have even touched back in DC! Now she must rely on those very people for her continuing welfare. She learns a great deal about herself and other people in the process.

One criticism of this novel is that I felt there was a great deal of hype about the mystery surrounding Jack West. In the end, the hype was more than what resulted. I was a bit disappointed, feeling I had been set up.

Another is that Mallory starts a blog and it takes off, something not very realistic. Also, I just felt like the book got bogged down in a few places.

Wingate is a good author, however, so the novel is worth reading. I just don't think it is her best.

Lisa Wingate is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author. Larkspur Cove won the 2011 Carol Award for Women's Fiction. Lisa and her family live in central Texas. You can find out more about her at www.lisawingate.com.

I am taking part of a blog tour of this book. You can find other reviews here.

Bethany House Publishers, 384 pages. Please visit your favorite Christian bookstore to purchase this book.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.