In
this contemporary rendition of the classic Jane Austen's Emma,
Caroline is back hone in Thorny Hollow to take care of her fragile
mother. Caroline had been a successful journalist but her father's
death made her return home essential.
Her
long time friend is Brooks, a professor of journalism at a nearby
college. He is a bright spot in Caroline's life, a voice of sanity in
a world of lemonade and bridge parties.
The
settled world of Caroline and Brooks is rocked when a handsome fellow
comes to town and asks Caroline to write copy for manga books at his
up and coming digital publishing company. Brooks doesn't trust this
fellow – or is he just jealous?
This
novel is good southern romance. There are garden parties and southern
belles to match. There are Civil War reenactments and homes full of
antiques. There are good guys and bad guys and a few quirky ones too.
The
characters were well presented. Brooks is a real southern gentlemen.
He'll even buy a cake when he knows Caroline has messed up the one
she baked for her mother's bridge club. He is so gentle he has
trouble expressing his deep feelings for Caroline. And Caroline seems
to be that typical southern woman who wants to fix others' lives. She
does grow in the novel as she realizes her fix isn't always what is
best for the other person.
This
is the second in the series yet it can easily be read alone. I didn't
find as much humor in this one as I did in the first novel. I did
enjoy reading about the Civil War aficionados. Those guys (and gals)
really get into character. This is a nice southern romance and will
give additional pleasure to those who enjoy Austen's novels. The
author has even included a couple of recipes at the end of the book.
Mary
Jane Hathaway is the pen name of an award-nominated author. She is
the homeschooling mother of six young children. She holds degrees in
religious studies and theoretical linguistics. She and her family
live in Oregon.
Howard
Books, 336 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for
the purpose of an independent and honest review.
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